I decided to try something new. Today I bought groceries for a month

 The Question:

I’ve never done that. It’s just me but I spent $120. I wrote down about 15 meals and I’ll get at least 2 meals out of each one. Some 3-4. I’m not realky a vegetarian but did mostly vegetarian meals. Lots of beans. I can some veggies so I got dried beans and I’ll can them tomorrow.

What did people say?

⇒ Brooklyn: I like the idea of monthly shopping, but we need fruits and veggies in our diets and a lot of them just don’t last a month. Would you make a few extra trips to the produce section?

⇒ Elke: Great idea= I typically buy month supply ,except produce I have to buy weekly. I cook for 6= I make my biggest meal at noon and most of the time with leftovers for dinner. Or maybe just an add on- like a salad . Don't do a lot of sandwiches at all= too costly. Maybe once a week as a treat. But mainly cause we eat lots of veggies. These times are looking like the ones I grew up in = Post War Germany= I remember my parents drove 1 hr to go to a Supermarket = Aldi= back then. They would buy groceries for the whole month, only fresh stuff weekly. Meat was a small bit on the side. Lucky if we got some Sundays. Taste buds adjust.

⇒ Yilina: Can you share your bean recipes? Especially if any of them call for a variety of beans (like a 13 bean soup mix, but I don't want to use it just for soups!)

⇒ Sue: I've been buying monthly since Covid. I love it and actually save money.

⇒ Coral: Frozen veg are frequently cheaper, no waste or prep time, and highly nutritious, as they are snap frozen as they are picked! Fresh veg are usually at least a day old when you get them, more if you aren’t shopping at farmers markets.

⇒ Elaine: Sounds like a great plan. You’ll probably make changes as you go along, but having meals already planned and ingredients on hand is a great start. Be sure to include a few super simple things, like a pizza or a pot pie, for those times you really, really don’t want to cook!

⇒ Wanda: I think you may feel you have more energy (if you are used to eating a lot of meat) I took a plant-based course through the seventh day Adventist church..if you Google, Dr. Hans Diehl he is from Loma Linda University and was involved in the program…

⇒ Sandra: I have been shopping monthly for many years. I make a list of what’s in my freezer and plan my meals for the month based off of that first and then fill it in from there and I make my grocery list from my menu. I do make small store runs for milk or fresh veggies sometimes but I can look at what I have left in my grocery budget and say yea or nay to those purchases.

My favorite tip: I made a Master list of everything I know how to cook and I add to it when I try something new and it’s a success . This makes menu planning easy on those days when your brain doesn’t want to cooperate and you can’t think of enough meals or a meal to make with ingredients you already have.

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