On Sunday Marc and I brainstormed a few dinner ideas, I made a grocery list and then headed to the store. I bought TONS of fresh produce, lean meats, and healthy snacks.

Our dinner ideas for the week were:

SUNDAY Parmesan crusted tilapia with sweet potatoes, zucchini & squash

MONDAY Turkey Chili with Veggies, Avocado & brown rice

TUESDAY BBQ Chicken Thighs, asparagus, sweet potato fries

WEDNESDAY Pesto Chicken with green beans & potatoes (not sure how I forgot to take a picture but I did!)

It’s now Thursday and I’m happy to say we stuck with our plans. Thursday night is leftover night. I hate wasting food so it’s better to clear out the fridge before the weekend

Lets back up a bit to the grocery shopping. Shopping with a toddler can be quite challenging because Ava usually distracts me from my list and I always find myself in a hurry when we shop together. On Sunday I had the opportunity to grocery shop without her (she was napping) I got everything on my list and I breezed through the aisles without stopping. It was awesome.

As I shopped I realized I’m getting better at buying foods that we need and that’s because I stick to my grocery shopping tips. Here they are:

My tips for grocery shopping

1. Look at the grocery store flier and make a list before going shopping.
2. Make a list that is organized as if you shopping in the store.
3. Plan out a few dinner meals so that you can buy all your ingredients.
4. Choose fresh vegetables and fruits that are in season they are cheaper.
5. Avoid the middle aisles unless there’s something in particular you need.
6. Buy foods in bulk. We buy bags of potatoes, ripe and firm avocados, yellow & green bananas, bags of apples. We waste less food when we choose wisely.
7. Steer clear off foods in packages, bags, and boxes. Those are the most eye catching foods in the store but they aren’t filling and are full of processed ingredients!

Each time I visit the store I feel that I learn more & more. I know what works for our family and I’m sure you know what works for yours. I used to have to make several trips to the store a week but I’ve tweaked my shopping list a bit and I’ve definitely seen improvements. I usually end up running to the store mid week for more milk, eggs or fruit because we seem to blow through those items but I’m definitely impressed with my trip this time around and I haven’t needed to stop at the store all week! Woohoo.

What grocery tips do you have?

Are you a frequent shopper or do you try to get all your groceries in one big haul?