that being super-organized sometimes leads to MORE spending rather than less? I love to cook, read cookbooks, gather recipes, etc. and on the weeks that I am really "good" about going through my stuff to make a nutritious, varied week's worth of meals I would spend more than when I don't! Of course, I end up looking at the ideal list and start cutting things out. This week I cut one meal and "saved" $15. Long-term I would have used most of the ingredients in other dishes and it would have been okay, but just couldn't justify that much on one meal now. I always take a list to the store and shop sales, but when I go through those recipes I'm tempted too much, I guess.

Well, look at it this way- are your other meals (the ones you don't plan out) as nutritious as the ones that are super-organized? You need to look at the value that you are getting for the money you spend. If you are spending less, but getting less in the way of nutrients, it may not really be a bargain, KWIM?

Upfront the cost might be more, but there are other benefits. As Kimberlina mentioned, different nutrient patterns in different foods are healthy for our bodies. A varied menu is generally healthier and leads to less "picky eating" and getting into the dreaded dinner rut where Friday is fish day, Monday is pasta day, etc.

Healthy meals are an investment in *your* health. :)

Thanks for the replies. All the meals are nutritious, it's just that when I look at my recipes I go hog wild with ideas then have to cut back. For example, I have a basic Chinese recipe that uses ingredients we always have on hand, but it would be more fun to make a Vietnamese recipe that calls for Lemon Grass, Rice Vinegar (which I often have on hand but don't right now), etc. It's more a case of seeing all these great recipes that only need an extra ingredient or two so I plan them then realize the grand total is too much. Wondered if anyone else did that or I'm just nuts?

Oh I think I get you, I did have a problem with that at one point.

It usually happens when you choose a bunch of recipes that are slightly unfamiliar, and call for a lot of ingredients that aren't part of a tight pantry system.

So to make them, you end up buying a lot of jars and bottles and bits and bobs that you don't normally need.

I found that some cookbook writers, eg Sue Gregg or Leanne Ely have their own pantry items along a theme. Sue is natural foods, a lot of health food store items such as Braggs Liquid Aminos, while Leanne's pantry items are a little more regular grocery store but still a bit pricey.

I substitute a lot for what's on hand.

And I generally don't do a new recipe more than once or twice a payday to reduce that kind of buying.

A can of coconut milk here, and shrimp paste there, and a jar of jalapenos if you don't normallym use these tends to sky rocket the price.

When a menu planner type of cookbook author (Sandy Dennis, Leanne Ely, Sue Gregg et al) talk about the savings from menu planning, they are often talking to a target audience that does a lot of take out.

We aren't that audience, we frugal females who know how to cook.

So while I use their recipes I have my own "TNT" or tried and true stable of recipes and I use THOSE as the backbone of my menus.

That way I use my own cheap pantry, not building up some other persons pantry idea.

I tap into their recipes, and their plans as a spring board to my own menus.

I do find that a preplanned menu system is nice for a change, and sometimes I do use it, and bite the full bullet and buy what is called for.

But most of the time I cross off the weird and substitute like mad.

For example instead of pricey Braggs, try no name store brand soy sauce to name one of my price fixes for expensive recipes.

For another fix, use only one new recipe per payday and try to make the rest from your own.

Another problem is OVERPLANNING which sounds like what you are doing.

Don't plan more than 10 to 11 meals per 14 day pay cycle. Even 8 or 9 will do.

Why?

LEFTOVERS. Fill in with pantry meals such as tuna in Kraft Dinner or spaghetti. Have some pantry meals, and leftovers and you'll find your overplanning coming down to earth.

It's a common mistake when people try to menu plan. Keep it simple, keep it small and keep it flexible.

Another thing that Strawberry taught me years back.

Pick a list of meals-- keep to 8-10 for that 14 day cycle. (have a couple of emergency backup meals in mind in pantry and freezer)

Each day, cross off what you want to make. That way you use stuff according to the needs of the day, not frozen into a preplanned "we must have curry because that is on the menu for tonight". The curry can wait if you prefer chicken thighs.

If something needs spicing up or changing, do it using what you have on hand.

If you buy lemon grass to name your example, then freeze the parts you don't use for a little sparking up in a later meal.

Do a little cooking ahead or work ahead so that prep times are reduced.

Ladies,

The chefs out there need to put out a frugal village cookbook!!! Put together a sample pantry list and put together a group of recipes from there. Those of us Newbies who are just starting out would snatch it up (or at least check it out of the library!!!)

Hmmm... Maybe it would cost less if you picked a theme and stayed with it for a while before changing themes. i.e. say Asian and used the lemon grass and stuff for more than one recipe. It's when you buy something and use it only once that it ends up collecting dust and using up money. But remind yourself even that one fancy ingredient it is still way cheaper than take-out!!!

I just did a huge shopping for the things that I've not been buying for a few months, like soy sauce, pancake syrup, salad dressing etc. Things that fill in around the edges to make meals more pleasant. I shopped the sales and did pretty good but ended up spending 147.00. But, these are all things that will last awhile and I will use all the time.

Margery - It's nice to hear someone else has done this, too. You hit it with "overplanning". Duh! I need to stop once I've picked out a couple of new recipes and then fill in the rest with our tried-and-true meals. I do most of what you suggested - freeze things for later use, make a list of meals but not specify a fixed day, keep my own pantry, etc. I've been menu planning for years now so am looking at taking it to the heights - the awesome, out of this world meals that are CHEAP because I shopped so well. Not there yet by a long shot but I can dream, right? :)

MirandaK - I think Margery had a thread somewhere that detailed a frugal pantry and many meal ideas. Margery - am I remembering correctly, and if so, can you post a link?

Sure, it's over in our sister site, Homestead Gardens, I will just pop over and get the link.

And you are welcome Lorelei, great minds think alike and I think those who genuinely love to cook have similar problems and solutions.

But I was thinking while yanking rasberry canes that I should tell everyone that I never have frozen lemon grass, so I can't vouch for how that might turn out, in spite of recommending trying it above.

Just used it as an example of my way of thinking which goes like this:

"When in doubt, throw it in the freezer and see what happens!" :D

Now sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but lifes an adventure right? :wink:

http://www.homesteadgarden.com/forums/showthread.php?t=760
http://www.homesteadgarden.com/forums/showthread.php?t=756

I need to do some updating, there are a few things I've refined since I wrote these.

Lorelei, one more thing you'd probably love right here, take a look at this: http://cookingfortherushed.com/custom_grocery_list.htm

I'm loving it. It's pretty much how I did my menus in the past, but this is all neat and tidy and printable.

I get what you're saying. Yes, I've run into that before. I want to try a new recipe, but doing so requires a bunch of new ingredients that cost a bit. I've really gotten into making Thai food lately. Those first couple of recipes were pretty expensive with the fish sauce, curry paste, coconut milk... However, once you have those ingredients, they can be used for several meals, so it doesn't come out to all that much. It just seems like an awful lot when you're buying it all at once.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Margery that is a cool link. I have something I set up years ago on Excel, but I'm sure that page will be very helpful to anyone wanting to get into list making. It really does help to have some of it pre-printed. Another thing that helps is to write down a list of all the "tried and true" meals to keep on hand. It helps with that block that can come when you're trying to make up a shopping list.

I totally agree with all of you that said the ingredients can be used again, and long-term it's not much money. My goal is to stock up more on those items so I can experiment more without it being such a budget-killer. Thanks again for the great advice.

Another thing that helps is to write down a list of all the "tried and true" meals to keep on hand. It helps with that block that can come when you're trying to make up a shopping list.



OH wow Lorelei, another thing we do the same. I have a little notebook, and I've got a list of recipes per meat type so I can divvy up, so many beef, chicken, pork, fish, dairy etc.

It does REALLY help that mental block. I put down cookbook pages and titles under the name of the recipe so I can find it in a hurry if I've not bothered to write it out on my index cards yet.

It's my master list.

Margery - I like the way you broke your list down by meat type. I have mine split by summer/winter meals. When I revise my list I'll split the entrees like you do. My list includes side dishes (not linked to any main dish), just a long listing of all the side dishes we like.

Yup, I do that too. I have a little list of veggies, salads and starches and the "recipes" that I do them in.

Recipe is a loose term. My glazed carrots, there are two ways, one is I put butter in the cooked carrots and a sprinkle of icing sugar and stir till melty and glazed. The other is a bit of butter and a bit of lemon juice and a bit of table sugar.

Sides tend to be by eye.

But I find I forget about seasonal things if they aren't listed.

You are quite right about seasonal changes because summer time i have a whole bunch of things, including seasonal veggies and fruits where I like to make certain recipes.

Without a list, I'd forget.