Having to self quarantine is interesting. I miss things I expected to miss, like going to restaurants and bars and going to work, but I didn’t realize how much I would miss being able to thrift whenever I want and go to the grocery 2-5 times per week. On the other hand, having an unprecedented amount of time to be home, pet cats, take long walks, and cook and eat great homemade food has been pretty wonderful.
Like many (hopefully everyone by this point), we’ve been trying to drastically limit how often we go out in to the world. We have dropped from going to the grocery whenever we please to going once every week or more if we can get away with fewer trips. This means that we have had to change a lot about how we shop. We used to buy things multiple times a week whenever we thought we might need something. Now we have to really plan what we need and what we will get. We also have to figure out how to do that.
The first thing I did before our first big shopping trip was to make a list of everything we already had. I didn’t write every single items down, but I did write down a lot and everything I thought was going to be relevant. While I was taking this inventory, I also jotted down a list of meals that we usually eat, as a reminder to myself, a list of items that we needed to eat asap and dishes they might be good in, and a list of a few recipes that I want to try in the future.
Having all these lists in front of me helped tremendously when I wrote a very detailed shopping list. I actually remembered to take the shopping list with me when we went on our first trip! Having the items and the list of meals made remembering what I was buying and why I was buying what I did very easy. I reused the same paper, with a new list for the next week’s shop.
For the second shop, I also took a new inventory that was more thorough than the first. We ended up eating a few of the things between making the list and going shopping. I just crossed those off. Our second shop was bigger and even more thorough than the first and I anticipate a longer time between shops, which is a goal. From the first shop to the second was 8 days. We will see how long between second and third. I plan on making another inventory a day or two before we go.
This inventory/sticking to a list method is very different from how I normally shop. Perhaps you always shop like this. Using this method allowed me to buy everything I needed but not over buy or buy duplicates. Here is my advice in easy steps:
1) Take a thorough inventory - write down everything you already have. Take note of meals you want to create, items that need to be used up, and things you want to learn to make. Remember the goal is not to hoard items, just to get you through a week or more of nutritional and pleasurable eating.
2) Write down a list of meals you can make/want to make with what’s in your inventory - You could plan it out by day and meal, or just write down the meals you normally like to eat or can make. I prefer to be spontanious, so I’ll often write meals that overlap and I can choose from when the time comes.
3) Make a shopping list based on what you still need - Think about getting thru a week or more but be careful not to over buy! We have to be even more concerned about food waste at this time. Waste not, want not.
4) Don’t forget your list! - And you reusable bags! Many groceries are not excepting refillable packaging or have done away with bulk items (in my area, at least). I do understand that these are hard places to ensure cleanliness. There is some debate about cloth bags, but most places will let you bring and use your reusable bags, as long as you bag your own groceries.
Now you are ready to brave the grocery! Good luck!