Do you have problems when making the shopping list? Do you go over budget? Do you have to go home without having bought everything? If you do not know how to do your weekly shopping well, follow these infallible tricks to avoid mistakes with which you will also be able to save time, effort and also money.
The best tricks to do the shopping list well, saving money and leaving nothing out
Nowadays and with all the expenses we have, adding that the economic crisis affects many families, it is very important to try to save so that if this is your priority you must be very careful when making the shopping list to go to the market or supermarket .
In fact, in these times, it is important to save as much as possible and not only in the weekly shopping. Also in energy consumption, buying clothes and accessories or vacations, but in the specific case of the shopping list we must be very careful: our health is at stake!
So, we must say yes to saving but always with caution and carefully reading the labels. Behind prices that are too low could be hidden unpleasant surprises from expired or spoiled food.
Therefore, whether it is a daily, weekly or monthly food purchase , the secret is to buy what is necessary, without filling the cart with useless things that we do not even eat. And how can we get these? Well, now let’s go what are the best tricks to make a good shopping list in a short time, really buying only what you need.
How to make a shopping list correctly
In theory, there is the perfect shopping list, but it is not the same for everyone. It will change according to our specific needs. In any case, writing it carefully is an important step to try to save, without sacrificing too much the quality of the product.
Here are all the steps to take to make a flawless shopping list.
- Open the pantry and write down what it usually contains.
- Check if there are expired products (throw them away) or, in any case, about to expire (put them in the first line of sight to consume them first).
- Once this is done, plan your weekly purchases, thinking about what you lack in relation to how many you are in the family. Do the calculation for breakfast, lunch and dinner spread over 6 days (Sundays are almost always excluded because they tend to cook something different and out of budget). Also with a weekly menu planning, you will avoid waste.
- Write the amounts you need on the list (for example, snack for 8 people). Next, you will choose the type of product directly in the supermarket, based on the available offers.
- Make the list of breakfast items first, and then move on to protein foods – the ones you’ll use to make your main dishes. We talk about meat, eggs, fish, legumes, vegetables, sausages, etc.
- Next, write down the items in the fridge : milk, yogurt, etc.
- Also add carbohydrates (pasta, potatoes and rice) and cereals.
- Do not forget to write down the products that can never be missing at home. We talk about coffee, sugar, butter, salt, oil, flour and tomatoes for example.
- On your shopping list, mark products that are “out of stock” but not finished yet with a question mark . It is a little trick to remind you that you do not need them urgently and that you will only buy them if you find them on sale.
- Conclude the list by inserting those products that complete your pantry such as teas, infusions, protein bars, etc.
The ones we just described are the basic rules for a good shopping list . If you follow these tips, it will be easier to plan the weekly menu, saving time, effort and money. What are you waiting for then? Now you can put them into practice!
