Plan to Cook

In the past week I've heard "We are spending way too much on eating out!" from several different friends.  Believe me, been there...done that.

The only way I have found to avoid eating out, is to PLAN TO COOK.  I spend 15 minutes on Saturday planning what we're going to eat for the next week.  It's not rocket science, folks.  Trust me.  Plus, everyone is going to think you're a domestic goddess because you actually cook every night. 

After I plan my menu, I get the grocery list together.  Again, not hard.  Seriously takes me maybe 10 minutes.  I try to coordinate my menu/grocery list around sales, but that's only because I'm saving every penny I possibly can. 

If you're interested in saving even more by matching up with coupons and sales, I suggest you join a few coupon sites.  I like Coupon Closet & $5 Dinners.  They both break down the sales and link them with any current printable coupons that are out there.

I love me some coupons.  The more I save on food, the better.  Food is expensive!  Yesterday I got 3 bags of frozen peas & 3 bags of frozen chopped broccoli (all name brand) for $2.26 total (with tax).  That is crazy cheap.  I don't have that planned in my meals for this week, but it makes tuna casserole and broccoli pizza that much cheaper when I do make it.  You can't beat $0.38/bag for name brand frozen veggies.

But, even if you don't mess with sales and/or coupons, you're still going to save a lot compared to eating out.

After you've got your week's menu planned and your grocery list done, it's time to hit the store.  I force myself to stay on the grocery side and stick to my list.  If I only buy what's on my list, no impulse buys are allowed and I stay on budget.  It's a win-win.

If you find menu planning hard, I suggest you save your menu and list from each week.  Once you do this 4 times, you've got a month's worth of menus done and you can just repeat.

If you have a picky eater in your group, get them involved!  They can't complain if they helped plan the menu.  I know what Hayden likes and doesn't like, so I try to make sure to have non-Hayden meals on nights he'll be having dinner with his Dad.  If we're having something new that he'll turn his nose up at, I try to offer up a not-so-great second choice.  Typically he will opt to try the new food in an effort to avoid the PB&J.

I can hear you thinking, "Weeknights are insane.  Merissa is insane!  Who has time to cook?!".  I completely understand, but I promise you, if I can do it...anyone can.

A few things I've learned along the way...

• Use the crock pot as much as possible.  It cooks while you're at work.  Brilliant!
• Cook big on the weekends and freeze it for fast meals during the week.
• Cook foods you can eat off of twice (double the hamburger on taco night so you can have taco salads or enchiladas later, roast 2 chickens and use the meat off the extra for a casserole later).
• Pre-cook breakfast foods for the week.  I cook up a weeks worth (M-F) of oatmeal for Hayden and I on Sunday night and package it up in small containers.  I nuke it as we're heading out the door and Hayden eats in the car on the way to school (I eat mine when I get to work).  This allowed us to cut cereal out of our budget and diet - double bonus!  I also do this with scrambled eggs.  Just make up a few the night before and nuke them the next morning.  They re-heat fine.  Pancakes and waffles freeze and toast well too.

I challenge you to try this for a week.  Compare your grocery bill to what you've been spending to eat out.  See if your kids/husband aren't happier with home cooked meals (I know my family is!).  By cooking dinner, you're more likely to have left overs for lunch the next day too (more savings!).  And, a home cooked breakfast is much better for your kiddos than a bowl of cold cereal.

Any other tips or tricks you guys have found?  Please share!

Let me know if you accept my 1 week challenge and how it goes for you.  You CAN do this!