Here are several different ways that you can plan your shopping so that you’ll have the right ingredients every time:
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| Use these tips to be more organised, save money and reduce waste |
Meal planning = shopping list planning
If you’re often getting to half way through the week and are stood in front of the kitchen cupboards wondering what to make for dinner, then meal planning is for you. Not only will meal planning save you time each evening, it will also help with shopping list planning, budgeting and reducing waste.
As you meal plan, check what you already have in stock and then work out what you need to supplement those ingredients to make complete meals. Write your list as you go along, perhaps even having a magnetic or wall mounted shopping list that stays in the kitchen, then you can write meals down as inspiration strikes, and add any ingredients you need.
Kitchen lists
On the subject of kitchen lists, if you do keep a list in the kitchen, why not look for an option where you can tear sheets of paper off and take it with you when you do the shopping? There are various options available to purchase on Amazon or Etsy which work in this way.
If you’re doing the food shop online, having removable sheets of lists isn’t such a problem, but perhaps think about doing the food shop in the kitchen itself so that you can check the list at the same time.
Notebooks for shopping list planning
If you love a notebook and stationery, did you know that you can buy specific notebooks which are designed for shopping list planning? There are a variety of such notebooks available, with different options including:
- Those that allow you to meal plan at the same time such as this meal prep journal
- Those that are divided into days of the week so that you can note down what you’ll need then, such as items for packed lunches on certain days.
- Those with popular items pre-printed that you can tick when you’re running low.
Take a look at some of the various options available here and choose which one you feel will suit your needs best.
Let technology help
If you’re more of a digital fan, there are several shopping list planning apps available which mean that you’ll have your shopping list at your fingertips on your phone. Remember to read the app reviews first and find one with the features that work for you, e.g. meal planning functions. Anylist allows you to write shopping lists and collate recipes in the same place as well as share lists with family members.
Why not put together a 'master' weekly shopping list in the notes app of your phone? You can add all the family favourites on there so nothing gets forgotten. If you order the items in the same order that you reach them when walking around your favourite supermarket (Fruit and veg first, meat and dairy next, for example) it will save you time scrolling in the shop or darting between the aisles and missing something.
Finally, if you have a smart speaker within your home, these can often be used to create shopping lists throughout the week. As you run out of things, ask your smart speaker to add them to your shopping list, and then when it comes to shopping day, you can call up the list on your accompanying app to do the food shop with.
When it comes to shopping list planning, find what works for you
I hope these ideas help with your shopping list planning. There are certainly several different ways of organising this area of your life, and it’s often just a case of finding what works for you. For example, if your family members won’t take the time or are too young to write something on a list kept in the kitchen, will they add it via a smart speaker?
Once you’ve found a way that works for the whole family, shopping list planning gets a whole lot easier. Happy shopping!
