Now you have your food plan for the week, time to put that into a workable shopping list. If this is your first time going to the grocery store, group the items you need together in “like” groups.

For example: All Dairy together (add eggs to this group), All Rice/Pasta together, All canned veggies and fruit together, All sundries together, All meat together and so on.

On your first trip out, make sure to take along a note keeping device. Either a tablet, a smart phone or pen and paper. As you go through the store, keep a note of where the items are placed in the store.  For example, my store has this plan:

Aisles:

Fruit & Veg/Ethnic Foods & Pasta, Rice/Canned Veggies and Fruit/Soup and Baking goods and spices/Crackers and Cookies/Candy and chips/Soda/Sundries/Frozen Food/Cheese and non Milk Dairy/Water/Wine and Spirits

Around the edges: Fruit and Veggies/Fish/Meat/Pharmacy/Eggs and Dairy/Bakery/Deli

This will help you make future lists and keep you from going back and forth in the store looking for canned peaches.

The next choice to make, once you have your list, is where to go shopping. I would suggest trying different grocery stores each week until one clicks with you. You may find that the meat at one store is better, but the fresh fruit and veggies are better at another. In fact, you probably will. I know a family who sets aside an entire day and shops at a total of four grocery stores. I think that is great for them, and if you have the time, go for it!  However, I generally shop at one local store, it is not the closest one to my house, but it is the one I have always found what I needed, and the prices are slightly less than the nearest local competitor.

A note about bags. PLEASE bring your own. Not even because they are better for the environment, but they are so much easier to carry than the paper or plastic bags that supermarkets use.  Most supermarkets have them at check out, and you can buy them for one or two dollars. It is worth the investment.

One last thing. Eat something. Before you go out shopping, eat something. Even a just a slice of toast or a full glass of water. If you shop hungry, you will end up with a lot more than is on your list.

Ok, now you have your meal plan and your grocery list go shopping!  I’ll post on Friday some suggestions on what to do when you get the food home.  Also, on Saturday, I will post downloadable and printable menu plans and blank grocery list templates.

Till then

-Auntie Zia