Let's start at the very beginning

OK, so I've been called a lot of things, 'neurotic,' 'obsessive,' 'anal' and just plain 'all sorts of CRAZY.' So I admit it, I may be a bit more organized than the next girl in a sort of psychotic way. However, having said this, I have to say that having foodie kids starts with a little preparation. You may not be able to go as far as I do in the organization category, but starting with a little planning will take you a long way. This is how I start.

Every weekend I do a big shop. This usually includes hitting Trader Joe's and a farmer's market. I am lucky to have lots of wonderful produce at my disposal, but even if you have to work for it a little, FIND GOOD PRODUCE. Fresh fruits and vegetables, preferably local, just plain taste better. Of course I'd love to hit the gorgeous meat and fish markets here in Berkeley as well, but let's face it, times are tough all over these days, so I stay basic for the meat and other grocery and go big on the produce.

Before I shop, I make a menu and list. Here's where the crazy comes in, but bare with me.

My first step is to figure out what my week looks like and then what I am going to make. If I know we have plans with friends, a meeting at school, my husband's softball game or any other event or stress that will make it impossible to cook, then I plan for it. There is nothing I hate more than throwing food away, so I am careful to plan only what I need and I always try to plan at least one meal that can 'float' to the next week by choosing ingredients that are not perishable or those that can be frozen. Even if I don't have activities and events, if it's going to be a stressful week, I am realistic and will plan to go out or order in in place of cooking. It is all in the planning. The key is to get what you need in one day and have a plan to finish everything while it is fresh.

The second step is the menu planning. For this, I do a mix and match. There are staples that I make that I know everyone loves, so I often write the ingredients for one or two of these every week. These meals are easy and I can do them out of my head with no recipe; they are things I can have on the table in twenty minutes - seriously. The staples are usually mains and I make sure to write a list item for a vegetable and a starch to go along with the main, if it makes sense. For the other recipes on the menu, I scour magazines, cook books, food network and the web to find things to try. (I will definitely share more about my favorite resources in another post and plan to post all of the recipes that the foodie kids love as well!) Once I find a good mix of recipes for the week, I write down all the ingredients on the list and I am ready to go. Remember, only choose what you think you can actually make. If you have more ideas than you have time for that week, make a mental note and try the recipes the following week.

The final step is 'the list.' I keep a sticky pad on the side of my refrigerator so I can write down anything I think of during the week. This might be something I run out of or something my husband or kids requests, but the list is always handy on the fridge, so that's where everything goes. I always write this random stuff at the top of the list because I like to write my menu ingredients in somewhat of an order so that I can make my two stops quickly when I shop. I have seen the nifty lists you can print out and check off from the web or purchase, but for me, a simple 'by category' list works just fine. I know the layout of my stores/markets pretty well, so I like to break it down like this:

Dairy Items
Produce
Pantry Items
Meats
Frozen foods

That's it. That's how I get started and that's how it works. Now go forth and let your inner 'crazy' out.