britchanel Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Hey everyone! I need some guidance and advice. I was married on July 27 not-so-domesticated me (my mother tried, I wasn't interested at the time) is trying to become a paleo Betty Crocker! I'm excited about being a wife and have adopted the grocery shopping and cooking. *Random insertion: my mother recently became the home ec teacher at a high school. Immediately upon walking into the room, I saw a food pyramid poster. I begged my mom not to teach her students that they needed 6-11 servings of grains a day. My bread-,cereal-, grain-loving husband chimed in, "Yes, because you really don't need any grains at all." Breakthrough! Anyways, since I'm in control of what we eat, I am having the hardest time. We recently moved to a bigger city and I have access to a plethora of health food stores and farmers markets (love it!!!). We're still on somewhat of a budget since I'm finishing up my master's degree this year. I walked into a store the other day and left with practically nothing because I felt so overwhelmed at shopping for myself and my husband. I was looking at a sales paper for Sprouts tonight and realized that I have absolutely NO clue how much things should cost or what a "good price" for something is. I'm finding it would be easier to resort to SAD foods (probably much to my husband's delight!), but it is NOT what I want to do. Grocery shopping for myself was easy, as I rarely prepared full meals (except when I cooked for my then boyfriend or fiancé). Any words of advice on grocery shopping, meal planning, cooking for a newlywed? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misshannah Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 My newbie advice is try to keep it simple. Get the Well-Fed cookbook or at least scour http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/, Melissa's "big cook" is a lifesaver for us. We pick some meats/proteins (usually ground beef, chicken thighs, and eggs) and mix and match with seasonings and vegetables all week. Some raw veg, some cooked veg, and a variety of fruits. Get the fats you need. Get coconut oil, coconut milk, ghee, light tasting olive oil (for homemade mayo). We brown the beef, bake the chicken, saute or boil or pressure cook the veg and have it ready to mix and match with seasonings and fat. It's brilliant, really. If you enjoy fancier cooking, try some of Melissa's recipes. We've made a number of them and haven't found a dud yet. I especially love her carnitas. http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2011/04/29/stovetop-pork-carnitas/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missmunchie Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Congrats on your marriage! Love your enthusiasm about taking up the food management. Here is my initial advice: 1. Keep it simple. You will be tempted to tryout every cute recipe and technique, but I would limit it to 1-2 fancy things a week. At this point, bun-less burgers, monster salads, and stir-frys can be your friends as you figure out how to roast a chicken, braise ribs, or make mayo. I lived on stir-frys in college because it was a quick and cheap way to get lots of veggies in - an onion, bell pepper and a few carrots with some meat and you're good to go. Of course, back then I'd also use one of those mystery stir-fry sauce packes and dump everything on rice, but today I still love to stir-fry with much more compliant ingredients 2. If you don't have your slow-turnover items purchased yet, your first trip to the store will be a little pricy. Just budget for that. Oils, seasonings, and other staples that won't be purchased every trip will seem to dominate your initial bill but they won't necessarily be reoccuring expenses. 3. Be ready for some trial and error. You're not going to find the best deals on your first trip. You'll buy stuff you never use. You'll buy something you think will last a while and it's gone in three days. But after a few weeks, you'll figure out what you need more or less of. Best of luck, and have fun in your new family! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amberino21 Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 you've got some food advice....I've got some other advice! don't do it all yourself. get your husband in the kitchen to help you out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 You've got some great advice. I would also use the It starts with food shopping lists and a site I really found useful was Whole 30 tips from a busy person. good luck http://life.heylovedesigns.com/2013/02/13/whole30-tips-from-a-busy-person/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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