for the love of nums
Planning out my grocery list and meals for the week is 1000% crucial for me if I want to stay on-track. It makes grocery shopping a breeze, it helps me stick to my budget and it ensures that I won’t have any game-time surprises (“Ughhhhh! I could’ve sworn we had cilantro!!”) when it’s actually time to make dinner, avoiding last-minute take-out.
Keeping certain staples on-hand at all times is also a key component to my home-cooking success. With the following items in my arsenal, I know I can always whip up something stellar.
Pantry: broth, quinoa, oats, canned beans, canned fire-roasted tomatoes, all-purpose flour, cassava flour, oat flour, coconut flour, super fine almond flour, cane sugar, coconut sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, raw honey, green tea, nut butters, coconut milk, cacao powder, dark chocolate chips, raw cashews + other nuts, dried fruit, garlic, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, baking powder, baking soda, active dry yeast
Fridge: eggs, butter, ghee, tamari, Worcestershire sauce, homemade mayo, mustards, whole milk, nut milk, plain greek yogurt, baby spinach, romaine lettuce, avocados, olives
Freezer: frozen fruits + veggies, frozen rice, frozen fish, frozen bone broth
Spice cabinet: olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, toasted sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, mirin, vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, cinnamon, nutmeg, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, basil, chili powder, dill, nutritional yeast powder, sea salt, Maldon sea salt flakes, black peppercorns
I realize that not everyone has the same unbridled lust for meal planning that I do, but keeping track of groceries you need and meals you want to make as those things pop up throughout the week, is a no-brainer if you want to make sure you’re not pulling your hair out by the time you’re actually shopping the grocery aisles. Failed to plan? Then plan to fail, homeslice.
Inspiration for meals can come from anywhere. The possibilities are endless: cookbooks, magazines, Pinterest, social media, a favorite entree you recently tried at a restaurant, a tried-and-true classic. As you get inspired, write it down.
Every Sunday, I take my carefully-crafted list and hit the grocery store. I always have ingredients on hand for breakfasts and lunches, so really I only have to plan five dinners for the week, allowing a couple nights for going out to eat, grabbing take-out or heating up leftovers. From there, I plan things out in a way that will optimize my grocery budget. If one meal requires a more expensive ingredient or two, I make up for that by choosing a couple super affordable meals to balance out the week’s budget.
Two cost-effective meals: Breakfast-for-dinner (the kids’ fave), soups, pastas. The ingredients are cheap and very often these meals are vegetarian, which gives us a break from meat throughout the week.
Two protein meals: Meals featuring pricier proteins like grass-fed beef or bison, or more moderately priced pastured poultry or pork. Even in these cases, I find ways to balance the budget. Beef cuts such as flanks, sirloin tips and ground beef are actually pretty affordable, ground pork is inexpensive, and chicken thighs and drumsticks are a great way to stretch your poultry dollar.
One seafood meal: Meals starring wild-caught fish (or responsibly-raised farmed fish, if wild isn’t an option). This is typically the week’s most expensive dinner, but still far less than you’d spend on a comparable dinner at a restaurant.
Planning in advance is the key to pulling off a week of healthy homemade meals. Work on your list throughout the week, keep your kitchen staples stocked and always be on the lookout for mealtime inspiration.