Dose of Prose

Have you ever gone into the store to pick up a “couple things” and end up leaving with a bunch of random stuff you never planned to buy in the first place? Yeah, me too. I didn’t truly begin cooking all of my meals until after I moved to California and was in graduate school, where I no longer had the luxury of a meal plan to lean on like I did in undergrad. At first I would eat out a lot – meaning I would grab my lunch or dinner at a restaurant on/near campus, or I would take advantage of the food delivery service apps on my phone (Postmates, Uber Eats, etc.). I would go to Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s weekly, but I found myself still having nothing to eat in my fridge and would resort to eating out again. But once I began night classes (6 – 10pm) and took a look at my bank account, I soon realized that something had to change. I had to become more intentional and economical with my grocery shopping expenses. I also needed to be more organized with preparing my meals because of how busy my lifestyle was. I was sick of having to think about what to eat when I was starving after a long day. I was tired of trying to come up with something to cook really late at night. I had to get rid of these bad habits and fast.

One day, I sat down and started making a list. I made a list of all of the meals that I liked to eat and researched what ingredients I would need to make the meal myself (instead of buying it at a restaurant). In addition to meals, I also made a list of essential items/foods that I would use or eat on a daily basis. I kept this list in my phone and whenever I ran low on any item on that list, I would put a mark next to it, which would help me to keep track of what I need and refrain from buying random things I don’t need. I kept this habit going which eventually turned into a lifestyle. I typically go to the store on Saturdays and meal prep for the week on Sundays so that every meal I eat throughout the week (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) are all homemade and I don’t have to eat out. I am no longer wasting food, money and time. I am more intentional with my grocery shopping and have made my grocery shopping experience more affordable and manageable!

If you also have trouble budgeting when it comes to food/groceries, this blog post is for you. I got this idea from The Financial Diet, a website that talks all about money and how to manage it better. I highly recommend you checking them out! A couple months ago they posted some grocery shopping tips and I thought it would be worthwhile to share it over here and show you my personal grocery list, a list you’ll actually use. Hope it helps!

5 Grocery Shopping Rules Every Home Cook Should Stick To:

1. Don’t buy something on sale simple because it’s “a good deal” — stick to what you know you’ll actually eat.

2. Only buy an item in bulk when you’re sure you will use it all up.

3. Always. Make. A. List.

4. Double-check what you already have in your pantry & fridge before any grocery trip.

5. If you can’t use an ingredient for at least two meals, don’t buy it.

My Go-To Grocery List

If you want to know the specific produce that I buy from Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, I can make a separate blog post with photos of each item I get (leave a comment and let me know!). The list below however is just a general comprehensive list of things that you would get good use out of from any store.

• seasoning – ie. salt, pepper, sugar, herbs, onion, garlic, etc. (of course this can be more extensive, but if you’re new to cooking, this is all you need!)

• butter

• oil

• protein – lean meats like chicken and fish and other seafood are super easy to throw in the oven, crock pot or pan fry!

• carbs – rice, pasta, bread for sandwiches or toast, potatoes to bake or roast in the oven, etc.

• veggies – easy to cook and can be used as a side dish, for salads or thrown in soups/stews!

• snacks – fruits, cheese, nuts, chips, granola bars, etc.

• breakfast – coffee/tea, milk, eggs, oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, pancake/waffle mix, etc.

• quick dinners – something you can heat up quickly (ie. frozen dinners, pre-made or pre-packaged grab n’ go meals, etc.)

• dessert – cookies, cakes, pie, ice cream, etc. (proceed with caution on this one of course haha)

I know that diet is not a one size fits all, but hopefully this list can give you a foundation to build on and inspire you to create a list that caters to your specific needs. Leave a comment and let me know if you want to know what I specifically buy from my local grocery store! If you have any other tips or golden grocery shopping rules you live by, feel free to drop those as well. Until next time, happy shopping!

-Kaamilah