Over the past few days I’ve been a Youtube addict!!  Watching videos on how to meal plan, how to budget shop for food, how to prepare to make things myself.  Well, while I don’t have much money now that school shopping has made me officially broke lol, I have a list started with staples and essentials.  I’ve planned out my meals for the month, homemade food for the month, and prepping my pantry with necessary items.

Here we go….

• 4 Gal Milk
• 2 Cartons Whipping Cream
• 1 tub oats
• 3 dozen eggs
• 1 pkg corn tortillas
• 1 pkg flour tortillas
• 2 pkgs english muffins
• 3 large cans tomato sauce
• 6 regular cans diced tomatoes
• 2 cans tomato paste
• 2 boxes elbows
• 3 boxes spaghetti
• 4 cans tuna
• 1 medium bag of white rice
• 4 loaves bread
• 1 box instant potatoes
• 1 box powdered milk
• 4 whole chickens
• 1 6lb beef
• 1 bag pinto beans
• 1 bag black beans
• 1 frozen bag corn, peas, green beans, carrots
• 2 boxes Cherios
• 1 box crackers
• 1/2 deli ham
• 1/2 deli turkey
• 1 block cheddar
• 1 block colby jack
• 1 bag baby carrots
• 2 pkgs fruit cups
• 1 bag pretzles
• 1 bag apples
• 1 crunchy peanut butter
• 8 bananas (FANTASTIC frozen!)
• 1 Tea
• 1 Coffee
• 1 Hummus
• 1 bag Flax Chips
• 1 Sour Cream
• 1 Jar hot sauce
• 1 bag onions
• 1 celery
• 1 Bulb garlic
• 1 Honey
• 1 Bacon
• 1 hotdog
• 1 pkg snack bags
• 1 pkg sandwich bags
• 1 box ramen
• 2 cream of chicken soup
• 1 box baking soda
• 1 box washing soda or Borax I’ll alternate months
• 1 gal white vinegar
• 1 bar Fals Naptha Soap

***List doesn’t include toiletries

Now, this list prepares me to make a months worth of the following:

Yogurt, mozzarella cheese, fresh butter, granola, dishwasher powdered soap, laundry soap, bathtub cleaner, toilet cleaner, all purpose cleaner… all homemade

It helps me start my “Re-Grow” veggies for my indoor garden:

Celery, garlic, onion

**Next month I’ll get scallions

It also starts to prep my pantry with staple items:

Powdered milk just in case I ever run out, rice, beans, pastas

**Next month I’ll grab flour and sugar

Lastly, my freezer meals:

American Chop Suey, Meatloaf, Egg/Bacon Breakfast Sandwiches, Banana Bites for snacking, Spaghetti Sauce, Beef Enchilladas, Ground Beef for tacos, Tuna Casserole, Mac and Cheese

I even have items on my list to create little lunchable meals for my son for school besides his boring sandwiches. Ill grab the tupperware with compartments and use cupcake liners to seperate like a lunchable. He just brings a bottle of water with a few drops lemon juice!

My shopping trip consists of Aldi and Walmart.  Some things like the large cans of tomato sauce are at Walmart because Aldi only sells regular cans.  My budget will start at $150.00/month for all grocery and staples. As I cook and get through my month, I’m sure I’ll adjust next month.  I also coupon, so some of this I can coupon for provided the cost is lower than Aldi’s price.  Both stores are within 1.5 miles of my home, so its very easy!

How do you plan your month?  What advice can you give to someone just starting to plan ahead?