
Confession – I don’t always shop with a list.
I know, I know, to grocery shop without a list is generally recognized as unsafe because it supposedly causes you to buy too much shit you don’t need. You end up spending more money, buying more junk, forgetting the stuff you really need and wandering the grocery store for hours. BUT.
Making a grocery list is a-n-n-o-y-i-n-g.
I actually used to love making my list, and I’m sure some of you do too, and this post probably isn’t for you, but I feel like as you get older and have more responsibilities and you become busier and busier that making a grocery list becomes one of life’s biggest headaches.
I’m probably being dramatic, but here’s what I’m getting at – there are weeks where perusing Pinterest for meal ideas and list making just ain’t gonna happen.
So that being said, there are times that I’m just like whatever! I’m going to the store blind and we’re just gonna see what happens. I’m VERY schizophrenic when it comes to shopping – it’s not a part of my routine at all whatsoever, so I’ve gotten really good at winging it.
There are also many, many times that I make a grocery list and then forget it. Shocking!!
I have my listless grocery shopping strategy DOWN. Like, really down. It’s pretty genius. It can get me through at least a week – and I want to share it with you guys. Take a peep at how I grocery shop without a list….like a boss.
Always have frozen vegetables on hand. This is on my list of things to ALWAYS have stocked in your freezer because no matter how little time you have, there is always time to make a veggie when you have a frozen bag in the freezer!
Cheese. It’s just important. I like to mix it up – usually based on what’s on sale. One cheese has to be melty, the other can be something good for salads like goat or feta.
This one varies a little. My household is on the higher end of carb consumption (still WAY lower than your typical American diet) but some of you may get the majority of your carbs from fruits and vegetables and in that case, you can cut this down and add more to your fruits and veggies list. My staples are red potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice cakes and spaghetti squash. But I also love me some chickpea pasta, parboiled rice and Dave’s Killer Bread.
ALWAYS.ALWAYS.ALWAYS. I eat at least 1/2 of an avocado every day. Sometimes I buy 6, even. Avocados are one of the healthiest things in the world you can eat, and they’re so good for your metabolism and blood sugar. And guys – tip – once your avos are ripe, just put them in the fridge. They will be more than fine for the week and won’t go bad.
This will probably be your toughest decision, but if you’re like me and buy the same damn things all the time, it shouldn’t be too bad. I ALWAYS get a big container of Fage or Siggi’s 4% Plain, Greek Yogurt and I always buy eggs. Then, I’ll usually buy some fresh salmon or some other type of seafood, some type of chicken, some type of ground meat (look for sales) and tuna or canned chicken for lunches and snacks. But if I find some good beef or pork on sale, I’ll grab that. I might get some chicken sausage, too. Totally depends on the sales and what I’m feelin’.
I always grab some type of berries. Always. And then MAYBE some other type of fruit if it sounds good but I just don’t crave fruit very often so I don’t pick it up a lot. Then I load up on my favs – cucumber, tomato, onions and romaine, always. Then it depends on what’s in season. I’m having a Brussels sprouts and cauliflower moment right now. And broccoli since I’ve been so obsessed with Coconut Roasted Broccoli.
Sometimes I’ll pick up a sauce or two, as well. Like a marinara and pesto or some sort of curry sauce in a jar. But it’s not a must. If you follow this guide, I promise that you will absolutely be able to put together breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks all week.
One thing I’m not including here, of course, is some of my pantry staples like olive oil, grass-fed butter, mayo, half and half and canned tomatoes, but I pretty much always know when I’m out of that stuff and I’ll remember to grab it. If I forget cream for my coffee, the world basically ends.
I hope you guys find this helpful. What are you listless grocery shopping strategies?
-Megan
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