The Foods You Bring Home from the Market

Leave the tots at home and take the older kids with you!

Make a shopping list and stick to it!

Learn ways to expand your grocery dollars!

Start by being more aware about the foods you bring home from the supermarket.

I know that it is easier said than done, since the grocery store can be overwhelming and confusing.

Here are a few secrets to successful grocery shopping:

- Teach your older kids how to shop for healthy foods. Kids can start learning to make healthier choices in the grocery store.

- Stock your kitchen wisely.

- Learn to read labels. Look for labels containing good fats (olive and canola oils) fiber, whole grains, vitamins and minerals. Avoid items high in saturated and trans fat, added sugar, and refined flour.

- It won’t happen overnight to find healthy foods your entire family enjoys. Learn how to compromise. For every favorite food your family enjoys there is a healthy alternative or modification.

Most people continue to spend twice as much time and money than they need to on grocery shopping

Lana Dorazio has developed a grocery shopping system that can give you a power you never knew you had as a grocery shopping "mom" or "dad".

Every time Lana goes shopping she comes home with delicious food for her family at a fraction of the cost the grocery store would have liked her to pay!

Lana shares that:

Most Grocery Shoppers fall into One of Two Categories . . .

1) Those who don't REALIZE how much money can be saved

Shoppers in this category either don't really KNOW how much money they spend on food (store-bought and dining out) . . . OR, they have the mistaken impression that lowering their grocery budget would require such drastic lifestyle changes that they've never even given the idea a second look.

2) Those who THINK they are saving money already

Shoppers in this category usually do a great job running a family budget and have done their best to save money on groceries as well.

This System Works For Everyone Because It Isn't So Much WHAT You Buy . . . It's HOW You Buy It

Check out this resource and start saving significant time and money grocery shopping.

Organize a Shopping List

Prepare a shopping list based on your meal plan to prevent the expense of frequent trips to the grocery store for missing items:

• Review recipes for food that must be purchased.

• Check your refrigerator and cupboards for items which fit the weekly food plan.

• Keep a note pad in the kitchen to jot down supplies that need restocking.

• Group food items according to store sections such as frozen, dairy, and product to help save time in the supermarket.

Shop Sensibly

Use Proper Storage and Preparation Techniques

• Store perishables immediately after arriving home. This will prevent foodborne illness and preserve freshness.

• Prepare food, keeping nutrition and appetite appeal in mind.

• Be creative with leftovers.

Plan Ahead

Plan meals before weekly shopping and you’ll get the best value for your food dollar:

• Start your meal planning with the food ads that promote the best seasonal buys.

• Plan meals around the most expensive food, which is usually meat.

• Allow for family food preferences. Food that is not eaten is a wasted expense.

Bottom Line

-Cook with olive or canola oil.

-Use tons of vegetables for picky eaters top a little low-fat cheese on vegetables to get them to eat them.

-Experiment with spices like garlic, ginger, and pepper to add variety to your diet.

When Dad takes the kids grocery shopping! Novel idea, huh??

In an article I read by Ken Hall, called “Bring Home the Bacon”, he starts by talking about the positive things that happen when Dad grocery shops.

It is a great way for a husband to support his wife, spend time with his children and have fun at the same time.

Traditionally, the grocery store is Mom’s domain.

Shopping with Dad brings many lessons from working through the math of food costs to character lessons on courtesy, honesty and responsibility.

He gives these tips on how to become a shopping dad:

-Prepare – Before he attempted his first solo trip, he went shopping with his wife to learn how to do it. Also ask your wife to prepare a shopping list so you know what to buy.

-Plan – Make sure you have time to spend with your children. In the article, he set aside 2 hours and avoided shopping during times the children should be napping or eating.

-Relax – Children act like children. They are supposed to. Take time to teach good behavior, but remember that laughter and silliness are a part of childhood. Enjoy it!

What do families in 2006 have in common with families in 1966?

I stumbled upon a faded booklet written in 1966 by nutritionists, Janet Clay and Ruth Klippstein, called Feeding the Family; A Marketing and Management Challenge.

Whether trying to feed your family and manage mealtimes in the 60’s or in the modern day Information Age, the challenges of meeting various deadlines, feeding the family adequate nutrition, keeping the family meal hour relaxed, and enjoying the process are the SAME!

Let’s step back in time and see how the challenges over 40 years ago still ring true today......

Different Meal Patterns for Different Families:

Meals for one family do differ from meals for another.

So planning for them must also differ. No prescription has ever been written that guarantees successful meal planning for all.

There is no right amount of money for your family to spend for food.

The amount you spend is a choice based upon the importance your family places upon food in relation to other possible uses for the family money.

Regardless of the actual amount of money you choose to spend, it makes good sense to get the most value and satisfaction possible from each food dollar.

1. First, armchair marketing.

A bit of armchair planning at home helps ensure efficient use of time and money at the market.

Check the calendar, noting events that will affect meals. Think about staples that need replacing. Check recipes you plan to use and be sure all the ingredients will be on hand.

In short, think through your food needs and make some tentative decisions.

2.Will a list help?

Not everyone finds a written shopping list helpful.

Experience buyers often have established a buying routine that makes written reminders unessential.

Others find partial lists of needed staples helpful. Some carry no list at all and rely on seeing foods at the store to remind them of grocery needs.

3.Expect mealtime variations.

To meet unexpected mealtime situations, be flexible and think ahead.

It is also helpful to:

- Keep partially or fully prepared foods on hand. A freezer permits greater variety.

- Keep versatile foods on hand. Canned fruits make a tasty salad or an attractive dessert or add a gourmet touch to the meat.

- Keep a well-stocked herb and spice shelf. A subtle flavor touch can make an otherwise uninteresting dish and exciting taste experience.

4.Variety

Are you in a mealtime rut?

Courage and adventure can add variety and interest to daily meals.

When did you last try a new recipe, or introduce the family to a new food?

A few experiments can broaden family eating pleasure and add an element of adventure to meal preparation.

Venture not only with new foods, but apply a new idea to an old favorite . Use a different serving dish for the potatoes, or put chili in that decorative Mexican bean pot.

Vary the way foods are served:

That gorgeous strawberry pie deserves a few nods of approval before it is cut, so plan to serve it at the table rather than from the kitchen.

Vary the old, add something new, and interesting meals will appear – meals that are good to eat as well as fun to prepare!

5.Help your family learn the art of appreciating food.

Yes, it’s an art that must be learned.

Remember it may take courage and perseverance.

6.Check Occasionally

Even the most thoughtful person finds meal planning monotonous occasionally.

That trip to the market is just another chore, preparing three meals a day becomes tiresome, and the same combinations of food continually appear.

If this happens to you, occasionally check yourself.