The zen art of grocery shopping: How an efficient list
can save you both time and money
We all watch in frustration as our grocery bills grow
higher and higher. But grocery shopping is a key part of
maintaining a healthy diet, and we are here to teach you how to
organize your trips to the supermarket in a way that will save
you money and time. Your grocery list can be your best friend, as
long as you keep a few basic rules in mind when you put it
together.
First step: It's all about planning
Before you even leave the house, you have to know exactly what you
need to bring back from the store. Take some time the morning
before you go grocery shopping to plan out the week's menu. This
can help reduce impulse buying, and you won't end up with random
items that don't quite add up to a full meal. Check out the week's
flyers for attractive deals, and
then look for recipes
online that use the ingredients you find on sale. Make sure to sign
up for our newsletter
and get the week's best deals delivered right to your inbox every
Wednesday.
Your menu plan should include every meal: breakfast, lunch
and dinner, and why not, snacks and desserts too! Add in a couple
of Mediterranean products you've been wanting to try or a
ready-made meal to save time on one of those busy nights. It's also
important to plan around your family's schedule-what good is a huge
lasagna for dinner when Dad is working late and your oldest is at
the dance studio?
Second step: Engineering the perfect list
Once you've settled on a menu, scan your cupboards, fridge
and freezer to note what you already have and what you still need
for your recipes, and whether you're running low on any essentials
(milk, bread, eggs). This way, you won't end up with two dozen eggs
in your fridge! One good strategy is to organize your grocery list
by category: fruits and vegetables, bakery and bread, meat and
fish, canned food, dairy and frozen foods. Ramp up your efficiency
by breaking your list down by aisle, so you don't have to run back
and forth in the supermarket. Another good idea is to follow the
order they appear in the flyer.
A logical, well-organized list will make your life easier and
prevent you from forgetting something important. It will also spare
you from walking every aisle or hitting parts of the supermarket
you don't need anything from. That's how things end up magically
appearing in your cart! Your wallet will thank you later.
Third step: Make it a rolling list
Now that you know how to put together the perfect shopping
list, you're going to want to get in the habit of keeping a list
right on your fridge. As soon as you run out of something, add it
to the list and you won't forget a thing! Get your family or
roommates on board and ask them to add items to the list
themselves. What a great way to keep everyone's bellies happy!