GREYHAIRED MOMMA: OAMC -- The Shopping List

Creating the shopping list... That can make many women break out in a cold sweat. I, personally, have never experienced a cold sweat. A sweat? Oh, yeah. I am the queen of puddle pits. But a cold sweat? No, not me. (Okay, after reading back through that short paragraph, I feel it might be a little TMI*. But, entertaining you at the cost of my pride is what I'm all about. I'm practicing humility. I think. Or humiliation...)

Creating your shopping list is quite easy. Actually going to the store and ONLY buying what's on that list and getting out of the store in a timely manner is not so easy. 'Specially if you've got kiddos trailing you. "Mom. Mom. MOM! MOOOOMMMM!" Just sayin'...

Back to the shopping list... First, you need to get the recipes you're going to use. If you saved them all to a folder on your desktop as I ~~told you to~~ suggested, then they will be very easy to find. You will need to print them out. Not only is it easier to read them in print sitting in front of you, but you'll use them in the kitchen while cooking. So, print 'em out. Use the 'draft' setting on your printer. And, use Times New Roman or some other boring font. Apparently those two things can save you a lot of printer ink. That's according to an article on Yahoo! a while back. And we know that everything we read on the Internet is true. But, it might help us save a buck. And, again, that is a BIG perk to OAMC!

As for the actual list, I use a template I found searching Microsoft Word. But that was years ago and I can't seem to find that when I try now. Using my powers of Type A personality, I -- of course-- saved the file to my computer. So I have it. But can't figure out how to --- oh, oh, oh wait! I might have figured it out... Google Docs... Lemme try this... Click on this Shopping List link and see if it brings up a shopping list document -- and then lemme know if it works!

Even if you are able to look at the shopping list template I use and you don't like it, just use whatever works best for you. I find categorizing my list works the best for me. That's just the kinda gal I am!

Take whatever you're going to use to make your shopping list, and the recipes you're going to use into the kitchen. Reading through the recipes, check your pantry, fridge, and freezer to see if you already have the ingredients called for in the recipe. (Saving money, girls, saving money!) I do this one recipe at a time. If I have several recipes that call for ground beef, for instance, I write "ground beef" on my list under MEATS and then just put hash marks to indicate the number of pounds I'll need. I do this for cheese too, and just count that by cups. Then, after I've gone through all my recipes, I can see exactly how much of each ingredient I'll need. Again, for example, if I can see on my list that I'll need 4 cups of cheddar cheese, that makes it easy at the store to choose the size block or which bag of the pre-shredded stuff to buy as the measurement is right there on the package! Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy!

EDITED: Don't forget to add gallon freezer zip bags and 8x8" aluminum baking dishes to your list!! You'll need them to store your food in! Silly me for forgetting this in the original post!

Once I have my list, I'm off to the store. And, yes, sometimes I go to several different stores using different coupons, sales, etc. But, we'll work on one money saving technique at a time.

So, girls, get your recipes printed, and your lists made! My next post will be about making your Cooking Day game plan!