How often do you...?

[dash]

I always dread food shopping. When and how often do you go to the supermarket? Any tips to improve efficiency would also be welcome. Thanks!

 

[mommytotwo]

I like going grocery shopping most of the times. I like to pick out what we have in the house.
It's good to plan your meals at the start of the week so that you have all the ingredients that you need, and buy the basics such as bread, milk, eggs, and veggies.

 

[dash]

Mahalo!

 

[Lorix2]

Blech! I'd much rather do the laundry. I hate going when we need almost everything and I don't have alot of time.

I've started limiting grocery shopping to once a week, usually on sunday. Of course I have to replenish milk and bread mid week, but that's not such a big deal to stop at the convenience store.

My theory now is that if we are out of something, we're out until next time, no more back and forth trips which makes me spend more while I'm there before I really needed to and wind up buying more fun food rather than the necessary stuff for meals.

 

[Stacerita]

I try to go every week or every other week if I can. But most times I go weekly and still end up with a "quick" trip to pick up something else. I make sure I have a plan of what we will eat that week, I make a list, check to see if we are low on things we always use, check over the ads that come, and try to clip coupons of what I will be buying. I find the more organized I am the less time I spend in the store and the fewer trips back I have to make.

 

[JerryMoCricketsGal]

hmmm...I find it useful to jump from religion to religion during fasting times so that I don't have to worry about such things as my family being hungry...geesh...they need to stop whining...lol

Actually, although I hate walmart and refuse to shop there, we do go to Sam's club once a month (I won't be renewing my sam's membership switching to Costco...not wanting to start a debate, it's a personal thing) and we buy a LOT of meat that lasts us for the month. For more perishable items, I usually check the weekly ads and see who has the best sales, but for the most part, I make a run to the store for perishables once a week or so (it's a small trip, not a full blown grocery shop)

One of our best investments was our freezer that we keep in the garage and is always stocked with meats. At thanksgiving when turkey's are $5 each, we buy at least 2 or 3, freeze them, and then use them within the next few months. When stores have BOGO (buy one get one free) on things like london broil, we stock up. People think we eat like kings, but, in reality, we watch the sale adds and stock up when things are cheaper. (for instance, you will always find crab legs in my freezer, I buy them when they are on sale for $5.99 lb, but that doesn't mean we are well off by any means. We live within our means and know what we like to eat and watch for it to be on sale and then stock up) For instance, prime rib was on sale at safeway and king soopers over the holiday for $6.99/lb. We now have three of them in the freezer waiting to be eaten. If nothing good is on sale, we make our own good meals. We inject chicken with spices or we find recipes that go along with what we have. Allrecipes.com usually has some good recipes, but, read the comments and listen to the suggestions others give for a particular recipe.


Grocery shopping is definitely an individual concept. I hate to grocery shop, and I am the queen of coupons when I am forced to go. But I have found that keeping meat in the house regularly has really cut down on the trips to the store, so, that helps.

 

[SleepyMom]

I'm lucky in that my DH usually does the big shopping weekly. I hit Sam's once a month or so and we both do the quick stops for milk and bread.

I agree with most of what has been posted already. A freezer to put extra sale items is great if you have one. Check what you need before you leave home (I think that is why DH took over, because I would buy stuff we already had) and have a list of what the menu for the week is so you know what you need and don't forget anything (another thing I am terrible at, I would forget one item needed for a meal and have to always be running back for that one thing). We always stock up on sale items as well.

BTW, love your name!

 

[disneymcgraw]

I try to only go to the grocery store once a week. I clip out my coupons on Sunday. and usually do my main shopping on Wednesday or Friday.

The best advice I can give you is this...make a list, but remember to bring it lol. I always forget my list...duh lol.

 

[dash]

Those are all really great comments. Thanks Dis'ers! Keep 'em coming. I'm off to the store!

 

[Stitchfans]

I dread going to the grocery store. I go every weekend. Should be going today, but don't feel like it. There is always tomorrow.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

I really hated going grocery shopping too and was more than excited when Peapod was available in my area. So I do all my weekly grocery shopping online and have it delivered. I write my lists and sit down at my computer and ta da, I'm done. Also it helped me stay within a good budget instead of walking though the aisles at the store and be tempted to purchase something our house really didn't need. I spend less now per week than I ever did. I've not done a full grocery shopping since January 2004.

I do sometimes walk to the grocery store which is by my work if I need to pick up something I ran out of or forgot though.

 

[aprilgail2]

I go either once a week or every other week...if we get to the end of the week and still have a lot of stuff laying around that we just never get to cook/eat then I put it off forcing us to eat the other stuff too otherwise I just toss it out.

 

[transparant]

With 6 kids - its my home away from home.

 

[SeeDisney]

HI,

I usually do my main bulk shopping about once a month at the commissary then go to the near shopping for those quickly replenishment food, milk, eggs, bananas, etc.

However, sometimes, I do go to the local store if they're having a fantastic sale like --- 10 yogurt cups for $4.00 or buy one and get TWO free.

With four kids, it seems like I go all the time.

 

[mtemm]

With 6 kids - its my home away from home.

we only have 3 kids, but I'd say the same. and I'd go further and say its my time away from home. I almost always go before dh goes to work or after he comes home so I can go on my own. in fact, dh and I often argue over who gets to go. lol.

 

[Nancy]

I',m in the grocery store 6 days a week! (5 of them working days, 1 day for my shopping)

I do one big shopping day a week and then pick up stuff almost every day because I'm always forgetting something, or we run out of bread, milk, cookies, etc. It's always something.