I even enjoy grocery shopping. I am so blessed to be able to walk into a building, buy food and share it with my family. So many people don't have that privilege. And I will not take it for granted.
On the other hand it's tricky when I have to take 3 youngins (whom take up most of the room in the cart), get everything we need without overspending and try to be home in time for lunch.
We buy a lot of our meat, in bulk from farmers and get our eggs delivered. So I don't need to worry about those each week, but we can't live on beef and eggs
So I came up with a system.
The Day: I get groceries on Mondays. It's not important which day I go, but it is important to go the same day every week. It's easier for the kids to follow the weekly routine and it's easier for me to calculate how much food we need.
So I came up with a system.
The List: I do my meal plans and build the grocery list on Fridays. This leaves the weekend to add anything else. I also like using my filled out grocery list and highlight what I need. I remember more things and navigate the store much faster since I started using it.
The Budget: I use a calculator in the store (yes I'm that person) because I am the worst at math and I want to know how much I can expect at the till. And when buying for a family of 5 (when Jason's home) that total can be quite high.
The Coupons: Sadly, in Canada, coupons are slim pickings. Although, I can usually save $1-5 a week with them, so it's not completely useless. I keep the clipped coupons in my wallet and tape them on the respective items as I put them in the cart. Yes, I bring a roll of tape to the store. This way they don't get lost, forgotten, or ripped, and the cashiers appreciate it.
The Promos: The grocery store I go to usually gives free stuff if you spend a certain amount. I don't usually need the free item they give (this week it's a hanging flower basket) but I also don't usually spend the minimum amount either, so it doesn't matter. But some weeks they give $25 gift cards if I spend $250. I like to take advantage of these. Since I can't spend $250 in one week, I will eventually. So I make a meal plan for two weeks, buy what I can two weeks in advance and get the discount. I stock up on stuff I can freeze or store, anything but milk and fresh produce (meat, frozen veggies, frozen fruit, flour, oils, spices, cereal, diapers). It takes more planning and time but in the end I save $25.
The Kids: My boys love getting groceries with me. They especially enjoy helping. But sometimes, they are having a bad day. No matter what, they need to behave. If they need a time out, I either take them to the van, just outside of the store or in a corner of the store and they can serve their time out in public. I also don't buy them treats just for coming, they are only coming because they have to. They do get treats because it's on sale, when everything is home and put away, if they are good. I give them 'missions' to do at the store, cross off collected groceries on the list, get the produce bags, load the paid items in the bins and have a conversation with the cashier.
The Season: Since I have an entourage, it's easiest to go to one store, once a week. But, I also like going to the farmers market in the warmer seasons. I can't stock up on everything (like lettuce) but some things (like strawberries) are great for freezing. Fruit stands are also a great option. It's like a drive through, kids can stay in the car.
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