Once a Week Grocery Shopping Like a Pro

Going to the grocery store is like navigating the ninth circle of hell for me. To start with, the best grocery store in our town is, no joke, Walmart. Best selection, best prices. Rural problems, right? Now, no shade on Walmart shoppers. It’s successful for a reason. But I want to be in and out of there as fast as I can, a few times a week as I can. Presenting the guide to getting all of your grocery shopping one only once per week, minimizing spending and food waste. It’s one of those things that is really easy once you get into it, and makes the whole week better.

Here we go!

Make a Meal Plan

Well duh. You know this one was coming. Meal plan. Don’t just meal plan dinners. Plan for snacks. Plan for breakfasts. Plan for it all! Use this to make your grocery list. Not on the list? Not in the cart.

Clean Out the Fridge and Check the Cupboards

To help avoid overspending or buying things that you already know.

Pick a Weird Time to Go Shop

The most popular time to grocery shop is Sunday afternoons, or Monday and Tuesday after work. Don’t go then. Everything is slower then and the lines will be long. If your schedule allows, going during the day on weekdays is great, or early-ish in the morning on weekends. We have found success by going on Sundays first thing when the grocery store opens.

Know How to Navigate Your Grocery of Choice

Have a gmeplan. Wandering aimlessly is never good. We go on the exterior aisles first, and then hit the interior processed foods aisles. Every grocery is going to be a little different, but I find that they are similar enough to follow the same plan. Start in produce, walk around the exterior aisles, then take on the interior aisles one by one.

Invest Some Time in Prepping Your Food The Day It Got Bought

To help save time, and again, food waste, separate out bulk foods into portions. Separate the big flats of chicken breasts before freezing them. Break up the giant tub of lettuce, or it’ll wilt anyway. It will totally streamline your life, and let you know when you’ve run out of things.

Happy shopping!