Buying Too Much Food

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melmonroe
melmonroe Posts: 111
in Food and Nutrition
I am so used to eating tons of food, that when I went shopping, instead of buying a weeks worth of food, I bought about a months worth not thinking. Has this happened to anyone else? I got it in the cart and thought, wow!

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  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
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    I make a menu and then shop with a list. That eliminates this problem.
  • Sarahwillow
    Sarahwillow Posts: 56 Member
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    I have done this so many times! But, I ended up canning the extra veggies (tomatoes, winter squash) froze the extra meat (I am so happy to see that when I open my freezer!) and ended up have salad a few times during the day! You will get used to this way of buying!! I promise you, it is so worth it at the end of the day!!!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I make a menu and then shop with a list. That eliminates this problem.

    This ^^^

    I did that once and then couldn't pay a bill, so I never shop without a list. Since I started MFP, I have started my lists with my proteins and plan meals, then make the rest of my list based off my meals. I save a ton of money doing that and eliminate any problems with having too much of the wrong foods or over-shooting my budget.
  • amann1976
    amann1976 Posts: 742 Member
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    i shop as needed a few times a week, ingredients are fresher and helps to buy what i need and not over do it.
  • melmonroe
    melmonroe Posts: 111
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    i shop as needed a few times a week, ingredients are fresher and helps to buy what i need and not over do it.

    Me too! I walk there with a back pack -- whatever I buy, I have to carry home now. I live on a very steep graded hill. The empty pack goes with me down the hill to go shopping but the heavy full back pack goes up that blasted hill on my back. LOL!
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    I make a menu and then shop with a list. That eliminates this problem.

    I make a list, but only because I forget what I went to the store for otherwise. And then I leave the list on my desk as I leave work and get to the store and only buy half of the things I needed...
  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 637 Member
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    No because I mostly buy fresh fruit and vegetables that only last a week. I guess if you were stockpiling your pantry with snacks I could see how that could happen.
  • kenazfehu
    kenazfehu Posts: 1,188 Member
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    I have noticed that we don't have to buy groceries as often as we did in the past. We aren't constantly running out of the things I used to scarf down.
  • melmonroe
    melmonroe Posts: 111
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    I have done this so many times! But, I ended up canning the extra veggies (tomatoes, winter squash) froze the extra meat (I am so happy to see that when I open my freezer!) and ended up have salad a few times during the day! You will get used to this way of buying!! I promise you, it is so worth it at the end of the day!!!

    Me too! I have to watch that I only by a few pounds of green, they get funny after awhile in my fridge. I get organic raw spinach because when it starts getting "over the top," I put it in my family's crock pot stew and cook it (which I cannot eat) and they love the extra green. I have pounds of frozen greens in the deep freezer which I also mix raw with avocado shakes instead of ice. LOL!
  • njgirl50
    njgirl50 Posts: 62 Member
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    I tend to buy protein in bulk when its on sale, then I freeze what I am not using in the next couple of days. Produce I end up buying every few days, getting most at a local farm. I try not to buy any junk food so I will not be tempted, though if I do, it has to be something that won't blow my diet if I eat more than I should(such as popcorn). I found we had a lot of pasta and mixes such as Hamburger Helper, but have found that if I plan ahead of time & measure out my portion, I can still eat them.
  • melmonroe
    melmonroe Posts: 111
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    I have noticed that we don't have to buy groceries as often as we did in the past. We aren't constantly running out of the things I used to scarf down.

    Indeed. An old week is a new month of food and I'm starting a pretty canning area for all the stuff I bought.

    Grains, cereals pasta and double duty for kitchen decor! I have two huge decorative glass canned food open pantries which are eight feet high by four feet wide each to put these out for guests to see!

    For some reason the foods themselves don't make me want to binge but the colorful boxes did. LOL!
  • fattypattybinger
    fattypattybinger Posts: 337
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    One of my sores has buy one great one free items and sometimes I stock up. I brought quite a bit of juice boxes (100% juice) when they were buy one get one free in the fall. I noticed this week I have too much food in my freezer and pantry. So I am grocery shopping from home this week and just buy what I need to complete the meal. It is working so far. I get a small basket when I go grocery shopping just for a few items this way I don't browse. Whe the basket is full I know I am done shopping
  • melmonroe
    melmonroe Posts: 111
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    I tend to buy protein in bulk when its on sale, then I freeze what I am not using in the next couple of days. Produce I end up buying every few days, getting most at a local farm. I try not to buy any junk food so I will not be tempted, though if I do, it has to be something that won't blow my diet if I eat more than I should(such as popcorn). I found we had a lot of pasta and mixes such as Hamburger Helper, but have found that if I plan ahead of time & measure out my portion, I can still eat them.

    I am finding that removing binge stuff from colorful boxes and putting them in clear jars is very helpful out in the open as a display. Decorations will have to be replaced if I eat them.. LOL!
  • melmonroe
    melmonroe Posts: 111
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    One of my sores has buy one great one free items and sometimes I stock up. I brought quite a bit of juice boxes (100% juice) when they were buy one get one free in the fall. I noticed this week I have too much food in my freezer and pantry. So I am grocery shopping from home this week and just buy what I need to complete the meal. It is working so far. I get a small basket when I go grocery shopping just for a few items this way I don't browse. Whe the basket is full I know I am done shopping

    I walk to the store with a back pack down hill -- I have to carry it all back in the same back pack UPHILL. That's my silly fill limit except when a friend goes with me... This week we bought 250 feet of copper electric wire.. That was a killer with all the groceries. :embarassed:
  • sandrinamsilva
    sandrinamsilva Posts: 651 Member
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    I do this sometimes. When I do shop for my needs now I look at my cart and think "This is not enough."
  • melmonroe
    melmonroe Posts: 111
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    I have noticed that we don't have to buy groceries as often as we did in the past. We aren't constantly running out of the things I used to scarf down.

    Yep -- that's what I'm discovering! I'm always finding great deals though! I have 2 open canning area displays in my kitchen with 64 square feet of wall/pantry showcase. Until I get this "food shopping as a sport" thing out of my head, at least my kitchen will be nicely decorated. LOL!
  • tekwriter
    tekwriter Posts: 923 Member
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    Where I begin to see mine is in left overs. I know in the past when the rest of the family jumps on board that after a few weeks I begin to have leftovers and will need to adjust what I cook.
  • alvalaurie
    alvalaurie Posts: 369 Member
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    I have the opposite problem. It seems I am shopping more frequently (due to the use of fresh fruits & veggies) & it's costing more (due to the use of fresh fruits & veggies)! Which I understand & it's ok, but it seems we're always needing to go to the store where I use to go just once a month! :huh:
  • melmonroe
    melmonroe Posts: 111
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    I have the opposite problem. It seems I am shopping more frequently (due to the use of fresh fruits & veggies) & it's costing more (due to the use of fresh fruits & veggies)! Which I understand & it's ok, but it seems we're always needing to go to the store where I use to go just once a month! :huh:

    That is understandable. I end up in eating raw organic spinach (cheaper by the full pound) for so many different meals in a few days because it gets "funny" fast.:noway: I'll eat raw for as long as I can and then the rest of the family gets the "near term" veggie into a cooked meal, which they all love. :love:
  • melmonroe
    melmonroe Posts: 111
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    Where I begin to see mine is in left overs. I know in the past when the rest of the family jumps on board that after a few weeks I begin to have leftovers and will need to adjust what I cook.

    Yeah - I mostly eat separately so leftovers do not happen much. Where I'm in "blood sugar level" and "binge trigger" discovery mode, the family all gets to eat anything I buy that I find out sets me off that cannot be dry stored or frozen for the next appropriate meal.

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