When trying to save time and money at the grocery store, the first step is to start with your menu plan. Plan your meals by making a weekly menu. Of course you can also do bi-monthly or monthly if you feel so inspired, but if this is a new process start with a week until you get comfortable with this idea.
For each day of the week, plan what your meals will be including breakfast, lunch, snacks, and beverages. Now check to see if you have written any specialty recipes down that may require additional ingredients such as spices, etc. Start making your grocery list based upon your menu.
Check your pantry and make sure you have all of the ingredients or food items you need to accomplish your meal plan for the week. If you do not, write them down on your grocery list. This way of planning will keep you organized so preparing and cooking your meals will go off without a hitch. Being organized will help to prevent the need to run back to the store for forgotten items or ingredients.
Keep a running grocery list during the week for any supplies that run out or are getting low. Add these items to your grocery list. This is an especially helpful household task for when you have multiple family members. If you used the last of something, put it on the list, do not let the next person needing that item be the one to find out it’s not there when they need it. A detailed grocery list helps you from forgetting items that you may need.
Do you use coupons? If not skip this paragraph. If so, keep your coupons in a file or a convenient place such as your pocketbook. Organize the coupons in the same manner you organized your list; by the order of where those items will be found in the aisles. Check that you are purchasing the exact brand, item, size requirement, etc. from that coupon as you are selecting that item. This will save you time and embarrassment at the checkout counter from choosing an incorrect item. Also check for expiration dates on your coupons.
Now if you want to save time at the grocery store take this list one step further and organize the list based upon the grocery store aisles where you do your shopping. This way you are able to cross items off the list as you go up and down the aisles. This will help you from going back and forth through the aisles if you skip something. It also helps from forgetting items.
To recap:
- Make a weekly menu
- Check recipes for all ingredients you may need
- Make a list of all recipe ingredients
- Check your pantry for all necessary items from your menu
- Make a grocery list of all items needed
- Do a check for any staples that may also be running low that you may need to add to the list
- Organize your grocery list to coincide with the arrangement of the aisles at your grocery store.
- Organize your coupons to coincide with the arrangement of the aisles at your grocery store.
- Check off items from your list at the store.
Planning your menu and grocery list in an organized manner will not only help you become an organized shopper, it will save you time and money as well. Happy Shopping!
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