Step 3: Grocery shop. I generally buy my meats once every few months from Costco, as well as anything else I can use in bulk. Its a 75+ minute trip home from Costco, so I pack my cooler and don’t buy anything frozen. I try to buy my produce at one place, usually a store in town or, if I’m really lucky, Market on the Move or Bountiful Baskets. Market on the Move brings fresh produce to local areas for a donation of $10. Most people walk away with about 60lbs of produce. (It’s a great place to volunteer as well.) Bountiful Baskets is very similar to community supported agriculture. For $15 you can get their seasonal basket. 50% vegetables and 50% fruits. If you can plan your menu around the produce you get at either place, then you are set! For everything else (or if I’m in a hurry) I hit the commissary. I try to shop the day before I do my prep. It’s just too much to do everything in one day.
Step 4: Prep food. I am a HUGE fan of my crock pot. Today I prepared 7 meals in the course of an hour for my crockpot. Chop veggies, add broth, divide meat, etc. There are some meals which require actually cooking on prep day, and I usually save them for last. The more food I can get out of the fridge and pantry and into the freezer the more accomplished I feel. Of course, if I have something that cooks for an hour, I can pop that in and then prep a few more meals. Label them, with any additional directions, and put them in your freezer.
Crockpot Disclaimer: I use my crockpot because it is easier for me. I have 3 of them and it’s an easy clean-up. Not all of these recipes are made in the crockpot. You can always choose things for the stove-top or the oven. I have a programmable crockpot and it works for me because when I do work, I work from 8am to 4pm, so by the time I get home dinner is done. No work for me that day. Find what works for you and explore your options. Maybe your local family assistance center/lending closet has a crockpot you can borrow to try out.
