Food shopping and recipes

[Cooking Goddess]

creative, I tend to work backwards from your shopping style. I have a stack of recipes pulled from either a recent magazine or my files that I want to make. I then go through the weekly ads to see if the store(s) I shop has the main ingredient(s) on sale. Although your suggestion sounds intriguing, I already waste spend way too much time looking at fun stuff in the stores. Besides, about the only mark-downs I see in the stores are for produce. It's easy enough to make a judgement call to swap green beans for broccoli while perusing those shelves.

Dontcha just love men who do grocery shopping?...

Yep, tiz true Dawg. They are men on a mission rather than women on a browsing trip...

Ladies, just letting you know not all hubbies are created equal. I dare NOT let Himself into a grocery store unchaperoned.

...I've never thought to use our cell phones my Husband Finder.

There, fixed.

...I vaguely remember seeing a recipe for apple cider pork roast last month and got some apple cider, but the smallest size was almost a gallon. So now I'm looking all over for recipes that might take apple cider.!

You can always boil it down to make apple syrup. I did that with a half-gallon of cider, and ended up with a cup of syrup. You can reduce it to a less dense version, say 6/1 instead of 8/1. It is SO good on pancakes or French toast! I made it to use for a particular drink I had seen, but I can't find that drink recipe now. Hence, pancakes.

 

[creative]

I just fly by the seat of my pants. What's in the fridge, freezer, and pantry. I don't shop for recipes. I figure out what I can do with what I have. Sometimes I need fresh cilantro, lemon or lime, but I can usually go as a week or two with what is on hand--often more than that. Nice tip--a photo of what you have in the pantry/fridge might help, too.

Yes this is what I mostly do! It feels right to make use of what's at home first i.e. incorporate it into meals.
I like the challenge too.

I shop frequently though - several times a week - since I am fussy about fresh veg. I don't select from the box that they are presented in if there is a box underneath that!

(I am the same with all fresh products, i.e. always go to the back of the shelf for the freshest produce).

 

[Silversage]

I can't imagine carrying all those recipes in my purse - not on paper anyhow. If I'm in the store and see something, but need recipe ideas, I just do a quick internet search on my phone. My books, magazines & favorite blogs are all indexed on Eat Your Books, so I always have quick access to the ingredient list for all of my recipes.

I can't even remember the last time I clipped a recipe from a magazine. All that paper!

 

[Zhizara]

I do my marathon shopping once a month, with a smaller trip about a week later to pick up any other items I need.

I am vigilant about making my grocery list during the month.

Just before my marathon trip I go around my different cabinets to make sure my list reflects anything I might be short of from seasoning packets to my backup storage for items I regularly use.

I make some of the same dishes each month. I rotate them with other recipes on a gradual basis, so my list doesn't change all that much.

While shopping, if I find something interesting that's not on my list, I usually can think up an idea or two for it's use, and add other ingredients to my list as needed.

When I've been through the store and think I might be done, I stop and check my list and go back and get anything I might have missed, or decide I can do without it.

Then, I check out.

I always can get anything important on my second smaller trip.

As I make up new recipes, I write them down on index cards, make notes of ideas for changes.

When I've got the recipe just right, I add a star and put it in a stack next to my recipe box to go through when I want to figure out what to make next.

 

[creative]

I can't imagine carrying all those recipes in my purse - not on paper anyhow. If I'm in the store and see something, but need recipe ideas, I just do a quick internet search on my phone. My books, magazines & favorite blogs are all indexed on Eat Your Books, so I always have quick access to the ingredient list for all of my recipes.

I can't even remember the last time I clipped a recipe from a magazine. All that paper!

No, not a lot of paper at all! It's just a slim handful of cut out recipes, i.e. small bits of paper - it is not bulky at all, i.e. fits into a largish envelope that holds smaller ones inside (as explained). I wouldn't carry anything heavy in my bag. It is very lightweight.

Ah yes the internet on the phone...I overlooked that facility (since I do not have a phone). It does make my advice somewhat redundant.

 

[GotGarlic]

creative, I tend to work backwards from your shopping style. I have a stack of recipes pulled from either a recent magazine or my files that I want to make. I then go through the weekly ads to see if the store(s) I shop has the main ingredient(s) on sale. Although your suggestion sounds intriguing, I already waste spend way too much time looking at fun stuff in the stores. Besides, about the only mark-downs I see in the stores are for produce. It's easy enough to make a judgement call to swap green beans for broccoli while perusing those shelves.

This is what I do. I go through the sale papers, see what main ingredients are on sale and make a weekly meal plan from that and what I already have in the pantry, fridge and freezer. Then I can just fill in with items we buy weekly and additional items I might need for a certain recipe.

I have a folder at home of new recipes I want to try; I also use Pinterest to save ideas. So I use those while I make my meal plan and grocery list.

 

[rodentraiser]

Apple cider freezes well, so if you can't find something soon, freeze it for now, and defrost when you need it .

Oops, it's almost 3 weeks old - I better check the expiration date. Especially since I'm thinking of doing something else with the pork roast.

 

[creative]

Oops, it's almost 3 weeks old - I better check the expiration date. Especially since I'm thinking of doing something else with the pork roast.

Talking of expiration dates, I try to keep tabs on products with a short life. For instance, mayo, pesto and ketchup that say consume within 4 - 6 weeks. I note their expiry date on a calendar otherwise I would have no way of remembering.

Also, if I use a spice or dried herb and I notice it's getting near the expiry date, I note that on a calendar too.

 

[CWS4322]

Yes this is what I mostly do! It feels right to make use of what's at home first i.e. incorporate it into meals.
I like the challenge too.

I shop frequently though - several times a week - since I am fussy about fresh veg. I don't select from the box that they are presented in if there is a box underneath that!

(I am the same with all fresh products, i.e. always go to the back of the shelf for the freshest produce).

I shop "Professionally" for a catering company once a week so I get to shop at the wholesale places. I also develop recipes, so I walk around for inspiration. Although I have a gazillion cookbooks, they are my inspiration--I don't follow recipes except when I bake.