Grocery Lists Save Time and Money

Every Sunday my husband and I go grocery shopping. We don’t even think about going without a list so we can get in and out of the store as quickly as possible.

Every week we have these same staples on our list:

1. Milk
2. Bread
3. English Muffins
4. Strawberries
5. Bananas
6. Blueberries
7. Raspberries
8. Salad
9. Cranberry juice
10. Tomatoes

Every week without fail – these foods make the list. So why do we write them down? So we don’t have to remember to remember them. It’s a no-brainer. If you go grocery shopping without a plan – you will definitely spend more time and money.

I know you’ve all done it. Grabbed an avocado because it looked good and then you let it sit and go bad on your kitchen counter. What a waste of money! (And an avocado – one of my favorites!) Having a list will keep you on track as you navigate through the aisles.

If you’re not a natural-born list producer like me – here are some tips:

1. Make a list over several days. Throughout the week my husband and I add to the grocery list as we run out of items or remember things we need. It helps to do it immediately as you realize you need something – so you don’t forget.

2. Leave your list in the same place. I leave my grocery list in a drawer in my kitchen. That way I always know where to find it when I need to update it. I’ve also found that if I like the paper I’m writing on – I’m more likely to use it! I’m also a stationary freak…so this might be just a “me” thing. If it applies to you also – great!

I’ve also been trying out the websites and mobile app ZipList to make my lists on my iPhone.  So far they are really handy and it’s great to be able to link from my desktop to my phone and send my husband my list too.

3. Plan out meals before you go shopping. Before we walk to our local grocery store (we live in NYC – hence the walking) we talk about what meals we might want to make for the week. Then we add the items we need for those dishes to our list. That way we cut down on the aimless walking through the aisles and wasting money on food we won’t eat.

4. Grocery shop online.  FreshDirect.com is my favorite shortcut of the week.  You can browse their “aisles” and make lists of all the foods you need.  They even have pre-made meals and recipes.  It’s a great cheat sheet.