6 Ways to Be a Boss At Grocery Shopping

When you have good food in the cupboard and fridge, you're more likely to cook that good food. If you cook that good food you are more likely to ingest that good food. Ingesting good food = happy you, happy family, and happy bodies. For some of you, getting to the grocery store is a nightmare, and once you are there you begin to drown in despair.

For today's Menu Monday, I'll be sharing some tips to becoming the grocery shopping queen!

But first, remember to make it you. Everyone has different needs, style, and preferences. One of my best friends likes to set aside a lot of time for grocery shopping. She likes to grab a latte and stroll leisurely. She also likes to go to several stores.I enjoy grabbing a smoothie or latte and hitting the isle, with a bit of sass and a, "I am about to conquer this grocery store," attitude. I like to to take my time and chit chat with the people in the store. I like to hit farmer's markets first and then our local organic store.My best friend, likes to go late at night after her day is finally over. She finds Walmart (her stopping ground) is more quiet and manageable at this time.My mother likes to bust in with a team of her children. When there were seven of us at home, she would take one of us, split the store in half, and we would each fill an entire cart with the goods.

Take these tips (or leave them), and make them work for your needs.

I do most of my shopping at Mamma Jeans here in Springfield 

1.) Go when you are awake

They always say, do not go when you are hungry. Maybe I am the onstill get hungry. Being rested is more important to me. Tired means crabby and emotional most of the time. Crabby  and emotional is no grounds for good decision making. Grocery shopping, as my friend Laura said, "Is like going to battle." It's true! You are the hunter and the gatherer for you and yours. You are taking a budget (that is probably smaller than you would like) and trying to find the best food for those you provide for. To wade through the aisles and aisles of crap, to find the good stuff takes an alert mind. So rest up!

ly one, but no matter where I am at on the scale of hunger, grocery shopping will make me hungry. I think I could go shopping right after Thanksgiving Dinner, and

2.) Make. A. List.

It's non-negotiable. Without a list, you will buy more than you need or intended to. Spend quality time making sure this list encompasses what you need, and allow yourself a few imaginative (or compulsive) additions while you are in store.

Keep your list running, because it is more difficult (for me) to sit down and try to remember every little thought you had during the week. When you realize you are low on something, add it to the list. I like to keep a list of what I have, and what I need. That way I do not buy three cans of tuna, when I totally have two in some dark crevice of the storage. I also like to plan my meals on Saturday or Sunday and then build my list from there. I use Pepperplate app, which I talked about in this blog.

2b.) Plan of attack

Take this one step further, and plan how you will attack the list you made. This keeps you from entering into that place where you are gazing blankly around the store, overwhelmed by where to go next.

3.) Bring your own bags

I drive by the Springfield Landfill every, single day and watch as the beautiful Southwest Missouri scenery is trashed with bags. Take your own canvas bags friends! Many stores give you a credit for bringing your own bags.

4.) Search for coupons or store deals

I am NOT a coupon fanatic. I appreciate the people who do that, but I just do not want to put in the time. My diet is so specific, that most of the time I cannot find many coupons. However, I do look to see if there are any coupons or deals, before I leave. I also have a store card for Mamma Jeans, that saves me quite a bit of cash. Sometimes it pays to be loyal. Lots of local stores will offer some sort of loyalty program.

5.) Buy less than more

Now this one might be specific to singles, but even for bigger families, when you are working with fresh food (especially organic) you need to buy less. You will waste so much money in thrown-away food, by buying too much. Until you understand exactly how much you will need, you need to buy smaller amounts. I sometimes have to go to the store twice a week because of this, but I would rather go twice then spend money on food I am going to throw away.

My roommates and I throw away an embarrassing amount of food due to over buying and under planning. I am challenging my self to eat everything I buy, and only buy what I am going to eat.

Just a few things 

6.) Have a grateful attitude

If you enter the shining doors of your favorite store feeling like this is just something you have to do, then shopping will be miserable. My mother has been shopping for seven for decades. It was often a four-hour process. She frequently goes on about how she thanks God for Walmart. "I am so blessed to be able to go into a grocery store and buy everything I need." She is right. For the majority of us, grocery shopping is a huge blessing that we are not often grateful for. So maybe next time, enter the store with a grateful attitude and see how much of a difference that makes.

Eating responsibly takes more dedication that I ever thought it would. This journey is difficult, but I am continually reminded of how rewarding it is. Grocery shopping is a huge piece of what makes a week successful for me.

I would love to hear some of your grocery-shopping tips. I have so much to learn.

Much Love,
Sarah