for those who cook dinner nearly every night

How often do you go shopping? Do you plan the meals for the week and then go shopping for the food?

I want to start using more fresh veggeis and produce but I fear the stuff will go bad if not used quickly

Message edited 7/7/2009 4:01:57 PM.

Re: for those who cook dinner nearly every night

I try to plan the meals out for the week and make one shopping trip.

As I'm planning the meals I write down what ingredients I need from the store.

I buy plenty of fresh veggies and fruit and I don't have a problem.

Re: for those who cook dinner nearly every night

usually every night or every other night I cook.

but usually it's every night.

it's easy for me b/c I just walk from the train to the super to my house (I live in the city)

when I am upstate, dh goes in the mornings. sometimes up there I'll buy what I'll need for the weekend, but lots of timei don't know Saturday what I'll want sunday, so I'll go both days.

Re: for those who cook dinner nearly every night

usually i do one bulk shopping for meats once a month or so. I come home & i seperate into servings & then freeze the meat. ie: if i have a pkg of chicken cutlets ill clean them & wrap them individually so that I dont have to defrost the whole package..

then the night beofre i decide whats for dinner & ill deforst the meat. in case i want to marinade it or such

as for veggies, I buy them fresh as needed. I dont like to keep veggies in the fridge long ...

etd to say i do cook every night .. this is what works best for me...

Message edited 7/7/2009 5:00:35 PM.

Re: for those who cook dinner nearly every night

I get Peapod grocery delivery during the week and hit up the Farmer's Market on Saturday.

I plan on Saturday and order Sunday.

I plan the fresh veggies within 2 days of purchase and frozen for later OR I will just pop into the market during lunch or on my way home.

Re: for those who cook dinner nearly every night

For the most part I cook every night. I usually do one big shopping on Saturdays and then i pick up a few things here and there during the week

Re: for those who cook dinner nearly every night

Thanks everyone

I think I'll try buying meat in bulk and and stop on my way home from work to pick up veggies. Hopefully we stop wasting food with a little more planning

Re: for those who cook dinner nearly every night

I usually go the supermarket once a week but that's just for the basics.

I pick up my fruits/veggies at a produce store and go about 1-2 times a week also. Starting soon I will be able to pick up a lot of this stuff up in MIL's yard which I can't wait for .

Re: for those who cook dinner nearly every night

I plan once a week and go shopping on Sundays. About once a month, I go to the butcher where they package meat the way I want it so I can freeze it and use it as necessary...I will sometimes stop in during the week if there's something I'm missing or I change my mind...

Re: for those who cook dinner nearly every night

We do cook every night and we generally shop once per week (unless someone gets a major craving for something or plans change). We don’t plan meals per se, we do plan if we want to do a meal that requires ingredients we don’t normally buy (like if we’re doing turkey tacos or burgers or something like that where we need to get buns, or wraps, avocados, etc). Other than that, we shop based on what meats are on sale—some weeks we don’t buy any and just use what’s in the freezer. We plan meals around that—DH is picky about veggies so we really rotate asparagus, zucchini, yellow squash, green beans and corn. I know 1 bunch of asparagus will get us 2 meals, 1 zucchini or 1 squash would be one meal, etc. I know what to get so that we use it in one week only. We mix and match things as we feel like…I also get salad and fruit for lunches for me, and a little additional fruit for DH. These things always get eaten within the one week as we know how much we need to get through the week

Re: for those who cook dinner nearly every night

I always go to TJ's with 3 meals in mind.

I tend to cross over as well...if I buy carrots, celery for one recipe, I will try and use them in a recipe later in the week as well.

I don't really cook everynight though, a lot of days I will cook 2 meals at once...such a timesaver. IF I am already in kitchen making a mess, I will just make 2 dinners.

The rest of the nights, DH ususally brings meat home from work...then I just make rice and a veggie.

I only buy produce(salad, fruits) for 4 day stretches...then I just go to the store on the corner from my house as needed or saturday morning famer's market.