Groceries

I love to grocery shop. I think I must get it from Da (my grandfather) . I love walking up and down the aisles looking at all the produce, dairy products, meats, packages and cans. I see endless possibilities for yummy, fun and creative meals. I am an aspiring cook. I have no formal training, and probably never will though sometimes I daydream about taking classes. I also daydream of opening a restaurant/bakery much like the kind my grandfather owned and operated. I would call it Da's Place. But I digress.

Since moving to the St. Louis area, Eli starting a new job, and having Will, we are in, well, lets say a fixed financial situation. Going from two incomes to one has required much more budgeting and planning than we have previously needed to employ. Don't get me wrong, we are doing just fine, but it is a new situation. One of the ways we have budgeted and planned is to grocery shop once a month, with a supplement two weeks in for perishables and milk. (Before I go any further I must give credit to the wonderful Debbi Akers who is my inspiration for this endeavor.)

This process really starts with me sitting down a day or two before shopping and making out a monthly menu. This probably sounds more rigid than it actually is. I essentially plan on about 30 meals that we will have throughout the month and arrange them on a calendar for reference. We frequently change up what we are going to have on what night based on our mood. I have to say though it has been wonderful on those occasions when I don't really know what I want to make, because I can just check the calendar and make whatever is listed for that day. It also allows me to plan to make something on a Sunday or Monday afternoon that will last us 2-3 days. For example this week I made minestrone on Monday and we had it Tuesday and Wednesday as well. I love to cook, but with Will being so young still I find that trying anything too elaborate on a weekday can mean we aren't eating until 7pm or later, which simply murders our schedule with the baby for the rest of the night. Making things like soups, stews and slow cooker meals really helps.

So from that list of meals I create the grocery list. This eliminates another problem I used to run into. By knowing which meals I will be making, I can make a list that ensures I will not find out that I am missing an ingredient at a critical moment- like in the middle of making the dish. I also can buy larger quantities of certain items at a lower price and not have it sit on the shelves gathering dust. Another benefit of this system is that I am trying new recipes on a regular basis. I sit down with one of my cookbooks, or call Da, and my monthly menu usually includes 2-3 meals that we have not tried before. So far these new meals have been a success, and I get to expand my cooking horizons in the process. I should also mention that generally we are also eating healthier meals with more lean meat, vegetables frozen and fresh, beans dried and canned, and fewer starches and overly processed packaged foods. This is entirely due to the ability to plan and not some saintly conversion on my part.

Such planning also allows me to take on baking projects on the weekends. I have started making bread pretty regularly, whole wheat and white - though I think we both prefer the whole wheat. I am also able to make more things from scratch. I made a dark chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream that I have to say was killer. My hope is that I can continue to expand both my cooking and baking experiences through this practical vehicle. Oh, and not to forget the actual point of all this- budgeting- we save approximately $80-$100 a month on our grocery bill.

Ultimately, I go grocery shopping less now than I ever did, which given my love of the sport, you would think is bad thing. But, when I do shop I get to fill my cart to almost overflowing, which is extremely satisfying. So now I still get to go up and down ever aisle of the store, but now I don't just look.