Once a Month Grocery Shopping

In our ongoing effort to save money I meal planned, for an entire month. It was a bit of undertaking, but overall easier than I expected. Basically I planned my meals around four basic proteins and then bought them in bulk. For instance 5 pounds of ground beef can be found cheaper per pound than one. And you can buy items like pork chops in value packs. Then divide them into meal portions and freeze what you won't using for the week you purchased them.
Plus the added advantage is that I only have to do small trips to the grocery store each week to pick up perishables like fruits and dairy and it's pretty hard to say we don't have anything to eat with a fully stocked freezer.
Some people really go the distance and cook their meals in a weekend so they are fully prepared and just need to be baked or reheated. I didn't put in that much effort. It seemed overwhelming. But I did selected meals that were quick and easy to put together like enchiladas and steamed salmon. Also when I do make something that is a larger recipe, like my lentil chili, I'll freeze the remaining portion.
The key is having everything planned out. That way you don't end up with a bunch of say frozen chicken leftover the last week. It keeps the week well balanced and prevents the question what should we have for dinner.
So far I've spent $168 for a month's worth of groceries including some lunch and breakfast items. I'm hoping to not spend more than $25 a week in perishables keep us under $300 for the month. This will bring us under by quit a bit per month and we plan to add that extra money to our savings.
We do have two nights planned for eating out, but now it will be a enjoyable experience rather than just being too lazy to cook.
We'll see how it goes!