Shopping Lists - any tips?

eclarke883

Has anyone got any good tips for shopping lists?

I know it's obvious but a well-organised one can save you time and money (by not being sucked into buying extras! ).

I used to just write things in a long list but now I always split mine into different sections (Veg, Meat, Dairy, etc.) so that I don't miss anything.

I also write on the back the meals I plan to make and the day of the week so that I know that nothing will go to waste.

lulu_92

I write the list in the order I would go around the shop, but that depends which shop you go to. (My Asda list would be a lot different to my Tesco list)

DPJames

Same as lulu. I write stuff down in the order it is in the shop. Head straight for each item, and once I've got everything on the list head for the checkouts. It's great because I buy nothing else and I'm in and out in ten minutes.

Fruittea

Hi there
I usually use www.mysupermarket.co.uk to browse the shops and see what's on offer. It takes a bit of time but I feel it can be worth it. Then you can print out the list and go to the shop of your choice. I tend to vary between Tesco and Sainsbury depends who sends me a voucher. That way I know exactly what I'm going to spend.

hgotsparkle

I also write down stuff in the order that I would go around the shop, so I write out the fruit and veg first, then meat, dairy, cereal, crisps, biscuits, chocolate, drinks, cleaning and then frozen. Luckily in our Tesco, all the offers are located at the end of aisles, never in the aisle and they're always well away from where you would expect them to be so I don't get tempted by things I don't need because I always miss them.

maman

I keep my list on the side in the kitchen and have trained my DH to write down anything we're running out of during the week and I do the same. When it comes to shopping day, I write a quick meal plan (7 suppers or fewer if we're going out to eat) in the bottom corner. I always do it in the kitchen so I can check cupboards, fridge and freezer for what we have in first. Then I just add the ingredients to my list that I need to complete the meals. Next I go down the list writing (A) for Aldi, S (Sainsbury), FF (Farmfoods) etc. Aldi is 95% of the list these days. Then I head off to Aldi and only go to the others if I really need things and it can't be put off until I'm there next time.


When I get back, I cut the 'menu' corner off the list and put it up in the kitchen for the week to remind me.

Edwardia

maman :T that's what I call organised !

OH does most of the cooking, I do most of the shopping.

He really doesn't like meal planning, he'll often decide on the train home what he's cooking that evening. That makes shopping more difficult and IMO more expensive. It's a bit like Ready Steady Cook tho cos he can only cook with the things I buy

His shopping list on the fridge will have things we're running low on/he wants. Mine is based on offers. Organic fruit & veg depends solely whats on offer at Sainsbury's and/or Ocado.

Like maman we go to different shops to stock up on various things eg 99p Stores for kitchen rolls, Spices of India for ghee once a year, Holland & Barrett for nuts on BOGOHP, Sainsbury's for teabags and olive oil, Lidl for Parma ham, Morrison's for smoked salmon,

I saved enough this week from two shops alone to pay for the Christmas pud from Fortnum & Mason.

maman

Edwardia wrote: »

maman :T that's what I call organised !

OH does most of the cooking, I do most of the shopping.

Thanks for the kind words.:)


I do all the shopping too. DH is one of those that would fill the trolley with biscuits so I don't take him.;)


DH does breakfast here (from a list of available ingredients) and we fend for ourselves at lunchtime. I started my meal planning and the associated list when I had a mad, crazy job. I found it saved me a huge amount of time just wandering around the SM thinking about what we might have or (worse still) just throwing things in randomly. Then when I was driving home each evening I'd know exactly what to do when I got in so more time saved. My plan is flexible in that it always includes some HM ready meals from the freezer for CBA/busy days and can be swapped around if I feel the need.


So what started off as a time saving activity has the added bonus of being mse too. I never understand those posts that are prefaced with 'I work full time......' So??

Make-it-3

I always have a shopping list on the go, so things that run out during the week are noted.

Then the day before the weekly shop, I check the fridge and cupboard and make a "Use Up" list and also what's in the freezer (I only have a small fridge top freezer with a few bits, not a big deep freeze).

Then I write out a chart with days of week and B, L, D against it - noting any days when one or all of us are out and menu plan for the rest aiming to incorporate as much stuff as possible from the "Use Up" list. Anything new I need to buy to make up meals then goes on the shopping list.

Finally, I note with an S (Sainsburys) or L (Lidl) against each item depending on where I plan to buy the item.

Is that geeky, organised or plain odd?

Flat_Eric

I wish I was organised like you maman

SailorSam

I've got a piece of paper at the side of the computer here so that everytime someone on Mse points out a bargain i make a note of it.