Shopping lists and menu planning

crawley_girl

Having only just realised the importance of menu planning, I was just wondering how people wrote their shopping lists...

Was thinking of typing out a main one kinda like this:

Milk
Bread
Potatoes
Tomatoes etc etc


...and then pinning it to the notice board and adding on bits as and when they run out and according to my menu plans and crosding out those bits that I don't need. Or should I just write it out when I sit down to do the menus?

Come on wonderous people, give me some guidance...

Thanks

:heartpuls CG :heartpuls

Queenie

There are some older threads which you might find helpful

Menu Planning

Practical Shopping Tips

The thing is, it's horses for courses really. I've done it several ways in my lifetime. I've drawn up menu plans from a shopping list; I've drawn up shopping lists from menu plans.

I've made larder/fridge/freezer inventories and drawn up a menu plan from that and then the shopping list for any items I didn't have.

I have a template which came with my word processing software which is a basic shopping list with ticky boxes next to it broken down into dairy, meat, fish, fruits and veg, spices, baking, etc. Sometimes I remember to print off a few and use them as an aide memoir.

To keep within a budget, I tend to have a pretty regular mental list of what I buy and then, depending on the recipes I've been tempted by, may need to jot down any ingredients I don't usually keep.

hilstep2000

If you've got Works Task Launcher on your computer, there is a Grocery List already done on thre. Just delete things you don't need, and add on things relevant to you. When it's done, save it and it'll be there to print off when you need to go shopping!

Dumyat

I usually have an idea what we are going to eat but I also wait to see what the special offers are at the supermarket.

lynzpower

i dont bother with any thing like this I have to say. but then theres only 2 of us. I think whne the kids come along ill need some guidance but usually
I turn out my cupbaords, fridge freezer
work out what I can make by buying the bare minimum

While shopping I never truly stick to my shopping list, but allow myself to buy a few random things ( less than 2 quid spend tho) and then I can make something new out of that at a later date, ie bags of oatmeal I bought, creme fraiche. Very little gets wasted though

Jumps

I have a white board on the wall in the kitchen and at the beginning of the week I write the weeks menu on it and the compile my shopping list from that. I do also write a list on my board when I run out of items so I don't forget to pick them up as well.

icklepeach

Jumps, you stole my thoughts

Beware of bogofs and offers you may not be able to use! I challenged myself to a storecupboard week this week, and got out the supermarket having spend less than £4.

Tracey04

I just cannot do it, was thinking of printing off Tesco and Asda BOGOF list etc - can this be done ?? and plan from there, also I go to butchers which consist of mince, chicken, sausage and sometimes stewing stew, so any ideas would be helpful. Thanks

boo81

My brother had a system with shopping lists, he started by noting down everything in his cupboards fridge etc that he bought frequently. He would split into meat, dairy, storecupboard etc.

Then you can print the list each week/month and use a black marker to cross out things you dont need.

After this you need to think about what you are planning to eat and add those things on the bottom. Im not overly specific sometimes, ill write fish and go and see what is on offer and then decide exactly how im cooking it.

Pink.

Hi Tracey,

There's a Shopping List Planner that may help. I haven't used it myself but it may be worth a try.

Pink

mineallmine

Hia, I produced a list on word. It basically matches, more or less the way my favourite store is laid out. So fruit and veg at the start, then usually into meat products, then tinned stuff etc etc. It's always useful to flag up the basics, sounds obvious but stuff like cat/dog food, washing powder etc as well as milk/bread etc. Hope this helps.