Shopping

Now you get to shop for your meal plan. You really want to maximize your savings at the grocery store as much as you can, especially since the cost of groceries have gone up so much in the last couple of years. This is why you have created the 4 weeks worth of menus at a time.

First, you need to get out a notebook or paper or whatever you find convenient to write down and store your shopping lists. For this, I find it easiest to use a notebook that I use specifically for this purpose.

Now take out your first menu plan for the first week. Gather all the recipes that you are going to use and write down all the ingredients you will need for all those recipes. Next, gather all the recipes for week 2 and write those ingredients separately from week 1. Then, repeat for weeks 3 and 4.

Get the sale papers out for the grocery stores that you frequent and look to see if there are any grocery items, meat, and produce that are included in the specials. Compare prices, collect your coupons (if you use them) to make sure you are making good choices.

I always purchase the items that I need for the week that is coming up. I also check to see if there are any grocery items or meats that are on special that are included in the next 3 weeks. I want to be sure I take advantage of the best prices. I only buy fresh produce for the week coming up unless it something I know will keep , like onions or potatoes.

That's it. It's a lot to get started, but once you get the initial preparation done it is so easy to maintain. Good luck!