Shopping-Monthly vs Weekly or daily (merged)

bigmaz

Hey

Just wondering if people do monthly meal planners? Or if its better just doing it weekly? I fancy doing a months shopping, keeping the bill down as much as possible and plan for the whole month. There is probably lots of threads talking about this, but cannot find any we are a family of 2 adults and 2 toddlers, the kids are really good, they eat almost everything. Want to get the shopping done so I can use some things for a few different meals. Just wondering what other similar size families do

joedenise

There's just DH and me but I do a monthly menu plan. I buy all the meat for the month from the butchers but still do a weekly shop for fresh stuff like milk, fruit & veg. Used to buy bread as well but have now started making my own again which is so much nicer.

Denise

Linda32

I don't do a monthly plan, that seems rather a lot to organize myself and not to eat the goodies before the end of the month

I do a weekly shop based around the things we already have in. Mine is more of an inventory of meals which we both eat rather than a set plan.
I did used to do a plan but it was still based around the things we already had in.

For me if I did a monthly shop I would still have to go to buy fresh things such as cooked meat, cheese, bread, eggs, fruit etc. So I wouldn't really save any time or petrol money.

HTH

bigmaz

joedenise wrote: »

There's just DH and me but I do a monthly menu plan. I buy all the meat for the month from the butchers but still do a weekly shop for fresh stuff like milk, fruit & veg. Used to buy bread as well but have now started making my own again which is so much nicer.

Denise

Thanks for your reply. Do you find it a lot more expensive buying your meat from the butchers?

karenccs67

Ive been thinking about doing a monthly shop on Saturday, Ive planned meals for the month, however I will have to top up with fresh fruit, veg, milk, cooked meats, and bits for packed lunches. I just need my family to stick to the plan without realising it !

bigmaz

karenccs67 wrote: »

Ive been thinking about doing a monthly shop on Saturday, Ive planned meals for the month, however I will have to top up with fresh fruit, veg, milk, cooked meats, and bits for packed lunches. I just need my family to stick to the plan without realising it !

Yeah, thats the hard part I suppose, stickin to the plan

macpep1

I do a 4-weekly planner & try to batch cook as much as possible but have fell behind the last few months! I use an excel sheet I got from on MSE, you have to add your own recipes, which takes time but well worth it, you hit a button & it creates your weekly shopping list! I do four weekly sheets & then do my monthly shop online, I freeze bread, milk etc so only thing I have to shop for is fruit/veg/salad. Let me know if you want a copy.

karenccs67

Yes please, could I have a copy macpep1

bigmaz

macpep1 wrote: »

I do a 4-weekly planner & try to batch cook as much as possible but have fell behind the last few months! I use an excel sheet I got from on MSE, you have to add your own recipes, which takes time but well worth it, you hit a button & it creates your weekly shopping list! I do four weekly sheets & then do my monthly shop online, I freeze bread, milk etc so only thing I have to shop for is fruit/veg/salad. Let me know if you want a copy.

I would love that, thank u

quintwins

I buy meat on offer, or from the local butcher, then i do a montly meal plan based on the items that are in my freezer, i try then to do a big shop of dried/tinned items and then weekly shops of milk and bread.


Ofcourse thats the plan i don't always stick to it.

We buy our meat from a local butcher that provides resturants so alot fo it is big purchases (like half sirlions or 5kg chicken breasts) however doing it this way works out the same price as supermarkets for better meat, alot fo smaller supermarkets here do a weeks worth of meat for £20, which usually includes a roast which makes it pretty good value.