Food

The second department a Family Manager has to manage is Food. This relates to planning menus, shopping for food and looking out for the most economical way to feed your family. I'll have to admit that this is the area I struggle with the most. I'm the world's worst when it comes to sitting down to plan out meals for my family before I go to the grocery store. I do not like going to the grocery store, so I really try to make only one trip per week. But, sometimes that gets me into trouble if I don't plan well. We end up in the middle of the week with just bits and pieces of meals, and the kids end up eating lunch meat and crackers for dinner. So, obviously this is one area I need to work on myself.

I am a big fan of clipping coupons, but only if they are for products you would normally use. Buying food for you family in an economical way is hard work. But, with a little diligence and patience, you can stretch your dollar far. I always look at the sale papers to see what products we use might be on sale. I try to take advantage of the weekly sale prices. Also, if your grocery store has a free rewards program, make sure you sign up for this. Many times products are marked down just for rewards program members.

Take Home Tip: Write on index cards two weeks worth of your family's favorite meals and the ingredients necessary to prepare those meals. Then each week shuffle the cards and draw out how many you need for the number of days you will cook that week. Use these to create your shopping list. But, be warned...having the same meals over and over will get boring. So, always keep your eyes open for new recipes and meal ideas that your family will like.