I do this but I always start in the fridge! Then I go to the pantry and look for anything else perishable. I spend at least half if not 1/3 the amount I would if I meal planned any other way. My tip is always if you are buying a jarred sauce or fresh herbs you don’t normally use, have at least 2 meals planned that use that random item so there is not extra just hanging out in the fridge going bad
@Life, Love and Mental Illness a vlog channel I've learned to cut up remaining bits of produce and freeze them if possible. They last longer and you can use them in future recipes!
I've been doing what you're calling reverse meal planning for over 2 decades. Plan based on what you have on hand and only buy what's missing. Review the circulars for the places you shop and base meals around what's on sale too, especially meats. Comparison shop between stores - apps are your friend for this. Make a list. Plan a leftovers (aka mom's second chance buffet in my house) night. Make a larger portion and split it over 2 nights. We also have a "halvsies" bin in our fridge where things like a half a pepper, a piece of onion, a piece of avocado, some leftover rice or pasta, etc. go and we pull that bin multiple times a week for lunches and dinner ingredients - it's like playing Chopped in your house and a great way to reduce food waste. If you do these things they will work like a charm just like you said.
Christine, just so you're aware, the 30% off the first order has a cap on it. It was a fairly low limit when I did it. Had a huge order in and then it came up and said only 30% off on the first of it. I still ordered but thought folks should be aware.
That's good to know. I had thought about them too, but don't like how you can't see their prices until you become a member. Without that transparency, it was a pass for me.
I've been so focused on 'stockpiling' my pantry/freezer, I've been spending a ton of money at the grocery store over the past six months. Now I'm so well-stocked I can hardly get anything in the pantry or the freezers - so it's time to take FFM's advice and do 'shop my pantry' meal-planning! Thanks for the inspo!
This is how I've been doing meal planning for a couple years now, and what a difference! Plan from the current inventory. Then pick up whatever protein choices are on sale, for future meals, plus produce and odds and ends.
This is exactly what I do and I spend no more then $30 a week for my family. Any time I say that to someone they are like 🤯 It takes some work but it is worth it!
Great reminders to use up the food we already have before hitting the grocery store. Also, I find if I just stay out of the store, it forces my family to get creative with our food that we have at home.
I’ve been doing reverse meal planning for three months and where I was spending $800 a month on groceries I’m under $200 a month. I have two heads of celery (because it was on sale for $1 a bunch) so tomorrow I’m making tuna and potato salad (both of which I have) and that will feed us all day. This way is by far the best method. I’m working my way though my freezer and pantry and buying ingredients/produce is minimal! I love it!
I changed to stocking by ingredients rather then meals during then last two years as it saves so much. I can feed my family of 5 (3 adults and 2 teenagers) for under £500 a month and this is for 95% of all our meals. As especially in the UK eating out is so expensive. And I refuse to spend for one meal out/takeaway as much as a weeks shopping.
One extra tip: We need to keep well-stocked in our homes because of coming food shortages. When you use an item, put it on your list to resupply. Don't let yourself run out of desired items because it is already getting harder to find some things.
This is super important! Also, if you see an item you use regularly on a special deal, buy it. Then I also make a note of where in the house I have stored it--since we live in a house with no pantry and little storage space in the kitchen.
A trick my mom used to use in canned spinach is drain the spinach as much as possible and add an egg in. Cook the egg in with the spinach and mix it all together. It changes the texture of the cooked spinach and enhances the flavor.
My grandmother used to drain the spinach and use the spinach “juice” with a little cornstarch, milk, salt and pepper to make a creamy spinach soup. She would use the actual spinach at another meal.
I basically look at what’s on sale + what I have and plan that way. (And I only really get enough perishables for a week so I’m not scrambling to figure out how to use things down the line.)
@@viviannichols3582 perishables these days come from the garden and if we cannot use them, they get canned or frozen. Meat is the pocketbook killer right now. Oh and cream cheese! Holy crap.... $3.79 for 8oz for Kraft. It use to be $1.29.
@@mbarnes1300 I wish I had a garden! I have a balcony and all I can grow are herbs and like one tomato. Lol I’ve cut down on meat and dairy a lot. I use a lot of dried beans now, and they actually taste better than canned. I only buy meat for holidays or when there is a really good sale.
@@viviannichols3582 I completely understand! It took sometime before I had a place to do it. Dried beans are more work but totally worth it in the end. We always have rice and beans around plus flour. We are also lucky to have a lady we can buy free range eggs for way less them the store. I guess it helps living in the midwest.
Once the pantry and freezer are stocked up, over time it can be kept that way. Buying meat only at a good sale price and buying several packages helps us. Getting things that have a short shelf life like lettuce, milk, etc. we get weekly. So thankful this works for us especially now.
I do this as well! I buy meat on clearance or sale, I get produce deals, see what my friends are giving away from their garden, and I cook accordingly. I invent recipes at the stove. Or at the sheet pan lately. SO much more sensible for the budget. Tonight is penne and ground turkey with mushrooms, spinach, and marinara.
I desperately need to do this! I just bought a pack of 99 cents a pound chicken thighs, and that was the end of my freezer space. Time to start using up some of this half price meat!
Girl why do you need brown gravy?!?! You take the drippings from the roast, strain it, put it in a pan, add a little water to some flour to make a thick paste. Add the drippings in a pan, turn on medium heat, whisk in paste. Keep whisking while on heat. Super easy!!!
I've been meal planning like this since the 70s. (So always). Even plan party menus around sales and pantry/freezer cleanouts. I've never understood not buying sales.
@@DaniElle-di4ho lol the group I'm having Sunday knows that's why they're all coming. And, at the Christmas party they'll all be given an empty gift bag and we go to the pantry and they fill their bags with homemade goodies. That way they get the items they like.
I don't dare go into a grocery store without a list! I absolutely hit the cookbooks and make my list from that, checking my pantry for any items I already have for that recipe; however I hadn't thought of working off the existing pantry items...will start giving this a go. Thanks, Christine! Blessings from Texas.
I keep a notebook, I do EVERY grocery list in the notebook, write new recipes in it and then write if it was a winner or what id change. I also take inventory in it, I mark off as I go on what is gone, and rewrite what I have leftover that needs to be used for the upcoming meal plan. Highly recommend, and honestly does not take very long if you keep it consistent. It also really helps me use everything before it goes bad, plus makes me a bit more creative
This is exactly what I've been doing for YEARS! It lets me get discounted meat (usually in bulk) almost exclusively and then throw it in the freezer until I'm ready to use it. I watched one video where they were lamenting the rising prices, but then said "well we're making spaghetti and meatballs tonight so I need to buy some ground beef" and I'm sitting on the other side of the computer saying "THAT'S THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU NEED TO DO!!!"
Lol! As a senior we get paid once a month. The few days before payday I make a pantry and freezer list and see what I am low on as far as stock goes and then check the ads for good buys on meats and go from there. Our tastes change daily so I meal plan in my mind and suggest meals or just cook what I want period.
This was one of the best explanations of the breakdown of steps!! It was clear and easy to follow! I would love to see more of your process of stocking up and your decision process of buying sale, clearance items to stock up so you have the selection in your inventory. How do you figure out how much to get based on the number of people in your house? Or what is your rule or thought process?
I made your Artisan Bread Recipe...LOVE IT! It is so simple that I am making it three times a week. Can't be any easier. We use 2 cups of freshly ground Hard Red Wheat and 1 cup regular flour. Works GREAT. Thank you.
Thanks for the tip about shopping the sales at "regular" grocery stores for snacks and odds-and-ends. I took your advice and saved $56 on groceries were were already having to buy. The clerk was so surprised at my savings that she did a double-take, which cracked me up. Thanks for your awesome videos, Christine. I always enjoy them!
I almost always have chicken, pork, and rice on hand. A lot of my meals revolve around the things I have in the house. This allows me to make whatever plans I want for meals for the week because I rarely have to buy lots of things when I go to the store!
Love all your tips.. I try to shop smart.. I always check the meat markdowns, I try not to ever pay full price for meat.. today I spent 46.49 on meat.. all markdowns, I came home sectioned it all out and used my food saver.. I wound up with 21 packages of meat.. that’s 2.21 per meal, there are 3 in my household, one of those being my 17 year old son, so I was pretty pleased. I have been able to fill my freezer with good cuts of meat at very affordable prices!
@@JC-rl1vd ha. I always get annoyed when I see an article on Google where the person says 5 things your doing wrong or your doing it wrong! Like how do you know ?!!
I do the meal plan but lately I’ve found I’m too lazy to cook dinner in this heat so my meal plan goes out the window. I need to focus on foods that easy to cook. Thanks for inspiration ❤️
Eating up the freezer contents is always top priority. Once it's overfill you've basically created a monster. And it's even worse when there's no space for new purchase.
After all the hype about meal planning, I finally got onboard last month, and cut my grocery bill in half! Now I'm psyched to tryout "reverse meal planning" strategy. What a great idea to save even more money at the grocery store. Thanks for sharing this tip.
I put tiki masala sauce in my lentils with onions, garlic, celery , carrots sauté and broth, served over rice. Sausage can be added with a bit of red pepper flakes for a kick
What's being described here- taking inventory, deciding meals, then going and get the items you don't have, sounds exactly like normal meal planning according to the definition I found when googling- "Meal Planning is the action of deciding meals in advance using your schedule, preferences, foods on hand, seasonal produce, sale items, etc. Consequently, meal planning usually leads to grocery shopping once a week, for only the items needed"
Honey, my family and I were left homeless on Jan 2nd, 2022. We 5 camped for 6 months and my husband of 27 years went back to work. Then while at work, he fell off a ladder and fell about 30 ft his dr says. He broke his neck, all ribs, both eye sockets and he ended up getting emergency brain surgery. He was in a coma for 16 days. Then he woke up but is not all there. This happened on 6/24/22. Great news is his job has put me and our 3 kids into a hotel room. We have been here for 5 full weeks. Bad news is I don’t have a stove or oven. Just a microwave and 3 boys who eat me out of house and home. I love your videos as we are very close to getting back into a house so we can be normal again. My husband is going to rehab to relearn walking and talking.
My tip is that if there are products that you only buy one brand of for whatever reason... Keep an eye on the sales flyers and buy them when they are down to a certain price... So you get the name brand stuff for a good price!
On keto we meal plan based on the proteins we stock, like meat, fish, eggs plus dairy as we eat very few carbs. Lots of roasts, mixed grills, bone broth, etc. We stock low carb bread/wraps, cauliflower pizza crust, coconut milk, etc, no pasta, no rice, no starchy veg, only frozen blueberries for fruit. We have to be inventive!
I am actually spending less each week on groceries despite seeing inflation on food at about 30%. I shop first from my pantry, fridge and freezer to meal plan. I have been using up all sorts of leftover beef, ham, turkey and more. Focusing my purchasing on sale items and fresh produce (in season mostly). Probably easier for me feeding only 2 (empty nesters). Great video!
I’m about to do a freezer clean out to make sure I’m not wasting anything! I’ll probably record it and upload that to my channel. I also always go through my fridge, freezer, and pantry before making my meal plan and then use that and what’s on sale to make meals for the week.
I just…. don’t meal plan. Like ever. 🤷♀️ I go shopping every week and see what protein is marked down. Then I check the clearance they dump in the dairy section (yogurt/cheese/creamer). From there I hit canned meat/veg to check for sales to backstock pantry. Then I grab a box of mixed greens on the way out. Whatever I get home with is “the menu plan.” Having a very well stocked pantry and being a mood driven, mostly from scratch cook allows for this type of targeted sale shopping.
I have always shopped like that. Inventory home, look at weekly sales and then go shopping. Also I almost never buy something that isn't also on sale. I grew up poor, still poor and almost never went hungry. There was one really bad time, but that's way in the past.
It also helps to gradually reduce the amount of processed and prepackaged food you buy, since it either costs more and/or has less nutritional value (aka “bang for your buck”). Buying in bulk to whatever degree you can manage, in concert with “shop your pantry first,” is also still a good way to spend less per meal and be prepared.
Perfect timing as I’m trying to get motivated to do a complete inventory. I’m so stocked up that I literally have no idea what I actually have. I know, mind blowing. I can and/or dehydrate lots of stuff so they don’t go bad as well. And now, I need to get organized! Wish me luck. Oh, and I need to date and rotate. Ugh. So glad I never stopped “prepping “ when the lockdown was lifted. Who knew? Supply chain, war, inflation, bird disease, and now ANOTHER salad mix recall. 🤯
I've done this most of my life. Buy extra of the meat on sale and freeze. Stock up on the loss leaders. Meal plan from what I have in the pantry & freezers.
I have been shopping like this for 28 years. I did traditional menu planning but I was averaging $150/week, way way back in 1994, for 2 adults. Now, for 4 adults, my grocery budget is ... $120/week. This is all in Australian dollars, so less in USD. My 2 freezers are exploding, my food storage will last us 3-4 months, and we often have leftovers.
I always meal plan this way. I go through the fridge once a week and try to make sure we use up everything. I go through the freezer every few weeks so I have an idea of what's in there.
The nice thing about shopping online is many stores (like Target) will have a searchable list of past purchases. You can see what you paid last time so you'll know when prices are up.
Great info you're sharing with your followers Christine! My friends think I'm crazy that I keep a list of freezer and pantry items, I remind them that no food goes to waste in our house and it saves money - so who's 😂now. Honestly when I shop the freezer and pantry 1st it amazes me the recipes you can make up for meal planning that your mouth starts to water! Great tip to reverse shopping too as it helps keep those grocery bills lower. Another tip I use if I'm running low on pantry staples I'll keep it on a list and wait for the sale instead of buying it when I need it; items like tuna, canned tomatoes, broths all of which both are ridiculous prices when not on sale.
With the increase of grocery prices I am trying to pay closer attention to what items cost. For the last 15 years I have always been the one to meal plan and grocery shop, but I've never paid attention to what things cost. I would love to see more videos like the end of this - "Don't pay more than $2.00/lb for asparagus..." Just to see if the sales ads are really "sales" or if it's just a penny off its normal price! I know prices vary by location, but even just close ballpark figures would be great! I'm going to have to put together an Excel to use when I do my meal planning!
Lol, my rule of thumb is that if it’s $1/lb for veggies and fruit, it’s a good deal! Same with meat up to $1.50/lb, always buy-sometimes I end up with some things I’ve never cooked before, but Pinterest hasn’t failed me yet 😂
I look at sales fliers first, particularly for proteins, and plan 2-3 meals per same protein. If I have chicken in the freezer and see it’s on sale, I’ll pull the frozen chicken out to thaw and use, than replace it with some on sale chicken. I keep starches stocked up and buy replacements when on sale, and get whatever fresh produce is on sale. THEN, I pick recipes.
I just gotta say, I love thrive market. I was about to cancel my membership because I can't afford it this year. Well they got with me and gave me 1 year free through the thrive gives program!! It's so so helpful since my toddler and I can't eat gluten and dairy and they carry so much that we can actually eat. 💗 So kind of them! 😭
I've been doing this a lot. I stocked up on canned items, dried items, and bought half a beef 6 months ago when my small town started to get short on food in my grocery stores. My stock is now getting short but I keep an eye out for clearance items and reduced meat and food items and buy them when they're really cheap. I wish my stores had as many clearance items as yours do though. I only have a Walmart, Aldi, and a Shop n Save.
I keep a spreadsheet with tabs for pantry, fridge, freezer and possible meal ideas. I bold items that are close to or past expiration but are still edible so I use them first. I love to shop from my pantry and then round out with just a few things. Since I live in hurricane territory, I don't keep too much in my freezer during hurricane season or I make things like chicken that can be cooked and eaten cold.
My husband checks the sale flier every Sunday to see if there is any thing we would use that is on sale. I base my meals around what we have in The pantry and freezer . Most of the veggies come from the local vegetable cart and our garden.
By shopping out of freezers,cupboards and pantry i can skip grocery shopping for 4-6 months only stopping to get some eggs... less hassle an saves alot of money,also clip coupons an buy things you do use when on sale in the weekly sale ads;if you need them or are running low.
I found ground lamb on sale for 2.99 a pound the other day at Kroger. I was able to buy three pounds and after seeing it rise to 12.99 a pound I am super happy.
We already do this there are times that I only have to spend $30 at the grocery store just to fill in the gaps for my recipes. I kind of thought everybody did this. LOL this is the one problem I have when watching how to be frugal videos I'm already doing all the things there's nothing left to cut 😂😂😂
I grew up shopping the ads for what we eat for the wk. We’d like to always check our pantry to see what we don’t have to stock up on. When we was low on can goods that’s when we’d go stock up and buy a flat.
Thank you so much! You have no idea how much of a blessing this video is. All sensible information, but I'm definitely new to meal planning so thank you for the non-waste take on it all!
Lentils are good in a beef stew. Brown meat in onion and garlic, cumin and paprika powerder, salt and pepper. Add in broth or water and lentils. If lentils are already cooked just add them in later. Some potato in the stew as well tastes good too!
I have such an appreciation for your videos. I mostly vist your channel for frugal meal inspiration. But your videos are a fantastic resource for a little less experienced/younger person who also needs inspiration, as well as meal planning, grocery shopping and budgeting tips. Keep it up, chickie! 👊👏✌
I get bacon on sale then cut n half n use 2 strips w 2 eggs for breakfast goes twice as far. Use potatoes to extend. In August I get pens notebook paper n use for correspondence. I make a years supply of laundry detergent by combining borax zotz soap I flake and stir in sometimes cascade it works n for under $10 I have yr supply. Buy all u can on sale. Use worn out unrepairable Sox for dish or cleaning rags so no need to buy paper towels.
But, you save even more buying the items on a really good sale price, buying enough to stock up like 10, 20, 30 lbs of meat or 10-20 bags of frozen veg depending on space and family size, then meal plan on what you have on hand. However you may need to add in things like fresh produce to round out a meal like you're talking about.
I’ve been doing this a long time. I do inventory, then make a meal plan, then shop. With HS kids& activities, I must plan. I’ve been using Thrive awhile too. Including female items.
I do this all of the time and round out with whats on sale on the circular. I check my fridge and freezer first, then look at the pantry. Save lots of $$!
Yesterday I did some clearance shopping and found a few things. I ended up getting a flat tire and my mom had to help in the rescue. As a thank you I gave her one of the clearance ground beef packages I found. It sounds a little bit silly but I wanted to thank her somehow and food is actually something she can use. And since I keep my freezer stocked, I wasn't shorting myself on ground beef.
I reverse meal plan all the time too. I love seeing how much I can avoid buying. After inventory, I do come up with several ideas and then consult the flyers to complete the plan. I have 2 great grocery stores. I go to them on alternate weeks. The one has fantastic clearance racks in the produce section. The other has great clearance on meats.
and can we remind everyone not to yell or be rude to grocery employees? It’s not their fault prices have increased. And we dont really need to grumble and make a scene because of it. We know prices are high right now, do we need to be rude because of it? No, just shop smart and if its not what you want to pay, dont’t buy it. Complaining to employees who are just doing their job isnt going to change the prices.
Tried meal planning a few times and was too rigid for us. We buy what is on sale or low priced. We know what we use and what we are low on befire going shopping. Freezing fresh mushrooms, carrots, and celery so we aleays have those. We do the best we can. Buying some at dollar general really helps too.
I meal plan on Wednesdays when the grocery ads come out. We eat what's on sale that week. I only plan 5 dinners so that if we have leftovers or something comes up nothing goes to waste. Also, I work in spaghetti or scrambled eggs with cheese and toast every week or so. Both meals are super easy, incredibly cheap and I almost always have those things on hand!
Christine, this si the way I have been shopping since pandemic started. I find i make less trips to the grocery store and I am not buying as much because I look in my pantry and freezer before I go shopping and make my list based on what meats I have and other staples. Then all I have to buy is fresh produce, milk, eggs and bread!
Live in a real small town and we never have any good deals on food. Also don't have much room to store things in my house. It is really hard for me to do this, but I love watching your content and I try to do the best that I can.
I do check out my pantry and freezer before I head out to grocery and check of course weekly and weekend deals. The search is more time consuming than the actual shopping. I consider myself a top notch food detective.
I have been doing this for years and it has really kept our grocery budget down even when our income increased over the years. It can be very tempting to spend more because you feel like you "can" but there is no reason to do that. I start with meat because I feel like it helps keep my frozen meat stock cycled through, so once I figure out what meats I want to cook that week I start looking in the fridge and pantry for items that could go with it.
Best video about meal planning on TH-cam EVER!!!! I was trying to do this and struggling and had the ideas in my head, I just couldn't completely formulate my plan... But you nailed it! Thanks so much! Blessings ❤️
I completely understand the reverse meal planning. When I have a week that I have very little to spend, that is exactly what I do. But you cannot do this every week because you will deplete your food pantry quickly. At this point, I am trying to do reverse meal planning once a month. That month I can usually spend less than $50 for every meal for my family of 4 adults. The other weeks, my grocery budget is $100 with $20 cash that I can spend throughout the month on clearance items
I LOOOOOOOOOVE Thrive MArket, I COMPLETELY SWEAR by them!!! I live waaaaay up in the mountains, and have NO specialty stores around, and they ship even to me!!
I love all of your videos! Could you maybe make a video about food storage in apartments or places where there is not a lot of space for food or long food storage.
At Thanksgiving they practically give turkeys away. I get enuf for a year use my slicer and vacuum seal then freeze. I do same with ham at new years and Easter. I make spaghetti and chili with generic tomato soup instead of ragu.
I do this but I always start in the fridge! Then I go to the pantry and look for anything else perishable. I spend at least half if not 1/3 the amount I would if I meal planned any other way. My tip is always if you are buying a jarred sauce or fresh herbs you don’t normally use, have at least 2 meals planned that use that random item so there is not extra just hanging out in the fridge going bad
@Life, Love and Mental Illness a vlog channel I've learned to cut up remaining bits of produce and freeze them if possible. They last longer and you can use them in future recipes!
I've been doing what you're calling reverse meal planning for over 2 decades. Plan based on what you have on hand and only buy what's missing. Review the circulars for the places you shop and base meals around what's on sale too, especially meats. Comparison shop between stores - apps are your friend for this. Make a list. Plan a leftovers (aka mom's second chance buffet in my house) night. Make a larger portion and split it over 2 nights. We also have a "halvsies" bin in our fridge where things like a half a pepper, a piece of onion, a piece of avocado, some leftover rice or pasta, etc. go and we pull that bin multiple times a week for lunches and dinner ingredients - it's like playing Chopped in your house and a great way to reduce food waste. If you do these things they will work like a charm just like you said.
Love the idea of a "halvsies" bin!
Christine, just so you're aware, the 30% off the first order has a cap on it. It was a fairly low limit when I did it. Had a huge order in and then it came up and said only 30% off on the first of it. I still ordered but thought folks should be aware.
That's good to know. I had thought about them too, but don't like how you can't see their prices until you become a member. Without that transparency, it was a pass for me.
I don't remember Thrive market having a price match when I was a member though.
I'm not aware of a price match either. I don't order tons from them but I do order some dairy free things for my granddaughter and a few other items.
I've been so focused on 'stockpiling' my pantry/freezer, I've been spending a ton of money at the grocery store over the past six months. Now I'm so well-stocked I can hardly get anything in the pantry or the freezers - so it's time to take FFM's advice and do 'shop my pantry' meal-planning! Thanks for the inspo!
This is how I've been doing meal planning for a couple years now, and what a difference! Plan from the current inventory. Then pick up whatever protein choices are on sale, for future meals, plus produce and odds and ends.
This is exactly what I do and I spend no more then $30 a week for my family. Any time I say that to someone they are like 🤯
It takes some work but it is worth it!
I’ve been doing reverse meal planning all my adult life and never knew that there was a name for it. It really works to save money.
Great reminders to use up the food we already have before hitting the grocery store.
Also, I find if I just stay out of the store, it forces my family to get creative with our food that we have at home.
YES! Staying out of the store as much as possible is a huuuge help
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I work at a grocery store, which makes this tip SO hard!
@@EmGoesM000 My sister says she is usually picking something up everyday on her shift. Definitely hard.
I’ve been doing reverse meal planning for three months and where I was spending $800 a month on groceries I’m under $200 a month. I have two heads of celery (because it was on sale for $1 a bunch) so tomorrow I’m making tuna and potato salad (both of which I have) and that will feed us all day. This way is by far the best method. I’m working my way though my freezer and pantry and buying ingredients/produce is minimal! I love it!
I changed to stocking by ingredients rather then meals during then last two years as it saves so much. I can feed my family of 5 (3 adults and 2 teenagers) for under £500 a month and this is for 95% of all our meals. As especially in the UK eating out is so expensive. And I refuse to spend for one meal out/takeaway as much as a weeks shopping.
One extra tip: We need to keep well-stocked in our homes because of coming food shortages. When you use an item, put it on your list to resupply. Don't let yourself run out of desired items because it is already getting harder to find some things.
This is super important! Also, if you see an item you use regularly on a special deal, buy it. Then I also make a note of where in the house I have stored it--since we live in a house with no pantry and little storage space in the kitchen.
Good tip because I just try to remember and always forget something smh
@@nunusky3942 I use a note program that syncs to all my devices and have found it to be invaluable.
Save your money. Don’t order from Thrive market!!
Exactly what I do. Saves time and aggravation.
I was raised poor and didn’t learn there was another way to shop than this til long after social media got super popular after college!
girl same here. I always have friends asking me to teach them my ways lol
Yess! This is the only way I meal plan. You will save so much money.
I'm with you on NOT paying ridiculous prices! Knowing your prices, and using also what you have at home...great advice!
A trick my mom used to use in canned spinach is drain the spinach as much as possible and add an egg in. Cook the egg in with the spinach and mix it all together. It changes the texture of the cooked spinach and enhances the flavor.
My grandmother used to drain the spinach and use the spinach “juice” with a little cornstarch, milk, salt and pepper to make a creamy spinach soup. She would use the actual spinach at another meal.
I do this! Once a quarter I go through the pantry and find what needs to go and we plan around this. Plus we watch the sales... especially for meat!
I basically look at what’s on sale + what I have and plan that way. (And I only really get enough perishables for a week so I’m not scrambling to figure out how to use things down the line.)
@@viviannichols3582 perishables these days come from the garden and if we cannot use them, they get canned or frozen. Meat is the pocketbook killer right now. Oh and cream cheese! Holy crap.... $3.79 for 8oz for Kraft. It use to be $1.29.
@@mbarnes1300 I wish I had a garden! I have a balcony and all I can grow are herbs and like one tomato. Lol
I’ve cut down on meat and dairy a lot. I use a lot of dried beans now, and they actually taste better than canned. I only buy meat for holidays or when there is a really good sale.
@@viviannichols3582 I completely understand! It took sometime before I had a place to do it. Dried beans are more work but totally worth it in the end. We always have rice and beans around plus flour. We are also lucky to have a lady we can buy free range eggs for way less them the store. I guess it helps living in the midwest.
Once the pantry and freezer are stocked up, over time it can be kept that way. Buying meat only at a good sale price and buying several packages helps us. Getting things that have a short shelf life like lettuce, milk, etc. we get weekly. So thankful this works for us especially now.
I do this as well! I buy meat on clearance or sale, I get produce deals, see what my friends are giving away from their garden, and I cook accordingly. I invent recipes at the stove. Or at the sheet pan lately. SO much more sensible for the budget. Tonight is penne and ground turkey with mushrooms, spinach, and marinara.
I desperately need to do this! I just bought a pack of 99 cents a pound chicken thighs, and that was the end of my freezer space. Time to start using up some of this half price meat!
Girl why do you need brown gravy?!?! You take the drippings from the roast, strain it, put it in a pan, add a little water to some flour to make a thick paste. Add the drippings in a pan, turn on medium heat, whisk in paste. Keep whisking while on heat. Super easy!!!
I've been meal planning like this since the 70s. (So always). Even plan party menus around sales and pantry/freezer cleanouts.
I've never understood not buying sales.
@@DaniElle-di4ho lol the group I'm having Sunday knows that's why they're all coming. And, at the Christmas party they'll all be given an empty gift bag and we go to the pantry and they fill their bags with homemade goodies. That way they get the items they like.
I don't dare go into a grocery store without a list! I absolutely hit the cookbooks and make my list from that, checking my pantry for any items I already have for that recipe; however I hadn't thought of working off the existing pantry items...will start giving this a go. Thanks, Christine! Blessings from Texas.
Hi 👋 Jen how are you doing?
I keep a notebook, I do EVERY grocery list in the notebook, write new recipes in it and then write if it was a winner or what id change. I also take inventory in it, I mark off as I go on what is gone, and rewrite what I have leftover that needs to be used for the upcoming meal plan. Highly recommend, and honestly does not take very long if you keep it consistent. It also really helps me use everything before it goes bad, plus makes me a bit more creative
This is exactly what I've been doing for YEARS! It lets me get discounted meat (usually in bulk) almost exclusively and then throw it in the freezer until I'm ready to use it. I watched one video where they were lamenting the rising prices, but then said "well we're making spaghetti and meatballs tonight so I need to buy some ground beef" and I'm sitting on the other side of the computer saying "THAT'S THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU NEED TO DO!!!"
Lol! As a senior we get paid once a month. The few days before payday I make a pantry and freezer list and see what I am low on as far as stock goes and then check the ads for good buys on meats and go from there. Our tastes change daily so I meal plan in my mind and suggest meals or just cook what I want period.
This was one of the best explanations of the breakdown of steps!! It was clear and easy to follow!
I would love to see more of your process of stocking up and your decision process of buying sale, clearance items to stock up so you have the selection in your inventory. How do you figure out how much to get based on the number of people in your house? Or what is your rule or thought process?
I made your Artisan Bread Recipe...LOVE IT! It is so simple that I am making it three times a week. Can't be any easier. We use 2 cups of freshly ground Hard Red Wheat and 1 cup regular flour. Works GREAT. Thank you.
I have done this for a long time. A little time consuming writing items down, BUT this is truly the best way to do it.
Thanks for the tip about shopping the sales at "regular" grocery stores for snacks and odds-and-ends. I took your advice and saved $56 on groceries were were already having to buy. The clerk was so surprised at my savings that she did a double-take, which cracked me up. Thanks for your awesome videos, Christine. I always enjoy them!
I almost always have chicken, pork, and rice on hand. A lot of my meals revolve around the things I have in the house. This allows me to make whatever plans I want for meals for the week because I rarely have to buy lots of things when I go to the store!
Love all your tips.. I try to shop smart.. I always check the meat markdowns, I try not to ever pay full price for meat.. today I spent 46.49 on meat.. all markdowns, I came home sectioned it all out and used my food saver.. I wound up with 21 packages of meat.. that’s 2.21 per meal, there are 3 in my household, one of those being my 17 year old son, so I was pretty pleased. I have been able to fill my freezer with good cuts of meat at very affordable prices!
Reverse meal planning saved our butts in June/July when I started a new job ! I love it
The fact that you stated it in the form of a question, and not taken the snob route of just up and saying your doing this wrong, earns a like!
@@JC-rl1vd ha. I always get annoyed when I see an article on Google where the person says 5 things your doing wrong or your doing it wrong! Like how do you know ?!!
I do the meal plan but lately I’ve found I’m too lazy to cook dinner in this heat so my meal plan goes out the window. I need to focus on foods that easy to cook. Thanks for inspiration ❤️
A crockpot really helps out with this....no hot burners, no hot oven...throw it together in the relatively cooler morning and you will be all set!
Eating up the freezer contents is always top priority. Once it's overfill you've basically created a monster. And it's even worse when there's no space for new purchase.
After all the hype about meal planning, I finally got onboard last month, and cut my grocery bill in half! Now I'm psyched to tryout "reverse meal planning" strategy. What a great idea to save even more money at the grocery store. Thanks for sharing this tip.
I put tiki masala sauce in my lentils with onions, garlic, celery , carrots sauté and broth, served over rice. Sausage can be added with a bit of red pepper flakes for a kick
What's being described here- taking inventory, deciding meals, then going and get the items you don't have, sounds exactly like normal meal planning according to the definition I found when googling- "Meal Planning is the action of deciding meals in advance using your schedule, preferences, foods on hand, seasonal produce, sale items, etc. Consequently, meal planning usually leads to grocery shopping once a week, for only the items needed"
Honey, my family and I were left homeless on Jan 2nd, 2022. We 5 camped for 6 months and my husband of 27 years went back to work. Then while at work, he fell off a ladder and fell about 30 ft his dr says. He broke his neck, all ribs, both eye sockets and he ended up getting emergency brain surgery. He was in a coma for 16 days. Then he woke up but is not all there. This happened on 6/24/22. Great news is his job has put me and our 3 kids into a hotel room. We have been here for 5 full weeks. Bad news is I don’t have a stove or oven. Just a microwave and 3 boys who eat me out of house and home. I love your videos as we are very close to getting back into a house so we can be normal again. My husband is going to rehab to relearn walking and talking.
My tip is that if there are products that you only buy one brand of for whatever reason... Keep an eye on the sales flyers and buy them when they are down to a certain price... So you get the name brand stuff for a good price!
On keto we meal plan based on the proteins we stock, like meat, fish, eggs plus dairy as we eat very few carbs. Lots of roasts, mixed grills, bone broth, etc. We stock low carb bread/wraps, cauliflower pizza crust, coconut milk, etc, no pasta, no rice, no starchy veg, only frozen blueberries for fruit. We have to be inventive!
I love keto...it's easy...eggs, bacon, meat and green veg for us!! Just two of us now tho:)
This is how I’ve always meal planned. I also shop sales and clearance most of the time.
This is what I do, especially lately. I buy Romaine lettuce, cilantro, green onions etc to add a fresh element to my meals.
I am actually spending less each week on groceries despite seeing inflation on food at about 30%. I shop first from my pantry, fridge and freezer to meal plan. I have been using up all sorts of leftover beef, ham, turkey and more. Focusing my purchasing on sale items and fresh produce (in season mostly). Probably easier for me feeding only 2 (empty nesters). Great video!
I’m about to do a freezer clean out to make sure I’m not wasting anything! I’ll probably record it and upload that to my channel.
I also always go through my fridge, freezer, and pantry before making my meal plan and then use that and what’s on sale to make meals for the week.
I just…. don’t meal plan. Like ever. 🤷♀️ I go shopping every week and see what protein is marked down. Then I check the clearance they dump in the dairy section (yogurt/cheese/creamer). From there I hit canned meat/veg to check for sales to backstock pantry. Then I grab a box of mixed greens on the way out.
Whatever I get home with is “the menu plan.” Having a very well stocked pantry and being a mood driven, mostly from scratch cook allows for this type of targeted sale shopping.
I have always shopped like that. Inventory home, look at weekly sales and then go shopping. Also I almost never buy something that isn't also on sale. I grew up poor, still poor and almost never went hungry. There was one really bad time, but that's way in the past.
It also helps to gradually reduce the amount of processed and prepackaged food you buy, since it either costs more and/or has less nutritional value (aka “bang for your buck”). Buying in bulk to whatever degree you can manage, in concert with “shop your pantry first,” is also still a good way to spend less per meal and be prepared.
Perfect timing as I’m trying to get motivated to do a complete inventory. I’m so stocked up that I literally have no idea what I actually have. I know, mind blowing. I can and/or dehydrate lots of stuff so they don’t go bad as well. And now, I need to get organized! Wish me luck. Oh, and I need to date and rotate. Ugh. So glad I never stopped “prepping “ when the lockdown was lifted. Who knew? Supply chain, war, inflation, bird disease, and now ANOTHER salad mix recall. 🤯
I've done this most of my life. Buy extra of the meat on sale and freeze. Stock up on the loss leaders. Meal plan from what I have in the pantry & freezers.
Great video! Groceries in Canada have gotten expensive too, I’ve noticed our regular grocery bill ($160ish a week) is now over $200!
I have been shopping like this for 28 years. I did traditional menu planning but I was averaging $150/week, way way back in 1994, for 2 adults. Now, for 4 adults, my grocery budget is ... $120/week. This is all in Australian dollars, so less in USD. My 2 freezers are exploding, my food storage will last us 3-4 months, and we often have leftovers.
I’m soo lucky to be a farmer’s wife.always have beef and pork. Saves me soo much money 💰
Hi 👋 Sarah how are you doing?
Thank you for this reminder! We always get sucked up in the “right” way of doing things. This is a great reversal;)
I always meal plan this way. I go through the fridge once a week and try to make sure we use up everything. I go through the freezer every few weeks so I have an idea of what's in there.
The nice thing about shopping online is many stores (like Target) will have a searchable list of past purchases. You can see what you paid last time so you'll know when prices are up.
No. I shop from my pantry and fridges and freezers. This is what I've always done and I can never get over other meal planning.
Thanks to The Tightwad Gazette.
Great info you're sharing with your followers Christine!
My friends think I'm crazy that I keep a list of freezer and pantry items, I remind them that no food goes to waste in our house and it saves money - so who's 😂now. Honestly when I shop the freezer and pantry 1st it amazes me the recipes you can make up for meal planning that your mouth starts to water!
Great tip to reverse shopping too as it helps keep those grocery bills lower. Another tip I use if I'm running low on pantry staples I'll keep it on a list and wait for the sale instead of buying it when I need it; items like tuna, canned tomatoes, broths all of which both are ridiculous prices when not on sale.
With the increase of grocery prices I am trying to pay closer attention to what items cost. For the last 15 years I have always been the one to meal plan and grocery shop, but I've never paid attention to what things cost. I would love to see more videos like the end of this - "Don't pay more than $2.00/lb for asparagus..." Just to see if the sales ads are really "sales" or if it's just a penny off its normal price! I know prices vary by location, but even just close ballpark figures would be great! I'm going to have to put together an Excel to use when I do my meal planning!
Yes please!!! I have no idea what a "normal " price is
Lol, my rule of thumb is that if it’s $1/lb for veggies and fruit, it’s a good deal! Same with meat up to $1.50/lb, always buy-sometimes I end up with some things I’ve never cooked before, but Pinterest hasn’t failed me yet 😂
I look at sales fliers first, particularly for proteins, and plan 2-3 meals per same protein. If I have chicken in the freezer and see it’s on sale, I’ll pull the frozen chicken out to thaw and use, than replace it with some on sale chicken. I keep starches stocked up and buy replacements when on sale, and get whatever fresh produce is on sale. THEN, I pick recipes.
I just gotta say, I love thrive market. I was about to cancel my membership because I can't afford it this year. Well they got with me and gave me 1 year free through the thrive gives program!! It's so so helpful since my toddler and I can't eat gluten and dairy and they carry so much that we can actually eat. 💗 So kind of them! 😭
What a blessing 🙌
I've been doing this a lot. I stocked up on canned items, dried items, and bought half a beef 6 months ago when my small town started to get short on food in my grocery stores. My stock is now getting short but I keep an eye out for clearance items and reduced meat and food items and buy them when they're really cheap. I wish my stores had as many clearance items as yours do though. I only have a Walmart, Aldi, and a Shop n Save.
oh how I wish we had Aldi.....😞
I keep a spreadsheet with tabs for pantry, fridge, freezer and possible meal ideas. I bold items that are close to or past expiration but are still edible so I use them first. I love to shop from my pantry and then round out with just a few things. Since I live in hurricane territory, I don't keep too much in my freezer during hurricane season or I make things like chicken that can be cooked and eaten cold.
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My husband checks the sale flier every Sunday to see if there is any thing we would use that is on sale. I base my meals around what we have in The pantry and freezer . Most of the veggies come from the local vegetable cart and our garden.
My biggest problem is we moved across the country and need to repurchase everything. Thank goodness the freezer we ordered will arrive on Saturday
Hi 👋 Sue how are you doing?
By shopping out of freezers,cupboards and pantry i can skip grocery shopping for 4-6 months only stopping to get some eggs... less hassle an saves alot of money,also clip coupons an buy things you do use when on sale in the weekly sale ads;if you need them or are running low.
I found ground lamb on sale for 2.99 a pound the other day at Kroger. I was able to buy three pounds and after seeing it rise to 12.99 a pound I am super happy.
We already do this there are times that I only have to spend $30 at the grocery store just to fill in the gaps for my recipes. I kind of thought everybody did this. LOL this is the one problem I have when watching how to be frugal videos I'm already doing all the things there's nothing left to cut 😂😂😂
I grew up shopping the ads for what we eat for the wk. We’d like to always check our pantry to see what we don’t have to stock up on. When we was low on can goods that’s when we’d go stock up and buy a flat.
I always love your cooking from the pantry videos!! Keep it up!!!
Thank you so much! You have no idea how much of a blessing this video is. All sensible information, but I'm definitely new to meal planning so thank you for the non-waste take on it all!
I used to b Amish most expensive wedding I attended cost $275 total reception included. Do laundry at home n hang clothes to dry. Make cat n dog food.
Lentils are good in a beef stew. Brown meat in onion and garlic, cumin and paprika powerder, salt and pepper. Add in broth or water and lentils. If lentils are already cooked just add them in later. Some potato in the stew as well tastes good too!
I have such an appreciation for your videos. I mostly vist your channel for frugal meal inspiration. But your videos are a fantastic resource for a little less experienced/younger person who also needs inspiration, as well as meal planning, grocery shopping and budgeting tips. Keep it up, chickie! 👊👏✌
I get bacon on sale then cut n half n use 2 strips w 2 eggs for breakfast goes twice as far. Use potatoes to extend. In August I get pens notebook paper n use for correspondence. I make a years supply of laundry detergent by combining borax zotz soap I flake and stir in sometimes cascade it works n for under $10 I have yr supply. Buy all u can on sale. Use worn out unrepairable Sox for dish or cleaning rags so no need to buy paper towels.
But, you save even more buying the items on a really good sale price, buying enough to stock up like 10, 20, 30 lbs of meat or 10-20 bags of frozen veg depending on space and family size, then meal plan on what you have on hand. However you may need to add in things like fresh produce to round out a meal like you're talking about.
I’ve been doing this a long time. I do inventory, then make a meal plan, then shop. With HS kids& activities, I must plan. I’ve been using Thrive awhile too. Including female items.
I do this all of the time and round out with whats on sale on the circular. I check my fridge and freezer first, then look at the pantry. Save lots of $$!
Yesterday I did some clearance shopping and found a few things. I ended up getting a flat tire and my mom had to help in the rescue. As a thank you I gave her one of the clearance ground beef packages I found. It sounds a little bit silly but I wanted to thank her somehow and food is actually something she can use. And since I keep my freezer stocked, I wasn't shorting myself on ground beef.
I reverse meal plan all the time too. I love seeing how much I can avoid buying. After inventory, I do come up with several ideas and then consult the flyers to complete the plan. I have 2 great grocery stores. I go to them on alternate weeks. The one has fantastic clearance racks in the produce section. The other has great clearance on meats.
I have definitely done this, and it's easier thsn one might think. I don't always do this, but most often I do.
Hi 👋 Mary how are you doing?
and can we remind everyone not to yell or be rude to grocery employees? It’s not their fault prices have increased.
And we dont really need to grumble and make a scene because of it.
We know prices are high right now, do we need to be rude because of it? No, just shop smart and if its not what you want to pay, dont’t buy it.
Complaining to employees who are just doing their job isnt going to change the prices.
Tried meal planning a few times and was too rigid for us. We buy what is on sale or low priced. We know what we use and what we are low on befire going shopping. Freezing fresh mushrooms, carrots, and celery so we aleays have those. We do the best we can. Buying some at dollar general really helps too.
I meal plan on Wednesdays when the grocery ads come out. We eat what's on sale that week. I only plan 5 dinners so that if we have leftovers or something comes up nothing goes to waste. Also, I work in spaghetti or scrambled eggs with cheese and toast every week or so. Both meals are super easy, incredibly cheap and I almost always have those things on hand!
Christine, this si the way I have been shopping since pandemic started. I find i make less trips to the grocery store and I am not buying as much because I look in my pantry and freezer before I go shopping and make my list based on what meats I have and other staples. Then all I have to buy is fresh produce, milk, eggs and bread!
Live in a real small town and we never have any good deals on food. Also don't have much room to store things in my house. It is really hard for me to do this, but I love watching your content and I try to do the best that I can.
I’ve always check my pantry refrigerator and freezer before going shopping.
The only cooked spinach I like is wilted or lightly sautéed fresh baby spinach. It’s a great fresh taste and nice texture.
Your tips are genius! I love the reverse grocery shopping list idea. Thank you so much 😊
I do check out my pantry and freezer before I head out to grocery and check of course weekly and weekend deals. The search is more time consuming than the actual shopping. I consider myself a top notch food detective.
Don't apologize about the dog drinking. All dogs do it. You can help it.
Have always done this and remember a recipe is a suggestion. Keep meals simple and on rotation.
I have been doing this for years and it has really kept our grocery budget down even when our income increased over the years. It can be very tempting to spend more because you feel like you "can" but there is no reason to do that. I start with meat because I feel like it helps keep my frozen meat stock cycled through, so once I figure out what meats I want to cook that week I start looking in the fridge and pantry for items that could go with it.
Best video about meal planning on TH-cam EVER!!!! I was trying to do this and struggling and had the ideas in my head, I just couldn't completely formulate my plan... But you nailed it! Thanks so much! Blessings ❤️
I completely understand the reverse meal planning. When I have a week that I have very little to spend, that is exactly what I do. But you cannot do this every week because you will deplete your food pantry quickly. At this point, I am trying to do reverse meal planning once a month. That month I can usually spend less than $50 for every meal for my family of 4 adults. The other weeks, my grocery budget is $100 with $20 cash that I can spend throughout the month on clearance items
Love love love this video!!! I do this everytime I shop
I LOOOOOOOOOVE Thrive MArket, I COMPLETELY SWEAR by them!!! I live waaaaay up in the mountains, and have NO specialty stores around, and they ship even to me!!
I love all of your videos! Could you maybe make a video about food storage in apartments or places where there is not a lot of space for food or long food storage.
At Thanksgiving they practically give turkeys away. I get enuf for a year use my slicer and vacuum seal then freeze. I do same with ham at new years and Easter. I make spaghetti and chili with generic tomato soup instead of ragu.