Tips:
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To save time when you’re shopping for groceries, use different colored highlighters to mark items on your list that are in different sections of the store. For example, highlight produce section items in yellow, dairy items pink and so on. This will prevent you from having to go back and forth across the store for something you have forgotten.
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Here’s another tip along this same line: Start with an 8 x 11 sheet of paper. Write “Produce” in the left corner and then half way down the page below it write “Dairy.” In the top right corner, write “Meat” and half way down the page below it, write “Bakery.” In the center of the page, write “Canned Goods.”
Here’s an example how it should look:
ProduceMeatCanned GoodsDairyBakeryKeep a stack of these to use to write your grocery list on instead of just jumbling all the items together. Change the titles to whatever works best for you. For example, if you are a vegetarian then you may want to replace meat with Dry Goods. If you like, you can make these on the computer and print of a stack of them to to use as needed.
Menu:
Reuben Dog Casserole
Boiled Potatoes
Dill Pickles
Tossed Salad
Rye Bread or some crusty bread
Ruby Pears
Recipes:
Reuben Dog Casserole
1 can (27 oz.) sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1-2 tsp. caraway seeds
8 hot dogs, halved lengthwise
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese
Thousand Island Dresssing
Place sauerkraut in a greased 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with caraway seeds. Top with hot dogs. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 3-5 minutes more until the cheese is melted. Serve with salad dressing. Servings 4-6.
This next recipe is great any time but it might be one you would want to put in your Christmas file because it has such a pretty color for Christmas. It’s also a good “pantry” recipe. You can keep all the ingredients in your pantry for a fast and easy dish when you need it.
Ruby Pears
1 can (29 oz.) pear halves, drained
1 can (16 oz.) cranberry sauce
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Place pears, cut side up, in a greased 8 inch square baking dish. In a pan, mix the remaining ingredients, cooking and stirring until sugar is dissolved. Spoon over the pears. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.
For lots of quick and easy menus that you can make in 30 minutes or less, check out our Quick And Easy Menus On A Dime menu guide.
Photo By: Jeremy Keith
A year or two ago I took the time to make a shopping list with 8 columns which correspond to the aisles in my favorite grocery store–almost like a map! Each column contains the items I usually buy in that aisle, plus some empty spaces to write in other items. It is so easy to print, circle, and write in my list, plus it reminds me of staple itmes I need to check on before shopping.
Now that I’m having back problems and can’t stay on my feet long, it is so easy to give this prepared list to a family member to shop with. Even people who don’t usually shop can easily find everything on the list!
I liked your idea of the grocery list – Because I have done that for a number of years now. I designed it in Excel and it is there when I run out of printed ones. I have a bunch of heavier paper (card stock) that I got really cheap and I usually use it to print on, that way I can scribble on it without going through the paper. Then I use the back of it for notes etc or tear into quarters and use for smaller lists.