Shopping List For December 2012 Meal Plan

{ What We Need To Buy to Go Along With Our Meal Plan }

So, after creating your meal plan and writing out all the ingredients needed for each meal, I make a huge shopping list of only things needed for the meal plans. I don't include the things we have run out of and need or the things we will be buying anyways (like milk, eggs, bread, butter, etc). I put those on a completely separate list.So, here it is. My master list for December. Now I want you to keep in mind that just because these things are written on the list it doesn't necessarily mean I will buy them. Usually two days before I go on my big shopping trip I go through the fridge, freezer, kitchen cupboards, and pantry to see what I have. For example if my list says I need 2 cans of mushrooms but I have one left over in the pantry, I will only buy one. This is a great way to ensure you aren't buying things you all ready have. Sometimes I am able to scratch a great amount of stuff off the list and am able to save a lot of money that way. So, here we go .. 

Buns (10) 

Lunch meat (400g per week x 4 weeks) 

4 loaves of bread

Cheese Slices (2 packs) 

Blocks of Cheese (2) 

Cream of Mushroom Soup (2) 

Rotisserie Chicken (2) 

Pilsbury Biscuits (1) 

Frozen Vegetables (2 bags) 

Potatoes, Carrots, Cooking Onions (big bags) 

Chicken Broth (2) 

Celery

Can of Tomatoes 

Macaroni Pasta 

Frozen Fries (2) 

Green Onions 

Tomato

La Grille Vegetable Seasoning

White Rice x 2 bags 

Bread Crumbs 

Broccoli (2) 

Baby Carrots 

Pork Roast 

Red Delicious Apples 

Honey 

Garlic Butter 

Salsa

Sour Cream 

Package of Frozen Ravioli 

Cashews 

Ginger 

Fresh Mushrooms 

Scallop Potatoes (2) 

Box of Mashed Potatoes (2) 

Can of Corn 

English Muffins 

Pitas

Gravy Mix (1) 

Little Red Potatoes 

Bacon 

Wraps 

Pizza Sauce 

Flour 

Alfredo Sauce 

Fettuchini Noodles 

Bell Peppers x 2 

Pasta Sauce (6) 

Can of Mushrooms (4) 

Ground Beef x 6 dinners 

Pork loin chops x 3 dinners 

Ham x 2 steaks 

Then for my regular shopping list I will have things like: 

Milk

Eggs

Juice 

Cereal 

Granola Bars 

Pam Spray 

Yogurt 

Cottage Cheese

Apples

Bananas

Oranges 

Pudding 

Apple Sauce 

Mayo 

Cocoa 

Icing Sugar 

Bagels 

Poptarts 

And whatever else we need. Before I started meal planning I felt my shopping trips were so disorganized. I felt like I would come home with all this food and still be able to say 'we have no food'. Now I know what meals can be prepared out of our fridge, freezer, and cupboards. It is a great feeling to know that you have the resources available to you right away, and that you arent having to worry about running to the store because you forgot to pick up something for dinner. Since we have started meal planning we do not eat out nearly as often and we find we are enjoying each others company more. Its nice to sit down together at around the same time every day and talk while we eat. Or talk about how we like the meal if I have tried a new recipe. Meal planning makes sense. If I can make it work for a 2 person family, than I am sure it can work for anyone.