I hate to say it but I also meal plan and find that works best for shopping. I get a big shop once a week (from coles online atm - loving the convenience of that) - this is for pantry items and staples. I go to the markets on weekends for all my fruit and veg and I go once a fortnight to the butcher for meat. Usually I am in a shopping centre once a week at which point I will pick up chicken and any other ingredients that I may have forgotten or perhaps plans may have changed.
The majority of my meat and chicken I freeze and simply defrost as I need it, that way there is no wastage. And most of ny veg are transferrable between meals ie if I dont end up using broccoli on Monday nite I will use it Tues instead.
Another one here for meal planning. I used to be a big fan of the cheapo magazine Super Food Ideas and have heaps of back editions. I randomly pick one and all my meals for the week have to come from that magazine.
We do a big shop once a fortnight where we stock up on pantry staples, meat that we normally use and vegies for that week. In the middle week I'll do another meal plan, but generally we only do a small shop of vegies as there will be enough staples and meat to match that weeks plan.
We only just went back to the meal planning a few weeks ago as we were in a similar situation to you. Shopping all the time, not spending $$ wisely and then chucking stuff out that we didn't use. This way we are eating healthier and spending less $$.
im with the above, almost exacly the same as fionaw...except i have heaps of good taste and a few other mags. i pick a few mags and then pick 5 meals from them. have a few weekly items that i get ever week for lunches etc and DH sorts dinner twice a week so i leave that up to him. the supermarket is only round the corner and i find it quite easy and a good little outing for DD an i if i have forgotten anything. if i dont meal plan i find im at the shops every other day!!!
I did try to do meal planning, but didn't really have much luck (okay, admittedly, I don't know how to meal plan ), so I shop for staples in bulk if I can, and what's on special. I think as I shop as to what I have (in terms of fresh items at home) then what else I need for the week's meals. I usually end up underbuying, and have to go a second time during the week, but usually also then need things like nappies (which are the bain of all existence! ). We have a good size pantry, so there is always a good stock of pasta, passata, rice, and a few other things, plus my baking staples. Freezer wise, I try to always have frozen veg (yes, I do buy fresh too), and bread (as when the boy is over it disappears, or if the Man is in a bread mood).
When I get home, I divvy up all the meat, freeze what I'm not going to use in the next few days (see, I do plan!). I freeze everything flat so it defrosts easier (inc sausages, if you freeze them flat on a cutting board or similar, then just bundle them up when they are frozen, you can very easily get however many you want).
Maybe try to get an extra cupboard for all your bulk dry staples?
yep me too. I shop once a fortnight on pay week, without Darcy as she adds too many things lol. Preferably without DH also.
As for staples, every fortnight I buy white vinegar, bicarb, flours, eggs, butter, cheese, milk, bread and yoghurt. The rest is what I've planned.
I have a huge list of meals we like - about 60 and just pick what I feel like. Then I get meat to match and veges that are in season and go with most. I don't often cook to a recipe unless it's something I want to try. Any veges left over I make soup with.
I make most of our snacks or we have fruit/yoghurt.
Nate eats exactly what we eat so theres nothing separate for him.
I'm lucky to have a big pantry though so if there is stuff that we use regularly on special I can buy lots. I also have 3 freezer spaces so usually we buy meat in bulk.
I should also mention we live in an apartment, so buying in bulk is tricky. We have quite a small pantry so have to be quite frugal with what we can stock up on.
The other advantage to meal planning (while I think of it) is that it keeps food interesting. We often make different things that we haven't made before and stops us getting into a food rut, which means more take away, which means less $$ and likely weight gain. So there are other advantages to food planning which I like to focus on, as it helps me keep on track with it.
I do an informal meal plan. I think of how many dinners I need to cook for the week and I pick a few dishes.
So this week we have had schnitzel on Monday night, apricot chicken last night and tonight and we are having lasange tomorrow night and probably friday night too. So I just buy the ingredients I need for those dishes.
It doesn't need to be any more difficult than that
Thanks all. That's what I was wondering, Holly.
How far ahead do people plan- say 5 or 7 days?
And just plan dinners and buy that stuff along with a set weekly list of lunch/breaky/snack food?
I may have a peek at Super Food Ideas. I subscribe to delicious and I love the mag but most of the food isn't practical for dinners for us either in terms of ingredients, cost, availability and personal likes.
I am jealous of Kim's list of 60ish regular meals!
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), so I shop for staples in bulk if I can, and what's on special. I think as I shop as to what I have (in terms of fresh items at home) then what else I need for the week's meals. I usually end up underbuying, and have to go a second time during the week, but usually also then need things like nappies (which are the bain of all existence! 
). We have a good size pantry, so there is always a good stock of pasta, passata, rice, and a few other things, plus my baking staples. Freezer wise, I try to always have frozen veg (yes, I do buy fresh too), and bread (as when the boy is over it disappears, or if the Man is in a bread mood).
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