January is the time when we usually like to cut back on spending and start saving money again, especially after the holidays. One way that we can do that is with a grocery shopping system. It’s a big part of our budget and with so many options at the store, we can get this under control.
Today, I’ve got a plan for starting the year off right and setting up a system for your family’s meals and groceries. This is the system that I’ve started using this month and thought I’d share it with you. Maybe it will keep all of us on track and free up some money for other things, like maybe a summer vacation! Sounds like a nice reward, doesn’t it?
Here’s my plan for saving money on groceries:
THE PLAN: Getting ready
- First, we need to clean out and organize what we have. This includes the refrigerator, freezer, pantry, and anything else in your kitchen that’s edible. Get rid of anything that’s too old or expired. While you’re at it, get rid of anything that isn’t part of your new healthy eating plan.
- Use up what’s left. Before stocking up on more food, we’re going to use up what we have. This avoids waste and, obviously, saves money. Food costs money, so if you waste food, it’s just like throwing dollar bills in the trash can. You wouldn’t do that, would you? Every dollar saved on food is money to go towards something else in your budget. Hello, vacation!!!
- Start a meal-planning and grocery shopping system. This saves money and helps you to eat healthier. No more calling the pizza delivery guy.
THE MEAL-PLANNING AND GROCERY SHOPPING SYSTEM
- First, we need to plan our meals according to what we have in our kitchen already. Do this each week so that nothing gets wasted. Remember, no more wasting food!
- Look online or in the flyers of your local grocery stores. Plan meals according to what’s on sale.
- Use a monthly menu template, (See my printable, Lifetime Month Of Menus), and plan the rest of your meals for the week according to your family’s favorites that are healthy and easy to fix.
- Now, make your grocery list for the week according to the meals you planned.
- At the store, stick to the list, unless you find things on sale that your family could use in the near future, especially for meals.
- The next week, follow the same steps, planning your meals according to what you have (which will be the items you bought on sale in previous weeks), the new sale items, and then your family’s favorites.
THINGS TO REMEMBER
- Don’t stock up on too much junk food and processed foods. These are often on sale and not worth saving money on. Your health is too important for that.
- Buy fresh food as much as possible, such as produce, meats, and dairy. Basically, the outside parameters of the grocery store is where the healthiest foods are.
- Use up your fresh produce early in the week, when it’s still fresh.
- Have variety in meals. For example, don’t eat red meat every day of the week, even if it’s the only thing on sale. If you keep buying meat when it’s on sale, you should have enough in your freezer to avoid this problem.
I hope you’ll give the plan a try. It helps if you can get creative with ingredients. There’s tons of recipes online, so this should be easy. Any ideas for leftover frozen turkey, anyone?
Please check out some of my previous posts for Meal Planning And Grocery Shopping, Feeding Your Family On A Budget, and How To Make A Healthy Menu Plan. Also, print out the Lifetime Month Of Menus and fill in your family’s favorites. Use this as a guide for what to fix with all the foods you buy on sale.
Let me know how this works out for you! Until next time, have a wonderful day!