Planning Meals Ahead of Time is Now a Thing of the Past

We are a family of five, with two of the five being teenagers and the third a growing 4 year old. With the high cost of food and one of us being out of work, grocery shopping has turned into late night planning sessions with me trying to find ways to be able to feed my family without having to give up nutrition. After a year of trial and error, I have learned a few tricks that have not put a dent in my food budget.
The first trick; Forget about planning meals ahead of time. In the good old days, we were in a position to be able to plan the meals we would like to eat before I went grocery shopping and the weekly ads that came in the mail were thrown away before they even made it inside the house. Now, I live for my weekly grocery ads. I only plan meals around what is on special. It has turned into a family activity, with all of us grabbing a sharpie and circling what WE WOULD LIKE TO EAT AND DRINK.
The department I hit first is produce, because this is the most nutritional department in the entire grocery store. I never skimp when it comes to fresh fruit and veggies. Having a delicious salad with a meal is a good way to fill up. Don't forget the potatoes, they are no longer the enemy when it comes to nutritional value and there are so many ways to fix them. When it comes to potatoes, I buy what is on special, usually it is the bag. If not, then whatever is on sale. I have bought red, new and sweet.
Second I hit the meat department and look for the sale items. The one item that I never used to buy but have learned to love is chicken drumsticks. I have found that turkey and chicken are the most reasonable in price and with three kids, it is the most affordable way to feed my family.
Once I have my meat, I then go to the center of the store and start looking for sides. I have found that rice and pasta are the most economical when it comes to side dishes and there are many recipes on the internet that help make the meals more exciting. I use brown rice and whole wheat pasta. Spaghetti is a meal that everybody loves and I like to buy the canned spaghetti sauce and add spices then add turkey or even turkey sausage for flavor.
I have learned that when it comes to grocery shopping for my family, flexibility is important, because there are times when there may not be a lot of meat, fish or poultry on sale or at least not what you would consider a sale and therefore you have to be creative. This is where "whatever" night or "soup and sandwhich" night comes in. Homemade soup made with chicken broth and whatever is on hand makes a great side to a grilled cheese or bologne sandwich.