Day 6 - Grocery Shopping - 31 Days of Keeping Your Head Above Water

Grocery shopping.  Another thing on that must do list. 

The one necessity of grocery shopping is having a list!  The easiest way to stick to the grocery list is to go alone!!  I know this isn't always possible (and never possible for some of you), but if you can find a time to go without the kids it makes it so much easier.  I try to go Sunday afternoons.  My biggest problem is saying no when the kids beg to go along.  Every time I give in and take them with me, I say never again!

When I make my menu for the term, I also make a grocery list for each week.   I make my grocery list in a Pages (or Word for PC's) document.   I make two columns.  The first column is for ingredients needed for my menu items (more on this in a second), the second column is for staples that I always need.  I can look over my staples list before I go to the store and cross out the things that I don't need that trip.   My staples list includes not only kitchen staples, but also toiletries and paper products.  By making my list in a document, the second column is always there and I just need to add the first column in.  As I add things to the list, I keep them in order to the store aisles.  I make a separate list for each store I go to.

For my menu items I've simplified the process a little.  On the back of each of my recipes, I have sides and a grocery list.  When I make my grocery list, I just go through each menu item and look at the card adding ingredients that I need.  Super easy!

I file my grocery lists in a file folder.  Every week I just pull out that week's list(s) and I'm ready to go!  Grocery shopping can greatly contribute to drowning ... but, if you plan ahead a little you can keep your head above water!