Prior to social distancing, stores having long lines to go in and get out, shortage of certain items, and waiting a long time to pay for groceries was not something I ever factored in my weekly schedules and ability to meal plan. A lot of us are already having less time than we used to due to working from home, trying to teach our kids, and maintain a home, so adding two hour shopping trips to our daily routines can be a little bit daunting.
This post has some tips regarding how to food shop and meal plan while avoiding having to go to the grocery store multiple times per week and also once you are there, spend the shortest amount possible. Hope this is helpful!
1. Make a list! I probably mentioned this in earlier posts but I cannot emphasize it enough. Before you go to any store, go through your house and check the pantry, fridge, freezer, and make a list as you go. This way you minimize chances of forgetting something.
2. Decide which store you are going to and customize your list. I typically grocery shop at Giant or local supermarket once a week for perishables, fruits, and veggies, once a month at Target, and I go to Costco every 3-4 months. If it is my week to go to Target or Costco, then I don’t go to the supermarket.
3. Meal plan for your week before you go. If you don’t know what you are making, you may realize after you went to the store that you forgot some things. Whether you are making freezer meals or cooking daily, it is important to think about the weekly menu (especially now that this includes, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and all snacks for everyone!) to avoid having to improvise or having to go to the store again.
4. I would recommend sticking with the stores you know, instead of trying to find new places. It makes a big difference in how much time to spend in the store if you know how to navigate it quickly and can also get through your list faster. Use an app to separate items by categories, so you can easily buy them all when you are in that store section and don’t have to go back. I use AnyList (free).
5. There are some things I used to buy weekly that can easily be bought in bulk and frozen. Bread is one of them. I have seen lots of people making sourdough on the Internet, but if you are like me, you are not doing that and need other types of bread! I freeze English muffins, regular sliced bread, and Amoroso rolls. I usually end up buying whatever is two for one deals if possible. Cheese also freezes well. Costco sells large bags of shredded cheese and also packets of sliced cheese, which I divide into small containers/bags and freeze.
6. Eggs last for a long time as well, are a good source of protein, and can be useful for any meal of the day. Make sure to stock of up if you are not vegan or have an allergy!
7. I have recently used my Instant Pot to cook spaghetti squash and eggplant very quickly. I live near a place where you can buy cheap veggies and fruit in bulk but often I worry about them going bad. I was able to freeze cooked spaghetti squash, butternut squash, roasted eggplant, which can be very quickly cooked as mentioned above. I also freeze bananas when they are too ripe to eat as well as berries. Frozen bananas can be used for smoothies or you can defrost them and use for baking or making flavored oatmeal. My new favorite breakfast is steel cut oats with banana, cinnamon, and vanilla!
8. I have been successful entertaining my toddlers with “interactive” snacks and meals. Sometimes they are less healthy than what I would like but it keeps them entertained, gets them to eat, and allows me to get my day going easily or to get enough time to prep meals. We have done “pancake bars” using frozen mini pancakes and fruits, mini chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows as their fixins. A popular snack was making mouths out of apple slices, peanut butter as glue, and mini marshmallows with raspberry tongues. I actually got these ideas from my daughter’s teachers!
9. If you are doing frequent Zoom meetings, classes, or FaceTime phone calls, I recommend trying to match these times to your children’s snack time. I found that keeping my kids entertained with eating really helped get through the calls and even get them to engage!
10. Delivery services can be useful for certain items. A lot of people are using them for all of their groceries but I like to pick what I buy and also like to be able to substitute if needed based on price and what items look like. Sometimes these services can take a long time to deliver as well. I have had wine and vodka delivered and it was great! Many local restaurants and providers are also doing vegetable/fruits, meat, and other perishable boxes. Coffee is being delivered as well. Check your area for what is available.
Hope these tips are helpful and can help alleviate some of the stress that comes with food shopping and having to think of every meal for everyone! We also still do take out once a week to simulate our weekly restaurant night and do lots of leftovers!