Around this time last year I decided to try to a year long experiment. I was going to plan menus for the week, make a shopping list, shop and eat based on the plan. The result? I spent a lot more for groceries than I normally did.I wasn't sure why. I still planned based on what I had on hand. I still shopped sales. I still did all of the things I normally did. I mean, don't all "frugal experts" recommend planning meals in advance? As was pointed out to me, all experts except for Amy Dacyczyn.
Amy Dacyczyn was my first introduction to hard core, black belt frugality. The Tightwad Gazette came in to my life when I was a young homemaker and a young mother. I learned how to plans meals for and feed my family (along with many other things) because of The Tightwad Gazette. Maybe the ideas are just so ingrained in me that any other way was destined to fail? Or maybe her way just works?
If you aren't familiar with The Tightwad Gazette way of menu planning - called The Pantry Principle - here it is in a nutshell: You stock your pantry/freezer with food purchased at the lowest possible price and shop only to replenish your pantry/freezer. When it comes time to plan your meals, you "shop" in your pantry/freezer.
There is a much more in depth explanation on page 474 of The Complete Tightwad Gazette, if you are interested. And you should be.
So it is nice knowing that while I could spend more on food if I wanted to, I don't have to. I can feed my family healthy, tasty meals for very little money using The Pantry Principle.
Book cover via Amazon
3 comments:
Thanks for your post. I've always felt like I spent way more when I "planned" than if I just grabbed from what we had on hand - I just never put a method or name to it or thought about it to make it work better. This will help tons! Thank you!
No problem!
One of the things I love about using this method is that it is so flexible. If I have a bunch of leftovers to use, or found a great deal on something at the farmers market, no problem. I just plan around it.
Nice post. I liked your pantry principle. I do believe in it. Plan everything. When it comes in terms of pantry we should see how can we make it better. you are right.
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