I stopped at the grocery store today at a time that
is generally not busy. However, there were more folks there than usual...and quite a few people grumbling as well.
I noticed a long line to access self-checkout (lots of folks trying
to check out huge orders themselves) and lines at the two cashier stations that were open as well. One of those cashiers looked frazzled. She must have been brand new.
I wasn't in a rush,
so I grabbed what I needed. While I was waiting patiently in line, I began jotting down ideas for making grocery shopping an organized, and hopefully less stressful, adventure. Here's what I came up with:
1. Shop at the same store. The more you shop in one store, the better you'll know
where everything is. You'll invest less time searching for what you need.
2. Go with a list. Whether your list is on paper or in an app (I use one called Paperless),
having a list gives you a focused game plan so that you can get in and out as quickly as possible. It also helps ensure you don't forget to buy something you need.
3. Bring a
photo. If there's an item you've run out of at home, and it's something you really enjoyed but don't regularly buy, take a photo of the container/box/package, etc. before you toss it out. When you go grocery shopping, you won't have to try to remember the brand, flavor, etc. It's a great memory jogger. This is also a good idea if you send a spouse or teen to the store...it's easier for them to have a photo of what you would like them to get.
4. Organizing your list by food category. List all of your veggies together, for instance, and all of your frozen items together, etc. In doing so, hopefully you'll be able to loop the entire store once,
instead of back-tracking.
5. Store your coupons and reusable bags in your vehicle. You will still need to remind yourself to bring them in the store, but at least you won't forget them at home.
6. Always grab a cart or a basket. It's ridiculous to have to cradle what you need in your arms, with the chance of dropping whatever you have...or struggling to hold everything.
7. Focus most of your shopping efforts on the perimeter of the store. This is where most of the unprocessed foods are. So, you'll shop healthier and get out of the store faster if you don't have to walk up and down every
aisle.
8. Take a photo of the "grocery item/aisle" guide. Most supermarkets have posted lists of the items they have and the aisles they are in. Take a photo of this guide and keep it in your phone's camera roll. It's a super helpful tool when you need to remember where certain
items are.
9. Get help from the teens. When you are shopping with older children, divide up the list and have them pick up items from the other aisles. If at all possible,
leave the little ones at home. They almost always add to impulse shopping. Plus your focus then needs to be divided between the grocery shopping and making sure the kids aren't pulling things off the shelves, or putting items in your cart that you don't wish to purchase.
10. Get in the appropriate line. Personally, for grocery stores that offer both cashiers and self-checkout lines, I wish the stores would limit the amount of items for using self-checkout. Maybe some do, but mine does not. After all, if you're trying to check out 25 or more items, it's usually much easier for a cashier to handle the transaction. The cashier usually has a long conveyor
belt and area to place the full bags. Plus, it's frustrating when you are running in to buy two items and there is no option but to wait behind people checking out a huge amount of groceries. This is more "courtesy" than organizing, but I look in my grocery cart and if it's very full and there is a cashier line, that's the one I get in.
11. Have a waiting plan. Of course, try to go to the grocery store during off-hours when it's not so busy. But have a plan if you do have to wait. Maybe the store is low on cashiers. Perhaps the customer ahead of you is having an issue with his/her transaction. Be patient. Use your phone to catch up on your
email, to respond to a text, or read an article you've been meaning to read.
12. Get them to shop for you. Many grocery stores have a service that allows you to "shop from home." You use your computer or phone to access the store's app, add the items that you'd like, and pick them
up at the store (there are usually parking spaces designated for this purpose) at a pre-scheduled time of the day. Some grocery stores deliver to your door as well.
