How I Grocery Shop Only Twice a Month

"What's for dinner???"  Isn't that just the worst question to be asked late in the day when you have no idea what the answer is?  In my home, I think I've found a solution to that problem.

 

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I've mentioned a couple of times on blog posts in the past, that twice a month I plan a two week menu and make a shopping list to match.   Shopping for groceries only twice a month saves me time, money, and energy. So today I thought I'd share with you how I go about doing this.

Start with a budget 

This is a super important step.  I take care of all the finances, bills, etc in our family.  Having a budget for food and other household essentials is a big part of helping me keep our finances on track.  It also gives me a limit and helps me to cut out grocery items that are not totally necessary {i.e. junk food}.

Look at local sales ads online

The day before I do my two week grocery shopping trip, I like to look at all the grocery/big box store sales ads for my local area online.  I don't use more than just a few coupons {because when I do I usually end up buying too much processed food that I'd rather not be feeding my family}.  However, looking at the ads, I'm able to find out what's on a good sale that week.  I make a note of these things and keep these items in mind when it comes to the step where I'm actually making my two week menu.  I also try and stock up on items that are on an exceptionally good sale {I have a separate budget for food storage items.}

Take stock of what is already in the pantry

Before I go out and buy a ton of groceries, I like to see what I already have on hand that I can work with.  This also keeps me from letting certain items expire and saves me money.

Brainstorm 14 dinner menu ideas  

So now, keeping in mind what I already have in the pantry and what's on sale, I brainstorm 14 dinner ideas on an excel spreadsheet.  {Just writing them down on a piece of paper works well too.}

I typically add cheap menu ideas to the list, like lentils and rice and then some more costly menu ideas like lasagna or steak.  This helps me to stay within my budget, but also allows us to eat the things we really love.

I also come up with my 14 dinner menu ideas by seeing what is on sale that week and making a few meals using sale items {i.e. tuna might be 3/$1.00 so I'll stock up on tuna and make tuna casserole one night}.  Another thing I like to do lately to help me come up with dinner ideas is to peruse pinterest.   In fact my two week shopping list this time had three new menu ideas on it that I found on pinterest.  My children are very picky eaters, so a lot of what I make for dinner is very simple and is stuff that I know they'll eat and like.  But I like to mix things up a little too and be open to trying new things.  Then if that new meal is a big hit, I'll repeat it again in a few weeks!

Note:  I don't always make note of it on my menu list, but each dinner is also served with a vegetable and also a whole grain if need be. 

Make a grocery list

After I have my 14 dinner menu ideas typed out on my Excel spreadsheet, I go through each individual dinner idea and on a separate Excel page, I type out my grocery list.  If I already have it in my pantry, I don't add it to the list.  After I figure out what I'll need to make each dinner, I add to the list what ingredients I'll need for breakfasts, lunches, and snacks.  We're pretty boring around here and typically eat soup or sandwiches for lunch and cereal, toast, or waffles for breakfast.  So figuring out what I need for those meals is pretty easy.

The last thing I like to add to my grocery list are household items that I'm running low on {i.e. shampoo, pull ups, toilet paper, makeup, dog food, etc.}

Price out each item

After my shopping list is done, on the right column of my Excel spreadsheet, I add the estimated cost of each item.  After grocery shopping for so many years I have most prices memorized and I even know the cheapest place to buy these items.

When I'm done with this, I click on the "sum" button at the top of the page and watch to see if my total on this page matches with the total of my budget.  If it doesn't, I do some tweaking.  Like maybe instead of buying tortillas, I'll make them {because I already have all the ingredients to make them on hand}.  Or maybe I'll just delete a more expensive menu item and replace it with ingredients for a meal that includes things I may already have in my pantry {like spaghetti, etc.}.

Make a list of where to shop

Once my list is finalized and my shopping total and my budget match, I type next to most items, where that item is going to be purchased.  I typically shop at 3-4 stores on my shopping day, in order to get the best deals and stay within my budget.  {Because I do this strategically all in one round trip, I don't think it costs me much in extra gas.  And I'm sure it costs me A LOT less in gas that going to the grocery store every few days would.}   Some things may be on sale at Fred Meyer, some things are cheaper to buy at Walmart, etc., but the bulk of what I usually buy is at Winco.

After this short errand list is made, I print out my list and  the next day I'm good to go. Oh, and I should probably add that the very first place I always go on my shopping day is the bank.  I like to shop with cash because again, this helps me stay on track with my budget.

Display a two week dinner menu

 Once my shopping is done and my groceries are all put away, I write out all 14 dinner ideas on a chalkboard that is in my dining room.  But you can make this a lot simpler and just write down your dinner ideas on a piece of paper or a cute piece of stationary and put it on my fridge.  

I do not assign a dinner menu item to a specific day.  I simply choose one dinner idea each day, and cross it off after we've had it.  I do it this way because I may be too busy one night to make lasagna and I'd rather make some quick burritos instead.  Or I may not be in the mood to put together a crock pot dinner in the morning so I'll save that for a morning that I'm feeling more ambitious.  The nice thing is though, that once I choose something from the list that I want to make for dinner, all the ingredients to make that meal are already in the house!  It's so nice to feel that organized and it definitely keeps me more sane!  :)

Having a menu and groceries to match, for two weeks makes life for me just that much easier.  I'm not having to run to the store every other day and when the winter months come and the roads get icy and dangerous, this is especially convenient.

p.s. i know two weeks only makes up 28 days out of the month. So what do I serve those other couple of days??? Leftovers of course!!!  No one seems to mind this either because it means we all get to pick what we want for dinner.

*Additional Tips

I know a lot of produce can go bad by the end of two weeks.  So this is what I do.  

I'll buy both frozen fruit {i.e. strawberries} and fresh fruit.  Or greener bananas and apples, which typically stay fresh longer, especially if stored in a bottom drawer in the fridge.

Also, watch the expiration dates on meats and dairy.  If you watch these dates, you'll be just fine.  Most yogurt, milk, cheese, etc. will last longer than two weeks.  And if you can't fit all the milk you need in your refrigerator, freeze some of it.  Remove the milk you will need to use a day or two before you will need it and you're good to go.

I also freeze half the bread I buy so that I can pull some out of the freezer once the fresher ones have been eaten.  This keeps any of it from getting moldy and becoming wasted.

Happy Shopping!