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Surely everyone has a running grocery list of some sort—a list where you write down "peanut butter" when you realize you are getting low or where you add "crackers" because you realize you have none. For many years my running list has been on a basic pad of paper, and I would add anything else we need right before going to the grocery store. And for many years I would almost be done with all my shopping and then look at my list and say "Oh, I forgot the coffee" and quickly retrace my steps back to the beginning of the store to get it. :) I'm sure I'm not alone here!
So between all the categorized shopping lists that come with the meal plan services these days and the template my girlfriend uses that's organized by the aisles of her favorite grocery store, I decided it's time to have some sort of template of my own! And I of course had to share my template with all of you, which is why I've attached both a PDF version and an excel version below (so you can modify it to your liking).
You could start with a blank template each week or edit the excel version by adding items you buy every week (for us that would be things like milk, bananas, oats) so you don't have to write those same items down each and every time (and also so you don't forget them). My organized girlfriend keeps a stack of her grocery shopping templates on a clipboard in her kitchen so it's always accessible when someone needs to add that item you just ran out of—I think I am going to start doing something similar.
And on that note, here is my current routine that I've been trying to (loosely) follow each week...
- Thursday Late Afternoon/Evening: I ask each family member to pick one dinner recipe (usually out of a cookbook) for the upcoming week. I come up with 1 to 2 dinner recipes/ideas myself, and then I create an extremely informal (chicken scratch) dinner plan for the next 7 days. I put simple dinners and crock pot meals down on the days we have after school activities, and I (try to) put more involved dinners down on the weekends and days where we don't have any late afternoon commitments. I also almost always leave one night open and write something like "TBD" or leftovers...we rarely need 7 completely different dinners within a week (it's usually more like 5 or 6 and then the other nights we "scrounge" leftovers or make something simple like scrambled eggs to go with said leftovers). Then I add all the necessary ingredients for those dinners plus some items I think we'll need for breakfast and lunch to the grocery list/template. I also make a separate list of the items that I can get at the farmers' market (i.e. meat, eggs, some veggies, etc.). This whole process takes me between 30 min and an hour and I am not going to lie...it's not something I enjoy doing, but it's got to be done!
- Friday Morning or Afternoon: I drive about 20 minutes to Earth Fare to do my shopping. There are dozens of grocery stores between our house and Earth Fare, but I've found I can get almost everything I need at a "health food" store and they (by far) have the biggest and best selection of organic produce, which prevents me from having to shop around a great deal. While there I stock up on everything I think we'll need before the next Friday shopping day rolls around. I occasionally stop at Trader Joe's (and the bread store) on the way home.
- Saturday Morning: We get up early and hit the farmers' market for those items that can be purchased locally! If we don't get there early we'll miss out on the "good" stuff. :)
- Rest of the Week: If I "forgot one thing" or think of something else I could suddenly use, we'll run a mile down the street to our mainstream grocery store for that onesie twosie thing I need. It happens to the best of us...it seems like more often than not (no matter how hard I try to be organized) I always forget something!
Be sure to check out my meal planning post for more tips...and please share your routine with us in the comments below! I'd love to get more good ideas on how to make this whole process even more efficient. The least amount of time I spend meal planning and grocery shopping the better. :)
Grocery Store Templates (Click to Download):
Mary Stuart says
This is a great template! Your routine sounds a lot like mine. Are you having any difficulties (like I am) with rising prices? I'm finding when I plan 5 meals and get stuff for lunches (all whole healthy food - my list is usually 3/4 produce) and breakfasts, etc my bill is 200-300 dollars a week. Do you find your costs are similar? I have a family of 3. Thanks!
Lisa says
I honestly have not been tracking our budget very well since lately so many of my food expenses are related to my upcoming cookbook or blog posts (i.e. more food than we would normally need due to testing). I am sorry I can't help you with a better answer!
Elle says
I agree, I have found that if I plan out my meals, I can shop only once a week between Natural Grocers, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods (I usually just go to one or two a week) and I don't have to go to the"regular" grocery store. I just write the meals for the week out in my planner and then make the list out before I head to the grocery store on Mondays. I just add the staples we always use and I'm ready to go.
RhondaS says
I have a magnetic list on the fridge so I can write down supplies as I run out, when I am most likely to remember to write it down. Then after I plan out my weekly menu I add any remaining items.
Debby McGrath says
Hi, I loved this blog. I have always shopped with a list (well my late husband did as I hate shopping!!) and I always planned a weekly menu, but I love this template which takes it to the next level. Thank you for sharing. I have printed up 10 of these even though at the moment I am ordering on line apart from what I can get at the Farmer's Market. Thanks again!
Jessica says
I love trying new recipes, so I put them in my Cook'n recipe software, which allows me to drag the recipes I want to try into a menu section and then use that menu to print a grocery list which you can add extra items to that you need but aren't in any of the recipes. You can check off what you already have before you send it to the printer so it doesn't include things you already have. I print it on recycled paper.
Lindsay says
Do you have an approximate budget that you stick to every week?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Lindsay. Here is Lisa's experience with 100 Days on a Budget: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/100-days-on-a-budget/. There is a lot of helpful info in the reader comments as well. ~Amy
Karen says
I've tried several apps and the best I've found is an app called Paprika. It pretty much does it all:
-syncs with all your devices (iPhone, iPad)
-easily add recipes from lots of sites as well as your own recipes. Formatting is super easy. On most sites you can just click save recipe and it will be saved to your recipe list already formatted.
-maintain several grocery lists organized by dept
-has a meal planning feature
-easily adds ingredients from your recipes/meal plan to your list.
Gina says
Our family does the main grocery shopping once a month. It is the most economical way to shop (it takes 20 minutes for you to drive to the store every week--multiply that out, and you are spending over an hour driving only one way to the grocery store--not to mention the gas/CO2 emissions). Most staples will keep for a month (peanut butter, flour, sugar, etc...)--you just have to be sure to buy enough to last that long. We get our fresh produce at the farmer's market each week during the summer. Try starting out by shopping every 2 weeks at first, and making it longer between each trip. If we all did this, think of the money, energy, emissions, and time American's would save!
Amber says
I have been using the Fresh 20 meal plan for the last 6 months that I found on your Web site.....our whole family loves it!!
Kristy says
I keep a dry erase board on the refrigerator to write down things we need. I receive a box of organic fruits/veggies from door to door organics every other thursday right now. I start planning some dinners with what I end up with. For example, last week we ended up with 7 tomatoes! So we had tomato basil frittatas for sunday breakfast, grilled cheese with bacon and tomato for lunch and then the next day we had blt pasta for dinner. Tonight we are having quiche made with zucchini because I have some of that to use up. I organize my grocery list into departments before I shop, but am still looking to streamline where I shop. I hate to have to go to multiple stores but have yet to find one with a good selection of organics. I have been buying grassfed beef and amish chicken from my local butcher.
Jill B says
Lindsey... Have you ever tried smoothies, and adding ginger? Ginger is great for morning sickness.
Lindsey says
Off topic, but this being your most recent post I'm hoping you'll see it. I am curious what you suggest for eating first thing in the morning to alleviate morning sickens. Use to use saltine's but those don't follow any real food guidelines so now I'm looking for something new. Any help would be much appreciated.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Lindsey. I so remember those days. How about you just try a whole grain cracker like Ak Mak? It should have a similar effect. Best of luck and congratulations!!~Amy
Jill B says
I have to be organized, and have a definite list. In our small town there's no organic offered anywhere. So I drive 45 min to the closest store with organic offered., but still can't get all I need. So once a month I travel to whole foods or fresh market and they are both 90 miles away. I stock up.. I also use vitacost, amazon, and us wellness meats online for other things. It's a challenge and not a convenient one at that.!
Terri says
I use a template I created in Excel that has 9 boxes on a 1/2 sheet of paper (so when I print, I print 2 at a time): meat, produce, dairy, bakery, frozen, canned, dry goods, miscellaneous and cleaning (although I rarely put anything in the cleaning isle since I make most or buy someplace other than grocery store). The items I buy every week like milk and fruit are already typed on there. On the other side of the template is the weekly menu. I usually print 5-6 pages at a time and keep them on my desk.
So first I go to the menu side, write in any appointments we have that week that may affect cooking/eating times (doctors, sports, meetings, playdays, etc.) Then I decide on lunches and dinners and write those down. I use the menu list, go through my pantry and freezer and see what I don't have, then list anything I need to buy on the shopping side of the list.
I usually make the list up on Friday and go shopping some time between Friday and Sunday, occasionally, I'll go on Monday if I didn't get to it earlier. After shopping, the menu side gets posted on the fridge so everyone knows what is for dinner each day or if it's an FFY (Fend For Yourself) night. We usually do FFY on Wednesdays because kids have church groups and dad gets home while we're gone. Posting the list on the fridge also keeps people from snacking on main ingredients they know for sure is for a dinner.
Judy says
I've tried lots of different ways to keep my list and finally settled on the website ziplist.com. This website allows me to collect recipes I see on the web and add the ingredients to a shopping list. I can make custom lists (e.g. things I buy every week), then add new item to it. I use it on my smart phone, ipad and laptop.
Melinda says
I am so incredibly disorganized that I end up going grocery shopping nearly every day!! I usually do it on my lunch at work, though, and I'm lucky because there is a good grocery store 600 metres from my work : )
Amy says
How about picking up a piece of paper out of the recycling bin at home or work, jotting down your list then when you get home, putting it back in the recycling? No need to waste more paper to print cutesy templates or purchasing special stationary. Don't waste your time or money. Just sit down with hubby, family, whoever, make the list and then go shopping.
Amy says
Oh yes, and as for our routine for grocery planning/shopping. most weeks, we do it on Sunday. My husband is a vegetarian, I am pregnant with 80% chance of having Gestational diabetes again, and my toddler seems to only want to eat toast. So meal planning takes a lot of time and consideration at our house. We plan and shop together on Sunday. We post the breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinners for the week on the cork board in our kitchen so we know what we are having. When schedules change, we move the meals around. We always have a freezer meal night that we pull into use if I am sick or husband has to work extremely late.
Cyndi R says
Glad to know that I am not the only one grabbing scratch paper from the recycle bin for my lists.
Marta says
If you recycle an envelope, you can stick your coupons inside.
Megan says
I just starting using the free excel template from thenourishinghome.com to create my meal plan and then a plain notebook to write out my list. I usually make out my plan on Thursday or Friday and go shopping on Friday or Saturday morning. I do categorize my list by produce, refrigerated items, produce, frozen and misc.
Sarah says
We use the Cozi family organizer app for the grocery list and keeping all our schedules in order. We have the computer set up right in the kitchen with a large monitor so anyone can add to the list at any time (even our 7 y/o has learned how to use this app!). We also plan our meals a month at a time and have a large menu board that serves as both décor and function. We rarely repeat a meal in a month. When we get to the last week of the month I bring out all the meal cards (usually during dinner) and ask the family to pick their choices and suggest any new ideas. We have found that this significantly reduces the whining about what's for dinner since the whole family has designed the menu and it makes grocery shopping so much easier since we shop every two weeks (except for fruits/veggies).
Sashi says
I am old school... I use a small notebook. :) I've tried using various apps but I've not liked any of them for various reasons. I've also looked at menu planning pads but they usually run Sun-Sat and our food week runs Fri-Thur so it's just easier for me to use a blank slate. Also, I LOVE to cook and try out or develop new recipes so much of my life revolves around food.
I usually make the menu on Wednesday by first seeing what we already have onhand in the freezer or have stocked up on the previous week. Then I go through my binder of recipes I want to try and see what new things I can make. Friday and Monday's meals tend to be the easiest with more involved dishes on the weekends. After I get the menu set, I make a preliminary list on scratch paper of what we need for each day then I add the usual things I get each week and anything that's been written on the whiteboard on the refrigerator that we are out of or low on.
Thursday, I rewrite the list in the notebook in order of the aisles at the grocery store (which I have memorized) and add anything else that I can think of that we need. I also look at the flyer for the store to see what is on sale that I can stock up on for the following week's menu or that can be used to this week's meals.
Friday is grocery shopping day after work. And then the cycle repeats. :)
I have an allergy to any sort of additive or preservative so I am basically forced to follow a real food diet unless I want to be in pain all the time. It's one of those allergies that is actually a good thing, in a way, because it forces me to stay away from the "lab foods" which results in the rest of the house having to cut way, way down as well. :)
Erin says
Thanks for posting this!! I am a stay at home mom with an active 17 month old and was looking for some organizational tools to help with cooking dinners at home. I find it's tough juggling everything and staying on top of cooking homemade meals. Love posts like these that give tips on doing just that!
Kayla says
Hi Lisa, very timely, I just did a blog post on this same topic called "Eat to Run: Kitchen Tour for Runners." I've been meal planning and shopping for two weeks at a time for several years and have made lots of adjustments along the way. Just got to a place where I'm using a "checklist" template with all of the items I normally buy printed on a sheet of paper arranged like the grocery store. Makes list-making much easier. http://www.run52cincinnati.blogspot.com/
Portia says
I shop to keep my store cupboards full, and buy items that are on offer or look good, then I decide what to cook on the day or the day before according to what I have time for or fancy.
Zoe says
I use an iPhone app named "Shopper". I can create multiple lists by store, add & remove aisles and items, assign favorite items that always need to be on my list so they appear automatically, enter quantity, price, tax rate, coupon discounts, etc. so I know what I'm going to spend. I can send the list to my husband's iPhone if he's going for me. This has worked well for me for a few years now so I'm sticking with it.
I do my main shopping at Whole Foods because I can get nearly everything I need there, but there a few times I get from other stores and the farmer's market. I've found that I have to shop twice a week and I can't avoid it so I've accepted it - one big trip on Saturday and one quick stop mid week.
I do a lot of leftovers - I make two pans of lasagna or enchiladas and freeze one for another night. We do breakfast for dinner a couple of times a month which everyone loves (pancakes, eggs and bacon, hello?). Stir fry is good for a hectic night because steaming rice in the rice cooker is a no-brainier and frying the meat & veggies is super fast. We also eat out about once a week so that saves me time (but not money).
I have to come up with a dinner plan to cover about 5 nights a week which is a task when you have two small kids, work fulltime, and have a spouse that works fulltime and attends college. We just do whatever works that week and it is not always my dream menu, but it works for our lifestyle.
Let me reiterate, leftovers and frozen meals made in advance are my rocks.
Kerri says
What do you do in the Winter for the produce you would buy at the farmer's market?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Kerri. We try to buy in season as much as possible and purchase organic produce from the grocery store. Our farmer's market is open all year but there is little produce, obviously, during the coldest months. ~Amy
Dede says
I find whatever fruits and vegetables are on sale, usually at Aldi, and figure out what to do with it. :) Green peppers usually mean fajitas, but this week I made Philly cheesesteak casserole, without the meat. LOL! Delicious. I fill in with food storage. I always buy the same things, so all in my head.
Which is easier to do with most of the store I don't shop. :) Mainly the perimeter. And I make most things from scratch. Crackers are easy and delicious, especially with a pasta machine.
Allyson says
I use ShoppingList App on my IPhone. You can put everything in categories, have seperate shopping lists for different stores, put in the amount you want, and best of all you can sync to other devices. If my husband adds something to the list on his phone, it adds it to mine! It's easy, and you never forget your list! You should download the free version to check it out, but I highly reccomend buying it for all the features.
Jennifer says
I have a running list on my phone. I just use a basic notepad app. I used to edit the list in order of aisles in stores (I used to stop by Whole Foods and get what I had to get there, then Kroger to get what I could get there...but I have since moved and I'm still trying to get it all figured out). I used to write out a meal plan, but now I basically do it in my head. Hoping to find some great farmers markets in my new neighborhood now that it is getting warmer!
Kiera @easytravelmom says
We have a similar pad that is a magnet on the side of the fridge so when one of us notices we are low or running out, we write it on the list (most of the time my husband remembers to do this!). Then every Sunday morning I look at 2-3 of the stores flyers near us that have the best food for the value and plan out my meals accordingly. Generally my husband goes to the store we get the most food at on Sunday after I've made the list (with the kid too so I get some "me" time!). Then on Mondays we go to the other(s) stores when running errands or when he's on his way home - usually it's only a couple items but it's worth it for us to make the extra trip. The trips overall are quick because we do it weekly and we've got all our meals planned and who's cooking what!
Jennie says
My friend has a fun online stationary (and much more) company called Scribbles 'N Such. She has a cute meal planning pad with the days of the week on one side (for writing out each day's meal) and then a perforated shopping list section on the right. So I make my meal pan and write my list at the same time. For any "old school" folks who like to see it all laid out, this pad of meal planning sheets is great! And it has a magnet on the back if you want to hang it on the fridge. Did I mention it's adorable? I used mine today! I like Lisa's template for all the regular items we need each week. But I'll definitely keep using my pad for meal planning. Here is a link if anyone is interested. http://scribblesnsuch.com/calendars-planners/. And no, my friend has no idea I'm bragging on her stuff.
Jennifer says
You should so let your friend know you are bragging on her stuff! Might just make her day :)
Tammy says
I use Pepperplate. I upload or paste in my favorite recipes, put them on my meal plan calendar and it saves the ingredients to my shopping list. I just take my Kindle to the store and check things off as I go. Easy peasy!
Lola says
I love that you have an organized grocery shopping list now, thanks for sharing the template! It is a really good idea to have a print out of the template hanging around so you can write on that instead of a blank piece of paper to transcribe later. For how I plan out my grocery shopping, check out:
http://www.liveandlearnwithlola.com/organization-tips/grocery-shopping/
Kimberly says
I go backwards, apparently. We participate in a produce co-op that happens in our town every other week, and you get what you get. So, every other Saturday morning, we see what came, and what meat we have, and then meal plan for two weeks around that. I don't buy a lot of "cupboard" food, so shopping for the missing pieces is pretty easy. I need to be better at planning for on the road lunches when the kids are gone for sports events. Those are usually my one-off grocery trips.
Lainie says
I made my shopping trips faster and easier like this: One day I went to my favorite store with a pad and pen and without doing any shopping. I walked up and down each row following the path that I would take if I were food shopping. Under each row # I wrote down every possible item I might buy in that row. When I got home I typed up a master list. Now when I make my list, I refer to the master. Not only does it help me remember items that I might have forgotten to include, but the items on my list are written in the order that I will encounter them in the store. I no longer go back to rows I finished looking for items I overlooked....Especially timesaving in CostCo where there are row #s but no lists of what is in each row.
Meta says
This is too funny. By accident I deleted my grocery list on my iPad today & there was no wifi at the store for my online (Plan To Eat :0))) :0))) ) back up list. Thankfully, I got everything I needed for the week. This accident & your post is ironic. Just made me smile. I enjoy the great tools & resources your website provides. Thanks for providing insight into wholesome, real food.
me says
There are some things we do coupons for and we're still on a food budget. I've done a similar thing, except most things are grouped by produce, the quantity, price per unit and then the other cells calculate the rough estimate. For example, we had a coupon on organic spring mix it looked like:
item # unit total coupon total
spring mix 2 2.00 4.00 -1.00 3.00
Then there is a sum at the bottom that keeps us on track. It helps for my husband to go to the store, too. I can just give him the list and coupons and he can go.
me says
I didn't finish writing...
We have a rough rotating list of meals. Most meat is already frozen and are our go-tos to build a meal around. We shop the produce that is on sale with the fliers, so I add that to the list. We tend to go between two stores and it helps to watch deals, etc. (organic apples were on sale for 1.50. Hello. We bought 10 pounds and froze those bad boys!).
I check the cabinet every two weeks or so and hit the co-op for the bulk stuff. This requires more planning, as I usually take containers to fill up and we need containers, labels, etc. so that we can get them tared out.
Alecs says
I don't have a list. I go shopping every day or every other day and I look to buy whatever is on sale or looks good. Only while at the store I think about what I will cook for dinner. I find that, while I am at the store more often, I don't necessarily spend a lot more time there. I shop the outside aisles, so it does not really take long. If I have left over items, I will use those for the next meal, just add to it. We never waste anything. I grew up in Romania without processed food or frozen food and I just can't imagine shopping only once every two weeks.
Zoe says
Having spent considerbale time in Europe, I appreciate and envy your European roots.lk
My problem, which is shared by many Americans, is that we are pressed for time constantly. I leave for work at 6:45am and I get home with my 2 small kids around 6:15pm. When I say I have no time to shop during the week, I'm not exaggerating. Popping into the market multiple times per week is not possible with our schedules and my demanding job as a social worker and the only chef in the house.
I wish like Hell we had a more relaxed, reasonable lifestyle, but it isn't possible given our culture and lifestyle right now. I hope this changes, but I have to live where and when I am. Frozen meals save my sanity and allow me to work to pay my mortgage and fund my kids' college.
Brooke says
I use an app for my iPhone called AnyList. It was free and I have even happy with it. I always hated writing a paper list. I would write down all the items I needed and the. Organize them according to the grocery store. It was time consuming and I always dreaded it. Now, when I meal plan or even when I just see that we are getting low on a certain item, I pick up my phone and add the item to my list. It automatically categorizes the items for you. The other thing I live about this app is that you can have multiple lists, so I have a grocery list, a list for Home Depot, a list for Target, etc. also, the app is shared with my hubby who can add things to the list on his own phone. This also works great when he is out and stops at the store...he can just check the list and buy what is needed. I love it and no more paper lists that I have to worry about making and not losing while I'm at the store. Oh yeah, and it's free! :)
Leanne says
I feel like this is more or less what I do. I guess the way you explained it makes it really easy for anyone to adapt to their needs and habits. Thanks for the printable grocery list templates!
Leslie says
Earth Fare vs Whole Foods?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Leslie. We shop both but Lisa does the bulk of her store shopping at Earth Fare. ~Amy