This is a true reflection of how Rachael Ray live day-to-day life. She do a BIG shop
every couple of weeks and pick up a few fill-in items or entree basics each day she
cook. She cook a lot because the system works and always keeps her in groceries. Best
of all, even if she is super tired, she always have the security blanket of knowing she can
go straight home and cook something groovy right from my cupboard.
Unit Price
Always look at the unit price (generally noted as price per ounce,
either fluid or weight) rather than the sticker price when you are
selecting an item. You'll find the unit price on the shelf label to the
left of the item's sticker price. It gives you the value of the grocery
item and it is the only true way to compare costs between different
brands and package sizes. This way you'll know the actual price of
your EVOO, stock, tomatoes, et cetera.
Stocking Up
When you see a sale on a pricey item like chicken breasts or filet
mignon, buy more than you need for your meal and freeze the extras
in small portions. Place the chicken breasts in small freezer bags with
a splash of water and pound the m out into cutlets, then place them in
the freezer. When frozen solid you can stack them to save space. Cut
a large piece of filet into small tournedos (I-inch-thick steaks), and
wrap them in parchment paper, and then place them in freezer bags
in single-serve portions. Salmon is on sale ? Buy a whole side and cut
it into 6-ounce fillets, then individually sack 'em and stack 'em! This
way you always have go-to versatile, high-quality entree choices in
single or multiple servings. The small portions also defrost quickly.
Time Is Money. What's You1r Time Worth?
If you need to get the food on the table fast, take a little help on the
prep work. In the fresh produce department I will often pick up raw
trimmed green beans or shredded carrots or cabbage. I even pick up
whole boiled eggs from the salad bar when I want to use them for a
salad garnish.
Many Trips Make Small Work
Once you've built up your on-hand goods, keep it up with biweekly
big shops. Every other week hit the market hard with your master
list of staples. During the workweek, all you'll need are
fresh meats and fill-in ingredients, which you can pick up every
couple of nights, helping you become a frequent traveler through the
Express Lane!
Put It Away Oean!
When you bring home your groceries, wash all the greens, herbs, and
veggies, dry them, and put them away in plastic food storage bags.
The herbs especially will keep up to 2 weeks once trimmed, plus you
will save time every night because your ingredients will be ready and
waiting for you to use-no stopping to spin lettuce or rinse parsley.
