Grocery List - Aurora,CO

Hi Nicole,
Try visiting the "Flylady" website: www.flylady.net She has lots of suggestions for meal planning and shopping. She even has a menu-mailer you can subscribe to. You get a weekly dinner menu complete with grocery list. I believe that is found at savingdinner.com
Good luck!
P.

I ussually end up forgetting something at the grocery store even though I always take a list. I am not naturally an organized person, so I had to come up with a system... because I hate going grocery shopping. First off I keep a list of meals that we like to eat. Some people think this is silly but I have to do it, if I'm not hungry I cant think of anything I like. I also keep a list to add staples that we run out off through out the week. On shopping day I get out my list of meals and choose 7, I write the ingredients down that I need then use that ans and my other shopping list and write a final shopping list in the order of the store I'm shopping in. I always shop at the same store, it is so much easier when you know where everything is. My sister thinks this is all busy work, but I have to do it. And it works.
As for snacks, my children really like fruits and vegis, cheese, cottage cheese, crackers, and peanut butter.
And here is an idea for easy meals if you like mexican. I cook a pork roast with taco seasoning and some green chilis till it falls apart. I take out what I'm going to use for that day then seperate the rest into frezer bags and throw them in the freezer. I make pork tacos, you heat up corn tortillas in a little oil then stuff them with the pork and some cheese and then bake them till they are crispy, or you can make chimichangas, or taco salad. It's just an easy thing to pull out of the freezer and it is yummy. You can also do the same thing with chicken and add some mango juice...YUM!
So, I hope this gives you some ideas and good luck at the grocery store next time.
Lori

For me, the best thing ever has been to make and stick to a list. Meal planning and grocery shopping is a process for me that I take seriously. I have a list of 30 meals that I rotate throughout the month, so my meals are always planned. I keep a piece of paper on the refridgerator at all times to keep the list updated. Then on Sundays, when I am preparing to go the the store, I go through my coupons and menus and complete the list. Even staple items such as milk, bread, fruit, etc., go on the list. This has made my grocery shopping and menu planning a lot easier. Also, buy things when they are on sale, not just when you need them. This will make your list smaller overall. I keep plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables on hand for snacks. Good examples of things you can stock up on when they are on sale is raisens, juice and crackers.

Although I am not that organized myself (I'm always at the store), I agree with the other responses. Lists are helpful to me too. And planning a menu makes a lot of sense. My four year old son has always loved cheddar cheese. So we often have sliced apples and cheese for a snack. I think it's pretty healthy. He gets protein and fiber. Hope this helps. Good luck!

Nicole,
Your daughter is at an exciting age. You can expose her to a variety of foods and hopefully she does not become the mac and cheese, hot dog and fish stick kid. Try avocados, scrambled egg on toasted english muffin with cream cheese, yogurt with raisins, nuts, or cereal, frozen baby peas and frozen white corn and tasty and good for their fine motor skills. Deli turkey, cubes of cheese (not american), homemade chicken nuggets (cut up pieces of boneless, skinless chicken, spray with nonstick spray, toss in italian breadcrumbs and freeze on tray - then at least you'll know that they are all chicken! Bake for 10 minutes), peanutbutter with jelly (no added sugar), applebutter, cream cheese, peanut butter with thinly sliced bananas and honey... so many options.

i go to the grocery store a couple of times a week. i sit down and make a rough list of things that we need...the staples, eggs, bread, milk, etc...then i think of three meals my family would like to eat that week...i write down those ingredients...i then add any snack (at my house it's gogurt, applesauce, fruit cups, string cheese,fresh fruit and goldfish crackers) ...when i've finished adding items to the list...i then organize them...i group foods together that are found in the same area of the store i'm going to...i start by thinking which section i will go first...i tick each item off of the list...i put the list on the fridge until after i've had lunch or dinner...that way i'm not hungry and cruising for munchies while i'm at the store....that's how i do it anyway...i adore the kraft magazines that show up...i usually find at least one recipe in each of the magazines that becomes a family favorite...best of all..the ingredients required are inexpensive and the meals aren't time consuming...anyway..good luck!

Hi Nicole,

A great standby is peanut butter...also some stores sell apple slices in individual bags. Applesauce in the small cups are good. For $12.00 a month you can get 7-8 ounces USDA beef, buffalo, or turkey jerky-different types and flavors with free shipping. I found this online at wyomingbison.jerkydirect.com. It taste really good, and my kids love it. They take some to school everyday. It is low in fat and high in protein, natural and organic.

Hope that my imput will help...
Happy Holidays
C.

Hi Nicole
I have been in that boat many times! But I have found that by using and sticking to a list, not only do I spend less but I never seem to forget anything. My trick is at the begining of every week I put a blank piece of paper on the frig and everytime I notice I need an item, I add it to the list. Then the night before I plan a trip to the store, I pull out my cookbooks, recipes, or I go online to meals.com and plan my week. It seems time consuming, but in the end it saves time and headaches. Good luck!

I really like to look for new meal ideas on All recipes. com, Everyday foods, and America Test Kitchen. On All recipes. com they will even put together a grocery list for you. I leave a sticky note pad in my pantry when I or my husband use the last of something we write it down. When I go grocery shopping I like to go up and down each isle to make sure there isn't something I have forgotten. Some fun ideas are to do a soup night, a vegetarian night, a fish night added to the meals your family already enjoys. My daughter really likes ants on a log (peanut butter and celery), string cheese, dry cereal in a bag, ritz crackers with cottage cheese, broccoli with ranch, apples with the rinds cut off. I hope that helps.

Emeals is great system and only $5/mth...emeals.com