5 quick tips to battling the grocery store

 

The grocery store - It's this daunting task that looms over our head on a weekly basis..ughhhhh. It only gets worse as the kids grow and consume food like a vacuum. One day your pantry is packed and you get a feeling of relaxation and pride, patting yourself on the back and saying "you did good today, you will not have to make any extra trips to the grocery this week." hahahahaha yeah like that really happens.
Lets get real here, to me the grocery is like any test I used to take, I wait until the last minute then I am scrambling around only to realize the end result is going to be an ultimate fail. Like when you come home from the grocery and you realize you are missing one ingredient to every meal you had planned!
Well now that I am getting older and wiser, I have realized that good preparation is key. Here are a few tips to help you get through those grocery aisles like a breeze.

1. Plan out your meals for the week-
I know this sounds like a lot of work but having a clear idea of what you will be eating every night helps you not over purchase. When you don't know what your going to make you tend to buy a bit of everything which then leads to food going bad. You know you do it, you think ooh that looks good maybe I will use that and then you never get around to it. Have a plan ladies!

2. Write out a grocery list..and don't leave it at home-
This is a very obvious tip but lets face facts, we are busy with a million other things and we don't always have a list on paper. The one in our head never seems to be good enough. Write it down and remember it!

3. Use your coupons-
Every grocery store offers them. Mine even sends them to me in the mail. Go through them, know which ones you will use and use them. If you don't you are just throwing money away.

4. Avoid at all costs taking your kids with you-
I am sorry if that sounds harsh but seriously going to the grocery is bad enough, you don't need to add in pushing around that damn car cart that takes corners like a semi. Also your kids make you buy stuff that you normally wouldn't..let's save that money, mama needs a new pair of shoes! No kids!

5. Do not go to the grocery store hungry or tipsy-
Last but not least, shopping while hungry or a little buzzed. Not good ladies, it disrupts your whole purpose of being there. You will want to buy everything and eat everything which will directly lead to what I stated above "you will come home with a bunch of randomness and nothing that you can pull together to make one meal!" Save yourself from making multiple trips to the store during the week.

That is all, happy shopping ladies and I say ladies because you know the men ain't doing it!