Menu Planning & Grocery Shopping

How do you plan your Dinner Menu?  Do you plan a menu of meals?  How do you go grocery shopping?  How many grocery trips do you make for making dinner?  So many questions & so many answers to questions like these.

Here is how I do it all. I created a couple print out "charts."

{If you would like to give these a try, feel free creating your own, or leave a comment with your email and I will send you the document to save & print off!}

I go grocery shopping once a month, at the beginning of the month. Yep, you read it right .. Once a month.  That is it.  I will go back when we need items like, milk, eggs, fruit, etc.  Other than that I stay away.  

It actually helps save some money, for us. 

I pick 10-11 meals a month & that is what we have for dinners.  We do left overs on days after I have cooked for a couple days.   I always ask my family what they would like to have for dinner.  That way it gets us all involved!  After I picked the meals and treats/goodies, I then write/type it all out on the What's Cookin ... and Extras sheet, so I know exactly what ingredients that I need for what meals.  Then, I make my list on the Grocery List sheet.  I have it all organized by groups dairy, meat, canned, frozen, etc. This helps me keep a straight shopping trip & no back & forth trips in the store. I can also write how many I need or items next to it, which helps make a quick grab from shelf & into cart.  Also, I know this is not possible for some, but I do not take my kids grocery shopping with me.  It isn't that they aren't good, they do great.  It is that I just want to have that time alone.  Sound weird?  I hope not.  

Here is what is on our Dinner Menu this month ...
Chicken Enchiladas with Tossed Salad
Fried Tacos with Fruit
Pizza Rolls with Raspberry Salad
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Chips
Rice & Meatballs with Steamed Vegetables
Tortellini Spinach back with Creamy Lemon Sauce
Meat Pies
Easy Beef Enchiladas with Chips & Salsa
Spinach Chicken Stromboli
Grilled Chicken with Lemon Spaghetti

Our Extras are ....
Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes
Chocolate Mousse Chruch Cake
White Chocolate Popcorn
Strawberry Lime Smoothies