Making the most of your groceries

I have started shopping for only stuff I know I'm cooking or making. I also live a block from a grocery store so it isn't a hassle to just run over. But for veggies and stuff that I don't use a whole one yet still need to be used before they go bad, I'll figure out other ways by either adding them to another dish, eating raw, etc.

Or I'll make a really big batch of something and freeze some

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Or I'll make a really big batch of something and freeze some

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we do this also. my wife will buy the big ole thing of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes from Sam's and make a big pot of chili to freeze as well as marinara sauce to freeze that we can use for a variety of things.

I think that includes beer and liquor as well.

All organic and free range.

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We grocery shop every 2 weeks, planning out meals for the following weeks. Very rarely do we have anything go bad. Things that we know will spoil faster get prepared earlier in the 2 week period.

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i get this, but what specifically do you buy and make. i'm looking for ideas on the actual grocery items you buy and how you use them multiple times throughout that 2 week period.

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i get this, but what specifically do you buy and make. i'm looking for ideas on the actual grocery items you buy and how you use them multiple times throughout that 2 week period.

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I'm not really sure how to answer your question. We just buy whatever items we need for the specific recipes/meals we are going to cook over the next two weeks. There really isn't any method to what recipes or meals we choose. Just choose whatever we want to eat. Then we evaluate what things need to be cooked first and what items can be cooked later.

This last time I bought things to cook:

Jerk Pork with Caribbean Salsa

Chicken & White Bean Enchiladas

Some Sriracha-Pineapple Chicken Sandwiches my wife found a recipe for

Pork Chops to grill

Chicken to grill

Chicken Parmesan

We almost always get two nights of meals out of everything we cook but neither one of us are opposed to eating leftovers.

Pack lunches with your leftovers, that's how we eat through most of our stuff.

When you build your shopping list, think about what each leftover will become...

I bought a whole chicken....
-I will roast the chicken and serve with sweet potatoes and broccoli.
-The leftover chicken will go on lunch salads
-I will boil the carcass for stock
-Then I will make a gumbo with the stock + chicken trimmings.

Also, don't eat out. It will make you eat your groceries.

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Also, don't eat out. It will make you eat your groceries

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we've been doing this for the last 3 years. My big question was in asking how people buy certain groceries that they know have more than one use. That way you can buy large amounts and not waste or throw any away. I was hoping that others would have some regular things that they buy a lot of and use in varying ways.