The first rule of being an efficient grocery shopper is checking what you need before you leave the house and it's a rule which at one time, I rarely kept. I would push my trolley around and seize on yellow sticker bargains with great glee. BOGOF grabbed me every time and I honestly thought I was a savvy shopper. It wasn't helped by having a huge kitchen and storeroom with two fridges and two freezers. Things were bought because they were "bargains" and that was my idea of being canny!
I have to admit that I'm a tad obsessive with spreadsheets, but my food inventories certainly pay off. I'm not good at crossing stuff off or adding items as I buy them, but every month or so I take everything out of my freezer, one drawer at a time, and list what I've got while making a note of anything which needs using very soon. Regular cleaning and sorting of the fridge helps to keep en eye on food stocks and avoid waste.
I don't menu plan but I do meal plan. What's the difference? Well, I batch cook and I make a list of everything I need to make several portions of a particular dish but I don't plan when they will be on the menu. I use both fresh and frozen vegetables but even when I buy fresh I often freeze some of the stuff I buy rather than risk it going to waste.
I am a sucker for a bargain too. Like you I don't menu plan but I do meal plan and batch cook.
ReplyDeleteI don't plan meals for my shopping list, we check out prices and purchase the offers and then plan our meals afterwards. We don't batch cook, but often make an extra portion for the freezer.
ReplyDeleteI also meal plan similar to you. I do keep a well stocked pantry but only have a freezer compartment on top of my fridge (about 3/4 size apt. size) so I can only purchase so much that has to be frozen - although I will say that I do a really good job of organizing that freezer!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. Planning and checking your fridge and freezer saves waste. Plus storing stuff correctly.
ReplyDeleteI now look in my cupboard and pantry regularly. Especially since the time I opened the pantry and found 4 bottles of olive oi.....I kept buying them because they were on sale. Not doing that anymore.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Super blog
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