Once a month shopping - efficient or insane?

lazy23 · 12-23-2007, 03:42 PM

One of my friends recently told me about once a month shopping. It sounds like a great deal. Apparently she plans all her meals for the month, makes a list, and does all her shopping in one day!

It forces her to stick to her budget, she saves tons on gas, she can buy in bulk from Sam's club, and she even lost weight because she no longer make impulse junk food buys.

Unfortunately she went out of state for the holidays so I didn't get more details about the logistics of once a month shopping. What should I be aware of? Making a meal plan for the entire month sounds pretty daunting.

mydebtquest · 12-24-2007, 11:30 AM

We were doing the Sam's club bulk shopping for all of our groceries for a while, but recently changed our strategy. Now, we buy non-perishable goods from Sam's club monthly - stuff that we know we'll use, and won't spoil. I hit the local grocery store once every week or two for the perishable ingredients that we need for the meals we have planned.

I haven't had to throw away nearly as much spoiled food this way, and it has been cheaper so far. Also, I don't have to figure out ten different recipes that use <insert ingredient here> so I can use up the restaurant sized portion.

lazy23 · 12-25-2007, 01:57 AM

I'm so glad you posted that. I've been trying to figure out how to work my cooking schedule around the 1 month shopping. It is driving me INSANE!

Good to know it is difficult for everyone. What are your favorite Sam's Club items?

soupkitchen96 · 12-25-2007, 02:01 AM

If you have a big enough freezer and if you aren't too picky about variety, I think it is possible to do all your shopping at once at Sam's Club.

I prefer Costco though.

summrs1 · 12-30-2007, 05:02 PM

I have heard of this too, but it seems way too confining to me. It seems like you would have to eat many of the same things throughout the month and limited to figuring out the menu ahead of time for the month.

I have also heard of the other side where someone just goes to the grocery store and buys things and then when it's time to fix dinner, they just look in the cabinet and see what is there.

I am in the middle and try to figure out what to eat for the week and then do the shopping for it on the weekend. It gives me flexibility to try new things from week to week and also buy what I need so we don't eat out. It always seems like we never make it though the week according to plan though.

viviansushi · 12-30-2007, 05:28 PM

Try a CSA...which stands for community supported agriculture. You buy a "subscription" to a local family farm and they give you a box of organic veggies freshly harvested that week from their farm. The cost is usually cheaper than going to the organic section of the grocery store, and you have a direct relationship with a farm. You know that your organic apples are not coming from China.

There are a number of CSAs in the midwest that offer shares of animals. For instance, you can buy half a cow and they will butcher it and you can then freeze it (if you have a freezer in your basement).

There are also books like Make-a-Mix that offer dry-goods recipes that you can make in bulk, like muffin mix, pancake mix, seasoning packets, and even some meat mixes. Then you use the recipes in the book with your mix.

Lynnae · 12-30-2007, 07:50 PM

I've done once a month shopping before. I hate planning for it, as I hate making menus, and it's a lot of work to plan a month at a time. After I'm finished with the shopping though, I really love that I don't have to go again for another month. I save a lot of money that way too.

Emily · 12-31-2007, 08:35 AM

Once a month cooking didn't work for my family, but we're a family with special needs. My daughter is a vegetarian who prefers to do her own cooking, my older son has Asperger's/texture issues, and I canNOT stand to eat leftovers (with some exceptions).

What I've done is to adapt some of the OAMC techniques into my normal shopping routine. I shop once, cook twice. It's just as easy to assemble two pans of lasagne (or casserole) as it is one. Cook one, stick one in the freezer for later.

Freeze chicken in the marinade/sauce and it'll marinate as it thaws.

If/when you find a steal of a deal on eggs, go ahead and pre-mix them with milk and your other favorite quiche ingredients and freeze.

At one time, I had a shelf in my pantry organized into convenience meal packages. One package would contain a box of mac&cheese, a can of tuna, and a can of veggies for tuna-noodle casserole.

lazy23 · 12-31-2007, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by summrs1

It always seems like we never make it though the week according to plan though.

So far my eating always goes according to plan, if by plan you mean eating at a fastfood joint that'll take decades off my lifespan.

Quote:

Originally Posted by viviansushi

There are a number of CSAs in the midwest that offer shares of animals. For instance, you can buy half a cow and they will butcher it and you can then freeze it (if you have a freezer in your basement).

I would love to shop local and support local farmers. I've never considered CSAs before, thanks for the tip!

Owning half a cow sounds like fun... sort of like an I Love Lucy episode.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynnae

I've done once a month shopping before.

Are you still doing it Lynnae? If not, why did you stop?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emily

I canNOT stand to eat leftovers (with some exceptions).

What I've done is to adapt some of the OAMC techniques into my normal shopping routine. I shop once, cook twice. It's just as easy to assemble two pans of lasagne (or casserole) as it is one. Cook one, stick one in the freezer for later.

Freeze chicken in the marinade/sauce and it'll marinate as it thaws.

If/when you find a steal of a deal on eggs, go ahead and pre-mix them with milk and your other favorite quiche ingredients and freeze.

At one time, I had a shelf in my pantry organized into convenience meal packages. One package would contain a box of mac&cheese, a can of tuna, and a can of veggies for tuna-noodle casserole.

Those are aweome tips.

thanks Emily!

Just out of curiosity, why do you hate leftovers? Is it knowing that they are leftovers or do they actually taste different to you? Can you pass a "leftover vs. fresh-cooked" blind taste test?

Emily · 12-31-2007, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazy23

Those are aweome tips.

thanks Emily!

Just out of curiosity, why do you hate leftovers? Is it knowing that they are leftovers or do they actually taste different to you? Can you pass a "leftover vs. fresh-cooked" blind taste test?

There's a definite difference in leftover vs. fresh-cooked for me, and yes I can tell the difference. If the taste is right, the texture won't be. I'll pass a blind taste test more often than not. This also depends on how old the leftovers are, as well. Usually anything more than 3-4 days old gets composted.

I tried pre-cooking ground beef with taco spices as the OAMC book suggests, but couldn't use it to cook with because it tasted "off". And then had to deal with the guilt of throwing out a few pounds of cooked meat.

I like leftover lasagne, and a pot of pinto beans is simply divine the next day.

12-23-2007, 03:42 PM	#1
lazy23 Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 38 Reputation: (12)	Once a month shopping - efficient or insane? One of my friends recently told me about once a month shopping. It sounds like a great deal. Apparently she plans all her meals for the month, makes a list, and does all her shopping in one day! It forces her to stick to her budget, she saves tons on gas, she can buy in bulk from Sam's club, and she even lost weight because she no longer make impulse junk food buys. Unfortunately she went out of state for the holidays so I didn't get more details about the logistics of once a month shopping. What should I be aware of? Making a meal plan for the entire month sounds pretty daunting.

12-30-2007, 05:28 PM	#6
viviansushi Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2 Reputation: (10)	now for something completely different... Try a CSA...which stands for community supported agriculture. You buy a "subscription" to a local family farm and they give you a box of organic veggies freshly harvested that week from their farm. The cost is usually cheaper than going to the organic section of the grocery store, and you have a direct relationship with a farm. You know that your organic apples are not coming from China. There are a number of CSAs in the midwest that offer shares of animals. For instance, you can buy half a cow and they will butcher it and you can then freeze it (if you have a freezer in your basement). There are also books like Make-a-Mix that offer dry-goods recipes that you can make in bulk, like muffin mix, pancake mix, seasoning packets, and even some meat mixes. Then you use the recipes in the book with your mix.

12-30-2007, 07:50 PM	#7
Lynnae Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 58 Reputation: (11)	I've done once a month shopping before. I hate planning for it, as I hate making menus, and it's a lot of work to plan a month at a time. After I'm finished with the shopping though, I really love that I don't have to go again for another month. I save a lot of money that way too. __________________ Lynnae beingfrugal.net

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12-24-2007, 11:30 AM	#2
mydebtquest Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Clifton Park, NY Posts: 21 Reputation: (10)	We were doing the Sam's club bulk shopping for all of our groceries for a while, but recently changed our strategy. Now, we buy non-perishable goods from Sam's club monthly - stuff that we know we'll use, and won't spoil. I hit the local grocery store once every week or two for the perishable ingredients that we need for the meals we have planned. I haven't had to throw away nearly as much spoiled food this way, and it has been cheaper so far. Also, I don't have to figure out ten different recipes that use <insert ingredient here> so I can use up the restaurant sized portion.

12-25-2007, 01:57 AM	#3
lazy23 Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 38 Reputation: (12)	I'm so glad you posted that. I've been trying to figure out how to work my cooking schedule around the 1 month shopping. It is driving me INSANE! Good to know it is difficult for everyone. What are your favorite Sam's Club items?

12-25-2007, 02:01 AM	#4
soupkitchen96 Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 50 Reputation: (11)	If you have a big enough freezer and if you aren't too picky about variety, I think it is possible to do all your shopping at once at Sam's Club. I prefer Costco though.

12-30-2007, 05:02 PM	#5
summrs1 Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 11 Reputation: (10)	I have heard of this too, but it seems way too confining to me. It seems like you would have to eat many of the same things throughout the month and limited to figuring out the menu ahead of time for the month. I have also heard of the other side where someone just goes to the grocery store and buys things and then when it's time to fix dinner, they just look in the cabinet and see what is there. I am in the middle and try to figure out what to eat for the week and then do the shopping for it on the weekend. It gives me flexibility to try new things from week to week and also buy what I need so we don't eat out. It always seems like we never make it though the week according to plan though.

12-31-2007, 08:35 AM	#8
Emily Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 28 Reputation: (10)	Once a month cooking didn't work for my family, but we're a family with special needs. My daughter is a vegetarian who prefers to do her own cooking, my older son has Asperger's/texture issues, and I canNOT stand to eat leftovers (with some exceptions). What I've done is to adapt some of the OAMC techniques into my normal shopping routine. I shop once, cook twice. It's just as easy to assemble two pans of lasagne (or casserole) as it is one. Cook one, stick one in the freezer for later. Freeze chicken in the marinade/sauce and it'll marinate as it thaws. If/when you find a steal of a deal on eggs, go ahead and pre-mix them with milk and your other favorite quiche ingredients and freeze. At one time, I had a shelf in my pantry organized into convenience meal packages. One package would contain a box of mac&cheese, a can of tuna, and a can of veggies for tuna-noodle casserole.