Find out how to shop for the whole week and useful tips for organizing the pantry on sight
Pre-planning and structure makes it possible to eliminate the grind of daily shopping and effectively grocery shop throughout the week.
Worldwide economies are seeing rising inflation and a depreciation of individual disposable incomes. It translates as indirect opportunities to save the planet through the reduction of energy consumption and simple policies to avoid food waste.
As an individual one of the simplest and most helpful steps is to avoid the daily shop and adopt a more planned approach to weekly shopping. There are several simple steps to follow.
What to buy for a smart shopping? Useful tips
Smart shopping is purchasing what is needed as opposed to what is desired or any impulse response. This effectively saves money and can be incorporated in two ways.
- Smart Systems: a smart system allows the addition of items to a list based on expiry date or usage. Verbal commands to the smart system, such as Alexa, create a shopping list and can even place the order for delivery or collection. It completely removes the impulse element which leads to additional costs and waste.
- Spreadsheets: the alternative is slightly more hands-on. Manual or computer-based spreadsheets allow the logging of current stock levels and to see the depletion or usage level. The result is an easy-to-read chart displaying the items that need to be replenished.
How to check food expiry dates in the fridge for grocery shopping
Expiry dates are important to ensure a reduction in food wastage. They are easily monitored in conjunction with a spreadsheet and a dedicated expiry date column. Regular inspection will ensure all foods are used before expiry, minimizing waste and allowing them to be included on subsequent shopping lists or removed completely.
How to make a fridge inventory for grocery shopping?
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A dedicated section of the spreadsheet will illuminate usage and stock levels. Again, reading the sheet will make it easy to assess usage and when items need to be replaced.
In fact, with a little programming, it is possible to create a shopping list automatically from the inventory list. The equation will need to allow for quantity held versus quantity used per week and factor in the average expiry date. The longer the fridge inventory is operated the more accurate it will become.
What should not be missing from the household pantry and what can't be missing from any shopping list?
The household pantry is the resting place for all dried, non-refrigerated foods. Essentials include flour, sugar, pasta, sauces, and other items deemed essential based on the personal preferences of the consumer.
This makes it difficult to define a specific item that should never be missed from a general pantry inventory. However, the aforementioned spreadsheet can be used to identify items used on multiple occasions every week. These can be considered the items that can never be missed from a shopping list.
Avoiding grocery shopping throughout the week can be achieved by creating a menu for the week and shopping for just those ingredients. Alternatively, it is easy to create a list based on a spreadsheet of foods used.
This replenishes the pantry and refrigerator allowing free choice of food creation within a defined range.
