Story by Sara Howell, Features Editor
Graphic courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Though some people enjoy grocery shopping, it can be a nightmare for others. The latter usually try to get everything needed in as little time possible, but that can get overwhelming. These five shopping tips will help to keep that grocery shopping anxiety at bay.
Familiarize yourself with store
First, find a grocery store that you would not mind going to for your shopping, then try to remember where things are. This is really helpful if you plan to organize your shopping lists. Having a general idea of where items are throughout the store will help to make the shopping experience go by a lot quicker.
Organize shopping list
It is easy enough to begin making a list for shopping but taking it another step further can be even more helpful. Try categorizing items into groups according to where they are in the store. If cheese and lunch meat can be found in the same area, group those things together! This is useful because you are not having go to a place in the store you have already been.
Write items down
As soon as you run out of a certain product or item, write it on the list so you don’t forget. People often go to the store then come back only to realize they forgot something; this method, however, will prevent this from happening. Put a piece of paper on the fridge so it is easy to remember where you keep your ongoing list.
Look up recipes
Recipes are a good thing to use when you are unsure of what to put on your list. Whether it is something simple or something a little more advanced, being able to have an ingredient list to go by is really helpful. You may even be able to buy common products to use for multiple recipes. This also helps to save time.
Use previous buys
It is easy to hold onto an old list to look back and see if you would like to repurchase items. This can help you to not forget anything and cut time. It would be a good idea to place your old lists in a ziplock bag to store somewhere for when you need a memory refresher.