I am not sure if it is refreshing or tiring to write the same things on the grocery list week after week. For better or worse, it's what I do. Even if one of us forgets to write that we need milk, it is not like my husband or I will leave the grocery store with less than four gallons of milk or forget the yogurt. We recently ran out of paper on the little notepad that was taped to the fridge for the purpose of writing a grocery list, so I decided it was time to create a master grocery list. It's easy to do, and worth it!
UPDATED: I now have a block-style Master Grocery List Printable that is different from this, but still in columns!
To make your own master grocery list, make a quick list of the foods that you buy every week (or two), grouping together items that are found together. (Produce, dry goods, deli fresh, dairy, freezer.)
~ Open a Word document. I made my document in the "landscape" orientation, initially, but after shopping decided I needed a bit more room and made it in the standard "portrait." (Above is in the landscape orientations.) I changed it to have three columns. After placing a title at the top of the left-hand column, I chose the open bullets to create the actual list.
~ Begin your list with items found in the first aisle you go down at your local grocery store. For me, and many others, this is the produce aisle. After typing the first group of items (produce), I left several blanks for the other items that I might want to buy some weeks.
~ Envision the next few aisles and add items and blanks to your list. Repeat the process until you are satisfied with your master list.
~ Copy your master list and paste it in the middle and right columns. Print and cut as needed.
~ Make a home for your master grocery list. Mine is taped directly to the refrigerator. Printed and cut lists go in my household binder that I am created.
~ When it is time to go shopping, cross off any items you do not need and check mark the items in the bullet as you purchase them, if desired.
This master list can be tweaked as you go. I already changed mine to not include butter and canned fruit on my weekly list since I usually buy a couple at a time.
Is this something that may work for you or do you like to just write it out each week...or something else? Do you not use a list? Does your family go shopping every week, too? (With our 4-5 gallons of milk needed, it is needed for us.)
We're bad about making quick grocery trips(before or after church, or while Grasshopper is in preschool), which really add up! We drink a whole lot of milk around here, too, so we have to go pretty frequently! I really need to make a list like this and cut down on our trips.
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