Meal Planning 101; Step #2

Now that you have completed Step #1, we will continue on to the next step, which may or may not apply to you. This is for those starting out from nothing or never really made a pantry! This step is done once a year or once every 2 years, depending on usage. So Step #2 is:

Stock your pantry

This isn't completely a must, but I find that it helps me have more "luxury" items each month. Everyone has something in their pantry.......right? Well we didn't when we moved from Alaska to Washington in 2006, so we had to start all over and stock up a pantry. I had to buy spices and the basic dry ingredients that most people already have on hand. So if you already have these items, then skip this step.

Here is the list of things that I stocked up my pantry with:

• Flour
• Rice
• Beans
• Spices/Seasonings
• Oil
• Dry Milk
• Cornmeal
• Cornstarch
• Oats
• Non-stick spray
• Honey
• Sugar
• Shortening

I'm assuming most of you are not starting from nothing, but have most of these above in your pantry anyway. Am I right? If so, you really don't need to do this step. I simply put it in here because we started from the "ground up" when we moved. We didn't really have anything and had to start over.

You will find that if you keep these items continually on hand, your meal planning will be much easier! Say one month, you get some beans, the next some flour. Or you can do it all at once, one time a year or every other year.

Any questions?

Meal Planning 101; Step #1

Ok ya'll, we are going to go real sloooowwwww so everyone can get each step and all that I will be sharing. If you have ANY questions about THE STEP, leave a comment on the post.

The very first thing I do and you should too, is:

PRAY!

I pray and ask God to help me plan the meals and to do it on as less money as I can and to where my family is eating healthy at the same time. I want to be a good steward of what God has given me and provide healthy, wholesome meals for my family, all the while saving money for other things for them (and me).

So everyone take a moment to pray to God for wisdom and help to do a meal plan for your family!

MORE Dave Ramsey on "Recession"

Go HERE to hear the call......I love this one lol. 

Dave Ramsey on "Recession"

Update on Meal Planning Course

I'm a bit frustrated! I worked on the vidoes, did several for the meal planning course and then they did not record right and were too dark to use. I guess I will have to start over or either forget the videos and just do it with words(?).

I wanted to see if it was still possible to feed my family of 3 on $80 a month since the media claims times are so bad and on and on. Well, we did it! I made my list and went shopping at Walmart and Winco and got our food for this month at $80! I even got some "luxury" items....extra meat that was on sale and some cookies. So it CAN still be done despite the "hard" times the media claims we are going through.

Meal Planning 101 Questions

The past 3 days, I've been spending some time planning what to do with my Meal Planning 101 course. I want questions you all might have asked in the comments section, so I can answer any through the course. So whatever you want covered and shown.....ask!

I wanted to video my trip to Winco and Walmart but not sure how that will work out yet. I'm starting the paper planning today, writing it all down.

So get your questions in! HURRY...I want to make sure I cover everything that my readers are wanting to know, thanks!

Vacation

I will be taking a vacation until around the 16th! My husband's parents are coming in from NY today, so I will not be blogging while they are visiting (at least I don't think so lol). I plan to spend most of my time offline and spending it with them in the short time they are here!

On my agenda upon returning to blogging the 16th, I plan to start the Meal Planning posts and hopefully do some videos to demonstrate each step that I do (did) to feed my family of 3 on $80 a month.

So until then........bye ya'll! ;)

A Little Bit "TOO" Frugal!

The following video clip is disturbing to me! For one, I think it is absolutely nasty to go through a dumpster, i.e. other people's TRASH and then also being a Christian....I will not have to do this because GOD WILL PROVIDE for my needs!

Yes, I might be a bit frugal in some things but there is a line and going through garbage bins is way past that line lol.