[Panserbjorne]

We have recently become a whole foods family, and it's gotten both expensive and boring because I'm not creative and still new to the game. Mamas, help me out. What are staples in your houses and what is on your shopping list every week? This thread will be followed by another asking what your favorite meals are. I'm running into a problem with creativity. I can't afford alot of meat, and I'm not used to cooking without it. How do you manage yummy protein rich meals with what's around the house? Thanks for sharing! I've already gotten alot of ideas from the potato thread!

 

[love2all]

Staples for our family always include:
brown rice
basmati rice
cous-cous
quinoa
beans, beans, beans
oats
spelt flour for baking muffins and stuff
frozen berries
any and all kids of fruit and veggies- always fresh
tofu, tvp, tempeh
loads of winter squash and sweet pot.

As for meals- we shake it up, one grain one night another the next- left over made into a pilaf or stirfry
we make bean or lentil stews or tacos or burrittos
some nights it is baked/fried/stirfried tofu of tempeh
always a fresh salad of greens and a FRUIT SALAD to start off meals
with a cooked winter squash or some kind of steamed greens

my kids eat up and this has worked for us-
good for you mama- do not give up.. this is an important foundation for your kids!!!!
let me know what else ya need

 

[Persephone]

I have actually typed out my list of staples. Keep in mind, this is for two people, and it's a month's worth of groceries. And it's not really complete, either. Our grocery budget for the month is $100

Master Grocery List

Produce:
*Onions: $1.99
*Celery: $ 1.29
*Carrots: $.99/ea (Organic)
*Mushrooms: $ 1.50
*Spinach OR Romaine: $ 2.29 (Romaine)
*Sweet potatoes OR potatoes
(Seasonally)
*Tomatoes
*Greens
*Squash

Canned and dried goods:
*Tomato sauce
*Olive oil: $9.49
*Flour: $ 3.29
*Beans (white, black, pinto, lentils, chickpeas): $1.35/ea
*Grains: (Barley, Rice, Oatmeal, Couscous): $2.79 (Oatmeal), $1.55 (Rice)
*Nuts (Walnuts & Almonds): $6.35
*Raisins: $2.99
(Seasonally)
*Pumpkin
*Tomatoes (diced)

Dairy:
*Shredded Cheese (Mozzarella and Cheddar): $5.00
*Sliced cheese (Cheddar): $3.49
*Butter: $2.79
*Milk: $1.82
*Sour Cream
*Heavy Cream
*Eggs: $2.39

Meat:
*Chicken
*Ground beef
(Whichever is on sale)

Frozen foods:
*Frozen Mixed Veggies
*Frozen Berries (Raspberries, Strawberries, Blueberries): $2.50/ea

 

[root*children]

We've been eating wisely for about 8 years now and have gotten it down to where I only have to grocery shop about once a month.
But staples are: fruit, veggies (frz & fresh), onion, potatoes, tortillas, corn meal, WW & white flour (UB, of course

), beans, tofu, several nutbutters (almond, cashew, peanut), whole nuts, oats, grits, rice, all the grains Love2All mentioned, really! plus barley, dried fruits (currants, raisins, apples), and lots of stuff to jazz it up (which I think is the most important, really!)
Jazzy additions to anymeal:
Coconut milk
Sesame oil
Braggs
Nutritional Yeast
Tamari
Nut Butters
Marinara, Ketchup (Big Lots just had Muir Glen ketchup for $1.49.. woo-hoo!)
honey/molasses/maple syrup
every spice imaginable (well.. not really... but close

)
fresh garlic, ginger, onions
lots of different vinegars (brown rice, balsamic, mirin, etc)

Check out Cynthia Lair's cookbook for some yummy ideas to spice it up a little!

 

[mommyoftwo]

wow, once a month shopping what a dream come true. How? What about fresh fruits and veggies? I feel like I am running to the store every other day for something. At least we have a great coop close. Makes it fun to shop.

 

[member]

My list looks a lot like Dready Mama's. We stick to the basics and I cook from what we have on hand. I like to cook in bulk as well and then freeze portions in small containers for easy meals.

For example, today's menu was old-fashioned oats cooked with water in the microwave with almond butter, yogurt cheese and cinnamon added in for a thick creamy cereal; for lunch and dinner I had a salad made of pearled barley, baby peas and poached chicken tossed with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. I snacked on cheese, clementines and a banana cut up and tossed with honey. The only thing that was a recent store purchase was the banana.

 

[oldcrunchymom]

I go grocery shopping every 2-3 weeks. I don't buy ALL this stuff every time, but these are our staples. Most of it is organic.

Protein: Peanut butter, tofu, fish, eggs

Dairy: Cheese, yogurt, soymilk

Grains: Soba (buckwheat noodles), whole wheat flour, whole wheat bread, pasta, udon and lo mein noodles, brown rice, white rice, cornmeal, beans, oatmeal, cereal

Fruits and veggies: Bananas, apples, potatoes, carrots, raisins, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, canned tomatos, tomato sauce, orange juice, and whatever else is organic and cheap

Other: Chicken or vegetable broth

I have a cupboard full (and I do mean FULL) of different oils, vinegars, spices, sauces, hot pepper sauces, etc. On top of that one I have another cupboard full of baking necessities. These things are what let you vary meals, much more than the food itself IMO.

 

[root*children]

We can do shop very seldomly because we also order from a delivered co-op and buy in huge amounts (esp. when on sale!) DH made a gigantic and deep shelf in our sewing/storage room. Sits beside the chest freezer. It's always packed with food.

As far as fresh produce goes, we don't eat as much as I'd like to honestly. But honestly, if you look at it in a macrobiotic/natural way, it isn't very natural to be eating tons of fresh produce in the winter time, unless you live in Florida or something, right? So here in Colorado, during the Spring//Summer/Fall we always have TONS of fresh fruit/veggies from our garden. Then we store as much as we can (frozen, dried, canned, root cellar, etc).

But this also means we will have fresh carrots, garlic, potatoes and winter squash throughout the winter and the Spring. And on those grocery store trips we do make, we pick up a bunch of bananas or oranges or broccoli or avocados or whatever. It usually all gets eaten in a week or two and then for the other two weeks we'll eat frozen. But some fruits stay good longer, like oranges, apples, etc. So we'll always have something fresh around here, although sometimes in the Winter, not much!

 

[Ruthla]

I try to buy a lot of in-season produce- I prepared a lot of pumpkin and squash (plus their seeds!) in October/November!!! I always keep potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, and fresh ginger on hand.

We use a lot of brown rice, quinoa, beans, canned potatoes (paste and crushed), whole wheat flour, oatmeal, raisins, canned fruit packed in water (in the winter when we can't find good fresh fruit.)