Before I became a parent, I never thought twice about preparation in anticipation of a grocery store trip. I’d be lucky to scrawl a list on the back of the overdue Banana Republic credit card envelope (oops), and it truly wasn’t necessary since “Diet Coke” and “Balance bars” were the pre-kid mainstays.
Five years and two kids later, there are a few things I don’t leave home without when preparing to stock up on family food:
- Antibacterial wipes–I always wipe down the cart, including the handle and the seat, to ensure that when my toddler puts her hands in her mouth for the 12th time that trip, the only boogers she’ll be eating are her own.
- Snacks–resealable bags of a mixture of Goldfish crackers, raisins, Cheerios and Mini M&Ms keep the girls busy as they try to dig out those tiny chocolate pieces which actually do MELT in your hands.
- THE List–Every week, I make my master plan for the week’s meals. This sheet of paper is GOLD and if I lose it, I am not a happy person. That’s why I make sure it is on a special piece of paper:
I organize the list by aisles, so I can get in and out of the store as quickly as possible. There is a produce, dairy and meat section, as well as a section for frozen food, bread, condiments/canned food, baking, cereal and snacks, and a catch all household category for things like paper towels and cleaning products.
It’s helpful to have a list broken down like this so I don’t have to go running willy nilly all over the store, while my 4-year-old is shrieking that she spilled her snack bag.
