Grocery shopping!
Just the words can cause a panic to come across you. Not because you don’t know how to do it, but because (maybe it’s just me) sometimes grocery shopping makes me a little anxious. Especially in these COVID streets, I try to limit my trips out of the house. So grocery shopping becomes very important. Running to the store to grab that one ingredient you forgot is something I try to avoid. Note: I did not say I was successful at avoiding the quick run trips. I just said I try to avoid (or limit) them.
One thing’s for sure, I have to shop more and/or spend more time at the grocery store with working from home and the kids not being in a ton of extracurricular activities. I’ve discovered, there are five things I always buy. With these items, I can pretty much ensure that we’ll be good for snow storms or just days inside. Disclosure: I’m going to try to keep this list to 5, but no real promises!!
- Bacon: Everyone in our house loves bacon, and not just for breakfast. Burgers, sandwiches, pasta dishes, veggies, and casseroles are all helped with some bacon. Heck, even Brussels sprouts go down easier with bacon pieces.
- Ground meat: I always purchase ground beef and ground sausage. Meatloaf, meatballs, burgers, chili, there are endless possibilities that don’t take a lot of time with ground beef. These foods also stretch for school lunches & great leftovers.
- Onions: Onions are very versatile. They can be caramelized (burgers or grilled cheese sandwiches); made into crispy straws or onion rings (for texture to a dish); sauteed (for added flavor in sauces & gravies); used in several soups.
- Potatoes: Instant side dish for almost any meal. Mashed potatoes are a staple in our house, & baked potatoes are often a choice for the kids’ lunches.
- Garlic: Fresh or jarred garlic goes a long way in improving the flavor of almost anything you cook. Works with the ground meats, onions and potatoes!
As I list these I think of other things I get each time, but I probably always make sure these five ingredients are represented. Some other things I buy frequently if not every grocery store trip are – eggs, milk, orange juice – but those are obvious! If I’m being honest, there is another thing one more thing I get [most] everytime:
- Potato Chips! Kettle chips to be exact. They are the perfect late night snack (but promise you won’t tell my trainer–she would take exception to that!).
How about you? What items do you always buy? Tell me below, I really want to know!