Oftentimes, we overspend when grocery shopping without a list. Even when we make a list, there may be several items mistakenly left off. This is why preparing for meal planning is so important. The weekdays, Monday through Friday, tend to be our busiest time. Between work, school, extracurricular activities, and commutes, there’s very little time for sporadic stops at the grocery store for one or two items. Let’s discuss some ways to prepare for meal planning.
1 - Timeframe: Decide the length of time you’re planning meals for. If you’re planning for the week, fresh produce may be the answer. If you’re planning for several weeks, canned and frozen items should also be taken into consideration.
2 - Budget: Decide your food budget. Don’t
forget that even though we are discussing preparing for meal planning, non-grocery household items will still be included in your grocery store bill and should be taken into consideration when estimating how much you will spend. If you are a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipient, include the available amount of food benefits in your budget.
3 - Inventory: Taking inventory of the items you have on hand may reduce how much you will need to spend and will prevent purchasing duplicates. As you’re going through your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer, be sure to look at dates and condition of the items to make sure they’re still safe to consume.
For questions about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or to receive application assistance contact the More In My Basket staff:
Visit: morefood.org
English Toll Free: 1-855-240-1451
This information was provided by the More In My Basket Program in partnership with NC State Extension.
More In My Basket (MIMB) is a program developed at North Carolina State University Extension that helps reduce food insecurity by connecting North Carolina residents to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is a federal food assistance program (formerly called Food Stamps), and in North Carolina, the program is called Food and Nutrition Services (FNS).
