Creating a Home Journal: Step 6 - Menu Planing- Part 1

OK! Menu planning is something I have fun with. I really like to cook but when life is busy I really need to plan. I really like Menus 4 Moms for this. They do all the work! the food is good and inexpensive. Using their system monthly food budget is about 400 for my family of 6.

In this section of my Home Journal I keep my Master Grocery List. With my well stocked pantry I can make all the foods my family eats. With my Master Grocery List I can keep inventory and make my weekly grocery list with it. When I run out of something I highlight it with a red dry erase marker right away, then on Monday when I make my grocery list It is easy to determine What I need to put on it. Here is my Master Grocery List.

Pantry Spices & Seasonings Adobo Basil Bay leaf Cayenne pepper Celery seed Chili Powder Chili spice blend Chives Cilantro Cinnamon Cumin Curry Powder Dehydrated onion Dill Dry mustard Garlic powder Garlic salt Ground ginger Italian seasoning Lemon pepper Liquid smoke Marjoram Nutmeg Onion powder Onion Soup Mix Oregano Paprika Parsley Pepper Poppy seed Rosemary Salt Taco Seasoning Mix Tarragon Thyme Balsamic vinegar Red Wine Vinegar Rice vinegar Vinegar Beef Bouillon Granules Chicken Bouillon Granules Dry red wine White cooking wine Cooking sherry Hot sauce Ketchup Worcestershire Sauce Ranch Dressing Mix Sesame Oil Olive Oil Vegetable Oil Baking Needs Almond Extract Baking Powder

Baking Soda Biscuit mix Bread flour Confectioner's Sugar Corn Meal Corn Starch Corn Syrup Evaporated Milk Flour Honey Jell-O packages Rolled oats Stuffing Mix Sugar Vanilla Extract  Yeast Baking nuts   Beans Pinto beans Black Beans Kidney Beans   Lentils Red Beans White Navy Beans Fruit Individual Fruit Cups Pineapple, Crushed Raisins Cran-rasins   Miscellaneous Croutons Graham Crackers Peanut Butter Sunflower Seeds Taco Shells Tea bags Coffee Pasta and Rice Egg Noodles Elbow Macaroni Fettuccini Linguini Rice Rice Noodles Shells (jumbo, medium) Vermicelli   Produce Apples Bananas Grapes Oranges

Canned Goods Cut Corn Creamed Corn Green Beans Mushroom Pieces Peas Roasted Red Peppers Tomatoes (variety) Water chestnuts, sliced Coconut Milk (for Thai dishes) Cream Soups Enchilada Sauce, red and green Green Chiles, diced Salsa Spaghetti Sauce   Paper & Plastic Heavy Duty Foil Paper Plates Parchment Paper Plastic Baggies Plastic Wrap Wax Paper Toilet Paper Refrigerator Items Cheese American cheese slices Cottage Cheese Feta Cheese Shredded Cheese String Cheese   Condiments Barbecue sauce Dill pickle spears Fruit Preserves (100% fruit) Hot sauce Lemon Juice Lime Juice Mayonnaise Salad Dressing Salad peppers or relish Soy sauce/tamari Teriyaki sauce Yellow mustard Dairy Butter Buttermilk Cream Cheese Eggs Milk Coffee cream Plain Yogurt Sour cream

Meat Bacon or bacon bits Deli Meat Pepperoni Produce Carrots celery Garlic cloves Green Bell Peppers Lettuce leaves Mushrooms Onions (a bag) Salad Mix   Freezer Items Frozen Fruit Bagged berries, miscellaneous Frozen Vegetables Asparagus Breaded Okra Broccoli Cuts Cauliflower Hash Browns Mixed Vegetables Peas Peas and Carrots Corn Stir Fry Vegetables Sugar Snap Peas   Meat Beef (ground, roast, stew, and flank) Chicken Hot Dogs Hot Italian Sausage Pepperoni Pork Chops Prepared Ingredients Black beans, cooked Buttermilk biscuit dough Chili Chicken, cooked and diced or shredded Ground beef, browned Ham, cooked and diced Meatballs, raw Peppers & onions, chopped and sautéed Onions, chopped and sautéed

Home work

Think about everything your family eats and make a list

Make a Master Grocery List of all the items you need to buy from the grocery store. Don't forget to include any cleaning supplies