For many people, the most time consuming weekly tasks are grocery shopping and preparing meals for the family. I don’t even have children, and yet sometimes getting dinner on the table for just my boyfriend and me seems a daunting task! I love to cook, so instead of telling you to eat out, I’m going to show you some tips to make grocery shopping and meal preparation a lot easier.

Before you do anything else, take stock of what you have right now in your kitchen. Do you have chicken in the freezer, or vegetables that need to be used quickly? Once you’ve seen what you have, sit down and plan a menu for the upcoming week or two. Focus on items you can cook once and use twice, such as chicken or pork. On Monday you can make roasted chicken, on Wednesday you can have barbecued chicken quesadillas! Try to plan on two or three double-duty ingredients. That way you will have 4-6 meals taken care of…the seventh night you can go out!

Next, make a shopping list. Write down what you need to buy to complement what you already have in your kitchen. Also, list whatever household items you may need. For me, where I shop depends on what ingredients I need. If I need household items such as cleaners or paper products, I go to a major grocery or discount store chain near me. If I need fresh food, such as eggs, milk, or bread, I go to a small grocery store chain near me. It has reasonable prices for everything, but does not sell the mass-market cleaning and paper products that I like. Since I frequently take stock of my supplies, I’m able to shop for my non-perishable items when it is convenient for me—no desperate midnight trips for toilet paper!

Once you get to the grocery store, plan your route according to your list. If you don’t need certain items, avoid those aisles to prevent impulse purchases. There are some aisles, however, that I go down whether I need anything or not. I am a huge baker, so I check the prices on my favorite baking goodies whenever I go to the store. If they’re on sale, I buy them, because I know I’ll use them quickly. When I’m ready to make a batch of brownies, all my supplies are there.

Once while taking a baking class, I saw that the chef kept her supplies in large plastic bins. I adapted that idea to my kitchen and now I keep my flour and sugar in two three-gallon bins on top of my refrigerator. They keep my supplies fresh and easily accessible to me any time I need them. That works for me because I only stock up on a few items. I can’t buy everything just because it’s a good price, because I don’t have a lot of storage space.

Fresh vegetables and herbs add nutrition and extra flavor to your meals, but can be a waste of money if you don’t use them before they spoil. Check the frozen food section of your grocery store—they now sell frozen herbs such as basil and garlic in packages shaped like mini ice cube trays. You can pop them out one at a time when you need them. They are fantastic for use in sauces, stews or casseroles. They also sell tubes of basil, garlic, tomato paste and more in the refrigerated section of the produce department.
You keep them in the refrigerator and use only what you need at that time. Now the tubes are not inexpensive, but you’ll save money by not throwing as much away!

Here’s a time saver when cooking with fresh produce. When you get home from the store, clean and prep your vegetables for use that week, and store them in plastic storage bags. When you’re ready to make chili or fajitas, pull out your already chopped veggies and dinner will be a cinch! Some people cook once a week, freeze the meals, and reheat them on busy evenings. Plastic freezer bags are great for this, especially with liquid based items like chili, soups, or stews. Just empty the bag out into a pot, reheat, and you’re ready to go. Plastic bags are also more flexible that the usual plastic containers, leaving more room in the freezer. They even have a spot to label them, so you don’t have to wonder what the mystery meat is!

Getting hot meals on the table for your family can definitely be a challenge. Don’t give up. Use these tips and provide your family with delicious inexpensive meals tonight!