What's on YOUR grocery list?

I'm trying to cook more variety but I don't know what ingredients or where to start on planning my meals. I feel like I buy too much junk, what do you get for snacks and quick meals? And for dinner? How do you plan out meals for the week?

<blockquote><b>Quoting Rydicule91:</b>" I'm trying to cook more variety but I don't know what ingredients or where to start on planning my meals. ... [snip!] ... like I buy too much junk, what do you get for snacks and quick meals? And for dinner? How do you plan out meals for the week?"</blockquote>



Best place to start is with the little sale flyer from the grocery.

For example. Chicken breast, roast and ground beef are on sale.

Okay, so one night make a roast, next baked chicken/salsa chicken etc..

I cook a lot for just myself like for lunch because dh works all day. I buy bags of frozen tilapia (fish) that are individually packaged, and I cook a filet and cook some frozen veggies and some cheesy rice or chicken rice. It's fast and easy. Or buy whatever fish you like. I also buy the frozen bags of chicken breasts and just dethaw one and cook it up in Italian dressing in a pan and some sides

Snacks for myself, I get hummus with carrots, snap peas, and other things like that to dip in. I also get granola bars and fresh fruit. For LO, he mainly likes cheerios with dried cranberries and gold fish, and of course fresh fruit/fruit cups. DH always eats chips and salsa, lol.

We usually don't get very many smack foods. I get the LOs fruit snacks crackers, sandwich crackers, yogurts, and fruit. I plan my meals for a month. I know what we have for the month but don't decide what we're having for dinner til the morning. For quick way meals DH and LOs like Hamburger Helper, Complete meals, homemade potato soup, spaghetti, and pizza.

i always have, butter and cream and cheese and noodles to whip up homemade pastsas like alfredo and stuff.
potatoes and onions and celerty and carrrots are always inmy house.
bags of frozen chicken, and stew meant and groud beef and sausage and bacon.
canned and frozen veggies. and i buy the riceoroni for easy nights.


oh yeah, GREAT TIP.. stock up on the italian dressing PACKETS. sprinkle it some chicken and drizzle with melted butter.. really good chicken that way.

or you can line up, green beans, chicken, and cut up poateos, and sprinkle the whole thing with italian dressing and melted butter and back for alike an hour or so until chicken is done... sooooo good and easy

<blockquote><b>Quoting ~~My Pet Wussy~~:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting Rydicule91:</b>" I'm trying to cook more variety but I don't ... [snip!] ... Chicken breast, roast and ground beef are on sale. Okay, so one night make a roast, next baked chicken/salsa chicken etc.."</blockquote>




I didn't even think of the ad! Good idea

Thanks ladies these are great!

I love cooking and baking so I have tons of recipe books,.and things bookmarked on my phone of tries and true recipes. I also love cooking a variety of foods. I buy the typical kid's stuff, yogurt, jello, fruit snacks, their fave fruits and I buy practically every veggie because I make a ton of sauces and soups from scratch. I have a supply of basic raw ingredients at all times such as flour, butter, sugars (brown and white and powdered) salt, spices. We go through flour and butter a lot since I bake and make a ton of dough. I try to meal plan that way if I dont already have the meat in our deep freezer I can go get it. I dont have time to coupon so I watch for sales and stick to store brand when I can. We eat 95% of food from scratch so I dont buy junk really, we dont buy soda or anything like that.

<blockquote><b>Quoting SailorJerry:</b>" I love cooking and baking so I have tons of recipe books,.and things bookmarked on my phone of tries ... [snip!] ... to store brand when I can. We eat 95% of food from scratch so I dont buy junk really, we dont buy soda or anything like that."</blockquote>




That's what I want to be like! I'm slowly doing it lol I'm learning this mom thing as I go. So far this week I picked pot roast, banana nut and zucchini bread, potatoe wedges with cheese, creamed chicken and biscuits and old world manicotti

<blockquote><b>Quoting Rydicule91:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting SailorJerry:</b>" I love cooking and baking so I have tons of ... [snip!] ... pot roast, banana nut and zucchini bread, potatoe wedges with cheese, creamed chicken and biscuits and old world manicotti"</blockquote>



I think it's a good start. When I first met my husband I could only cook boxed mac and cheese amd toast. He actually did the cooking in the house at the time. Slowly over time, I think it started with me baking since ive always had an interest in that,.i started cooking more. I would google recipes, read the reviews and then follow the directions. Its so easy and over time I got used to cooking, started remembering what ingredients I had to use etc. I make some amazing dishes now all thanks to recipes online. Some of my favorites are italian spaghetti and meatballs, meatloaf with a spicy glaze, and beef stew. Youll get it over time. I like to try a recipe once before I tweak it and add additional spices.

<blockquote><b>Quoting SailorJerry:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting Rydicule91:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting SailorJerry:</b>" ... [snip!] ... spicy glaze, and beef stew. Youll get it over time. I like to try a recipe once before I tweak it and add additional spices."</blockquote>




That's exactly how I was  

<blockquote><b>Quoting Rydicule91:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting SailorJerry:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting Rydicule91:</b>" ... [snip!] ... I like to try a recipe once before I tweak it and add additional spices."</blockquote> That's exactly how I was  "</blockquote>




We laugh about it now, it's funny to think about. I also called up my grandma and stole some of her recipes haha.

<blockquote><b>Quoting SailorJerry:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting Rydicule91:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting SailorJerry:</b>" ... [snip!] ... We laugh about it now, it's funny to think about. I also called up my grandma and stole some of her recipes haha."</blockquote>




My mom and grandma won't cough theirs up yet > 

<blockquote><b>Quoting Rydicule91:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting SailorJerry:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting Rydicule91:</b>" ... [snip!] ... up my grandma and stole some of her recipes haha."</blockquote> My mom and grandma won't cough theirs up yet > "</blockquote>




Aw!! I told my grandma to make me a recipe book for christmas. God I want it so bad haha. Im always calling her and then typing them on my phone so I dont forget haha