5 Grocery Shopping Hacks From a Mom of 6

I am often asked about meal planning for my large family. Whenever I talk about meal planning for my large family which includes — myself, my husband and our six children, I always start with grocery shopping. In order to execute any meal plan or be intentional about eating goals, you have to have the groceries on hand, and to ensure you have the groceries you need it’s always helpful to have a grocery shopping plan. So, I have compiled 5 tips that have made grocery shopping a breeze for my large family.

Tip Number One: Use Lists

Do NOT be afraid of lists. Lists are your friend when you’re going grocery shopping because you have to have a plan, especially if your goals are to eat healthier, lose weight, or save money. Having a list will keep you on task with your shopping goals. One thing I have learned thus far, is that if you go to the grocery store at the end of a long day with no plan, you’re probably tired and hungry and you will end up grabbing what looks appealing, not what you really need. Bring a pen with you, so that you can cross items off your list as you shop them.

Tip Number Two: Have a Meal Plan

Having a meal plan will make compiling a list so easy. Meal plans paired with grocery lists are important. If you plan out your meals in advance, you can take inventory of what you have before you leave home so you don’t end up with things you don’t need, saving money and time. In addition, there’s less of a headache when you get to the store because you are not walking around aimlessly, you can get in and get out. When you’re compiling your list, you always want to make sure you get some extra things for “go-to” meals for those inevitable nights when your schedule runs late, or you forgot to turn on the slow cooker in the morning, or you just do not feel like cooking an extensive meal. Always have the basic spices, some extra frozen vegetables, and basic dry goods for an improvised meal or you’re going to end up eating fast food, wasting money, and feeling defeated.

Tip Number Three: Shop in an Order That Makes Sense

When you are in the store consider getting your dry goods first, even though when you first come in the store the produce is usually up front. I usually start with dry goods, move on to cold and frozen foods, and end with produce and bread. I get my produce and bread last so that I’m not worried about it being smashed under my other groceries, or stopping in the store to re-distribute my cart and wasting time. Come up with a strategy that makes sense for you and then practice shopping in that order.

Tip Number Four: Prepare to Keep Littles Busy

I usually try and plan to go to the store when I can shop alone, just because it is much quicker and I do not have to hear any little voices stating that they just do not understand why we cannot have pop tarts. But when I do have to take my babies to the grocery store, I always preface the trip with a chat on what is expected of them in the store, even my toddler, but I also make a plan for the little ones. I’ll have snacks, games, drinks and whatever it takes to keep my toddler entertained, so he does get bored in the store. One thing I know is that when your child gets antsy in the grocery store it can quickly turn into a nightmare, that results in wasted time, and most often leaving without something you needed, which turns into another unnecessary trip to the store later on. Also, it can be helpful to shop with your partner or a friend so that one person can attend to the littles while the other focuses on the list.

Tip Number Five: Consider Grocery Pick-Up or Delivery

Lastly, one thing that having a meal plan and a grocery list can do is allow you to set up a successful grocery delivery or pick-up. My last tip is that if you are really struggling with finding time to go grocery shopping, consider a delivery from a service like Instacart or a pick-up from stores like Harris Teeter, Kroger, Whole Foods, and even Walmart. I have had much success with these services. One thing to note when scheduling pick-up is that you do have to reserve a pick-up time, it varies from store-to-store, so you want to log on a day or two prior to when you actually want to pick up the groceries, to be sure the pick-up time you desire is available. When doing a delivery, one thing that I like to do is send a quick note to the shopper when my phone alerts me that the shopper has begun shopping. Giving specific instructions about substitutes or produce has been a lifesaver when it comes to avoiding additional trips.

Grocery shopping may seem like a mundane task, but it’s extremely essential to have a grocery shopping plan when you are trying to be intentional about what you eat and even the money you want to spend on your groceries each month. Having no plan means a lot of improvisation, which means it’s less likely that you we will be intentional about what you are eating. These five tips have been extremely helpful in making sure I have success when it comes to planning and executing meals for my large family of 8.

If you need a printable grocery list, printable meal planner, or any other resources to make meal planning a breeze, visit my website www.raquelphillips.com.

Raquel Phillips is a writer, digital creator, CPT, certified group fitness instructor, and entrepreneur. She is a wife and mother of 6 amazing children. She resides in Virginia Beach, VA.

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Need a jumpstart organizing your home life? You can download free resources like free meal planning calendars, a sample cleaning schedule, sample meal calendars, and fillable grocery lists at www.raquelphillips.com/downloads