If you want to eat better, save money, and save time preparing wholesome meals at home, then plan your next grocery haul with these pro tips!
#1: Take Inventory
What do you have in your fridge, freezer, or pantry that needs to be eaten? Plan meals around these items first. Defrost any frozen meat, bread, soups or sauces and then add items to your list that can turn these into meals. For example, left over chicken soup can easily be made into chicken pot pie with a roux, peas, potatoes, and a crust on top. Make loaded baked potatoes with leftover chili. Defrost frozen fish filets for tacos or rice bowls. Also check out what’s coming in your Talley Box and plan meals around your produce! Customize your box to include herbs (like cilantro for your tacos) or additional fruit, coffee, nuts, pasta and yummy sauces.
#2: Know Your Store
Don’t make a list that requires three different store trips to make your meals for the week. Understand that Trader Joes doesn’t have everything you’d find at a mega store like Albertsons, and if you shop at Costco you may have to fill in the gaps elsewhere. Keep in mind the store you plan to shop when making your list.
#3: Meal Plan
Be as specific as possible when planning your meals. Try to visualize what you actually intend to make and eat throughout the week. Start with your staple items (milk, butter, eggs, etc.) and then expand to include recipe specific ingredients. Vary the proteins so you’re not eating chicken five days per week. I try to include one fish dinner and something lighter, such as a soup or vegetarian meal, but the bulk of my meals include proteins like beef, pork, lamb, and chicken. Be sure to include your breakfast and lunch essentials, as well as any condiments and snacks. The more detailed your list, the more prepared you will be for the week ahead.
#4: List Organization
When you have three small children you become a master at getting through the grocery store as fast as possible. One tip that has helped me tremendously is organizing my list to the layout of the store. All of my produce items are first, followed by my dairy and protein needs, and finally a separate column for all my pantry ingredients. This saves me from making three trips down an aisle because I forgot something written at the bottom of my list.
Use these tips for your next grocery haul and be amazed at how efficiently you spend your time, money and energy when you plan ahead.
