How long has it been for you?
Hello, my name is Adrienne, and it has been 6 weeks since my last big grocery shop.
Three months ago I seriously over spent my budget, see http://kasheringyourlife.co.za/index.php/2015/07/26/things-i-learned-while-shopping , since then I have had to shop for all the Jewish Holidays. This month we are back routine, however, my encounter with a physical store has damaged the budget a little.
With all the over cooking for the Jewish holidays, I have been able to get away with a lot of leftovers. Then I took my own advice and went shopping in my pantry cupboard. I managed to draw up a full month’s worth of meal plans, with only minimum shopping required. http://kasheringyourlife.co.za/index.php/2015/06/30/i-own-my-kitchen
The only food items I have had to buy, so far, are salad ingredients, fresh mushrooms, bread and milk.
I am hoping that it will stay that way till the end of the month.
One thing I have learned about menu planning is that you need to be flexible. Some days you just don’t feel like cooking what’s on the menu, or not cooking at all!
Sometimes one or more of the family members are out. If you are like me, where I have asked each member of the family for meal suggestions, what’s on the menu may be the favourite food of the person who isn’t there!
Menu planning isn’t only about knowing what to make for dinner tonight. There are plenty of websites for that. Menu planning is about being able to serve food, no matter how far from pay day you are.
If you do weekly planning, remember to watch for specials and plan your meals around what is available.
Don’t go shopping just because there is a special on. You may not be able to use up 1kg of butternut, 1kg of onions, 1 kg of potatoes and 1kg of carrots in a month, never mind the week. Buying these type of special is actually going to cost you more, because the vegetables will go off before you use them up. Either team up with a friend, or invest in a larger freezer and slice and dice and freeze for later use.
EVENT:
I am running a meal planning workshop on the 25th October, 2015.
From 9:30-11:30 at Elphin Lodge, Modderfontein Road,
R 350 per person.
RSVP: admin@kasheringyourlife.co.za
The workshop will include planning for diets (diabetic, paleo, banting, and calorie counting), planning for fussy eaters and so much more.
Limited spaces left!
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