So, you’ve made your meal plan and your ready to shop and make it happen!
Once I’ve picked our recipes for the week, I make a master list of everything we need. This is where meal planning software can save you a ton of time. A few of my favorites are Real Plans and Mealime. They both give you healthy family friendly recipes, and generate a shopping list for you. If that’s not your thing, pen and paper works just fine. Take the time to group your items into categories based upon the store you are shopping in. I typically divide my list into produce, protein, and then everything else.
When it comes to where to shop, I use a variety of places depending upon what options are available and what time of year it is. During the growing season (June – October for our region) we shop the farmer’s market as much as possible. Not only is this great for your community, it ensures you get fresh produce that is full of vitamins. You really have no way of knowing how old the produce at your grocery store is, but you can bet what you find at the farmer’s market was picked within the last few days. Fresher food = more vitamins!
If you are like us, the farmer’s market isn’t an option year round, which creates some challenges in the winter. During the winter months we stick to local grocery stores as much as possible, and amend our meal plans to seasonal veggies and fruits. Think more sweet potatoes and apples and fewer green salads and strawberries. Frozen produce is also a great option for the winter. Produce is frozen shortly after it’s picked so the vitamin content is higher than what you find on the shelves when foods are not in season. Canned vegetables are another option, but not something that our family chooses on a regular basis. If you live near a Costco, get yourself a membership! It is one of my favorite places for produce during the winter. They have a nice selection of frozen organic fruits and vegetables, and the prices are great compared to what you can get at a traditional grocery store.
Once you’ve got your haul, it’s time to get cooking! Again, organization is key. I look at our plan each week and try to knock out as much as possible on my days off. With some practice, you will be amazed at how much you can get done in a few hours. Take a look at your plan and see what is going to take you the longest. Making a soup? Cooking a chicken? Lunches for the kids? Whatever it is, get it done ahead of time!
Check out my Instagram stories on the weekend where I share tips on how I am planning our weekly meals! Also look for posts in the future with our weekly plan, and how I divide up the work throughout the week to keep us fed and happy, and my sanity intact!