After you have decided on the recipes you will use for your freezer cooking session, and you have checked to see what you already have on hand, as far as ingredients go, you will now have to make a trip to the store to get the rest. Hopefully you have been watching sales ads and coupons and have planned accordingly.
So, how do you get the most out of shopping with a plan? Simple. By planning to shop.
Before you leave the house with list in hand, you will need to check through all cabinets and shelves, to be sure you don’t already have that jar of gravy you need for a casserole, or an extra bag of flour for another recipe.
Once you have decided what you still need, you will need to make a list. When you are making your list, whether for a freezer cooking session, or a general grocery store trip, it really does not matter, because it’s time saving, period, you will want to picture the layout of your grocery store. If you plan to visit several you will need to make a separate list for each store. Stick to your lists!
When listing items you need to pick up, put them in order of where they are located in the store. One grocery store here, has the dairy section up front, and another has it way in the back. You will save a lot of time at the grocery store, if you plan to shop in the order you reach the items in the store.
If you do have to visit more than one store, because of a sale, a coupon or because you also shop at a bulk warehouse for lots of your items, try to do other errands while you are out, to help save money on gas as well. Managing your time effectively, will help you save money in the long run. Shopping with a plan can save lots of money, and keep you from buying items you don’t really need.
Related Articles:
Freezer Cooking: Choosing Your Recipes
Freezer Cooking: Does This Really Save Money?
Freezer Cooking: Don’t Give Up!
Freezer Cooking: Sharing With A Friend
Freezer Cooking: Shopping With a Plan
For more excellent Freezer Cooking articles, visit the Freezer Cooking section.