Ways to Organize Grocery Shopping

It always seems like a struggle to fit in grocery shopping in between all the other things I do each day. When the pantry is empty I find myself eating out, which not only reduces the cash in my account, but often adds inches to my midsection.

It’s not so much that I don’t want to go shopping. On the contrary, I like my trips to the store. I enjoy the stroll through the aisles discovering new products, looking through the clearance items for bargains, and the feeling that I am taking care of my family. But to shop organized, I have to know what I am cooking so I will know what I need to buy. The problem is that I do not like to take the time to make a meal plan each week.

One thing I do well is solve problems through organizing. I want to share a few solutions that will help anyone stay organized with all things grocery shopping. It begins with the realization that you need a food item, moves on to scheduling shopping time, and finishes with knowing what to purchase so you can cook well balanced meals.

1. Schedule your grocery shopping trip. I have always known the importance of scheduling activities on my calendar. Grocery shopping might be set up as a late night trip after the kids have gone to bed, or during the day before school gets out. Scheduling allows you to plan your events and appointments around times you have set aside for specific tasks like shopping. This process reminds me to put grocery shopping on my calendar with enough time to get it done without being in a rush.

2. Keep a current list of items. Another challenging area of grocery shopping is keeping a current list of items that you need for upcoming meals and events. In the last few years I have used a mobile app to build my lists. Grocery shopping apps are available on all platforms. Pick one that allows all family members to add items from their devices so whoever has shopping duties will see the complete list. The app I use is called Shopping List and allows me to make as many lists as I want. I have an ongoing list for Lowes which includes supplies for our home and family cabin, and one for each store I frequent including Kroger, Walmart, and Kohl’s.  Items on these lists are placed in categories that I create.

3. Meal Planning Site. Meal planning sites are awesome and offer subscribers the ability to customize how they want to eat and where they want to shop. Often these sites will provide a selection of menus (clean eating, kid friendly, low-fat, family classics) and will allow you to select the store you would like to shop. Other features include using the weekly sales to plan your menu. The app offers menus based on what is on sale that week. These sites can be used all year or just during busier seasons for your family. A few sites I would recommend are thefresh20.com, emeals.com, and thescramble.com.

4. Coupons.  If you like to use coupons when shopping, carry a coupon filing system or pouch into the store and use a clothespin to attach the ones you are using to the front of the cart as you pick up the items. This will allow you to see the coupons when you check out and not forget to use them.

Save time and money by cooking up a plan before you go to the store. In turn you will find shopping less stressful and savor some great meals around the table at home.

Lorraine Brock is a professional organizer, family coach, speaker, and founder and owner of Get Organized! Get Organized! is a professional organizing company in the Dallas, Texas area. Get Organized! specializes in organizing and de-cluttering homes as well as implementing systems in the home for better family management. A popular media guest, Lorraine has appeared on Dallas’ two top morning television shows: Good Morning Texas and Good Day Fox, and has been featured on various radio outlets. She has been hallmarked in many local, regional, and national print and online magazines, such as the Dallas Morning News, The North Texas Kids Magazine, SheKnows.com, and Daily Candy Kids. To get more information about Lorraine, visit www.GetOrganized.ws.  You can connect with Get Organized! on Facebook, follow Get Organized! on Twitter and connect with Lorraine Brock on LinkedIn.