grocery tip #2

Make a menu-

I have a list of meals that I regularly cook.  It has about 40 -5o entrees listed according to main ingredient --- chicken, soup, pizzas, pastas, beef, pork, etc.  When I get ready to make out my grocery list for the two weeks I resort to this menu.  Every two weeks I look for a new recipe from someone's blog or website to try and hopefully add to our list.

I then take that list and list all of the ingredients that are needed.  By using the master list many times I have already purchased that funky ingredient such as sesame oil.  I also try to make things that can use the same ingredients.  For instance this week we had fajita wraps, so I bought avocados, fajita meat and black beans that I will use the leftovers to make a fajita salad the next day.  I especially do this with my meats, buy hamburger meat in bulk and use it for two meals or Italian sausage for a pizza and a pasta dish.  

Next week - Other bulk buying tips