I have just declared GROCERY EXILE to my family.....

[themouseandme]

I HATE grocery shopping. So I have been very guilty of doing take out 4/5 times a week just to avoid it. But we just moved to a very tiny town with no delivery/carry out options and a single overpriced grocery store. So it's making us meal plan, shop smart, and cook. So far, so good. Now if I can just get DH to stop spending money at gas stations!

 

[eliza61]

I love when people us the excuse of Im to busy to cook, but go out or do pick up.

By the time you drive there, wait to be seated, eat, drive home. You could have cooked, eaten and cleaned up.

Lets call it what it is Laziness of not wanting to cook/clean.

Bullcrap (not to mention other things)

Sorry but I picked up Chinese Tuesday. Called in order (1 minute), waited 20 minutes to pick it up. 7 minute walk to pick it up, 7 minutes back. 35 minutes top.
Unless I'm microwaving, It always takes me at least 1 hour to cook. 2 including eating and cleanup.

sorry after working 10 hours a day. lazy is the last thing I am.

Now I admit, I'm not one of those folks who make crockpot meals on Sunday's and then makes 10 minute variations all week.
If I cook fried chicken, that involves cleaning, seasoning and flouring the chicken, then frying it.
Last night I made spaghetti and meatballs. I don't like frozen meatballs so once again, seasoning, making meatballs then gravy takes a while.
some meals I can make in 30 minutes but for the most part, dinner is a 2-3 hour affair from start to finish.

 

[Canadian Harmony]

When my kids were just little I realized I had to figure out this whole grocery/cooking thing FAST because both DH and I were working full time. I found this awesome set of recipe books by Sandi Richard called Cooking for the Rushed (just add a .com at the end to find her site).

She breaks each book down into weeks and has blank "eat sheets" which are divided grocery lists. I use them religiously now. It has you plan 5 days of dinners, including your "fright night" (where you're super busy with activities) and then plan your list after looking in the pantry and fridge and freezer. Then you only go the store once in the week and put the book out where everyone can see it so whoever's home first can get dinner started.

The recipes are easy and affordable and REALLY good! Some take an hour to make, some only 30 minutes. There's one whole book just for summertime! I love these books. Changed my life... well, kitchen life at least

I've started gathering Airmiles and reward points at the two grocery stores I go to most often so I will often buy things I don't need just to get the extra miles or points - ie; last night I spent $154 for 310 Airmiles which would usually cost me $6200 to earn! What I didn't want for us, I donated to the food bank. I see it as a win-win - I get my points, they get food. Now, I can't always afford to do that, but when I can I'm happy to do so. Those Airmiles and points I get will go toward funding our trip this summer to see our nephew get married.

My pantry and freezers are getting REALLY full though and I need to weed out the stuff that's old and freezer-burnt.

 

[TravelMommy]

I was just thinking this same thing, I am ashamed to tell you how many times we have eaten at restaurants/take out in the past two weeks. We do spend alot on groceries/organics/produce. I also find when I and/or DH or kids have colds (were hit hard this awful winter!) I do not want to cook and I swear the Won Ton soup from our local Chinese restaurant is medicinal! and so is the Pad Thai from our local Japanese restaurant. Lol. I did so good up to the holidays, the holidays and beyond--not so good--way over budget-ugh..... I need to get back on track--Good post OP. Meal planning, making a list and sticking to it, are both great ideas mentioned here that I am going to utilize once again. I am going to try the Exile too!