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I'm Shay! I’m a cookbook author, lifestyle blogger, travel agency owner, wife and mama who loves making every day special for my family.

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Mix & Match Mama

Shay ·

Grocery Shopping 101


I get so many questions about grocery shopping!  You ladies are shoppers and want to know where I shop, how I shop and how much money I spend.  Today, it’s all about grocery shopping!
First…a little about my shopping…
Where I shop:
1. Market Street
2. Target
3. Kroger
When do I shop?
Tuesday mornings for my big shopping of the week (and then I might go back once or twice to grab a few little things on other days).  Why Tuesdays?  First, my kids are in preschool, so I don’t have to focus on them but I can just focus on my shopping.  Second, my grocery store restocks on Mondays after the busy weekend, so if I go on Tuesday, everything is restocked and fresh.
How much do I spend a week?

I spend about $225 a week on food for the family (not counting food I buy specifically for the blog).  I tend to buy the same types of things every week, so the amount of money I spend is almost always the same.  As my kids get older, the more money I spend…but for now, feeding 2 adults and 2 preschoolers, it’s about $225.
How many days a week do we eat at home?
We eat 5 dinners at home a week (on Friday and Saturday nights we eat out), we eat 7 breakfasts a week and about 5 lunches a week from home.  So, our “going out to eat” budget is fairly small because we mostly eat at home.
Do we eat leftovers?
No.  Here’s some random Sean trivia for you…for some reason, Sean and I are not fans of leftovers (which is weird because I think our dad prefers leftovers).  After I eat my dinner, I’m done.  I don’t want to eat it again.  To prevent wasting a lot of food (and money), I really try and make just enough for us without a lot of leftovers. Most every recipe you’ll see on this blog serves 4 people.  Sometimes, Andrew will eat leftovers, but for the most part, we make it, we eat it, we’re done with it.
What are staples on my grocery list?

The following things are always on my grocery list…
Produce Department:
Berries
Apples
Lemons
Almonds
Onions
Garlic
Romain lettuce
Spinach or Kale
Basil
Fresh Parmesan cheese
Hummus
Bakery Bread
(and then depending on the week, bell pepper, avocado, tomatoes, bananas, oranges, green beans, etc.)
Meat Department:
93% lean ground beef
chicken breasts (from behind the butcher’s counter!)
(and then depending on the week, turkey sausage, ground chicken, brisket, salmon, etc.)
Dairy Department:
2% milk
OJ
yogurt
eggs
butter
(and then depending on the week, shredded cheeses, cream cheese, sour cream, etc.)
Frozen Foods Department:
Cool Whip
Chopped spinach
Corn
Uncrustable PB&J sandwiches
Pancakes
Chicken nuggets
(and then depending on the week, broccoli, puff pastry, etc.)
Non-Food Items:
TP
Paper Towels
Counter top cleaner
Clorox wipes
Tide
Cascade
(and then depending on the week, light bulbs, dog food, Pledge, etc.)
Baking Aisle:
Cake mix 
Instant puddings
Chocolate chips
Butterscotch chips
Truvia
Powder Sugar
(and then depending on the week, Eagle Brand Milk, marshmallows, flour, sugar, etc.)
Cereal Aisle: 
Nutrigrain Bars
Cheerios
Chip/Cookie Aisle:
Pretzels
Nilla Wafers
Ritz PB Crackers
This is my grocery list.  Of course, each week, I add in a few more things to accommodate what I’m making.  If we’re having Tex-Mex food, I might buy canned beans, taco sauce or tortillas.  On pasta nights, I need whole-wheat pasta and canned tomatoes…but in a nutshell, these are our staple items.  
I have tried websites like Grocery Game before (years ago) but I found that most of the savings were on boxed items (like Mac & Cheese) and meat (that I would have to freeze because I had to buy so much in bulk), and I just don’t buy enough food like that to compensate me “playing the game”.  I like to buy my meat, dairy and produce every week and have it fresh in my fridge.   I like to fill up my fridge on Tuesdays and then have it empty on Monday night.  This keeps me from wasting a lot of food because my fridge isn’t cluttered.  Everything you see inside my fridge is for one week only.
I know everyone shops differently but this is my way.  My biggest tip…never, ever, ever shop without a list.  I sit down on Sunday afternoons and write out my list for the week and then I do not deviate.  This will keep you from buying things you don’t need, this will keep your costs down and this will keep your fridge and pantry clear of unnecessary excess.  Even if I’m just running into the store for 4 items on a random Friday night, I write me a list.  This also keeps me focused and organized when I’m in the grocery store and I can shop faster and be home again quickly.
Let me know what your tips and tricks are to shopping!  I would love to hear!!

Topics to come on Mix and Match Mama:

Breakfast food
Lunches for kids
More grocery shopping tips and tricks

I love your feedback!  XOXO

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Comments

  3. Anonymous says

    We all have our thing…I love large cooking, freezing leftovers for the future. But I live in rural Indiana and due to snow storms I can't always get out to the grocery so the freezer is my go to "grocery store". Love your blog! Mary

  4. Aubs says

    Great post!! I was just telling a friend the other day that i've just come to the conclusion that my grocery budget just isn't going to get any less expensive! Buying fresh isn't cheap but so worth it! (and feeding 3 boys and the hubby isn't cheap either!) LOVE the idea of checking into when the store re stocks and shopping the next day!! I get SO frustrated when things have expiration dates that are 1 or 2 days away or when they are out of lots of stuff! And menu planning & a list are musts for me too!! =)

  5. Randi Jo :) says

    I love how in many ways Mommy life is the same all around the country. And there really is great tricks we can share with each other! 🙂

    There are so many differences of course!! I live in North Carolina, I have 3 small kiddos, my shopping day is Thursday —– but our "staples" are so similiar to yours! 🙂 Are mommies predictable or what? Or maybe it's the kids that are predictable in what they like to eat.

    We are off for our weekly shopping trip! Enjoy your day! Thanks for sharing.

  6. The Dose of Reality says

    There is no doubt that shopping without a list is a no-go. I have found for our family that when I really try to stick to only hitting the store once a week (with that magic list, of course!) we definitely spend less on groceries. This is a super helpful post! 🙂

  7. Christine says

    I agree with Sheaffer. Some soups are best as leftovers. But, overall, I'm not a fan of leftovers, so I love taking leftover components of meals and turning it into something slightly different the next night. Thanks for the shopping info. Once both of mine are in MDO on Tuesdays, that will also be my shopping day. 🙂

  8. Ali G says

    Such a great post!! I was just wondering about your grocery shopping! Looking forward to the kids lunches & more grocery shopping tips & tricks! We have a 17 month old & I am always looking for new foods to introduce to him & more foods we can eat together as a family 🙂

  10. Stacy says

    I'm relieved to hear your budget, because my husband gives me such a hard time about my $200/week budget for a family of 5! I always plan for 5-6 dinners a week and we eat out or eat leftovers for 1-2 nights. Just a few years ago my budget was only $125/week, but it seems like groceries have skyrocketed in price since then.

  11. Alice says

    This is pretty much what I do also!

    I make my meal plan for the week on Friday while I am at work. LOL! Then I make my grocery list afterwards. I include the staples, but then I also include what I need for the meals in the week. When I get home, I check my spices, freezer, pantry, etc to see if I already have what I need for my meals. Then I just cross it off of the list. I usually go shopping around 8:30pm on Sunday nights.

    Why do you buy your chicken from the butcher counter? Is it organic that they use? I have been using organic chicken for the past year and it is so expensive but it honestly does taste a lot better.

    I don't eat leftovers either. Unless it is chicken spaghetti or lasagna!

    I like this series!

  13. Mix and Match Mama says

    Yes, I do buy chicken nuggets and Uncrustables. I'm a busy working mom who is almost always in the kitchen making something, so throwing an Uncrustable into my kids' school lunches saves me valuable time (plus, they're actually really good!). I buy the whole wheat, low sugar strawberry ones :). I would love to have time to do everything perfectly…but I don't. Sometimes, this mama has to cut a few corners. Great question! Have an awesome day!

  14. Jessica says

    I shop weekly too, I agree with how its nice to have an uncluttered fridge!
    I have a full time job, a toddler and my husband is a baseball coach so gets home late every night all winter and spring.. any tips on prepping meals before hand to make the daily cooking faster and/or easier? I'm trying to figure out how to entertain a one-year-old and cook a meal all when I'm home by myself! Also, any tips on toddler-friendly meals?
    Love your blog! Keep up the yummy work. 🙂

  15. Anonymous says

    I love this post! What kind of chicken nuggets do your kids like? I think that is great to have on hand.

  16. Olivia says

    I love seeing grocery posts! I'm always curious how others shop! Shopping with a list is a must! And I can't wait to see your post about kid lunches because I'm always struggling to come up with ideas to feed my son. Agree with you on leftovers…bleh! We spend about $300-350 a month, but I love to cook so I'm very focused on finding deals using the ads. Love this post!

  18. Mix and Match Mama says

    I don't really consider desserts left-overs :). However, I give away almost all of my desserts…to church, friends, etc. I don't keep most of them around the house. Tomorrow, I'm making cupcakes and they'll go to church with me on Sunday morning.

  20. Amber says

    I was thinking about what your kids ate this past weekend while I was looking for dinner ideas on your blog. Two of my three boys are picky eaters so I feel like a short order cook some days. Looking forward to your post! And I LOVE leftovers! 🙂

  22. AmyJo says

    I do The Grocery Game, but I quit buying coupons. It just helps me meal plan and know what's on sale. I like it listed there instead of reading the ads. I stock up on cleaning and home stuff and some boxed stuff (usually kid snacks like goldfish). Target has these notepads from OrganizeHER that are AMAZING! It has a meal planning column on the left and grocery checklist on the right and I love it. Everyone who sees mine goes to get one of their own. It's the simple things for busy mamas that make all the difference!!!

  23. Anonymous says

    Have you ever shopped at Aldi? I am always amazed at how much I save when I shop there! I shop there first for my staples – canned goods, baking items, cheese, etc. Then I head to Kroger for the rest like meat and produce. My grocery budget is about $300 a month for groceries.

    I LOVE Uncrustables too! After I first tried them, I was on a huge PB&J kick! Pampered Chef has a tool called the Cut N Seal…so you can make your own uncrustables. If you put the PB on both pieces of bread and jelly in the middle, the bread doesn't get soggy. I freeze them and they taste awesome 🙂

  24. Emily says

    I love this post! I started staying at home with my son back in October and I save so much more money grocery shopping now! I meal plan and we also do 5-6 dinners at home each week as well as most of my lunches. Do you do coupons at all?

  26. Anonymous says

    I plan a menu each week, make a list for the items I will need, plus the regular things I buy, and try to stick to the list. I shop at Trader Joe's weekly and Costco (for paper products, cleaning supplies, etc) about 1x/month. I am able to keep my costs at about $125/week for a family of four. Having a menu and list really help! We eat out maybe twice a week, do eat some leftovers for lunch (except for my daughter who packs a lunch for school), but have a different dinner every night.
    i don't use coupons because I found when I did, I was buying things I didn't need or using brands I didn't prefer, just because I had a coupon.
    I love your notion of having an uncluttered fridge. I need to work on that one! Blessings to you.
    Natalie

  27. Anonymous says

    It's so great to hear what you spend on your family of four. I have a family of five and spend about 250/week. I always thought I was overspending.

  28. Paula says

    My grocery budget is the same. $200-225 a week. That does include diapers and wipes, as my twins are still 2. How the thought of cutting that out!!! 🙂

    Just curious, you shop organically? I do 50/50..what I can, but I think that is in part why my bill is so high.

  29. Tiffany says

    Do you have Trader Joe's there? Because they are FABULOUS for fresh stuff at a GREAT price. Like you we don't eat out all that much, and that does keep the bill way down. WAY DOWN. Sounds like you have a good system that works for you!

  30. JaneSand says

    On Sunday's when you make out your grocery list do you plan your menu for the week also? I find I pick out the meals and buy what I need for them, but don't necessarily put it down right to the day. Do you plan what you're having for say Wednesday night dinner? Do you have like a board (I see them on pinterest all the time :)) on your fridge or something that keeps you organized in that way?
    Love all the tips! I read lots of blogs and tweek things to make my own schedule that works for my husbands sometimes late evenings and 4 year old twin boys that can eat me under the table!!!!

  31. Mix and Match Mama says

    I write down every day of the week and put exactly what I'm having on that night. I am very organized! Since most of my recipes are original, I don't pin for every day but I do pin a lot! Check my contact info to find me on Pinterest!

  34. Paula says

    What are your go to spices? You can't live without. I LOVE spices. I could end up with more than I need because they all sound great.

  35. liz C. says

    You don't use coupons? Have you ever tried? I am not an extreme couponer by any means but I love to use them to buy produce and meats. But not every area has the same stores and such like we do so I was curious.
    Thanks,
    Liz
    funcraftysavymom.blogspot.com

  36. Anonymous says

    I love your grocery list! I have never heard of frozen pb&j's until now. I will have to look for them. We spend 900 a month on grocerys and use 450 the first 15days. And the other 450 for last half of month. We are also on a cash budget so when money is out we are out, and eat out of the freezer. So I don't go over on my budget ever. I buy organic meats, milk, veggies and fruit. Everything else is hit or miss organic if I have it in the budget. I shop at costco, market street, sprouts, and herb mart. Herb mart is located at 15th and coit if you haven't been there you should check it out

  37. Hope says

    I was so glad to see your realistic budget of $225/week. When I see things that say you can feed a family of 4 or 5 for $50/week I know they are either not telling the truth or not eating things that I would ever eat!