Habit #12

Keep a running grocery list

The Why

If you’re like me, you like to eat. And if you’re also like me, food costs is probably a large factor in your monthly budget. According to the US Department of Labor, the average “food at home” expenditures for a family unit in 2015 was $4,015. Seeing that eating is a necessity, it isn’t a matter of “if” we purchase food for ourselves and our families, but rather “how” and “what”. One area I struggle in still to this day is creating a “good” grocery list. I don’t have issues with making grocery lists, but I don’t think it’s well done if you find yourself forgetting to purchase key ingredients for a recipe you want to make that week, or those few items that your spouse mentioned to you the day before that you swore you wouldn’t forget. Yep, I’ve been there too, which is why I wanted to tap into the power of the running grocery list.

Anyone who is not familiar with this painfully simple domestic tool, it’s really just a list you keep in a convenient location (say on your refrigerator or counter top) that you write down things you need to purchase on your next trip to the store. See you’re getting low on bread? Write it down. Come across a unique recipe that requires an exotic spice or two? Write it down. Then the next time you need to make up a grocery list for the week, you already have a head start with the things you know you need.

The How

This habit is really self explanatory, but for the purpose of consistency, I will put it in writing. I will keep a piece of paper either on the fridge or on a clip board in the kitchen and simply write down everything I know we will need to get on our next grocery trip. By doing this, I hope to not only simplify the grocery list process, but also be more cognizant of what we are getting each week.