The last thing I want to do after work last night was battle the crowds at Trader Joe’s but my pantry was empty and I needed to get it done. Wandering the aisles of that crazy store is miserable so I’ve been making an effort to think about my shopping list and potential meals before I enter the store. Taking a page out of my fellow tumblr’s book and creating a “weekly meal plan” I was able to make it a quick and successful shopping trip. Here’s my latest haul and what I’m planning to do with it:

Fruits & Veggies: This makes up the biggest portion of my purchase. Most of these veggies are for a crock-pot chili (made last night) plus frozen mango and fresh spinach for smoothies, apple pears for snacking, avocado for tuna later this week (avocados aren’t yet ripe), eggplant for a take on this recipe, butternut squash for roasting and bananas for possibly this recipe.

Meat, Fish & Eggs: Two packages of lean turkey (one for freezing for a future meal and one for last night’s chili), Dijon salmon for an easy dinner later this week, prosciutto for the eggplant recipe and egg whites for simple omelets during the weekend.

Misc. & Treats: Aside from what’s above, I bought marinara sauce for the eggplant & prosciutto dish, tomato paste for chili, unsweetened almond milk (a staple in our apt for coffee), and then vegan cheese (I try to be dairy free but have been craving melty cheese, we’ll see how this is). And then of course I need a few treats around the apartment: dried pears (unsweetened), cinnamon almonds and dark chocolate with almonds for when I need a sweet fix.

The total bill was $80 and this should last me & MM for the rest of the week’s dinners (with leftovers for lunch). If you find yourself wandering the grocery store aisles without much direction, try planning your weekly meals in advance and creating a clear cut list of what you need to buy. It really helps!