At the end of last month, I posted this about my grocery overhaul. I'd been challenged by a health-friend to incorporate more fruit and veggies into my diet. Diet is not a good word. Daily eating. There we go. Anyway, in order to accomplish this, I needed to increase my food budget and shop more than once a month...at least if I wanted to avoid going to the ER at the end of every month because of bad food.
So tomorrow night marks shopping trip #4 of this great experiment. I have noticed the following changes in life since implementing this plan:
1. I actually plan menus now. Instead of running through the store, throwing into my cart a combination of the things on my list I'd run out of and a few impulse buys, I now have a list of "must have" and "optional" items. When making my list, I think through the coming week's activities, including meals I know I won't be home and work carry-ins or company coming over.
2. I'm learning that theme weeks are good. Last night, I multi-tasked an episode of the Baby Borrowers with my menu planning. I decided to go with a Mexican-food themed week so I could shop for similar kinds of food. I think I should do more theme weeks.
3. Extra money should be spent on staples for the future. A couple of weeks ago I had an extra couple of bucks, so I picked up a brownie mix in case of emergency. I had an emergency at 9:30 last night and I was really glad I'd done that. (Craving constitutes emergency, right?)
4. I actually do eat more fruit and vegetables for snacks now that I know I have them on hand. (I know how much I paid for em and I'm not flushing that money down the tubes!)
5. I cook more now. I have always been a pretty decent cook...in fact, my Mom says to me at least once a week, "I wouldn't cook for just me." Well, can't help it. Love food, therefore must cook. Anyway, I had gotten in the bad habit of not doing good rounded meals, but now I am very aware of my cooking habits.
6. It really is a pain to shop once a week, but it's worth it enough in the long haul that I think I'll keep doing it.
I know many of you were just WAITING for an update. (eyeroll)
4 hours ago
12 comments:
I love taco night @ our house, but I've never thought about having theme weeks. I think we'd get sick of the same type of food for a whole week, though.
This is the down side of cooking for one (when you don't like to make portions for just one). I really only cook about 2 meals a week because unless I have company, it takes me all the rest of the meals to eat up the leftovers. That was definitely one perk to having a boyfriend who liked to eat! There just WEREN'T leftovers in those days.
I made a BBQ chicken earlier this week that will probably last me for 8-10 meals. Maybe I should throw more meat on every sandwich.
I would freeze more stuff for later, but I don't have a deep freeze and so my space is limited.
I don't mind eating leftovers day after day. They eventually DO run out. Especially since you only cook what you like to eat, no problem!
The only problem is when you have kids. They tend to scream, Foul! at the sight of the same thing they ate the night before.
On the fruit/veggies, grapes are nature's original finger foods, perfect for munching when watching movies at home--keeps the chip/popcorn intake down. Strawberries work, too.
Fruits are better than veggies, in my opinion.
Congratulations on your progress!
"so I picked up a brownie mix in case of emergency..."
Classic.
Skyepuppy - Grapes and strawberries are my two favorites!! :)
OOH - and I'm trying my hand at the guacamole this weekend.
Chris - A sad but true fact of my life. Brownies cure nearly any emergency.
Guacamole sounds great! Brownies sound great too...
Skyepuppy - but not together, right?
Bekah:
Not to be a "downer", but beware of the guacamole. The FDA is now saying they think avocado's may be the culprit in the salmonella scare. Just a "heads up"!
Your progress, though, is great! Congrats!
Tsofah,
I don't see how avocados can transmit salmonella, since the bacteria would be on the skins, which get peeled away. Besides, I eat avocado every day, so if they were contaminated, I'd be the first to go...
Those are good tips I'm going to need soon enough...IF I'm able to find a better job that will pay for me to move into an apartment. *fingers crossed* As I am cooking-challenged, any food tips you have would be very beneficial for me!
Jess :)
Tsofah and Skyepuppy - AAHH!! What to do with the avocados!! I just ate a very very small bit. If something happens, suggest to the investigators that it might have been the guacamole. LOL.
Jessica - Hey girl!!! I can send you all the good recipes. You'll LOVE cooking!! I never thought i could or would, but I do!! :) Keep me posted on the job! Sarah filled me in on what she knew as the latest the last time we met for lunch.
Oh, no! Not the avacados! I love avacados! I just ate some Saturday! Please don't let it be the avacados!
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