1. First we go shopping for the whole month.
I have to plan accordingly though for this, some fresh produce don't last me the whole month. I have to make sure I use those produce first, and that I buy produce that does last. Stock up on where I can month to month.
2. I make a Meal plan for the month.
I am not a huge daily planner time by time. So I figured out if I set what I am going to be making for which day, it will not work out. My mood changes and sometimes I want something else. Instead I just make a list of the meals and hang it on the fridge. Then I know what meals I have bought for that month and I can decide that day what sounds the best out of my list.
3.Go to Winco!
I have gone to other stores, and the months that I do that we spend a lot more money then I would have if I just would of stuck to my winco store!
-They don't bag any of your groceries, which I don't mind, but is easier when there are two people. I have done it by myself many times though. I like bagging my own things because baggers at other stores seem to not get that if I put it on the belt in a curtain order then it needs to be bagged in that order together.
It is also a good excuse to bring your own recyclable bags to use. Who doesn't have a huge Ikea bag? Those are perfect to load a ton of groceries into that are able to hold the weight and carry into the house in less trips!
If an elderly lady is trying to bag all her groceries, which usually is happening, I stop to help her too.
At Winco they have great prices on general food products.
In the store I have a route I take to get all of my shopping done. Since it is not shaped like most other grocery stores.
-First I head into the produce section. I weave through it gathering what I need.
-Second, next to the produce is their dry bulk items. I don't normally buy any of them. Unless I need a little bit a curtain spice.
-Third I go into the meats and deli section. It is an open area.
-Fourth I go straight into the freezer isles to get my milk, yogurts and frozen needs.
I have now made a big L shape. I have gone down any isles besides the frozen ones.
-This is when I make my way diagonally towards the middle isles. I weave in and out of the isles I need to be going down, until I have reached the end or have gotten all that I need for them.
The far isles below the freezer isles are candy, pop, chips, crackers, and paper plates. I normally don't need to go down those isles. If I do need to grab a bag of tortilla chips I do. To the far side of these isles is the bakery. I have never bought an baked goods from winco. They are probably good, but I just never buy baked goods. I make them self.
That when I head to the cashiers!
I work in a bakery and that is normally where I get my bread, and my fill for baked goods.
Other times I go to the discount bread store and stock up on about ten loafs of bread. They have great deals. We just freeze the bread until we need it. I also keep my bread in the fridge specially if it is from work, it wont go bad as fast. My husband eats a lot of sandwiches and we go through bread a lot.
Costco is great because we live near by.
The membership is worth it enough to use because we can go there for gas, since it is so close.
Also I buy milk there. We drink a gallon a week between my loving it and drinking it constantly and my husband is a huge cold cereal fan. We pretty much need our own cow.
That's about it at Costco. Its not worth it to us to buy too much in bulk. It goes bad faster then we can use it, so it doesn't save any money.
Soon it will be a good place for us to get diapers! Some times they do have a good deal though, or we splurge on a bulk item. The cloths, books, and movies are be great there too!
The concessions are a fun place though to get a cheap treat if we want to get out for a little.
The parking lot is almost unbearable. If you have any tricks about the parking lot let me know!
I am always trying to navigate it between needing to get gas and needing to get to the bank right there.
I hate Walmart! I only go there once every other month, and the whole time I mumble how much I hate Walmart. That's about all I can handle of that place. I almost would rather deal with Costcos parking lot!
Anyways, I make my Walmart list of dry things I would need that are pricy are other grocery stores.
Like: soap, shampoo, napkins, toilet paper, baggies, tin foil, dryer sheets and detergent. Stuff like that. I don't need all of these items every month. I buy the big size of these items to get me through as long as I possibly can.
Since I am already at Walmart I check out if they have any other deals I can find.
If I need to grab something quick, or forgot something during my big shopping trip, I go to Maceys! Plus they have $1 ice cream cones! Plus it is the only place I have been able to find Guarna for my husband! Its a Brazilian drink that takes him back! I personally am not a fan, but I love my husband!
Lastly we love taking advantage of Gardens and the Farmers Market in the summer! We have so many kind neighbors who have super yummy fruit trees that tell us if you pick you keep! Don't let an offer like that get away! Can't wait until we can have a Garden of our own! We both will really enjoy it! I am such a foodie and Brent just loves to eat! I can't get enough of nature nor cooking and a Garden is perfect for both! Lucky my in laws have a huge Garden and are generous for now.
We love the Ogden Farmers Market! We try to go once or twice a month while it is up and running! No only do they have good priced fresh produce we stock up on, they usually have other booths and food trucks for us to have a picnic or a Saturday morning out!
Kerstie Jo
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