Do you find yourself yourself chucking out leftovers from your refrigerator all too often? Do your supplies land up turning rancid, stale or rotten thanks to storing them for too long? Well, maybe you've been buying a little more produce than you require or cooking larger quantities than you need. Check out these tips to learn how to grocery shop if you live alone or with your partner.
Stick to a list of essentials
Often a trip to the supermarket turns into a shopping spree thanks to a tons of deals and tempting packaging. But this not only means unnecessary expense but also potential wastage. Jot down a list of things you need - food supplies, toiletries and other household necessities - and stick to it.
Plan a weekly meal menu
It helps to draw up a rough menu for the week. For eg: Chicken curry and pulao on Sunday, Aloo gobi and chapatis on Monday etc. This way you know what you need for the coming week and can shop accordingly over the weekend. You will neither land up with unnecessary items nor have to run out for ingredients while cooking.
Don't get taken in by bulk deals
There are always offers from various brands to encourage people to buy more. For eg: Buy 5 kgs atta, Get 1 kg free or Buy 3 packets of biscuits, Get 1 juice free. While these offers are great for people with families, singles and couples often don't benefit from them. Avoid these offers unless they really suit your needs.
When living with a roommate, learn how to split the bill
When two people live together, it pays to split living expenses and food bills but not always. For instance, if your roomie likes eating raisin cookies and you don't, you shouldn't have to pay for that. While you can both chip in for common items like tea, sugar, rice etc, choose to shop separately for items of personal preference.
Buy less of some, more of others
There are certain items you can buy in bulk and save money but there are some items you'd rather purchase in small quantities. Things like rice, wheat flour, masalas etc that you will be using everyday but are unlikely to get spoiled over time, can be bought on a monthly or even quarterly basis. However, snack items like biscuits, chivdas, bread, milk etc should be bought every week.
Think of how to store bulk quantities
Whenever you are thinking of buying something in bulk, make sure you have the place to store it. Flour bins, airtight boxes, good quality ziplock and freezer bags as well as plastic clips to seal open packets are some of the things you should keep handy around the kitchen.
Stick to a list of essentials
Often a trip to the supermarket turns into a shopping spree thanks to a tons of deals and tempting packaging. But this not only means unnecessary expense but also potential wastage. Jot down a list of things you need - food supplies, toiletries and other household necessities - and stick to it.
Plan a weekly meal menu
It helps to draw up a rough menu for the week. For eg: Chicken curry and pulao on Sunday, Aloo gobi and chapatis on Monday etc. This way you know what you need for the coming week and can shop accordingly over the weekend. You will neither land up with unnecessary items nor have to run out for ingredients while cooking.
Don't get taken in by bulk deals
There are always offers from various brands to encourage people to buy more. For eg: Buy 5 kgs atta, Get 1 kg free or Buy 3 packets of biscuits, Get 1 juice free. While these offers are great for people with families, singles and couples often don't benefit from them. Avoid these offers unless they really suit your needs.
When living with a roommate, learn how to split the bill
When two people live together, it pays to split living expenses and food bills but not always. For instance, if your roomie likes eating raisin cookies and you don't, you shouldn't have to pay for that. While you can both chip in for common items like tea, sugar, rice etc, choose to shop separately for items of personal preference.
Buy less of some, more of others
There are certain items you can buy in bulk and save money but there are some items you'd rather purchase in small quantities. Things like rice, wheat flour, masalas etc that you will be using everyday but are unlikely to get spoiled over time, can be bought on a monthly or even quarterly basis. However, snack items like biscuits, chivdas, bread, milk etc should be bought every week.
Think of how to store bulk quantities
Whenever you are thinking of buying something in bulk, make sure you have the place to store it. Flour bins, airtight boxes, good quality ziplock and freezer bags as well as plastic clips to seal open packets are some of the things you should keep handy around the kitchen.
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