Why do you need to make a grocery list and how to start

Since you are reading this article, you have reasons for creating a grocery list.

Allow us to explain the necessity of having a grocery list in more detail. We also provide you some tips to create your list, the best mobile apps, and other utensils.

The following are some important reasons for creating a grocery shopping list:

• It will save you money
  
  • Planning ahead for what you want and set a limit beforehand does wonders. It will make sure that your grocery shopping excursion does not exceed your budget.
    
  • Also, planning for the exact items you need can save you fuel money. Knowing what you will buy makes it easier to know what stores you will need to visit. And also the most efficient
    route to visit the grocery store.
    
• It may sound counter-intuitive, but a shopping list will save you time.
  
  • Planning ahead can save so much time.
    
  • You won’t need to waste time visiting other stores searching for that one thing you forgot to buy. Or to find that item you didn’t find in the previous place.
    
  • Organizing items by type and importance will allow you to go straight to what you need. This will also help you know the sequence in which you should get the items, to avoid walking down the aisles.
    
• It’s the oldest recorded form of organization.
  
  And it is also worth mentioning that the organization is one of the main characteristics of humans and a pinnacle of society.
  
  • Organizing information and planning ahead is what makes us human.
    
  • It was and still is essential for our society as a whole and should always be a part of our lives.

Where to start your grocery list

Now that you are aware of the important reasons to make a grocery list, let’s share with you some tips to start yours.

Divide the list into house necessities. This means that instead of jumping from item to item like a monkey on tree branches, you need to focus on one single group of necessities.

The items that compose the topics of your grocery list can be anything; it all depends on the specifics of your household. Yet, some common topics might be:

• Kitchen items (ingredients, cooking utensils, etc)
• Bathroom items (soap, shampoo, etc)
• Pet necessities (food, toys, etc)

If your household has a wider range of necessities, divide the groups into smaller subgroups. For example, kitchen items could have a subgroup called “tableware”. It would include spoons, plates, forks, etc.

You can do some more things that can help you have a faster and more enjoyable shopping experience. Such as:

• Take the time to number the items by level of importance. The numbers of the top should be the ones that are the most needed. You should take those first into consideration when planning. Take decisions based on the prices and the location.
  
• Color code different categories. This way, wherever you are in the supermarket, you can search for the items of any category that are the nearest to you.
  
• Take your budget into consideration when buying your groceries. And choose a limit that you won’t surpass. That will help you to focus on the most important things and not to waste money on things you won’t need now.

To make this even more efficient, you can define limits for each category of items you want to buy.

Filtering your grocery list

This is an important aspect if you are responsible for doing the shopping for the whole family.

Let’s say you have a vegan teenage daughter. You need to buy only vegan ingredients for her, without forgetting to consider all her nutritional needs when compiling the grocery list.

But, you also need to buy groceries for the rest of the family, who likes pork.

How do you go about that?

First, you separate both lists. One is the groceries for your vegan daughter, and the other is for the rest of your family.

And then you filter both lists based on their themes.

You should divide the groceries for your vegan daughter into topics. That will help you to include every one of her needs.

One tip for this situation is dividing the topics based on their nutritional values. This way you don’t forget anything which may be important.

Remember, the topics aren’t defined by strict rules. Instead, you can mold them to your convenience. If it works for you, then go with it! One extra tip is to color code the two lists with different color schemes. You can try to use shades of green for the vegan grocery list for example.

Utensils, Grocery List Apps and other Trinkets

Now, to actually compile your list, you will need some sort of note-taking tool. Whether you prefer to have everything written on paper or listed in a digital app, we have tips and solutions for you.

How to write your grocery list on paper

First of all, you will need some kind of paper to write on.

For this sort of thing, it is recommended to buy a planner. You have to find the ideal grocery planner for you.

A convenient option is something that has plenty of free space and minimalist design.

If you are not a big fan of doing everything yourself, you can consider purchasing a printable shopping list template.

As for the color-coding, you can use sharpies, or/and, colorful stickers, both of which can be found at any stationery shop.

How to write your online grocery list

There is quite a range of apps to choose from when it comes to creating your grocery list.

These will be discussed in more detail in a future post.

For now, here are some of the best grocery list apps out there:

• Listonic: iOS and Android (Allows you to create many simultaneous shopping lists. allows to tag the products by price. easy to use)
  
• Bring!: iOS and Android (Simple and beautiful design; easy to use; useful features)
  
• Google Keep: iOS and Android (A great option to create any sort of list; beautiful and intuitive)
  
• AnyList: iOS and Android (Nearly perfect reviews on Google Play. dozens of features)

Practice results in perfection

Some people tend to be more tidy and organized. But for most of us, developing a habit of any sort is usually a bumpy slope.

Always remember to make your lists. It may be tiring at the start but after a while, you will be wondering how you were previously able to survive without them.

Make sure you have read everything. This way you won’t miss anything that could improve your shopping experience.

And next time you plan to go to the store, think about how much time you will save by bringing your trusty grocery list with you.