This weekend I dragged hubby along to the grocery store.  He hasn't come grocery shopping with me in 10+ years.  Pre-kids when we were both working, we would go together on weekends.  As the kids came along, and I stopped working, the grocery shopping and cooking became my exclusive domain.  Every once in awhile I would send hubby to the store to get milk or bagels.  Always a mistake. He would come back with ring dings and ding dogs and devil dogs and if I was lucky the milk and bagels too.  Planning dinner every night has become challenging.  Not everyone in the family likes the same things and quite frankly, I have run out of ideas.

We returned from vacation last Thursday night and before we left, I had pretty much emptied the frig.  On Friday hubby made a comment about a grocery shopping trip was in order and so I invited him along.  Before we went, I scrubbed the frig and freezer top to bottom.  I took inventory of the staples, made a general list and off we went.

We headed to BJ's wholesale club.  Spent a little over and hour and $500.  I have never spent that kind of money in one trip - ever.  He was non-plussed by the whole thing.  We left with two carts full of food and "accessories" - cleaning products, paper products, etc.  Not too many snacks - He did pick up a giant jar of "party mix" and a bag of chips but most of what we bought were staples.  Meat, rice, canned goods.  The kids were thrilled to see so much food coming into the house and told me I should bring Daddy every month.  I was worried about storage - he cleared an area of the basement and loaded all the staples down there giving me one of everything for the kitchen.  Every night this week, I haven't had to worry about dinner - I simply pick something out of the freezer in the morning, decide how I am going to cook it and voila - dinner is  on the table.  It is nice not to have to go to the grocery store everyday  - or every other day.  Now all I need to head out for is milk or bread and cold cuts.

Right now I am heading to the freezer to take out a chicken I am going to roast on the bbq for tonight's dinner along with rice pilaf and steamed peas...so happy not to have to run out to the grocery store!