How to go grocery shopping

Grocery shopping is something everyone has done by the time they are our age. Most of us have done serious grocery shopping by now. This blog will give you more tips and tricks to going grocery shopping effectively, and hopefully not have to make another trip out an hour later.

• Make a list: Through the week write down things you need as you run out of them. This is most easily done on a dry erase board you can keep on your fridge, or somewhere else easily accessible. Then, on your grocery shopping day transfer this to your list! As for the rest of the list, it would be best to plan out your menu for the next week, to save gas on multiple trips a week. Write down all the ingredients you may need and buy them then. 
• Make a menu: At the beginning of each week write a menu for the rest of the week. Add these things to your list. Include, or don't include, date nights. I listen to Cosmoradio on Sirius, and they talked about one girl who would arrange her dates in the beginning of the week and then write her menu to save money. 
• Take your list! Make sure you make a list and take it with you! Otherwise, you may forget something. Organize your list based on your grocery store, to avoid having to double back. 
• Coupons!  Before you go, gather up your coupons. Check expiration dates, and pick up staple items that are about to expire even if you don't need them. I'm talking about paper towels and tissues, not chicken broth. 
• Eat! Don't go to the grocery store hungry. At least buy some fast food on your way, if you really have no food at home. Otherwise you may buy things that look good, but that normally you wouldn't actually buy.
• Check prices! Buy the less expensive brand, unless you really like a certain brand and are willing to pay extra. But things like rice, buy the store brand. 
• Check expiration dates! Before you buy something, check the expiration date. Think about when you plan on using it, and try to figure out if it will be used before the expiration date. 
• Double check your list! Before you leave, run back through your list and check for everything. Make sure you got everything you needed. 
• Pull out your card! I usually save dollars, as much as $10, just on food for me between my coupons, and my membership card. They usually don't sell your info (I have about 10 different cards and have never gotten anything, but I have heard some do), they just want to know what you buy. So make sure you have one to every grocery store you may shop at.

Make sure you bring you list everytime you go shopping! It will be your life saver. And if you don't know what you want to get because your new to grocery shopping (like me) base it on what you have coupons for. 

Stocking your kitchen

I am a very picky eater (worse than a 5 year old). So when I found a recipe book called 4 Ingredient Dinners by Betty Crocker, I got very excited because this meant very bland, and easy foods. As I was sitting down to look through this, I found a list of foods to keep in your kitchen. Here, I share them with you, but first a bit of advice: don't go out and buy all of these! It's just a suggestions. If you don't like an item, don't buy it just because this says to. What I would suggest doing, is as you make a recipe buy the items, and if you like the recipe, keep the items in your kitchen! 

Produce:

Fruits:

Apples, pears, bananas, grapes

Citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges)

Vegetables:

Carrots

Celery

Onions

Potatoes

Ready-to-use salad mix

Tomatoes

In the Fridge:

Breads and Dough Products:

Pita breads

Ready-to-eat pizza crust

Ready-to-use garlic or cheese breads

Refrigerated doughs (biscuit, breadsticks)

Tortillas (corn, flour)

Condiments:

Chocolate syrup

Chopped garlic

Hummus

Prepared horseradish

Prepared pesto

Dairy:

Alfredo sauce

Butter or margarine

Cheese (grated, shredded, sliced)

Cream cheese

Eggs or egg substitutes

Milk

Sour cream

Yogurt (plain, flavored)

Meat, Poultry and Fish:

Bacon

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

Deli meats (ham, salami)

Fresh or frozen fish steaks

Ground meat

Ready-to-cook seasoned mean and poultry products

Sausage (smoked, hot dogs, bratwurst)

In the Freezer:

Desserts and whipped topping

Dough (bread, pizza)

Fruits (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries)

Ice cream and frozen yogurt

Juice concentrate

Pizza

Ravioli (cheese- or beef-filled)

Vegetables (corn, green beans, any favorite combination)

Bakery:

Breads (sandwich bread, rolls, bagels, hamburger and hot dog buns)

Cookies

Prepared cake (angel food, pound)

Off the Shelf:

Baking Basics:

Bisquick baking mix

Cake mix

Canned frosting

Chips (semisweet chocolate, peanut butter)

Corn syrup

Dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, raisins)

Evaporated milk

Flour

Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios)

Shredded coconut

Sugar (granulated, brown, powdered)

Canned Basics:

Beans (garbanzo, kidney, black, white northern, refried

Black olives

Broth (beef, chicken, vegetable)

Canned tuna and shrimp

Fruits (cranberry, pineapple, cocktail)

Green chilies

Mushrooms

Pasta, pizza sauces

Soups

Tomato products (sauce, paste, stewed, diced, seasoned)

Water chestnuts

Cereals and Snacks:

Bread crumbs

Cereals

Corn meal

Crackers

Croutons

Tortilla chips

Condiments and Sauces:

Asian (hoisin, peanut, duck, sweet-and-sour and stir-fry sauces)

Barbecue sauce

Chili

Cocktail sauce

Honey

Ice-cream toppings

Ketchup

Maple syrup

Mustards (Dijon, spicy brown, yellow)

Peanut butter

Pimentos

Preserves (jam, jelly, marmalade)

Salsa, pecante sauce

Soy sauce, teriyaki sauce 

Worcestershire sauce

Dressings, Oils and Vinegars:

Cooking spray

Marinades

Mayonnaise, salad dressing

Oils (vegetable, olive)

Salad dressings

Vinegars (balsamic, cider, white, red white)

Herbs, Spices and Dry Mixes:

Bacon flavor bits

Bouillon granules or cubes

Dried herbs (basil, chives, dill weed, fennel seed, mint, oregano, parsley flakes, rosemary, sage, tarragon, thyme)

Dry sauce mixes (cheese, gravy white)

Dry seasoning mixes (meat loaf, sloppy Joe, spaghetti)

Dry soup mixes

Herb or seasoning blends, regular or salt free (Italian seasoning, lemon, Cajun/Creole)

Instant unflavored gelatin

Pepper seasoning

Salad dressing mix

Salt

Sesame seeds

Spices (chili powder, cumin, curry powder, garlic and onion powder or salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmet, paprika)

Pasta, Rice, Grains and Potatoes:

Couscous

Instant potatoes

Noodle and pasta mixes

Pasta (long, short and tube types)

Potato mixes

Rice (white, brown, long-grain and quick-cooking)

Rice mixes