Can you food shop?

[ADDinHDefgHi?!]

I tried grocery shopping yesterday, I ended up just buying a bunch of protein shakes and then going to Subway and eating a sandwich.

[demuregeek]

I'm the one who's largely responsible for groceries and cooking in my house. Here's my system...

Friday is when the grocery store flyers come in. I pull out a blank piece of letter paper (8½x11") and start a new grocery list. Things we need to buy go on the front of the list. Sales -- that is to say, anything that we buy regularly that's on sale this week -- gets written on the back of the list, along with the sale price.

Anything left over from last week's list that we haven't bought yet gets copied over.

Sometime over the weekend my partner & I sit down and come up with five dinners for the week. They're not fixed to a day; we just need to have the stuff in the house to make them. These get written on the back of the list, and the ingredients we need to make them get written on the front. Then we do a sweep of the kitchen and figure out what we're out of, and what we need for breakfasts and lunches (which are all easy things like cereal, milk, bread, butter, jam, crackers, cheese etc). Once the list is done, I can check the front (things we need) against the back (what's on sale) and note on the front if something we need is on sale somewhere, so I can try to get it from the store where it's on for cheap.

After that's all done, I fold up the list, stuff it in my pocket along with a small pen, and go brave the weekend crowds at the grocery stores.

I keep the a grocery list & pen in my pocket all the time. During the week, whenever we run out of something that we always keep in the house (milk, bread, sugar, coffee, fruit, whatever) I write it on the list the moment I notice.

This has a couple of advantages:

• I can pick up groceries whenever I get a chance to go to the grocery store, since I always have the list with me;
• Things (mostly) get written down on the list when we run out of them, since the list is always right in my pocket;
• We usually manage to get things whereever it's cheapest at the moment;
• When a store has run out of something that's on sale, I can see if somewhere else has it on sale too; and
• We almost never run into a "what to make for dinner" crunch, since our options are already written down on the list -- which again, is right in my pocket.

That all sounds a lot more involved than it actually is. It's pretty straightforward and takes maybe 45 minutes to put together all told. I sometimes forget to write things on the list, or miss picking up something when I'm at the store, but overall it works pretty well.

I'm a bit of a foodie, though, so I imagine what works for me might not work for everyone else. Still, there you have it.

[Lunacie]

Originally Posted by demuregeek

<<
After that's all done, I fold up the list, stuff it in my pocket along with a small pen, and go brave the weekend crowds at the grocery stores.
>>
.

O.M.G. If I had to shop on the weekend
we would not have any food in the house
... ever.

[demuregeek]

Originally Posted by Lunacie

O.M.G. If I had to shop on the weekend
we would not have any food in the house
... ever.

Inorite? I'd rather hit the stores during the week, but the chances of eking out much time are pretty slim. I try to get a decent chunk of time on the weekend, and am sure to bring my headphones and mp3 player so that the waiting doesn't drive me up the wall. Too, I get a lot of mileage out of the 24-hour grocery store here. Not as much now that the kids sleep through the night, but still.

[demuregeek]

One other footnote -- the topic for Attention Talk Radio this coming Thursday is "Managing an ADHD Household". IDK if it'll be any good, but sometimes their shows are helpful, and Dr. Patricia Quinn is the guest on this episode.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/attenti...adhd-household

[naissele]

I hated spending a long time at the grocery store, trying to figure out what to buy. I ended up with useless things that can't be combined to make anything so I came up with a system.

-Look at weekly ads for the store
-Plan meal(s) based on things that are on sale: I plan it around things that are tyipcally most expensive (like meats). Seeing other things on sale also reminds me of recipes.
-Make a list: I usually have to make a second list because if it's not done categorically, I still manage to forget buying things
-Don't forget to take your list (I am often guilty of doing this)

As for cooking, I like things where you can add ingredients and forget about it until a timer rings: like a crockpot (mentioned above) or oven meals...just don't forget to add them all in before cooking (brownies w/ half the flour don't quite turn out right). Stove top cooking is challenging for me because of the fact that I need to follow the directions of a recipe, prepare all ingredients, add ingredients at the right time. I usually forget to have an ingredient ready or fail to read the recipe before starting. The most I will cook on the stove is stir-fry since I prepare the veggies in advance (wash, cut, store) and all I need to do is add them onto a hot pan.

[Pandemonium]

Stores, no matter what stores will be the death of me. I hate shopping, always did, even when I was a child and my mom send me to the bakery next door.

Luckily I'm a student, who can eat in the cafeteria for lunch during the week and only have to cook in the evening, if I do it - and an empty fridge doesn't surprise or bother anyone else. Plus I do forget to eat every once in a while, so it doesn't matter that much and I put off shopping for two weeks at a time, until nothing is left for about 2 days and I really have to go.

I just always buy the same stuff, everytime, to have a routine when walking through the store, the only down side is that sometimes I have to throw food away, which I hate doing, but can't be helped.
Maybe I really should try making lists and put it on my phone. Sounds a lot better than writing it neatly on a paper to just leave it there on the table.

[MX2012]

Square Peg -- I am going to make a short story long -- I can't cook and I struggle to make my trips to the grocery store effective.

Today, I live alone. I have a serving of yogurt for breakfast, or cereal with a banana (but of course I would need bananas) or eggs and toast with coffee with milk. Usually, when I go grocery shopping, I can manage to keep these items in supply (not the bananas).

Lunch and Dinner are often Spagetti, pasta or Ramon noodles in one of four ways -- 1--with olive oil, crushed basil and salt and pepper, 2-- with olive oil, topped with canned beans, 3-- noodles cooked with an egg, 4-- topped with spagetti sauce and add oregano, garlic and salt and pepper, again pretty easy for me to keep these in supply.

Eggs are great -- hard boil them -- make an egg sandwich by slicing up eggs on toast. Serve scrambled for Breakfast, lunch and dinner, or make french toast.

I make pizza toast, make toast, then top with spaghetti sauce, cheese and canned mushrooms and warm in microwave.

Baked potatoes topped with -- spagetti and beans, or beans, or whatever....

I freak if I have to cook a real dinner for more than myself. To me, cooking just one meal takes all day -- the planning, the shopping, the preparation, the serving, and the cleanup seems never ending to me.

Canned soup and/or sandwiches are a great fall back. Grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly, lunch meat....

For vegetables -- get microwaveable packaged spinach or broccoli --

I guess my point is keep it simple.

Yogurt
Canned soup and sandwiches
Sandwiches
Spagetti
Baked potatoes
eggs -- hard boiled, scrambled
french toast
packaged vegs
cereal with fruit
yogurt
fresh/canned fruit -- easy snack

Here's a list for these ideas:

Bread
Eggs
Cheese
Lunch meat
Onions
Spagetti/Ramon noodles
Canned beans
Canned soup
canned mushrooms
Fresh/Canned fruit
peanut butter
Jelly
Milk
Juice
Olive oil
Mayo
Mustard
Basil
Oregano
salt/pepper
garlic

The point of keeping it simple is to give yourself time to get used to making simple meals. It will give you confidence.

Then explore other ideas and expand the list of meals you can make and include more fresh fruit and vegetable.

About those stapes, I assume you can go to a nearby grocery store to shop. Every time you go, get some of the staples: eggs, milk, bread...

[Lunacie]

Originally Posted by demuregeek

Inorite? I'd rather hit the stores during the week, but the chances of eking out much time are pretty slim. I try to get a decent chunk of time on the weekend, and am sure to bring my headphones and mp3 player so that the waiting doesn't drive me up the wall. Too, I get a lot of mileage out of the 24-hour grocery store here. Not as much now that the kids sleep through the night, but still.

I was so happy when the stores here began staying open till midnight - or all night.

My hubby was working night shift so it worked out great for me.

Nowadays, not so much. I have to shop during the day. But NOT weekends!

[keliza]

I am absolutely terrible at meal planning. Part of it is that I don't like to cook, I'm impatient and I hate dirtying up lots of dishes and having to wash them all later. Part of it is that I don't ever know what to make. I look at a recipe and it has so many steps and so many different parts that are all supposed to go together, and I just feel overwhelmed and end up putting it away and heating up a Hot Pocket instead.

I have a handful of core recipes that I make often that are very easy and don't require a whole lot of forethought or prep work. Here are a few of them:

Baked Ziti

1 box ziti noodles
1 regular sized jar of Ragu (or Prego or whatever)
1 regular sized container (pint maybe?) of ricotta cheese
1 bag of mozzarella cheese
1 lb ground beef or turkey
9x13" pan, regular pan, colander, frying pan

Steps:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees (F)
2. Boil entire box of pasta, drain, put in a 9x13 pan
3. Brown and drain beef or turkey, put in pan
4. Pour entire jar of sauce in pan
5. Dump entire container of ricotta cheese in pan
6. Mix it all together. It's easiest to do this with your hands, to be honest.
7. Cover the top with the entire bag of mozzarella cheese
8. Cook at 350 degrees F until cheese on top is melted, gooey, and browning slightly.

It's really that easy. Somehow this recipe works out so brilliantly that you literally don't have to measure a thing, you just empty the entire container of each ingredient. You can get crafty and add things like garlic, onions, mushrooms, chopped vegetables, or whatever else you like, but that's the bare-bones recipe. Can also make it without meat for vegetarians, or with meat substitute.

Seriously The Best Cheesy Squash Casserole You'll Ever Have, Period.

4-6 yellow squashes (depending on size)
1-2 bags shredded cheddar cheese
1 stick butter (yes seriously, the whole stick)
Indeterminate amount of chicken broth
Bread crumbs, all-purpose flour, pancake mix, whatever starchy thing you have on hand
Frying pan, regular pan, 8x8" or 9x13" baking pan, depending on how much squash you end up with

1. Cut squash into slices and cook over heat until you can easily push a fork into them.
2. Melt stick of butter in quart or gallon sized pan on medium heat. Pour squash into pan with butter. Add 2 cups shredded cheese and mix it all together until it's all melted and gooey.
3. Pour in a little chicken broth. I don't know exactly how much, just eyeball it until it thins out the cheese a little bit.
4. Add bread crumbs (or whatever starch you have on hand) and let them sop up the chicken broth until the whole thing has a more casserole-like texture.
5. Pour into 8x8" or 9x13" pan. Cover with more shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese on top is melted and browned slightly.

Quesadilla Magic

1 bag soft taco shells, the biggest you can find
1 pound ground beef or turkey
1 can black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained in a colander
1 bag shredded cheese, your choice of Monterrey, 4-cheese Mexican blend, or Colby Jack
1 jar salsa
Whatever other fillings you might like. Suggestions include chopped green or red peppers, mushrooms, black olives, etc.
Frying pans (2)

1. Grease pan with butter or Pam, heat up to medium
2. Put quesadilla in pan, cover with cheese.
3. Meanwhile, brown choice of meat in another pan
4. Dump a handful or two of beans onto melted cheese, let warm
5. Add cooked meat
6. Add whatever other fillings you want.
7. Fold over and keep heating until everything inside is warm and melty.
8. Serve with sour cream and/or salsa for dipping.

The Only Way I Eat Most Vegetables

I take whatever vegetables are on sale (squash, zucchini, bell peppers, mushrooms, cauliflower, snap peas, etc.) and cook them in a pan with olive oil and a ton of Mrs. Dash seasoning. Seriously, just season the crap out of it.

Sauteed Spinach and Cheese

1 bag baby spinach
1 shaker of Parmesan cheese (the kind you usually put on pizza)
Butter or olive oil (I think butter tastes better)
Frying pan

1. Melt butter
2. Saute spinach until wilted
3. Shake out a liberal amount of Parmesan cheese. To my surprise, the powdered cheese actually melts when you put it with butter and heat it. Way easier than buying real parm and tastes just as good.

Literally The Easiest Complete Meal Ever

1 pound ground beef or turkey, OR 1 package of sausage
1 box of your favorite pasta
1 jar Ragu, the kind with 2 servings of veggies per cup
1 bag baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 bag mozzarella cheese, optional

1. Boil like half the box of pasta, drain, put back in the pot
2. Pour whatever your choice of sauce is in there until it's all saucy.
3. Brown and drain choice of meat, or cook sausage and slice
4. Add meat to pasta and sauce
5. Saute bag of spinach over medium heat, using some of the grease from the meat, or butter, or olive oil, your choice. Spinach heats down really small, so even though the entire bag looks enormous, it actually doesn't take up that much room once you heat it up. Add to pot.
6. Saute sliced bell pepper, add to pot.
7. Add cheese if desired.
8. Bam. Now you've got protein, dairy, vegetables, and whole grains all in one bowl of awesome. And it took a grand total of 15 minutes to make.

Basically all of my recipes are some combination of pasta, ground beef, sauce, cheese, and vegetables. I also really like butter. Can you tell I am very southern?

[SquarePeg]

demuregreek - ok I need to really make an effort, it sounds complicated but another problem is that even if I have the list and I am somewhere near a supermarket, I will still avoid actually going in. I seem to always find an excuse to put it off.

ha ha I really need to get a grip. People are being so helpful on this thread and I am being pathetic I know. I was right near the shop today and could´t bring myself to go in!!

[SquarePeg]

Glad I´m not the only one here who struggles with this, seems it´s a common problem. Like I said if it were only me I can always find something to eat, I´m not that bothered about food and often skip meals, but it´s not fair on my kids who are teenagers and eat like horses.

I can walk right past shops and not be able to motivate myself to actually go in.

[demuregeek]

Originally Posted by SquarePeg

demuregreek - ok I need to really make an effort, it sounds complicated but another problem is that even if I have the list and I am somewhere near a supermarket, I will still avoid actually going in. I seem to always find an excuse to put it off.

ha ha I really need to get a grip. People are being so helpful on this thread and I am being pathetic I know. I was right near the shop today and could´t bring myself to go in!!

Hey now, don't be too hard on yourself. We each have our own individual strengths and weaknesses. If I had to order groceries by telephone, nobody in our house might ever eat.

Maybe you can press the kids into service or something? Yeah, it shouldn't have to be completely their responsibility, but it doesn't have to be all yours either. Would it be easier if you roped in the teens and all went to the store together, maybe?

[DvlsAdv0c8]

Originally Posted by mctavish23

I no longer ram people with

my grocery car while saying, GANGWAY MF

Crap, you mean we're not supposed to do that?!!?

[SquarePeg]

Originally Posted by demuregeek

Maybe you can press the kids into service or something? Yeah, it shouldn't have to be completely their responsibility, but it doesn't have to be all yours either. Would it be easier if you roped in the teens and all went to the store together, maybe?

yes it´s easier when they come, especially as I hate unpacking, End up putting a load of sugar loaded crap in though when they are with me. They´re back at school and I would rather poke my eyes out with sharp stick than tackle food shopping at the weekend.

I prefer small shops with a smaller selection otherwise I´m overwhelmed with choice. Occasionally I will go to a huge store and it takes me about 3 hours to get around and by the time I am at the check out I have the urge to dump it all and run.