Last weekend, TheManoftheHouse came home from his weekly shopping trip (he does the grocery shopping, which works for us — I’d rather be outdoors and, although he wouldn’t admit it, there’s great sightseeing to be had in a grocery store) and told me about this conversation he had with a woman in the checkout line.
She was meticulously placing her groceries in piles on the conveyor belt and he said “Wow, you’re organized.” She explained her system to him and proceeded to show him her shopping list on a sheet of paper torn out of a notebook. So, TheManoftheHouse showed her his shopping book list. He said the lady loved our shopping list, so I thought you might be interested too.
Each January, I buy one of those calendar books that tracks each week in a two-page spread. They’re usually available half-price. Then toward the end of each work week, I plan the meals for the following week. I write the menu for that day right under the day of the week. The groceries are written below the menu, organized by areas of the grocery store (dairy, vegetables, meat, etc.) It’s also a great place to keep notes about recipes, etc.
The book has little tear-corners on each page, so we can always open it up to the correct week. TheManoftheHouse takes the book to the grocery store each week. He keeps a red pen in the spiral spine of the book and he crosses the items off as he puts them in the cart. Then he brings the book home and I use it all week to remember what we’re having for dinner.
It’s been a good system for us for several years now. No lost grocery lists and (in theory) no lost recipes. No standing in front of the pantry after a day at work wondering what we’re going to eat. And when I’m in a menu rut, I can go back to previous years and get some ideas for things we’ve eaten in the past and liked. TheManoftheHouse is an excellent shopper and he’s great at sticking to the list.
How do you handle your menu/shopping? Have any secrets you’d like to share? And while I’m asking questions, do you have any big plans for the weekend? I’m hoping to get a little sewing done and then this sty will need some cleaning as my family is coming over for a Father’s Day cookout. I’m also hoping I don’t get sidetracked — for you readers out there, I’ve just started a new book and I Love it so far — if there’s even a hint of rain, I’m thinking there will be no yardwork and lots of reading. ;-)
Have a great weekend!
XOXO,
Anna
You are going to love that book. I was so sad when it ended.
Always in need of a good book. And that list. Holy Smokes. I thought I was organized. I do clean out my fridge every week, usually the day or night before I go grocery shopping. I also clean out the small pantry where we keep cereal, crackers, bread, chips and the like. I WISH I could make a menu and stick to it like you do. Maybe I should try.
sounds great!
i have excel spreadsheets for the stores i shop at, with the items of everything i could ever want to purchase appearing on the list in the same order of how i meander thru the store… which took FOREVER to set up, but it’s cool, cuz i just check it off on the computer when i make the weekly menu and print it out.
i’ll have to check out your book.
hope your weekend is wonderful.
:waves madly
Goodness. That is a good idea. I’ve thought about planning a menu for the week, but I’m just not there. That is great for sending a man shopping though! I’ll have to just be happy that my man shops with me and does a lot of the cooking. Perhaps someday we’ll get more organized.
BTW, I read that book a couple months ago and it is a good book. Enjoy.
I love your book and that you have a husband that shops for you to boot!!
these days I’m really enjoying my oldest buying the groceries and cooking. She’s into healthy eating these days and I’m enjoying not shopping or cooking. She’s 23 and a very good cook. I’ve done alot of cooking over the years and these days I work a full time day job and quilt at night so its good to come home to supper ready. She tells me I need a wife.
That is SUCH a good idea. Now, if I could just get my husband on board, we’d be set. He also does most of the grocery shopping. I only go when I need something really badly – like cherries or chocolate or asparagus, things he’d never think of.
So… what’s the book about? I’m going to check it out because I’ll have lots of time for reading soon. Ahhhhhh.
How fun! I could NEVER send my husband to the store and expect to get my list filled. He’ll buy anything under the sun! But I do like the calendar idea.
Hmmm… Secrets… I have a spreadsheet of popular (around here) menus and all the ingredients, so that when I don’t know what to do with something, say a chicken, I can scan down the list of chicken dishes and quickly see all the needed ingredients, and decide whether I can make it. Although I do try to shop for groceries two weeks at a time.
I think I should have a goal of trying one new dish every two weeks. I should. Maybe I will.
Karen
What a great idea! You are my hero! My husband also helps with shopping and he cooks. We sort of plan and then when we get home ask “what are we cooking tonight?” I’m going to try out your idea. My husband and I are new parents so Sunday we are heading to the park, with our 9 month old, for a pic-nic. I bought him one of those tall rolling tool organizers. My birthday is in July, should I ask for an embroidery machine? ;-)
Thank you, thank you! What a FABULOUS system. I’m not surprised at all, but oh so happy you shared! If your holding back any other fabulous tips, please share! I will definetly be doing this! Thanks and hope the man of the house has a wonderful father’s day!
Gee … I used to think I was organized until I read this post! Great way to plan your meals and make your grocery list. My hubby does our grocery shopping each week, too. He would LOVE it if the list I gave him each week looked like yours! :-)
Have a great weekend!
MJ
I always do my best to plan a menu – lately it’s been, let’s see what meat looks good, and build a meal :) it’s easier when the kids are in bed at home and not adding stuff to the cart!
Anna… Im impressed!!! :o)
Im totally unorganized and hardly know what to make for dinner at morning.. lol…
Oh how wonderful and organised. My approach is look at what’s in the cupboard… pick up something on the way home… wish I could be organised enough to write lists on a regular basis!
I did try menus once when the kids were small.They teased me because we never seemed to be eating what was on the menu for the day. We kept having too many left overs. I do keep a list though, because we live ten miles from town and if I’m out of something I stay out until we go back to town.
You are more organised than I am – and I thought I was doing well! I do menu plan, and clean out the fridge on shopping day, but our list is pinned up on our kitchen notice board. I love the idea of keeping recipe notes orgniased though. I grocery shop online and have it delivered, which has been a boon for making sure I stick to a grocery budget since stopping work.
What a great system you have. Now me, I just kind of go with the flow and that usually means we eat out a lot because I don’t have what I need to fix a decent meal. So I have a new plan, you just send me your old calendar books and I will copy your plan!
Very organised…..I usually write a list, leave it at home and end up spending a fortune and yet have nothing to make a complete meal with….works for me but not sure I’d recommend it to anyone else ;o)
I have no major plans – just been for a little morning wander around St Andrews (lots of American accents about) and now I am preparing to go for a run and then to meet a friend for coffee before I go home to my parents for the evening and tomorrow. It’s Father’s Day here in the UK tomorrow so I thought I should make an appearance!
Enjoy the book – I just started Knit Too and bought another book called Stalin’s Children – Three Generations of Love and War – true story about love during the cold war…an englishman and a russian girl – I am looking forward to it.
Have you ever read Three Cups of Tea – that’s my definite couldn’t put down book….
i love it!
if only i could think ahead far enough to plan meals… or even know if i’ll be home!!
i do think this is one of the best ideas i’ve seen yet… and maybe one day… when i have kids… i’ll plan!!
Anna! You are so organized. My Hubby goes grocery shopping also ( usually 5-6x a week) Meijer’s must love him because we spend about 3 million dollars a year and yet we eat out 4 – 5 times a week. We don’t bother with menu’s, we just wing it. What ever sounds good that night, be it Steak and Shake, Bob Evan’s, Cracker Barrel Etc….Wonder why we look like the Pillsbury Dough Couple??????LOL Have a wonderful Father’s Day Week end. PS Wonder where we will eat?
Wow!!! That is one seriously organised book! But what happens if you don’t want to eat what you’ve got planned when it comes to supper time?
Lucy x
What a great idea! I have a Master Shopping List that I use – but this is even better!
Menus? Shopping? Yeah…I should do more of that. When I didn’t work and my kids were little, I’d plan out the week’s menus, shop and cook. I work odd hours now, so don’t often cook…it’s a lot of “get your own”. My two older ones can make mean omelettes! Wish they’d make them for me…
I’ll check the library for the book…thanks!
Thanks for the book recommendation! You are very organised. I usually plan my meals in advance and write out a list, but tend not to send DH shopping as he always strays from the list and buys too much junk food.
much more organized than my list.
i just grab a sharpie and piece of paper and go to town according to the meals we’ve planned out for the 2 weeks.
{the 2 week menu is on the fridge for all to see.}
i was needing another book to read.
maybe i’ll pick this one up.
off to finish quilting my newest moda bake shop goodie.
My system? It’s called “eating out as often as I can!” Works for me!
Boy you are organized! I must be honest, I have absolutely no system whatsoever when it comes to meal planning. What ever the feeling is that day, that is what we have. But there is always that back up plan… eat out!
Wow! YOU’RE organized!
Oh dear you put me to shame! I;m afraid there is no rhyme nor reason behind my shopping and I rarely have a list. Mr Roses has just shuffled off to the supermarket clutching his own list and I’m not even sure what’s on it! This might explain the 100s of cans of tomatoes and packets of pasta we have in the cupboards!!!!
Kimx
I am trying not to be jealous of your wonderful grocery shopping man! I think it would be fabulous to have someone else do my shopping. I sorta do something similiar with menus only I do it in Excel. I have an Excel addiction….
I read The Help not too long ago and LOVED it!!!
Anna, I’m so impressed with your menu/grocery list organization. I’ve tried different systems now and then but yours that looks perfect to me. I’m going to implement it right away after our vacation.
To answer your question about our weekend, my husband is leaving on Sunday for a business trip (comes back next Thursday, the night before we leave on our road trip). So today (Saturday), I’m making sure all laundry is done so he can pack and cleaning house while he takes my car to be serviced for our trip. I’ve already given him his Father’s Day gift — I had his pool table recovered in a professional-grade cloth (he’s so thrilled with it). Sunday, after he leaves for the airport, I’ll start work on sewing an anniversary gift for him — can’t do it while he’s at home. Then I’m going to read a bit and watch True Blood later that night.
I’m going to check out the book you shared; it looks interesting and I’m all for learning about books to read.
I do something similar…I use a steno tablet and look back through it when I get in a rut. Except I throw mine out after it gets filled up.
We are doing some yard work and getting the generator fixed as we almost needed it last night only it wasn’t working. Such a storm we had…we’re still trying to dry out.
What a fabulous idea! I can only dream of being that organized.
Off too see about that book!
I’m liking your shopping system but, with teenagers in my house everything is game and my son would probably eat two or more of the ingredients thus ruining the system. LOL! Really, he eats just about everything and can be found eating at midnight. I laughed so hard when the hobbits talked about breakfast, 2nd breakfast, lunch, etc. it reminded us so much of our son and he’s skinny too! No fair on that one!
Let me know how you liked the book. I love to read and always appreciate a recommendation.
I’m going to try to sew today too.
Oh I love your book…we do a menu every week (and stick to it) and then I have a separate list…I like it all together. Thanks for sharing.
Great system, Anna!
A while back I posted my meal plan on my blog–it’s a rotating nine week list of meals, with two nights for leftovers and a list of alternates, in case we want something different. It’s perfect–it cuts down tremendously on grocery listmaking.
As for the shopping list, once something is used up or the last of its kind is opened, it goes on the list. Also, when I have a light shopping week, I buy extra canned tomatoes and frozen vegetables, since we can always use those things.
Plans are light for this weekend–I’m glad, because we’ve been busy this month. I hope to get in a little sewing time, too. And lots of reading time. (And some time for Facebook, too, although I hate to admit that…) But it all depends on Victor.
XO
XO
What a simple yet genius idea – I can see how that would be especially helpful if there’s one person making the list and one shopping. I should really try it out – I always make a menu and a list, but they’re just on floating scraps of paper and it would be great to look back and see what I’ve done in past weeks.
Great idea! We each pick the meals we want to make for the month with some “evergreen” recipes we always love, but I still have to decide from the list what I want to make. THis owuld save me some time!
wow I have tried the menu list but could not seem to stick to it. I do like the idea of it. i guess i am to A.D.D. to do it.. i can’t seem to follow through with it. lol
what a BRILLIANT idea!! my idea of meals is standing in front of the pantry three minutes before dinner needs to be served and PANICKING! *vbg* i’m such a bad cook, hubby says i should be listed as a weapon of mass destruction! :oD
toni xxx
Sounds like a great system! I tootled on over to amazon and had a read—that sounds like a book I could lose myself in. Duly added to The List
WOW, oh wow, you are one organized lady – I knew there had to be certain ways you get so much done. Hope to try the book too.
take care “oh organized one”,
Robin
Did you get your rain? I love your organisation, what a team. Do you know how much I HATE food shopping? It drives me insane but maybe if I was as organised as you I would start to enjoy it more? B and I are on a diet right now so we know more or less what we can have to eat, steak tonight, yum!!
I love the menu idea. I’m not as organized as I’d like to be. I always figure that when I am organized though that I’m giving myself the gift of time. I hate wasting time trying to figure out what to fix for dinner, etc.
I love the book idea. I already plan my menu and I have my grocery list in an Excel list. I print it each week and circle any item I run out of or are getting low on and then when I make my menus, I sit down with the list and finish my grocery shopping on paper and then head out. I like to take my husband or son. Not so much for the shopping but for the hauling in to the house!!! LOL.
Ummmmm do you really wanna hear how I do my shopping??? Nah I didnt think so. lolol But I love your idea. Miss organized over there.
That is the best idea ever. I really need to do that. I make up a two week menu and shop from that but always seem to pick up so much more, especially if my manothehouse goes with. :)
In my dreams would shopping go like that…when my man comes with me he is in charge of the cart and then he bags. And what list…we usually wing it. I am impressed!
Good grief. My “method” is to go to the supermarket once a week and on the spur of the moment buy ingredients with which I think I could make a palatable meal for when the family come at the weekend; also some random items for the rest of the week. Then last thing each evening I scan the items in the fridge for a suitable dinner menu for the next day and if inspiration doesn’t strike, take something out of the freezer which I hope will go with the fridge items.
I am, as ever, struck dumb… well, clearly not quite dumb… at your domestic skills.
Mind you, I have the handicap of cooking for the carnivores and and the vegetarians in the family. So clearly this totally explains why I’m not as organised as you are.
You are so organized! My daughter is quite disciplined like this, she uses menu planning. It slips now & then. I am completely haphazard & spontaneous. I like to surprise myself! haha..
Gom used to do the shopping,& we would wonder what the hell to do with the tinned Artichokes. Now he is much better than I, but he lost his passion for weird items.
You are organized, I am impressed. Clarice
I do exactly the same except without the husband or the very cool notebook. I just use some crappy little book that I found in my purse. But hey, it works.
Woman, I totally started to drool when you described how you wrote the daily menus, ingredients and WHERE THEY’RE LOCATED IN THE STORE OH MY WORD.
I do the shopping though, and I will admit to being the loser whose list is in her Blackberry, so has to keep referring to it while she shops.
I know. Don’t hate me.
me too me too…I do exactly the same thing! I use a clipboard with paper…Menus for the week and groceries sorted by location in the shop. You can image how strange it is when I tell my DH to put something on the list…”lower right hand corner please” :o)
We have somewhat the same menu planning over her. A weekly calendar and menu notes.
Thanks for the book recommendation!
Um that is so totally amazing. I’ve delegated much of the shopping to teenagers when they come of age. Sometimes it works and sometimes not. What a fabulous system Anna. We’re going to talk about this at family night next week.
I tried the “once a month cooking” thing. And by trying it I mean I bought the book.
But I have always cooked in bulk — when I brown meat I do so in large quantities, then divide, make my sauces, etc, and freeze. Same with chicken–
It worked fine for a number of years, until my deep freezer bit the dust recently and sent my “system” packing.
:)
No system whatso-ever… We just eat what we like every day of the week and when the man of the house is not travelling for business, he likes to shop himself for the groceries and make dinner.
In the past we tried to use shopping lists and plan dinners for a week, but we never know our work and travelling schedules on forehand, so it’s not our piece of cake.
We don’t have a freezer, only a simple fridge and groecerie stores nearby that are open almost 24/7, so we take it one day at a time!
I am totally impressed by your method! Ours is nothing like that. We have a pad of paper with a magnetic back that we put on the fridge – a pen beside it – and when we run out of something, we write it on that pad. We also talk about what we’d like to have for dinner in the coming week, and sort of go from there. I’m hanging my head in disorganized shame.
You are my hero, Anna!
Mr. Cupcakes is right. You DO have crazy good kitchen skills. I am going to have to give this a try. I am always running down to the store at the last minute! Thanks for the tip, Anna.
What a brilliant idea! I wished I could manage to be that organized…
I just finished reading that book! A great story! :)