Food for the week

This might sound strange but I've just worked out our weekly food shop - 10 years after leaving home! These are the basics we'll get through each week, with a bit of wiggle room when it comes to making quick dinners and work lunches. It's nice to have a list that doesn't change much, and a fridge that's almost empty at the end of the week.

Here's what's always on the list:

Apples and bananas for snacks.

Berries if they're in season, to make packed breakfasts a bit more exciting.

Avocados and tomatoes for work lunch sambos.

Baby spinach for smoothies, emergency tuna pasta and chickpea salad (a super easy weekday lunch).

A bunch of parsley for salads and soups.

Lemons for avocado toast, pastas and salad dressings.

Yoghurt for lazy breakfasts, porridge and curries.

Milk and bread.

Things like carrots, celery, onions, eggs and cheese get bought a couple times a month if that. If we're both home for the whole week, I'll also shop for ingredients for two dinners.

And just in case you're wondering, I look after 95% of the food shopping as a trade off for Tony doing all of the laundry! I love grocery shopping -  this was my favourite book as a kid.

Am I missing something delicious or great? Let me know!

The market shop + a favourite treat

I've never been one for meal planning but I've found a way to make it flexible and easy. Most weeks I head to the farmers markets with two meals in mind. This week it was spaghetti and meatballs (my favourite) and a sausage and kale soup. The week before it was lasagne (Tony's favourite) and Sophie's coconut Thai stir fry. Bonus points if the meals have a shared ingredient!

There are also weekly staples, usually apples, tomatoes, salad greens, eggs, lemons, yoghurt and a block of really nice cheese. All up, it's enough fresh food to last us the week and minimise food waste.

I really look forward to the market shop and there are so many to choose from in Canberra - they run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Sunday market is my favourite, I head there as soon as I wake up and it's always buzzing with people and every kind of cute dog. And now that it's warming up, I get an orange slushie (with a blood orange swirl!) for the trip home.

P.S Here's what student nutritionist Kate Levins buys each week, I've also been inspired by Yasmeen's weekly market shops and food writer Michael Pollan.