Shopping can be a stressful and tiring experience, but it doesn't have to be. With a little planning and preparation, you can create a monthly grocery list that will keep you healthy and nourished, save you money and time. The key to creating a successful monthly grocery list is to focus on items that have a long shelf life. Canned and frozen foods are often overlooked, but they can be just as healthy as their fresh alternatives.
These items can last for up to a month, so stocking up on them is a great way to ensure you have enough food for the next 30 days. Fresh fruits and vegetables can also last for 1-2 weeks if stored properly. Check out our “how to store” section for practical tips on making the most of your food's shelf life. You can also prepare and freeze your own fresh ingredients. For example, you can chop onions and freeze them for later use.
You can even have your own canning facilities at home to help keep products longer. Even bread can be frozen and thawed with little difference in appearance and taste. Canned and frozen products tend to cost less than fresh products, so stocking up on them is a great way to save money. Additionally, shopping less often means you won't be as tempted by supermarkets' clever psychological tricks. You won't buy as many unnecessary purchases or impulse purchases as you normally would if it were every week or every few days. When it comes to determining how much food you should buy, storage space is the most important factor.
It doesn't make sense to buy so many frozen foods that they don't all fit in the freezer. Likewise, constantly tripping over piles of cans because you don't have space to store them in the kitchen or pantry will make living in your house inconvenient. Now that you have some knowledge, here's our free printable shopping list template. Feel free to modify it to better suit your shopping needs: Fresh meat & Fish (for freezing), Fresh vegetables (for use up to 2 weeks or freeze), Fruit (for use up to 2 weeks or freeze). Having a well-planned shopping list allows you to get in and out of the store quickly and helps you stick to your healthy eating plan. To avoid spending hours wandering the aisles of local stores during your first week, we've created a comprehensive shopping list of the most common items you'll need when you move to your new home.
