Purim is over and Pesach is on its way. The special Pesach groceries are being put on store shelves and most likely making you nervous every time you see them. Pesach food is so expensive and will vanish off the shelves quickly. You want to buy what you need, but don’t want to over spend or over purchase. Pesach grocery shopping feels totally overwhelming. It is going to be ok though. I will walk you through it.
Let’s start with some basic information that will help you determine the types and quantities of foods that you need.
A. Are you home the whole Pesach? If so, you will need enough food for your entire family for the eight days, plus for a day or two before (when everyone is ‘starving’ because there is no more chometz in the house).
B. Are you making a seder in your home? You will need specific foods, including ingredients for charoset, lots of romaine lettuce, and maybe some freshly grated horseradish (my Sephardi husband’s family doesn’t use the horseradish. Not complaining).
C. Do you have guests coming to stay or to eat? You need more food than you would normally buy for your family, so keep that in mind.
D. Is this your first year making Pesach? This will be a tough one for you. You will probably have a hard time figuring out what amounts of food you need or what you will be cooking. Use my tips below to help you organize your plan.
E. Or have you been making Pesach for years? Then you probably already know what you are doing. Congratulations! And don’t forget to help the confused and overwhelmed looking lady in the store. She is not a pro yet.
If this is your first year making Pesach, or you need some help organizing your food plans, here are a few tips to help you out:
1. Open up a notebook or your computer (the computer is better, because you can edit and reprint as many times as you want). It is time to make a list. Take a quick inventory of what kitchen supplies you already have (i.e. pots, dishes, food processors, etc.). You don’t have to write these down. Write down what you don’t have but need. I have been making Pesach for 22 years now, B”H, and pretty much have everything I need, but sometimes I need to replace an item. After Pesach, if something needs replacing, I put it on this list. Then, next year, I will know I need a new one.
2. Make a second list, this one of your favorite recipes or menus. Keep this from year to year also, so you won’t have to spend as much time contemplating the food.
3. Make a third list. A master grocery list. Use that menu to help you determine which ingredients you will need. Every year I edit the list a little based on what or for how many I am cooking. I print the list after Purim and put in my purse. Every time I buy something for Pesach, I cross it off of my list. This keeps me from double buying. And since Pesach food is so expensive, this is very helpful.
4. Before you go and buy anything, open up all of your cabinets. I bet you don’t realize how many items are already in your cabinet that are kosher for Pesach. Sort through everything and take out any still-sealed containers of kosher for Pesach items. Put them aside in a box or bag or cleaned out cabinet. Cross those off of your list. You just saved yourself from buying them later. And saved money too!
5. I want you to do one more thing. Before you buy anything, do yourself a favor and look at the prices. If that Bissilli snack is too expensive and you think you can make it one week without it, don’t buy it. The most important rule for Pesach shopping is if you can manage for a week without it, don’t buy it. And if you can’t manage without it, try to find the best price. We have a tendency to want to buy everything in one store and all at once, but you could be spending literally hundreds of extra dollars by not shopping in at least two or three different stores.
And so, I wish you great luck in your Pesach grocery shopping adventures. May you find the best deals, always know what you still need and what you already bought, and may none of you children find that secret Pesach chocolate bar you hid from them!
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