Making a Grocery List

By this time you should have your Meal Plan all ready. 

if you do not go  to our post on "Planning Meals" 

• Once you have your menu in hand, you can now do the grocery shopping list. For while you are planning your menu, you are also noting the items you need to prepare all your meals.
• This is also a good time to go through your food staples, cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene products to see if you need to restock while you're at the store.

1.     Be a coupon clipper, look and see if you have any you can use!

2.          Scheduling grocery shopping after you have done the chores in the house can be a good idea also after you have clean and fix fridge and pantry or anywhere else you keep food.

•  I shop at 4 main stores #1 being Costco #2 Win-Co #3 Trader Joes and #4 Save-Mart I try and get as much as i can at Costco, but there are just something I can’t get. so that's when the other stores come into play.

• I make my list one for each store, me knowing the thing i want is not at Costco why put it on the Costco list so it goes on the other list.
• So as you make your list think about where you are getting this and put it on that list.

• I write items on the lists in a way that reflects the way the store is arranged.  For instance, the meat is closer to the entrance of my store, so I put those things first on the list.  And the frozen fruit is almost at the end of the store, so that goes near the end of my list.
• I usually look back over the meal plan twice just to make sure I didn't forget to add anything to the list.
• Of course, I also sometimes need to buy items that don’t appear on my menu plan. I keep a running list on the fridge of those things (things I or my Husband have add to the list).

•  I do take a look at the sale flier for the stores I shop, and if I see a good deal on something I don’t really need that week, I sometimes will add it to my list.  Buying items when they’re cheap keeps me from having to buy them when they’re not on sale.

 here is the basic suggestions:

1. Plan a menu. Going to the store without a basic idea of what you’re going to be cooking is a recipe for over-spending and over-buying (which often leads to food waste)

2. Use your menu plan to help you make a specific list. If you know your list is specific and comprehensive, you won’t be tempted to buy extra stuff “just in case”.

3. Keep a running list of items you need. 

How do you make your shopping list? Please Comment or send me an email at contactus@ultimatehousewife.com