Call me crazy, but grocery shopping is one of my favorite activities. Of course, shopping at 11am on a Sunday right when church gets out and the whole town is preparing for the week ahead is never ideal, but generally speaking, I actually enjoy the entire process. I thought I would share that process with you today, because I know that there are a lot of people out there that can’t stand grocery shopping, and I am here to help! I will also share what I bring home from a typical shopping trip at Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, Thrive Market, and Costco.
Planning Ahead:
(I posted all about my Tips for Successful Meal Planning a while back to help with brainstorming ideas!)
- Start by making a list of all the things you eat and purchase every week (bananas, bread, lunch meat, etc.)
- Browse through your pantry, fridge, spice cupboard, etc to see if you are running low on any staple items. I also try to remember to write these items down on a list on my fridge as I use them up throughout the week. (I am forever hearing my mom’s voice in my head saying, “If you use the spare, you won’t have a spare!” I just can’t not hear it.)
- While you are browsing, keep in mind what you DO have and perhaps let these items serve as inspiration for that week’s meals. For example, if I have frozen meat I will try to come up with a way to use that up rather than buying more protein at the store.
- Finally, look through magazines, Instagram, pics you’ve saved on your phone, cookbooks, etc to finish off your meal plan and add anything you will need for those recipes to your list!
- Keep in mind while making your list-you will be a lot more efficient at the store if you organize your list by department (produce, deli, non-perishables, etc.)
At the Store:
- Most important tip: Remember your list. How often have I sat and made a detailed list only to forget it on the counter? Too many times…fortunately I am a “visual learner” and can usually recall most of the items as I saw them on the list 😉
- Once you are at the store, keep in mind you very well might need to make adjustments based on what they have in stock as well as what you find is on sale. If you can’t find asparagus, you will just need to grab a different veggie instead! Or if artichokes happen to be on sale, seize the day and sub them in!
- If you find a great deal on something like chicken broth, canned tomatoes, La Croix water, or anything that freezes well, (like meat) stock up! Those are items I will always use and are worth it to buy in bulk when the price is right.
- Aside from good deals, try not to impulse buy! Easier said than done, but when I stick to the list I am always happier at checkout when the final price comes up! Not to say I haven’t made some amazing impulse purchases that I didn’t regret one bit 🙂
Trader Joe’s
I have a deep love for Trader Joe’s for many reasons.
- They are constantly listening to their consumers as we “vote with our dollars.” Their organic, allergy friendly, and seasonal products just get better and better all the time.
- Their customer service is a-m-a-z-i-n-g. Even when the store is packed, they are always willing to answer any questions or help find a product, and checkout is always speedy.
- Their prices on many items are unbeatable…I am always impressed with how full my cart is, while staying at or under my weekly budget.
- I am very familiar with their products and store layout. This is something that can be attained at any store you frequently visit but it is so helpful! I know I can get in there, check off everything on my list, and get out in less than 30 minutes.
Pantry: I LOVE Trader Joe’s spices and am currently going through their Seasoned Salt, Onion Salt, and Chile Lime Seasonings like they are going out of style. Also notable: their organic salsa, plantain chips, and brown rice pasta.
Deli: They have a lot of organic poultry options (and grass-fed ground beef) for really great prices. Love their salmon too, found in the freezer section.
Produce: Their produce is inexpensive (even organic) and always changing. I try to fill my cart with lots of greens and fruit every week! The frozen veggies are great to have on hand too!
Chocolates: I live for chocolate! The Dark Chocolate Honey Mints cure my sweet tooth everyday after lunch (The only ingredients are: Honey, chocolate liqueur, and Peppermint oil.) Travis likes to have a couple Chocolate Covered Caramels for dessert, while I have around 1/3 of a chocolate bar…don’t you dare tell me I can’t have my chocolate for dessert! (The only ingredients in the bar are: Organic Cocoa Mass, Organic Cane Sugar, and Organic Cocoa Butter.) This specific chocolate bar is my absolute favorite and is only $2.99/bar (other organic brands are more like $6/bar!)
Clearly, I am very biased towards Trader Joe’s and am a lifelong customer. But I also know that there are many brand-specific items that can’t be purchased at Trader Joe’s or can be purchased for a better price in bulk somewhere else.
For this reason, I will occasionally shop at a few other stores. I used to have a huge love for Whole Foods, but geographically and economically, I just couldn’t sustain weekly or even monthly trips. Friends and family rave about Natural Grocers, but we do not have one in my area.
So, for the items that aren’t carried at Trader Joe’s, I head to Sprouts, or turn to online shopping at Thrive Market. I truly love meandering down each aisle at Sprouts to see what new brands and products are popping up. They have all the produce and protein I typically buy, plus they carry some interesting/fun pre-made gluten free/ paleo-ish items I see pop up around the internet (like pizza crusts, grain free crackers, sweets, etc.) For this reason, I tend to go over budget because I get excited about trying new things…hence the less frequent visits to Sprouts!
Sprouts:
Stocked up on all the veggies as well as eggs, bacon, chicken, a grass-fed tri-tip (NOT available at Trader Joe’s) and some yogurt, cheese, and ice cream!
This shows some of the pantry items I like to get from Sprouts-most notably the Simple Mill’s Grain Free Crackers (Something I hadn’t tried before), Frontera Enchilada Sauce, a clean (no corn syrup etc) BBQ Sauce, and one of the best impulse purchases I’ve ever made-those Jalapeño Potato Chips!!
Thrive Market:
If you like convenience, low prices, and healthy food options and haven’t tried shopping at Thrive Market yet, you gotta get on board! Like Sprouts, they also have a lot of great pantry staples and unique finds for specific diets…except you can shop from the comfort of your own couch! I usually wait until I need a big restock (rather than buying a few items at a time) because all orders over $49 ship for free. Not to sound like a major salesperson, but they are always running specials for first time members!
I ordered lots of fun items from Thrive in my last shipment! Many items I had never tried before and now I have some new pantry favorites.
I finally tried the flavored dairy free creamers called “NutPods” and I really like the Hazelnut flavor! I think I will stick to my regular ol’ coconut milk as my regular creamer because it is cheap and readily available, but it was a fun way to change things up!
I loaded up on a bunch of Simple Mills products that I was wanting to try, as well as my standard tomato sauces, enchilada sauce, and Primal Kitchen’s relatively clean/low sugar protein powder. I also like to use Thrive for things like Arrowroot Flour that tend to be a little pricey in stores.
That Purely Elizabeth Gluten Free Granola absolutely rocked my world. I now need to try every flavor!
Costco:
Lastly, but certainly not least, I usually do a monthly shop at Costco. The main item that gets me into the door is dog food (2 Mastiffs = a LOT of dog food) but I also have a number of items I HAVE to get every time I am there. There is no doubt that buying in bulk is the way to go on a lot of their items, especially ones that have a longer shelf life.
I am constantly blown away by some of the deals at Costco. I actually remembered to snap a picture of the prices of a lot of the items I purchased to share!
6 Pack of organic canned Coconut Milk: $8.99 (This brand is usually over $2/can)
Big a$$ bottle of Balsamic Vinegar: $10.99 (Great price and I use a lot of it for my homemade salad dressing.)
34 ounce bottle of Avocado Oil: $7.99 (I saw a 16 ounce jar at our local grocery store for $11.99!!)
Mangos: $16.89 (That is more than I would ever normally spend on dried fruit, but it is a big bag and they are SO good…the texture is perfect every time.)
24 ounce jar Avocado Oil Mayo: $6.99 (Although I do like to make my homemade mayo, it is really convenient to have a jar on hand…and at this price, why not!?
Almond Butter: $7.79 (I’m beginning to sound redundant…huge jar of almond butter for a killer price.)
Grain Free Granola: $14 (a little pricey for “just granola” but it is full of quality ingredients and has lots of servings!)
Organic Eggs: $2.69 (I am lucky enough to get pastured, organic eggs every week from a coworker, but I was running low and you can’t beat this price!)
Avocados: $7.99 (5 huge avocados for $8…I am lucky if I can find them for $2/piece at my local grocery store!)
10 Peaches: $7.49 (I would pay just about any price for Costco’s white peaches this summer…they have been so darn good!)
2.25 lbs Organic Chicken Sausage: $14.99 (super clean and delicious!)
2.5 lbs Organic Coffee: $ 10.99 (Great taste, organic/fair trade, and that price!!)
So there you have it! I may or may not be a little Type-A with my list making and love for all things meal planning/food shopping, but it really doesn’t take much time and saves you so much money and stress throughout the week. If you plan ahead, you don’t have to even think about “what’s for dinner?” and can enjoy the process of cooking more. Plus, I can’t even imagine my grocery bill if I didn’t use the methods/tips listed above!
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