Thursday night after supper I commented our fridge looked bare. It usually does and by Friday, it is almost scary. Friday lunches around here (I take mine to work and DH fixes his at home) are normally what we haven't eaten so far and we are finishing up. During the summer Friday lunches often look like a poor buffet...a little of this and a little of that. I hate to waste food and I try to plan carefully so that we use what we have.
That being said (or written in this case), I posted on Facebook the query of when do you grocery shop...a schedule or when you run out of things. The answers were all over the place. A couple said before retirement they planned and scheduled it every week. A few said they go weekly and shop by what's on sale. Then there were a few who go when they run out of things.
I am not a spontaneous person. I'm not sure whether that is good or bad. For me, I have to know what I'm doing and what we are eating and I look at the sales and plan my grocery lists by what is available, what we need, and what is on sale that we can stock up on. I then make my menu plan based on that list or lists. This week was a three grocery store shopping spree.
Every week DH hits Aldi for the basics...eggs, milk, fruits, vegetables, dairy, and chicken and pork roast. I supplement with the other two stores, County Market and Kroger. Well, between these two days, we bought something at all three, due to sales and need. I think I shop on a schedule for two reasons...I like to plan and know what we are eating and I like to save money by watching sales.
The late Mike Royko wrote in his Chicago newspaper column that he used to go the store and buy the same things each week, and he and the kids would fix the easy stuff and leave the harder stuff. He claimed he decided they wouldn't go to the store until all the frozen chicken was eaten, the flour used, and the eggs and onions were devoured. He said there were some creative, but strange meals, but he felt like he taught his kids something -- be creative or marry someone who can cook.
So, do you shop on a schedule or go when you run out of everything?
Grocery shopping schedules
January 24th, 2015 at 09:00 pm
January 24th, 2015 at 09:32 pm 1422135162
I was shopping next to a youngish couple at the store today, and inwardly cracking up because they were just like I was about 10 years ago. "What vegetables should we get? Carrots? Oh, I think we need onions." Now I wouldn't dream of going grocery shopping without a list based on a meal plan!
January 24th, 2015 at 10:01 pm 1422136868
January 24th, 2015 at 11:29 pm 1422142156
I shop about every three weeks whether I am doing any challenges or not. I have a grocery store only 1/2 mile away so I pick up on any super specials for that chain any day of the week. I can now just shop for special and leave all the other goodies that they are trying to sell us behind.
January 24th, 2015 at 11:44 pm 1422143070
January 24th, 2015 at 11:52 pm 1422143526
January 25th, 2015 at 12:08 am 1422144494
January 25th, 2015 at 01:57 am 1422151020
January 26th, 2015 at 02:25 pm 1422282337