how to make a grocery list

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how to make a grocery list

Now that you have had a look at your routine, figured out how and if you can make the most of your shopping experience we can move on to making a grocery list.

When is the best time to make your list?
Planning ahead is very helpful. Some make a grocery list the night before they plan to shop, others a day or so and some even keep a notepad on the fridge and write as they go.
Try a few different ways and see what works best for you.

What do you really need to buy?
There is nothing worse than throwing away spoiled food and wasting money. 

• Look for missing items in your fridge that you and your family normally consume. Write those down. Clearly these are must haves and should go on top of your list.
• It is easy to remember to look for eggs, milk and cheese but ...
• If you have a larger family it is a great TIP* to make a list of those favorited items of others and attach it to your fridge or to whatever source you use for making our grocery list. This way it's easy to double check if those items are needed or not. My son is the only jam lover. I have many times forgotten to buy more jam for him. Now it's on my list, attached to the fridge with a magnet. When it runs low, I will buy him more.

• Look at what is remaining in the fridge and how much. 
• Determine if those items will be used before you go shopping. 
• Can you make a snack or a meal with what is there before your next shopping trip? 
• Will you have time to eat it or can you freeze it for next week?

• Figure out if these items are a favourite or items that nobody really cares too much for.
• If you want to get rid of those uncared for items faster, don't buy as many of those fav's this trip.

• What is the freshness factor? If your lettuce is about ready to be tossed and your broccoli is the only thing you smell when you open the fridge, it is time to rethink what you are buying and what you are cooking. If you still have half a bag of apples, do you need to buy more? probably not.

• Check those condiments and dressings for expiry dates! 
• TIP* use a permanent marker and write the expiry date on the bottom of your item, or on the label. Those expiry dates have a tendency to wear off and become hard to read. 
• TIP* Call the company if you aren't sure how they have the date stamped or if it is hard to read. 11/01/2014  Is it November 1st or January 11th? Not only will they clarify that for you, they will also be able to tell you how much longer after the expiry date you can really keep and use that item. The same applies to dried goods, noodles, spices and such.

• Check your freezer! Many forget about items they can't see. 
• Do you really need another bag of veggies or do you have more than you remember? No point in wasting money.
• Do you have the room to buy more frozen goods this trip? If you want to stock up on some frozen items that you have been waiting to go on sale make sure you have space for them!

• Check your Pantry and/or Cupboards
• Apply the same rule for favourites and must haves. I have a plain sticker on the inside of the cupboard door, when I need to open the last can of something, I write it down before I open it! If I think I will do it later, I will forget. When it's time to make my list I know exactly what I need to buy to restock. When I do restock I either cross the item off the list or I remove that sticker and replace it with a new one.

• Personal Items and Unmentionables
• Toothpaste, Pit stick aka Deodorant, Soap, Toilet Paper and Tampons.
• Buy them if they are on sale.

• Holiday Shopping
• Plan before hand! Make a list of what you need for the coming up holiday. Putting the recipe or the list in your pantry or cupboard door will remind you of what you still need and of what you already bought, as you have been crossing off items as you go.
• TIP* When you buy canned goods or dried goods specifically for a holiday recipe, use your permanent marker and write it on the item. 'x-mas' or 'easter' . It's a great way for others to know NOT to use it and to remind yourself what it was for if you have bought it in advance and forgotten all about it. 

• Apps or Paper?
• Use whatever works for you. Fitbit Zip Wireless Activity Tracker