What's for dinner?

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-07-1999
What's for dinner?
7
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 10:18am

I just cleaned out the freezer and found food for at least two meals. Three bags of cooked chicken (leftovers) that I am going to make a casserole with (mix chicken with fozen broccoli and chicken gravy, top with stuffing and bake), spaghetti with meat sauce (frozen hamburger), garlic bread (frozen grinder rolls). Another dinner will be grilled cheese and tomato soup. I also have two bags of cooked shrimp that I will do something with (pasta alfredo?).


I am trying to eat out of the freezer and cupboards for a few days, as I am on a new budget and am hyper aware now of what things cost. Saw Suze on Oprah and she called it something like "unconsious spending". That's me. Now that I compare prices I am amazed at what you can get cheaper if you just spend some time looking. I took the time to look at milk prices (I will only buy the organic non fat milk) and was amazed that the store oragnic brand was a dollar cheaper per half gallon then the leading brand). Well duh, you might say, but I have had an awakening and am trying to stay on a budget for the first time in my life.


I have started buying all my non-food items at Walmart (wow are they cheaper than the grocery store!)


So I'd like to know from you gals:


1. How do you grocery shop? Do you make menus and shop strictly from a list?


2. Do you buy your non food items at the grocery store?


3. What are you favorite inexpensive meals?


Looking forward to hearing your ideas!

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-26-1999
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 10:38am

I read the flyers every week. I pretty much only buy decent products that are on sale. Once you get into flyer shopping, you will begin to notice the cycle of how often the things you buy go on sale and you will be able to buy enough that you never have to pay full price again...and you will notice what goes on sale for holidays too.

I buy what interests me out of what is on sale, and sometimes I buy expensive things that I enjoy...I don't make lists, except mentally.

I'm in Canada, and I spend a fair bit of time reading posts on frugalshopper.ca discussion board. It is an excellent site for finding coupons and deals. I am only posting the link because I know there are a lot of Canadians on this debt board. I have learned to use the resources there to learn where the deals are and I have learned to match the coupons I have with sales; it helps alot.

I buy non-food items where I find deals, which is usually *not* the grocery store. I also don't buy alot of them. I figure out what can be re-used and go from there.

My favourite cheap meals are what I call "fridge clean" where I create what seems to make sense out of the things in the fridge that need to be used up. No, it's not a specific meal, but it is a skill to learn to use what's there instead of buying something easier and more interesting.

I would also suggest checking out the frugal living and frugal kitchen message boards here too, they are great.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-02-2008
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 11:10am

I love our superwalmart! I shop there all the time. There and Aldi are my two favorite places.


1. I don't make "menus" but I do shop with meal ideas in place. I think well, spaghetti one night, tacos the next, chicken and rolls.........that kinda thing. I could do better about making up more meal ideas but

Community Leader
Registered: 07-26-1999
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 12:09pm

1. How do you grocery shop? Do you make menus and shop strictly from a list?


I have told DH a few times over the last few weeks that I could do a lot better with our grocery bill if I just watched my coupons better and read the ads.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 12:53pm

1. How do you grocery shop? Do you make menus and shop strictly from a list?

This is where I've been working hard lately. I've committed to not buy anything that's not on my list no matter what. If I'm at the store and have forgotten something, I've stopped just buying it. Instead, when I get home I'll add it to my list and if I have to make another trip, I do. I'm thinking that it will cost me less in gas and time to make another trip than it would to allow myself to buy things not on my list. Half the time by the time I get home I can't remember what I thought I needed in the store. I realized the last time I was in Target that it was just insane how many things not on my list that I "needed"/wanted/thought it would be cool to have. I just tell myself that if I didn't think I needed it at home, I probably don't need it. I try to make a menu for the pay period (2 weeks) and buy all of my groceries for the pay period at once.

2. Do you buy your non food items at the grocery store?

Not usually, unless there's a good sale. I buy a lot of it at Target, diapers at BJs. I've discovered you can get a lot of good deals on non-food items at Walgreen's.

3. What are you favorite inexpensive meals?

For us, just eating at home is really good. We used to waste enormous amounts of money by eating out more than we ate at home. We still eat lunch out a lot, but it's been ages since we've gone out for dinner. By ages, I mean maybe 3 or 4 weeks, but considering how much we used to eat out, a week was a really long time to not eat out. We're a meat family, so I don't have a lot of good, super cheap meals, but I buy on sale as much as possible.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-28-2008
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 2:52pm

1. How do you grocery shop? Do you make menus and shop strictly from a list? I haven't made menu's in a long time, but have just started to implement that into my routine again as our budget has been beyond tight the last several months.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-02-1998
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 3:18pm
So I'd like to know from you gals:



1. How do you grocery shop? Do you make menus and shop strictly from a list?

We do a big shop once a month -usually when Save on has their 5000 point offer on. Weekly I buy the produce and dairy, I don't make menus but I do make a list so that I don't forget things and have to go back.



2. Do you buy your non food items at the grocery store?

I buy most of our non-food items at the grocery store, but I do check the weekly flyers to see if Canadian Tire or Zellers has any good specials.



3. What are you favorite inexpensive meals?

My favourite inexpensive meals usually involve pasta or rice. I'm not much of a meat eater although my DH is so we compromise on having 2-3 meatless meals a week.




iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2007
Wed, 01-21-2009 - 7:03pm


Mermaid, thank you for starting this thread because food/grocery shopping is my biggest challenge.

Kate


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