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Master grocery list - menu planning

I have spent last night playing about with Excel to produce a Master Grocery list in 3 columns. I listed all the things we buy (took a wee while!) in one column and left the other column blank and put an autofilter on the spreadsheet. Then I went through my cupboards seeing what I needed today and put an x next to them on the 2nd column and then filtered it to show just the products next to the x.

I also did another sheet to show a 2 week meal planner - typed up a list of what I needed and cut and pasted it into the 3rd column of my filtered grocery list and printed it out.

Off I went to Asda this morning and managed to only buy the things off the list (and its a long time since that happened!) and have got everything in for 2 weeks and it cost £98.91( for 2 adults, 1 x 11yr old who eats like a horse and the cat) so I am dead chuffed (it helped getting some whoopseys as they called their reduced stuff ie I wanted chicken breasts but got reduced turkey steaks instead, also their bread was reduced - and I got a lamb joint reduced too which was great) Also the only cleaning products I bought were Stardrops and bleach.

My menu is

Turkey curry & rice (with reduced naan bread)
H/M Pizza & H/M oven chips (lurrrrve my remoska!)
Roast Lamb (cooked in the slow cooker - freeze stock for soup)
H/M Shepherds pie (from left over lamb)
Veg pasta bake
Stew
Chicken & haggis
Fish & H/M oven chips
Roast Pork (will freeze left overs ready for a curry)
Macaroni cheese
Spag bolog (and garlic bread made from reduced 5p french stick)
Turkey stir fry & noodles
Egg, h/m chips & beans

Lunches will consist of h/m soups, left overs or sandwiches

I am very pleased with this as the housekeeping has been getting away from me lately - nothing too drastic but I stopped menu planning for a while (really busy at work) and that made a lot of difference in our spending.

T'other half grumbled a bit at the menu (if it aint beef every day he aint happy!) but he got a withering look so that will keep him quiet!

I have been budgeting £300 a month for housekeeping (to include everything ie school meals, cleaning & toiletries) - if I can manage another 2 weeks at around £100 I will save £100 on the month which can be put towards a weekend away in our campervan! theres method in my madness!
Kondo'ed 76 items from wardrobe, 4 carrier bags of books

Comments

  • LameWolf
    LameWolf Posts: 11,240 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Wow, well done on being so organised! I'd tell t'other half not to BEEF about the menu, but then I have a warped sense of humour!:D
    If your dog thinks you're the best, don't seek a second opinion.;)
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