What? It’s true. It’s complicated. And no, I do not mean my relationship status on Facebook. That’s easy. Married. Taken. Not interested. Et cetera. I’m not a 12 year old; you didn’t hurt my feelings, and I’m not punishing you. Now that we’ve covered that, let’s answer the question – what’s complicated?
Creating a dang shopping list. That’s what. Why? Well, not only are we attempting Paleo, we’re attempting a version of it that is extremely low in carbs. Less than 50 grams per day low. Ketosis low. So here is how I am currently creating a shopping list:
Print out the SpiderGirl and Boy Wonder Family Grocery List (I created this specifically for our household. I’ll be fixing it again soon as it needs some updates). Grab the Freezer Inventory List. Grab the list of low carb foods that I shared previously. And don’t forget the weekly ads and possible coupons. Ugh. And of course, this list clearly isn’t complete. I agree – limit your intake of fruits, especially when they are out of season; but I certainly do not believe in removing them completely. Frankly, I like apples and pears and grapes.
So now I’m stuck. Instead of creating a grocery list for tomorrow, I’m editing the existing list to remove food items that I do not want to buy any longer.
(birds chirp)
OK. Edits done. Back to the shopping list now – I don’t know about you, but Boy Wonder and I found we spent way too much money and brought home way too little food when we went to just one specific store. Now, we print out the list, check off what we want, and then shop the ads. Yeah, it uses a bit more gas than a trip to just one store. That’s why you have a specific route and stick to it. I mean, I have a specific route because the grocery stores just lay out that way where I live.
I’m very random today, so I apologize in advance. Since switching to a healthier eating style, have you noticed the distinct lack of good coupons? There just aren’t as many coupons available for whole, healthy foods as there are for over-processed foods. It’s really frustrating. So, if you have a suggestion, let me know!
Spidergirl and her Boy Wonder 
I agree. Shopping has been my biggest problem, as we were already tight financially before starting paleo. But over the last month or so, I have found a few things that may be helpful. As you said, you MUST use all available stores. As to coupons, you are correct. There are really very little coupons for fresh meats and produce. But as I read somewhere, use the coupons you can. Trash bags, laundry detergent, toothpaste. Every dollar you save on these is a dollar for food. And I don’t know what your schedule allows for, but some of my local stores have managers specials on short coded meats, and as long as you don’t mind having to eat it that day or the next, its a great money saver. The only problem with this is that you have to go in and look all the time. The key is to know which stores do it, as most around here don’t.
I’ve never heard of ‘managers specials’, but I absolutely shop the yellow tagged meats at Wal-Mart. For some unknown reason, we have 3 Super Centers here, but one specific store has a great selection of mark down meat each Friday. I know, it’s Wal-Mart – but it’s also marked down meat.
Although, we actually make our own laundry detergent so I don’t even look at those coupons! I’ve even found recipes for homemade liquid dish detergent and other cleaners (including toothpaste and deodorant, which I am only slightly hesitant to use, lol). I much prefer making our cleaning products. The house is still as clean as it can be with 4 dogs, two cats, and a roomie that doesn’t pick up after himself.
Thank you for your reply, Primal Greg!