It starts with Menu Planning

Grocery Shopping has become a "challenge" for me.. I challenge myself each week to spend less for more.. Yes you heard me correctly LESS for MORE!!  I have people ask me all the time how I come out with a Kroger receipt as long as my arm (not really but it feels that way) and part of this is because their receipts have a ridiculous amount of waste but the other part starts with menu planning..

Each week before I go to the grocery store I plan a menu.. I used to do it daily but I would find that I would get home & not really want the meal on the menu for that day but I would want what was on the menu for Thursday.. Well this became a hastle so I decide to just plan out 7 meals and not "attach" them to a specific day.  I have found planning a menu helps me save a lot of money.. I have a hard rule in the grocery store: If it isn't on the list then we don't need it & I ain't going to buy it so don't even ask!!!

I use a few resources to plan my meals.. I use my kid's brains, my hubby's brain, Pinterest (Plays a huge part), Facebook friends (SHOUT OUT TO AMANDA & TASHA, etc..), recipe books, and googled websites.

Below is what our weekly menu looks like (Each week I will post our specific menu for the week but you have been warned we are EATING HEALTHY!!)

Week #1:  I WILL POST RECIPES AS SOON AS I GET OFF WORK (I am at lunch running out of time)

Baked Salmon Patties
Chicken Soup
Turkey & Spinach meatballs with Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Turkey Chili
Meatloaf
Black Bean Burgers with roasted sweet potatoes


Blog #2 will be how I make out my grocery list for our weekly menu :-) Stay tuned...