Comments on: Stock your pantry? Or shop for your menu?

By: Saturday Roundup - I Should Do More Roundups Edition

Saturday Roundup - I Should Do More Roundups Edition — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 02:35:59 +0000

[...] of Sense to Save wants to know if you shop your menu or stock your pantry? Or something [...]

By: jessica

jessica — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:12:53 +0000

I shop once a week according to my menu. I’ve discovered this works best for me.

By: April

April — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 21:08:51 +0000

I use both the stock the pantry and the shop by menu approaches. I will stock my pantry on sales of canned good and other non-perishables as I’ve got a lot of storage space in my basement pantry. I tend to buy my meats weekly as well as other perishables and some non-perishables when they are needed for the menu for the week. We also shop based off of the weekly special circulars, with coupons, and we also go to Sam’s Club once a month to stock on bulk items like TP, detergent, paper towels, etc.

By: 20somethingmoney

20somethingmoney — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 06:51:58 +0000

I mostly use the menu shopping approach. I find that this helps me make sure that I eat at home more. If I see something that is a really good deal I will buy it for the pantry or freezer. That way, if I have unexpected guests or absolutely don’t feel like what was on the menu there are other options available. I also try to plan my menu around things that we have in the freezer or pantry.

After I make my menu I plan out a very detailed shopping list. If it is not on the list it better be a great deal or it isn’t going into the basket. I even organize my list so that I am not running around in the store. I’m a little bit grocery shopping list obsessed I guess!

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 01:15:58 +0000

I shop by the sales. We don’t plan any meals so we just eat what we have. I’ve found for us (just my husband and I) this works, we always have loads of food and lots of choices.

Besides for milk, cheese, and espresso.. If it’s not free or cheap were not eating it this week.. :)

By: vh

vh — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 19:03:27 +0000

I end up doing a combo, too.

Because I’m partial to shopping at Costco but have learned it’s a big box into which to stuff money, I try to limit trips there to one a month. That really helps, since you can’t get out of the place for under two hundred bucks.

Mostly, I buy staples, meat, and cleaning goods there. My fridge list has two columns: one for grocery stores and one for the monthly Costco run. In the Costco column I note things that are running low–if I run out of, say, dishwasher detergent before the appointed monthly shop, I buy a small amount at a grocery store rather than tempting fate (and bankruptcy) by making an extra trip to the place. At the end of the month, I reconnoitre the pantry, freezer, and cleaning closet, add anything that’s missing to the list, and then as soon as the paycheck is deposited, I make the expedition.

Though their meat is not cheap, it’s far superior to anything you can get for the price around here, so I think it’s worth the cost. One of their steaks can be cut into three servings, and so a package of four steaks = twelve meals. Based on how much meat, chicken, and fish I’ve bought at the big box, I then figure out the menus. From there I build weekly grocery store lists, which are far smaller and less frequent than they were before I started this system.

By spending a lot at the big box once a month–and often getting very good prices on products purchased in bulk–I spend less at the grocery store. Overall my grocery spending has dropped about $100 a month since I started doing this.

By: Chayil

Chayil — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 12:02:26 +0000

I use a combination of both as well. I keep a pantry for all things canned and dried (pasta/rice/beans/pita/flour etc)I only restock the pantry when things are on sale. When making my weekly menu I take the shoppinglist and check off everything I found in the pantry the rest of the items I check the fridge/freezer and cupboards when found check them off too the rest is on the list for grocery shopping. Wehn shopping I still have the list with items checked off so if any of those are on sale I restock.
As for the menu I do match a recipe to a day but I switch around for comfort.

By: Weekly Roundup #11 (January 12, 2008) - My Investing Blog

Weekly Roundup #11 (January 12, 2008) - My Investing Blog — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 08:33:38 +0000

[...] way to their careers! Might not hurt on your way to getting a raise!3. Confused on whether to shop for what’s on the menu, or shop for the deals and stock up? Consult SenseToSave for more info. I tend to do the [...]

By: Saturday Roundup - I Should Do More Roundups Edition | Mrs. Micah: Finance for a Freelance Life

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 02:56:00 +0000

[...] of Sense to Save wants to know if you shop your menu or stock your pantry? Or something [...]

By: Angie

Angie — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 02:45:20 +0000

I mostly shop to stock the pantry. At any given time I have a stockpile of various pantry items. Right now I have a stockpile of cereal, tea bags, and canned green beans to name a few.

I find that I sometimes will have to go on a large shopping trip if the deals have been a plenty for awhile. For these trips I usually buy at wal-mart.

Overall, I try to keep buying as much of loss leaders as I think my family will need between sales and fill in the rest of the menu plan with cheaper items not stockpiled.