Master Grocery List Solutions?

[texmati]

How do ya'll handle grocery lists-- does anyone have a 'master grocery list'.

Or do you make your menus, and make a list off of that?

Sometimes I think it would be helpful to have a 'master grocery list'. Something that I could go through quickly and check off.

What happens now is that I won't realize that we are low on one staple or another, so even if we have butter, it's not enought to last us the week, that kind of thing.

We make way too many special trips to the grocery store lately.

[mightymoo]

I've been thinking of this too. I have heard of folks who have it all organized by aisle at the grocery store, which would be great for me since I tend to miss things even things I get all the time, because they are the end of aisles of different stuff and I forget and with two kids with me, my brain isn't always as engaged as I would like.

I'm thinking of it like this.. maybe an excel spreadsheet, each item would have an aisle number and a cabinet number, I could sort it by cabinet number, and go through my cabinets one by one in physical order to check on the items, then put what I need into the spreadsheet as I go, then sort it by aisle number and print. Hmmmm.

[texmati]

I'm a dummy responding to my own thread, but a quick tip to organize (roughly) by store section:

I fold my sheet of paper into quarters and write produce in one corner, dairy in another, frozen foods in another, and pretty much everything else in the last one.

It doesn't take too much more thought, but it saves having to run all the way to the back of the store becuase I wrote cheese at the end of the list.

[Denvergirlie]

I dont use it but here is a great tool to get your ideas flowing.

Someday (yeah right) I'd like to have a full inventory and use a list like this to shop with, but honestly, I'm just not that organized... however, one can still dream thou!

http://www.grocerylists.org/ultimatest/

[onlyzombiecat]

I make a menu for 2 weeks because we shop every 2 weeks
I look at our cupboards and freezer when I make a menu because I try to incorporate what we already have.
I make the grocery list and include staples and non-food items that we are out of.
When I write out my list I try to group similar items together and somewhat in order of the store we usually go to.
I know that our route in the store usually goes produce, meat, dairy, baking, pasta, canned goods, bread, frozen and non-food items. If we go to a different store it is still helpful to just have all dairy products or non-food items listed as a group. It really cuts down on forgetting or having to run back to get cheese when you are on the other end of the store.

You can find lots of master grocery lists online.
http://www.mygrocerychecklist.com/
http://www.grocerylistmaker.com/
http://www.aislebyaisle.com/

In the past I have just made my own grocery list on the computer and saved it. I would add stuff or delete stuff and print it out. We buy a lot of the same stuff each time.

[GardenStream]

We have a back-up for just about everything we routinely use. When we finish off one and have to open the back-up, we write it down on the list. The list is always on the fridge. Then, when we're getting ready to go shopping I will sit down and add things that I need from the menu I have planned for the next two weeks.

We also have a seperate list of things we have to buy at a store other than the grocery. That list is on a white board right next to the door. We only go to a non-grocery store about once a month, so we were constantly forgetting things.

[texmati]

Originally Posted by atobols

We have a back-up for just about everything we routinely use. When we finish off one and have to open the back-up, we write it down on the list.

Thats smart! There's only DH and me and MIL at home so it's difficult to go through food quickly. We do keep extras of canned stuff and dry stuff.

But somehow that confuses me even more-- I always end up picking up a can or two extra :

[SAHDS]

I make my menu monthly, so I have a master list that I go by once every week or so. I don't mind stocking up on the staples and non-perishables (since I go through them less quickly than the perishables). Also, I may add a few items to a separate list if I'm out of something or am trying something new or seasonal.

[almadianna]

subbing!