Puppy problems - Shopping

Ack! Somewhere in the last 4 years, I grew from a puppy into a grown dog. How did this happen? How do I make it stop?? Well little big lost puppy, I have good news and bad news for you: The good news is most adult dogs aren't adult at all, just puppies pretending, so you're not alone. The bad news is, short of a fountain of youth for dogs (they have one for cats, but cats don't use it) you're stuck like the rest of us. Ah well, *blows hair out of eyes* may as well make the best of it. Today's lesson in pretending to be an adult is....*drumroll*.... grocery shopping!

Listing:

Make a list, and as best as you can, stick to it. Impulse grocery shopping can really take a toll on your budget. Your list should start by including any staples you may be out of (include food and household items). Then, make up a menu for the next week or two. Write down meal ideas, any side courses, and a few “quick” meals for nights you run out of time to cook. Then, make a list based off any ingredients you need. I typically try to make a few menu ideas based on things already in my kitchen, then go from there. Count up about what the trip may cost (see list below) and make any adjustments based on your budget. I try to blend a variety of similar meals that use the same ingredients with a few different meals. I pick 1-2 kinds of meat (chicken, beef, or pork) that way I’m not buying too much meat at the same time. Then, I create 2-4 different meals off the same kind of meat; chicken quesadilla’s, baked chicken, and chicken strips for example.

Shopping:

Ah, the dreaded shopping trip. How to make shopping more fun? Well, I bet you didn’t know you can drift shopping carts around corners. Or that shopping can be a contact sport. Or, you can make up stories about other shoppers based on what is in their cart. Carry a notebook and write down ideas for future meals. I’ve found quite a list of meal ideas for future trips just by taking notes. Be sure to run a quick estimate on what your list will cost. You can keep a running total while you are shopping. This way, you have an idea what to expect when they ring up your groceries. After doing this for about 10 years, I’ve gotten pretty decent at figuring numbers while shopping (my all-time best was 3 cents off). However, all you really need is to be in the ballpark. Here is a rough list I use for rounding figures at Winco:

All canned goods about 1$

Fruit about 2-4$ per bag

Veggies about 2$ per bag (except asparagus which is 4$)

Cheese 6-8$ for 2lb block

Meat (3-4$ per lb)

Eggs/dairy products 2$ each (this works pretty well for yogurt, milk, eggs, etc)

Butter 4$ for a package of baking butter

Frozen veggies 2$ per bag

Bread items 3$ (sometimes 4$ for specialty loaf)

Spices 4$ per jar

Obviously, this is not an all-inclusive list, but it may help to get you started. If I’m in a hurry and forget to count until I’m at the register, I have an even quicker method to count:

Cheese 8$

Meats 4$ per pound

All other food items 2$

Add 10$ at the end

This is even rougher, but generally works unless you have a lot of high priced items in your cart. Why do I go to all this trouble? First, as I mentioned, I like to have an idea of how much I’m spending, so I’m not shell shocked at the register. I also know whether or not I can get additional items that aren’t on my list. Some weeks, I need to stay under a certain amount so I don’t risk overdrawing my account. However, I mainly do it because I like numbers and math. J

WinCo Shopping Tips:

If you tend to shop at Winco, there two sections in the store very different from most stores. The first is the bulk foods section. This is perhaps my favorite part of the store for two reasons. The first is you can get exactly however much of something that you need without having to buy 3 pounds of it. Baking supplies, brown sugar, flour, noodles, candy, even trail-mix, and oatmeal! It is also usually cheaper than a brand-name bag of something. The second reason is you can try new things in small amounts, or get just enough spice to make something new!

The next section is the deli. Lots of grocery stores have a deli, but Winco’s deli prices are much lower than other stores. Fish, lunchmeat, they even pack their own cheese and raw meats. Look around for their green sale signs. You can get items for 20-40% off if it is in season. J

Last Minute Thoughts:

Lastly, be sure to pick up something small to snack on during the drive home. After all, you’ve spent close to an hour on your list, and probably another hour at the grocery store. All this adulating is hard work. You deserve a treat! As a young puppy, I would be taken to the grocery store, and left in the car (dogs aren’t allowed in stores you know). If I was a good little puppy and didn’t honk the horn too much or drift around the parking lot then my masters would bring me a treat. Now, as a grown dog, I see no reason to give up this tradition. If anything, us adults (kids really, pretending to be grown up and responsible) have it even harder than the puppies. Pick up a candy bar, or small bag of gummy bears. You’ve earned it!