Last month I tried Once a Month Grocery Shopping. I really kind of enjoyed that – but it could have been much more successful if I had been a bit more organized. For instance, I didn’t consider my monthly freezer meal exchange group when I did my monthly shopping last month and had to do a pretty big shop to prepare for that midway through the month. I also forgot about supplies I need to can – like pectin and lemon juice concentrate, pickling salt, and vinegar. This month, I’m trying to be more organized so I don’t have to do any big grocery shops halfway through the month.
I’m surprised that I liked the once a month shopping, actually. I thought I wouldn’t. But as I’ve gone through my pantry, fridge, and freezer this week in anticipation for my big shop on Monday, I realized that it’s pretty darn cool to get almost everything I need in one big shopping day. It’s really a bit liberating not to have to think about and plan trips to the grocery store each week! {And I also didn’t make nearly as many trips to the little grocery store behind my house either!} I still check the ads for really good deals {like the $1.69 / lb butter I stocked up on last month}, but for the most part, I haven’t been thinking that much about grocery shopping. NICE!!
To facilitate my monthly shopping trip, I’ve been working on a list of meals I’d like to cook this month for the last few days. I consulted my calendar and thought about trips we’re making in September and a family potluck we’re going to. I remembered that my husband will be gone for two weeks helping my brother-in-law with his remodel. I also went through my freezer and included meals that are already out there. I’ve also already decided on a meal for my freezer exchange group so I can make sure to pick up ingredients on Monday. I looked through food I’ve pinned on Pinterest… And finally, I took a look in my garden and included meals with ingredients I know I have coming {like loads of green peppers}. I made the list in Evernote which is synched to my phone and computer, so whenever I thought of something I might like to add, it was pretty easy to do!
So here are the meals I hope to make in September. My plan is to use this list to pick and choose from as I decide on my weekly menus.
1 chicken pot pie from freezer
2 chicken oreganato from freezer
3 crockpot tatertot casserole
4 pizza
5 kohlrabi ham bake ~ a new recipe I tried last month that was super tasty!
6 stir fry
7 taco soup
8 stuffed peppers {extra for my freezer}
9 cream of broccoli soup
10 schinken noodles
11 sloppy joes
12 spinach mozzarella meatloaf {freezer meal exchange}
13 broccoli garlic quiche
14 fried catfish
15 pork chops
16 salmon
17 tacos
18 taco pizza
19 crockpot cabbage & sausage
20 fried taters & ham
21 pulled pork in the crockpot
22 beef & broccoli stir fry
23 pork chop casserole from freezer
24 spasagna casserole from freezer
25 spaghetti & meatballs
26 family potluck
27 grilled chicken
28 BLTs
29 out
30 out
There will definitely be leftovers from this list which I plan to eat for lunches. And if I do it right, I can use meals that I know will have extras {like grilled chicken} to use on another night’s meal {like stir fry}. Planned left-overs, anyone?
How about you? Do you plan menus? How much do you plan out at a time? I’ll let you know with weekly posts how my monthly plan is working out for me as I still intend to go through this list each week to make my weekly planning easier. I hope it helps simplify my life more. The never ending quest for simplicity. Someday, I will own it! 
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About Michelle
Welcome! I'm Michelle and I'm glad you're here. Simplify, Live, Love is a blog about simple life in rural Iowa. We are a self-employed, frugal, green, mostly homeschooling family of 6 working to go off the grid on a modern day homestead in Eastern Iowa. Please subscribe for gardening tips, green living hints, recipes, fun giveaways, and frugal ideas. Thanks for stopping by.
I did this for the month of August and it worked so well for me that I am doing it again. Last month I did not do a once a month shopping trip. I don’t think I can get away with once a month at this point but I do think I can do twice a month. That is what I am aiming for anyway. I do plan to still watch the ads and run to the store if I see a good deal on something to stock up on. We will see how it goes
I’ll have to make at least one more trip as well…probably for fruit. Although, it is apple season now and we have found an apple tree we get to pick so I might be okay there! But I still have to stock up when there are amazing deals as well, so I do keep track of the sales!
Can’t wait to see how this month goes. Good luck to you!
AH I hope you post these recipes, shopping for the month is an awesome idea, we have not managed to make the plunge yet sadly
Part of it is not owning a freezer and part of it is just laziness I’m afraid…. It’s on the Christmas wish list though! So hopefully it will be a New Year Resolution!
My freezer definitely comes in handy. I don’t think I could do this without one. I certainly couldn’t buy bulk meat from local farmers. A lot of the recipes are on my pinterest. I’ll link to them each week when I post my weekly menus.
There is NO way I could be this organized. You’re amazing! What a great month of eating you have planned. I’ll be there for the salmon and the taco pizza!
How far out do I plan? Two days maybe? During the summer I go to the growers’ market once a week and buy what every looks good, then start planning a couple of meals. A day or two later I’ll head to the grocery and buy some more stuff. I have very little to no waste so it works for me. Being a mood eater, I have a hard time planning meals too far in advance.
Come on over!
I haven’t decided how to make salmon yet, but we haven’t had it in quite a while. I’m due!! 
As for shopping…I’d love to shop the way you do. When I lived in Germany it was super easy to hit the bakery and butcher and the produce stand and get everything needed for a delicious meal. But I live in the middle of no where now. To get to Walmart alone requires 40 minutes round trip – not including shopping time {and forget about bakeries or butchers}. And shopping with 4 kids is not all that enjoyable. So at this point in my life, I either grow it and preserve it, or buy it in bulk… That’s awesome that you have very little food waste. Despite my best efforts, we still waste more than I care to admit.