13 Tips For Creating A More Efficient Grocery List

Humans have been making lists for thousands of years, even if they have changed over time. For instance, grocery lists in the 1950s sometimes came engraved in metal, because the 20^th century was nothing if not unnecessarily inventive. Today, though, most people stick with simple pen and paper or an electronic method to avoid making mistakes while grocery shopping. This, sadly, isn't always enough to help you steer clear of the more common pitfalls at the store. 

If you want to avoid overbuying groceries, whether at your local Middle Eastern grocery store or your favorite Trader Joe's, a good list can help. Similarly, if you want to feed yourself or your family as well as possible, you need a good strategy for creating more efficient shopping lists. Happily, there are many ways to create a more efficient grocery list, and we caught up with a passel of experts to learn precisely how to do it. Without further ado, here are 13 tips to make a winning list that gets you through the week every time.

Meal planning looks different every week, depending on what you've got going on. If you're hosting two nights, then you're going to need some nicer meals. If you've got a jam-packed week of work all day and taekwondo every evening, then you should prioritize ease. If you are a full-time parent whose main goal is nutritious meals for your family, then you may have more time to get creative. Whatever the case, always start the week by checking the calendar.

"At the beginning of the week, I always review the week's schedule for meals out, travel dates, or hosting a guest," says Eric Sornoso, founder of Mealfan. "This helps me figure out how many meals I will be planning, minimizing unnecessary purchases." Lauren Sampson of Athlete Lunchbox agrees: "If I have a busy schedule with minimal time to cook, I focus on quick-prep or no-cook meals, batch-cooking, and leftovers that can be repurposed into multiple dishes." Sampson says that she leaves new or time-consuming recipes for days when she has more time to spare.

This not only impacts how long you spend cooking, it affects the type of food you'll make as well. "For example, on a day where I have more time, I can make more detailed things like baked salmon and roasted veggies with a baked sweet potato," explains fitness expert Kevin David Rails of Fasting for Fitness. "But if I know I'm going to be behind the eight ball all week, I'll opt for things that are quicker and easier to make." For example, he says a pre-made, organic salad blend would work well here.

Arguably the most important thing to do before you head to the grocery store is to take stock of what you already have. That way, you avoid overbuying items you already possess and ending up with a pantry that somehow contains four half-full bags of rolled oats — a fact you somehow discover only after coming home from shopping ... and somehow this happens every time. (Say you've done this too.)

"Meal planning advice is not one-size-fits-all, so I encourage cooks to know their pain points and work to ease them," says food blogger Mary Ann Kelley (aka Add Salt & Serve). "I am a big believer in shopping your pantry and freezer first, and restocking them when items are at their best price, as much as space and budget allow." In other words, where possible, don't go out of your way to get items unless they're on sale, and use what you have whenever you can.

Registered dietitian Suzanne Fisher of Women's Cycling Nutrition agrees. "Before shopping, take inventory of your fridge, freezer, and pantry to avoid buying duplicates," she says. Fisher also recommends organizing your fridge and pantry by grouping similar items together to quickly make note of what you need. That way, you won't be digging in three separate cabinets and the garage to figure out if you have coconut milk. Plus, according to Janice Carte, chef and founder of Tiny Spoon Chef, this often results in "rediscovering impulse buys from international markets and building meals around them. It's a fun way to get creative and make the most of what you've already spent — because in my mind, it's basically free!"

After you make a round, it's time to check whether you need to stock up on any staples. "Focus on the higher priced items you use the most frequently," Mary Ann Kelley advises. That way, you can keep a look out for them on an ongoing basis and buy them when they're at the best price. Keep in mind, though, that you can use the "shopping your pantry" mentality here too. "Grains are often interchangeable," Janice Carte says. "Choosing barley or farro over rice, for example, can even add extra nutrition." Don't restock simply because you're out of one thing if you can use a substitute instead.

Depending on your household, the most important ingredients will change. Some families can't do without eggs, while working stiffs would rather die than discover they're out of coffee. So, keep a list of your important staples. Check this list and add anything that's low, especially common ingredients such as "peanut butter, flour, canned goods, pasta, and oats", says Rena Awada of Healthy Fitness Meals.

If you're not sure what staples are most important to you, it helps to make a reverse grocery list. This is essentially a rundown of everything you have on hand in your kitchen and want to keep stocked. You can make the list on a whiteboard, piece of paper, or Excel spreadsheet, then highlight ingredients when you run out. Then, when you make your list for the week, you check the reverse list and add any highlighted items. Bonus points if you make note of when you buy staples so you can use a "first in, first out," says Eric Sornoso.

If you come across any good coupons, make sure to accommodate them in your meal planning, the experts say. "Each week, I check my grocery store's app for digital coupons and sales," says Amy Casey, the personal chef behind Amy Casey Cooks. "If there's a good deal on a specific vegetable, fruit, meat, or other merchandise, I pick recipes that use them."

"Whenever a good-quality protein or pantry staple is on sale, I am bound to change my meal plan accordingly or buy in bulk to stock up," agrees Eric Sornoso. Plus, Sornoso recommends checking store apps or cashback platforms for coupons. What's more, make sure to plan time for using ingredients you find on super-sale. "For example, when I find a good price on ground beef, I buy as much as I can afford, cook it all when I get home, and freeze it in meal-sized portions," Mary Ann Kelley says. Lauren Sampson agrees, though for her it's chicken breast or salmon. Pick your poison, then watch the sales and add fave ingredients to freeze or stock in your pantry.

Meal planning has a bit of a mixed rap. Is it useful or a total drag? The interwebz might be divided, but the experts are in agreement: Meal planning makes it much easier to buy the right foods and quantities. "Having a meal plan in place reduces the stress and mental fatigue of deciding, 'What's for dinner?'" Suzanne Fisher says. "It also ensures you have the right ingredients on hand, avoiding those last minute supermarket trips. You can even build in a designated leftover day for when cooking just isn't an option."

Plan your meals at a quiet time, a day or so ahead of when you'll shop. Add ingredients for dinner, but don't forget breakfast, lunch, and snacks. "Add healthy snacks like fresh fruit and vegetables, unsalted nuts, plain yogurt, and hummus to your list," Amy Casey says. "With a detailed grocery list, you'll be less likely to toss unhealthy, processed grocery items into the cart."

Try to choose ingredients that will stay fresh throughout the week, says Janice Carte, so that you don't have to go back to the store. She prioritizes vacuum-sealed meats, hearty veggies, and pantry staples to meet this goal. And, Lauren Sampson adds, you'll feel better if you make sure every meal has a balance of carbohydrates and proteins. Don't forget to add healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, and avocado.

Yes, it looks fun to make a beef Wellington of which Gordon Ramsay would be proud, but is that really how you want to spend your afternoon? If so, awesome. Let me know what time to be there. But if not, choose the foods and meals that work for you and your family.

Mary Ann Kelley, for instance, doesn't find 5 p.m. to be her best time. "I can counter this by keeping quick ingredients that make easy meals, such as cooked ground beef and chicken and sautéed chopped onions in the freezer." She also makes use of a crockpot, so that she doesn't have to spend much time in the kitchen in the evenings.

"For someone else," she says, "a period of relative calm before everyone arrives home in the afternoon might be their most efficient prep time, leading to an entirely different strategy." As the ancient inscription from the Oracle of Delphi puts it, it's always best to know thyself.

Oftentimes, you'll get to the store and realize there's a sale going that wasn't reflected in your sales scan or that occurred after your planning. You can accommodate sales efficiently by being vague about ingredients. Any time you can write "salad greens" versus butter lettuce or baby spinach, for instance, you'll have a better chance of saving money.

"I always look to see if there are sales in the meat department," Amy Casey says. "There tends to be the best savings around holidays. Hams and prime rib roasts are on sale around Easter. Steaks are a good buy the week of Father's Day. Whole turkeys and turkey breasts are marked down just before Thanksgiving." If you frequently come home with more items than you planned for, that's something to watch for. However, if you plan on getting items when they're on sale or look good, and that's a normal part of your routine that fits into your budget, then good for you.

Make sure to have extra shopping bags on hand to avoid paying for disposable ones at the store. Many shops stock reusable bags for purchase, but you can find higher-quality ones online. Heavy Duty Shopping Bags with a Box Shape are a good option for Costco trips, while BeeGreen Foldable Shopping Bags provide a lightweight option that can squeeze into a purse or backpack.

"Don't forget that frozen options can be a healthy and convenient choice," Suzanne Fisher says. Although many people assume that fresh is always better, freezing only destroys a minor amount of key nutrients. Frozen produce may even be healthier, if it was picked at peak ripeness and, therefore, contains a maximum amount of nutrients. Whatever the case, frozen produce is absolutely fine, and is often cheaper than fresh. Plus, it's handy. "Frozen staples like peas, edamame, and corn ensure I always have something on hand," Janice Carte says.

They also help accommodate you during times when you're less on the ball. "I've found that having what I call 'Plan B meals' helps reduce waste and unnecessary purchases," Lauren Sampson says. "If I can't find a key item that I need from the grocery store for a meal that I'm planning that week, I'll sub in some Plan B meals instead, which include items from the freezer, pantry staples, and versatile leftovers." Frozen fruits and veggies make those Plan B meals way easier.

You'll want to minimize the amount of time you spend wandering inefficiently from aisle to aisle. One of the best ways to do this is to group items into categories, ensuring you don't have to revisit the same place twice at the store. Lauren Sampson uses the following categories: produce, proteins, dairy and refrigerated items, dry goods and pantry staples, frozen foods, and household, and miscellaneous. You can customize your categories to store layout and needs.

Beware, though, that food categories don't live in just one area of the store. "Protein isn't just in meat and dairy — it's in the produce and pantry aisles, too," Janice Carte says. "Budget-friendly options like peas, edamame, sweet corn, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, and broccoli add a solid protein boost. Dried beans, legumes, and nuts are another go-to." So, after you make your list of proteins, sort them into the places you'll find them at the store. Side note: Always list quantities when categorizing, especially if you're sending someone else. There can be a big difference between two and four oranges, depending on what you're making, so make a note while you still remember.

At this point in the game, make sure you have shopped your pantry and double-checked your inventory. Once you make your list, comb through your cupboards and fridge to eliminate anything you might have thought you were out of. If you find something, scratch it off your list. And get creative, Janice Carte says: "If a recipe calls for whole almonds, but you have slivered or sliced, use those instead."

If you're going to multiple stores, you might want to organize the list accordingly. There are a few strategies for this. However, most experts agree that you should make separate lists for each store to streamline your trip. "This way I'm not looking for an item that is meant for another store," Rena Awada says.

What's more, choosing the right stores and the order of your shopping trips also matters. For instance, Mary Ann Kelley will shop at a store with the best prices first, such as smaller, independently owned shops, then fill in leftover items at a larger or more expensive store if necessary. Lauren Sampson does most of her shopping at her preferred store, but "when there are sales on at the butcher, or a local farmers market, or different grocery store, I'll add a different color into my shopping list and make a specific trip."

Ideally, you can list your items depending on the order you'll hit them at the store. If you walk in and see produce (as is common), start there. In general, it's useful to shop the perimeter of the grocery store. "The healthier food like seafood, fresh meats, fruits, and vegetables typically are on the outer walls of the store," Amy Casey says. Progress through them one department at a time.

However, Kevin David Rails cautions against skipping the middle aisles altogether. "You can find plenty of healthy items there!" he says. "And it's even better when you have coupons for them." Instead of fearing the middle, make a careful list and don't get anything that's not on it. If you're worried, you can use the ingenious 5-4-3-2-1 rule for planning your grocery list: five veggies, four fruits, three proteins, two spreads or condiments, and one grain or treat. That way, you steer clear of processed food pitfalls. Suzanne Fisher does advise that you "plan for treats by allowing room for a few items that satisfy cravings in a mindful and balanced way."

So, how are you going to track that list? "This is very dependent on the individual," Kevin David Rails says. "If you are old-school and have fancy writing, then putting your list on a piece of paper is perfect. If you're tech-savvy, you can literally put your entire grocery list in a store's app. If you're semi-tech-savvy, you can write your list in a Google or Word doc and print it." As for him, Rails simply makes his list on his iPhone. "There's no paper involved, it's quick and easy to add and delete, and it's very convenient."

Other ideas include a customized printable organizer, a Word doc, or a whiteboard in the kitchen, which is Lauren Sampson's go-to strategy. "I write down items I run out of during the week when I use the last of them (especially bulk staples like rice, flour, or olive oil, and seasonings or sauces." Apps such as AnyList or Mealtime offer automatic categorization and store sorting, if that kind of thing is important to you, Suzanne Fisher says. AnyList and Google Keep both sync to other family members, Eric Sornoso adds.

If you want to go the simple route, then at least make sure you have a list in your kitchen, so you can write down ingredients when you run out. Large Magnetic Notepads will do the trick if you want to keep it simple, or you can add in meal planning with the Two Tumbleweeds Meal Planning Notepad. If you use paper, make sure to bring a pen to the store with you.

Last but not least, what do you do with those pesky non-food items? Think vitamins, sponges, hand soap refills, Band-Aids, or a last-minute gift for that hostess with the mostess. It's annoying to try and categorize these items, especially if you don't buy them frequently, so don't spend time trying to figure it out ahead of your shopping trip. Instead, the best strategy is to put them down at the bottom.

That way, you can head to the store and do your shopping as normal. If you stumble across one of the miscellaneous items while hunting and gathering, pop it in the cart and cross it off. If you don't, then you can finish your trip and then find a store rep to help you hunt down the missing items.