12 Simple Grocery Shopping Tips to Save Time
As a busy parent there are soooo many things we need and want to do with our time. Saving time with the necessary tasks is incredibly helpful to make time for everything we want to do. And grocery shopping is one of those necessary tasks. So, if you’re wondering how to save time grocery shopping, today I’m sharing 12 simple grocery shopping tips to save time. These will help you find the most efficient way to grocery shop for you, so you can get the job done faster and easier. Buying the groceries doesn’t have to be a drag on you or your schedule.
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Learning from the Worst
As a family of seven, it probably goes without saying that we go through a lot of food. So, I’ve spent my fair share of time grocery shopping. In fact, my kids would probably laugh to hear I’m sharing grocery shopping tips to save time because I’m infamous for “running to the store for a minute” and not being too fast about it.
I like to save money grocery shopping, so I’ll spend time comparing prices. I don’t want to shop more often than necessary, so I find myself just grabbing four more things to cover another whole meal (even though it sends me back to the opposite side of the store). Plus, I’m an ambler. (Webster defines amble as an easy walk; unless I’m competing, I like to relax in life.)
So, I’ve experienced a lot over the years what not to do if you want to save time grocery shopping. 🙂
But when things shifted in my life and I had the desire to be a lot more productive with grocery shopping, I learned tons of tips for grocery shopping in less time. And if I can learn the most efficient way to grocery shop anyone can.
Here are the top 12 grocery shopping tips to save time.
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12 Simple Grocery Shopping Tips to Save Time
Grocery shopping doesn’t have to be a drain on your time. Try out these tips, and see how it goes!
1. Shop with a Detailed List
Write out your shopping list before you leave home. This is easiest and most efficient when you have a practical meal planning system that works for you. List out everything you’ll need for your meals, as well as how much you need.
How many times have you wondered if you need the big container of sour cream for your recipe or the little one? Or tried to find your recipe online because you weren’t sure of something? Have you ever sat in the aisle figuring how many people would be at your dinner so how many servings so how much of each ingredient you need? Or wondered how many kids were actually in the class or on the team for snack?
Each of these minutes spent figuring, thinking, and searching adds up. Instead, write down your detailed list before you go when you have easy access to your calendar, meal plan, recipes, class lists, and everything else. You can even write your list the night before when things tend to be a bit calmer.
Pro Tip: Keep your list in your phone or take a picture of your written one. If you’re anything like the majority of people, it’s a lot easier for forget a grocery shopping list than a phone. 🙂
2. Map Your Grocery Store
Put items on your shopping list in groups according to where they are in the grocery store. For example, list the produce together and the dairy items together. Before leaving a store section, scan your list and see if there’s anything else you need from this area. The goal is to only go through the grocery store only once per visit, rather than crisscrossing back and forth and getting all your steps in during one shopping trip.
Consider shopping at a smaller grocery store as well. For example, Aldi’s takes its customers through a set route, and it’s easy to be in and out fast.
3. Keep a Master Grocery Shopping List
Take a moment to create a master grocery shopping list. This includes the items you always want to have on hand. It can also include your favorite meal recipes with lists of ingredients. Keep this list in a convenient location. I put it in my life-management binder, so it’s handy when I meal plan or make my shopping list.
Then when you sit down to write your all-important shopping list for each particular shopping trip, you already have the bulk of the thinking done. (It’s amazing how hard it is to think somedays, isn’t it?!)
4. Avoid Last-Minute Grocery Shopping Trips
Avoid last-minute trips the grocery store. We all know that going for “just one thing” never turns out to be truly just one thing. The outing is bound to cost more. Plus, if you do just buy one forgotten item is it worth all that time driving, walking, and paying?
The two best ways to prevent last-minute grocery shopping trips are to…
a.) Create that detailed shopping list we mentioned before (and actually look at it while you shop! Yes, I’m guilty of leaving the list in the car or thinking I’ve got it all in my head just fine and simply forgetting something on the list that’s in my hand. Insert facepalm.)
AND
b.) Have a stockpile. Buy and store backup for things you use often like flour, cereal, rice, frozen foods, etc. Have several shelf-stable meals on hand for the nights when something is forgotten. (This prevents last-minute trips and thus helps you save time grocery shopping, and it brings peace of mind for emergencies.)
5. Order Groceries Online for Pick-Up
Many grocery stores allow you to order online and drive up to get your groceries at no extra cost. This saves a lot of time (as well as preventing impulse purchases). You can click items on the computer much faster than you can walk to get them. Plus, many sites offer options like “Order again,” so you can simply put the same things in your cart without having to choose each one individually.
I actually like the human connection of going into a store in my community, as well as picking my own produce. So, I still shop in person a lot too. But online ordering is one of the grocery shopping tips to save time that everyone should at least try, and see how it works for you.
6. Order Groceries for Delivery
Grocery delivery is available in many areas and is probably the fastest way to grocery shop, as you cut out all driving, parking, walking through aisles, check-out lines, and more. Most companies have ways to communicate with the shopper, schedule your delivery at convenient times, and set-up back-up options if an item is out of stock. Typically delivery is trading time for a little money.
Peapod, Instacart, and DoorDash are a few grocery delivery companies. You can also call your local grocery store and ask them how they suggest you get delivery. Many stores have their own systems in place or can recommend local options. You can also get FREE grocery delivery in many locations through your Amazon Prime membership. Not an Amazon Prime member yet? Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial and unlock tons of benefits, including free grocery delivery in many areas.
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7. Shop Alone to Save Time Grocery Shopping
If you’re a parent, I probably don’t have to tell you this, but taking kids to the grocery store takes more time (and patience) than going alone. 🙂
So, if your goal is to find the most efficient way to grocery shop, you’ll want to find alternative care for the kiddos during your grocery shopping.
That being said, I hear you saying, “I don’t have alternative childcare.” I didn’t either until my oldest just recently became old enough to babysit. That’s meant many YEARS of grocery shopping WITH kids for me.
So, you can find a few of my best tips for taking kids grocery shopping HERE.
8. Shop Off-Peak Hours
A full parking lot, crowded aisles, and waiting in long checkout lines definitely slow-down the grocery shopping process. So, aim to shop during off-peak hours. Many stores will show peak hours online. Or you can just pay attention to how busy your local store is at different times.
In general, busy grocery shopping times include when people have breaks from work: morning, lunch, evening, and weekends. Wednesday later at night seems to be a slow time at many grocery stores.
9. Grocery Shop in Bulk
The more groceries you buy at once, the less often you have to buy them. So, when a non-perishable goes on sale, stock up. When possible, buy foods in bulk. Many things can be frozen for use later.
Think about which of your favorite recipes can use batched ingredients. For example, buy hamburger in bulk and cook it all at once. Divide the meat into meal portions, let them cool, and then freeze. When it’s time to put your meal together, the meat’s already ready to go! This is a great time-saving tip for groceries and meal prep.
10. Pay Attention to Store and Brand Options
At this point in our married life, we’ve moved eight times. Those first grocery shopping trips in a new place can be chaotic. You’re trying to figure out where the best stores are and what they sell. Within the stores, you have to figure out the aisles and then all the different brand options.
So, after moving a couple times, I started keeping a grocery store journal. It was simply a small notebook I took grocery shopping with me. I’d go to one store and write down the prices of the items I frequently purchased, as well as anything that wasn’t available at the store or other quick observances about what I liked or didn’t like about it. The next time, I’d shop at a different store and do the same.
Pretty quickly, I could confidently figure out which store best met our needs as far as location, price, layout (speed getting through), and what they sold.
Even if you’re not new to a place, this strategy is super helpful in getting intentional about your time and money. Writing it all in one place makes it easy to remember and make confident choices. After comparing stores and brands, find the one you like and don’t spend time weighing the options every shopping trip.
11. Turn Off Phone Notifications
Sometimes I love chatting on the phone with my mom while I grocery shop. It’s almost like we’re hanging out together picking up the essentials (like bread, apples, and goldfish, of course). But if I know it’s a day I want to grocery shop in the most efficient way, I’ll keep the phone put away.
We’re much faster and more efficient when our attention is undivided. We’ll save time grocery shopping when we turn off phone notifications, and let ourselves focus on the grocery shopping task at hand.
12. Strategically Choose the Check-Out Line
On a busy day, waiting in the check-out line can take a lot of time. But you can save minutes by choosing your line strategically.
If you don’t have an overflowing cart or a ton of produce, consider the self-checkout line. There are usually a lot of checkout centers and shoppers with small loads, so the line typically moves fast.
If you want a checker and/or bagger, take one moment to watch the cashier. You can notice pretty quickly who’s working efficiently. If there’s a toss-up between more people in a line or fewer people but one has a mammoth load (first be nice, that mammoth load is probably me), and then choose fewer people. The time it takes to process payments adds up fast.
With the best checkout line, you can finish your efficient shopping trip strong! 🙂
Future Forecast: They recently opened a Just Walk Out grocery store near where I grew up. With this store design, you skip the checkout line altogether. Keep an eye out for these in your area, as my prediction is they’ll expand to new locations sooner rather than later.
How to Save Time Grocery Shopping
I hope these time-saving tips have given you some ideas for finding the most efficient way to grocery shop for you. Just a quick reminder, here they are:
- Shop with a detailed list.
- Map your grocery store, so you only walk through it once.
- Keep a master grocery shopping list.
- Avoid last-minute grocery shopping trips.
- Order groceries online for pick-up.
- Order grocers for delivery.
- Shop alone.
- Shop off-peak hours.
- Grocery shop in bulk.
- Pay attention to store and brand options.
- Turn off phone notifications.
- Strategically choose the checkout line.
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Which of these time-saving tips for grocery shopping is most helpful for you? How do you make grocery shopping faster and easier? Share in the comments!
