Making Memories at Mealtime: From Grocery Shopping to Meal Planning

In our home, the rule is unless the pantry is empty, there is a meal in there somewhere. We may just have to get creative. Those meals are always the best and most memorable for the family. Mealtime and food historically bring people together. It is one of those universal things that adds value and brings meaning to our lives for everyday and special occasions.

As a mother of seven, cooking meals every day has required some creativity over the years.  I draw my creative influences from the budget, favorites, kid’s choices, heritage, and sheer necessity. In recent months, with everyone home, I  have had to revisit and rely on that same creativity with high intention. The caveat has been budget, availability at stores, and the final recurring question “what’s in the pantry.” So our meals have required thought, creativity, and intention to avoid burn out or frustration. We want our favorite foods, comfort foods,  and of course, healthy food.

Grocery Shopping Strategies

Shopping these days requires a plan. So this has been our strategy to keep the pantry and freezer adequate. Here are a few ideas to consider that have proven successful.

1. A two-week supply of meat is the ultimate goal to be proactive with time in the stores.

2. Buy items such as veggies, starches, and staples in large quantities when possible.

3. Take advantage of buy one get one free sales.

4. Create a  tentative meal plan.

5. Review your potential grocery list and be willing to substitute. Consider the substitutes before you go shopping so you will have an idea when you are in the store. Then you won’t have to spend too much time rerouting your meal plan or visiting a variety of stores.

6. Shop predominantly at the Club stores (Costco, Sam’s, BJ’s, etc.) first for larger quantities, if possible.  In today’s times, this makes sense for everyone, and it is a good value for the cost.  Then,  shop elsewhere depending upon quality and supply.

7. Keep a small dry erase board and marker on the fridge so that everyone can remind mom or jot down items that have run out or are getting low, always check the board before going to the store and be sure to erase the board after you have purchased the items.

8. House rule for anyone that goes to the store; Always check the store shelves for essential priority items regardless of need ( tissue, paper towels, hand sanitizer, and Clorox ).

Creative Solutions for Meal Planning

To add some fun and variety to our limited choices in the pantry, we have created meal nights for everyone. This activity has allowed us to step out of our routine and use what we have in the pantry. Everyone loves it. My husband has jumped in and volunteered to cook his favorite meals, which are fried chicken and cooking a full breakfast. The kids love this because I do not fry anything, and oatmeal is usually breakfast when I cook.

The kids team up and have a day to cook; we use this as a teaching opportunity as well. They have to choose what to cook based on what is in the pantry and freezer. So they get creative; this has been popular for the kids, adding extra items such as jalapeños, garlic, or veggies to the store-bought pizza and naming their pizzeria, also learning how to how to prepare a favorite meal such as fettuccini alfredo or making cornbread.

Here is a week’s worth of fun, easy meal ideas for the family:

1. Taco night

2. Stir Fry

3. Mexican spaghetti

4. Sub sandwiches

5. Sloppy Joe’s and baked carrots

6. Homemade pizza

7. A healthy, traditional Sunday dinner (baked chicken, collard greens, mashed sweet potatoes and cornbread).

What’s In a Name

Naming some of our meals by mimicking our favorite fast-food restaurants has been fun, such as for (Panda Express) we created  “Bowls“-meals that go well in bowls such as pasta, rice, veggies,  chicken, or shrimp. We even take out the chopsticks, which is a learning curve for some of us. We had a burger night with homemade french-fries and named it Burgers on the Fry. Jean’s barbecue  is our barbecue night, and it is pulled chicken breast with barbecue sauce on a bun or a baked potato. Hot dogs for dinner turn into a campfire in the backyard  (or fire pit) with smores.  Homemade cookie dough in the freezer for sweets on the fly has also been a great go-to instead of a to-go item.

Dinner and a Movie

Dinner and a movie has also been a hit. We match the meal with a family movie.  On Cinco de Mayo, we had tacos and watched Nacho Libre.  Another night we watched the movie The Help  We called it “Minnie don’t burn no chicken night” as my husband fried chicken.  Just like Minnie states in the movie, The Help, “there is something about frying chicken that just  seems to make life better.” Some of these activities are moments that were not in our lives prior, and now they are moments that we will never forget.  

Grits and Grace

Grits and grace is what we call our Sunday morning/evening breakfast. After everyone has slept in, we eat a full course breakfast (grits, eggs, pancakes, and sausage) that my husband has prepared. Then we study the bible together, each person brings a scripture verse to the conversation for discussion, and we end with prayer.  There is no formality, yet, this is priceless and life-changing.

Making Memories

We eat most meals in the dining room where we have hung string lights or white Christmas lights (something most people have in the attic). The lights create a relaxing and calm atmosphere and dining experience, great ambiance, and conversation, and music adds a nice touch.

Overall, reaching out to my family for meal planning ideas has allowed us to be creative and stay connected. Creativity regarding meal planning has given us a lot of opportunities to keep our eyes on the positive and look for the silver lining during these unprecedented times. We have gained closeness while building memories as a family, and we have learned a lot about each other. It has placed our mind on the things we do have,  rather than on the things we do not. We will document these times and hopefully continue these activities as we move forward in a new normal.