Streamline Your Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping…. The absolute bane of my existence. If you’re anything like me you hate going to the grocery store. It’s loud, chaotic, overwhelming, takes forever and you know that there’s going to be a frustrated parent with a screaming toddler (I get it and I understand that there is nothing that can be done about it, but holy cow, those lungs!). I go to great lengths to avoid the store as much as possible and streamline the process to make it that much easier.

Start with deciding what you want to have for the week by meal planning and creating a great list and a few of my other tips to save time and money.

Peruse Pinterest For Inspiration

Feeling bored of the same old thing every week? Personally, I like to look at Pinterest for food inspo. The photos are always so appetizing and you can find a recipe for literally any ingredient depending on what you already have or what you’re in the mood for.

Have a bunch of basil? Easily find 1,000 new recipes for your new go to pesto, all for free and on your mobile device to take into the kitchen with you while you cook.

Do one large trip once a week

One huge time saving tip here is to do all of your grocery shopping in one large haul instead of going multiple times throughout the week. If you use the weekly meal planner along with the master shopping list you will be able to come up with a great list for the entire week. This saves you tons of time because you’re not waiting in a checkout line, you’re not driving, you’re not going anywhere that you don’t need to. Everything you could need is at your house already and you don’t have to take any other steps to get to the point. This also can help save money because you’re not making any impulse buys when you’re at the grocery store after work and you’re tired, and you’re hungry, and you’ve had a long, stressful day. 

Make a Master Shopping List

One of the most useful tools I have is a master shopping list. It has everything on it that I frequently buy and has room for write-ins. Not only is this helpful because I don’t have to think too hard about what I need, since it’s usually really similar every time, but it’s somewhat arranged in the order that I make my way through the store. This helps me to not accidentally skip over something on my list. Simply check a box while you’re looking in your fridge at home, “Yep, looks like I am out of frozen berries, yogurt and English muffins for breakfast.”

I made my list in Microsoft Word, you can download the PDF version by clicking the link below. There is also a buddy template that goes with this if you’re just starting the process or if you are trying to mix it up. the Weekly Meal Planner PDF is also available.

For Word files, feel free to contact me directly at Michaela@TheMichaelaMethod.com

Quite frankly, the grocery store is one of my least favorite places to go. So, if I only have to go once a week instead of many times during the week that is something I’m all about! 

Do not go to the store hungry

Let me tell you that if I go to the store hungry I will be the first one on the snack isles looking for all of the sweet, salty and crunchy things and buying all of them! This is this super unhealthy but it also adds up and if you’re on any kind of budget (see my budget worksheet here) that just doesn’t work. Treats are great, if you planed to have them for the week. But being stuck with 3 different kinds of cookies isn’t ideal, not that I’m speaking from experience or anything like that 😉

If all else fails: OUTSOURCE

I am not even going to pretend that this isn’t my usual situation. My wonderful sister picks up my groceries for me nearly every week. After she is done she just sends me a Venmo request for the total and we are good to go. I realize that I am super fortunate to have have someone in my life that is willing to do this for me. Maybe there is a chore that someone you love hates doing that they would be willing to trade with you. You hate the store but your friend hates to cut the grass? Perfect!

There are other options available. Especially post COVID-19 you can submit a grocery order online and either pick them up or have it delivered depending on the grocery store. If my sister didn’t do this I would certainly be partaking in the delivery option. I haven’t actually done it before but I believe there is a small fee, in my opinion: worth it! A few dollars to take back that time and rid myself of all the stress and anxiety of going; sounds like a deal to me.