Meal Planning Main Page

Grocery Aisles:

Produce
Bakery
Deli
Healthfood
Seafood
Condiments
Canned Goods
Dried Fruits
Cookies/Juice
Meats
Cereal/Coffee
Baking
Pasta
International
Snacks
Bread
Dairy
Frozen

Below you will find some of my tips for grocery shopping. Groceries represent a substantial chunk of the budget for most people, which makes it important to maximize your grocery dollars. To the left, you will find links to the different aisles/sections of a typical grocery store. In each of these you will find videos for each food item in that aisle. The videos will offer tips for purchasing, storing, and preparing each item. (I will gradually be adding more videos over time to make this a more robust tool. In the meantime, if there are specific items that you would like to see, please let me know.)

Don't go hungry

This is one of the first rules of thumb. If you go grocery shopping hungry, you may end up throwing everything at eye-level into the cart. Not good. Not strategic. And probably not healthy, because you may end up grabbing high-fat, high-sugar, high-carb convenience foods. You're hungry right now, so you don't want to cook, right?

Map out your meals for the week, or at least a general plan with a few ideas for specific meals. Then make a grocery list for those meals. And eat something before you go - don't let your stomach make decisions for you.

Make a shopping list and stick to it

First, make a list of the meals and snacks you want to eat during the upcoming week. Then make a list of ingredients, by grocery aisle, of everything you'll need for the week. If you write up your list by aisle, you will most likely spend less time in the store. This "by aisle" list will help keep you focused, and minimize browsing and grazing. If you need a list to start from, try one of the links below. To download the files, right-click on the name, and select "Save target as...". "You can update the Excel and Text versions to suit your own needs, and the layout of your favorite store.

Grocery List in Excel 97-2003 format
Grocery List in Text format
Grocery List in PDF format

Buy local

When you buy local, you support your local economy. Local food doesn't require cross-country or international shipping, which consumes expensive fuel and which generates large amounts of carbon dioxide emissions.

Some things to consider when buying local:

1. "Local" doesn't mean "cheap". Big stores may carry local items, but they add their share to the marked up price. While the trend of eating local grows, many local providers view this as a trendy niche, and respond with "gourmet" pricing. Don't reward that behavior, unless that product has some attribute that other local products do not have.
2. Ask around for the names of reputable farmers or producers who sell high-quality local products that suit your needs. Visit your state's Department of Agriculture website for names of producers in your area. Use internet search engines to find producers in your area.
3. "CSA's" or "Community Supported Agriculture". Many farms allow customers to buy "shares" in the farm for a particular season. These CSAs vary from low-priced "pick your own" setups to more expensive "show up once a week and pick up a box of produce" setups. Some farms will even deliver. CSAs are a great opportunity for people who live in the city to experience fresh local produce. Check out what is available in your area. If the CSAs are a little too expensive for you, consider going in on a share with a friend.

I recently discovered a farm in my area that sells eggs. They were $4 for a dozen organic eggs. I pay almost $5 for a dozen "CFO's" - cage-free organics. (The problem with the term "cage free" is that it could mean the chickens are crammed into a big stall instead of a cage. "Cage free" isn't the same as "free range".) So, for a dollar less I bought local organic eggs.

© 2008 Paul Gagne, All Rights Reserved