Three Tips For Grocery Shopping For Those Who Don’t (And Do!) Enjoy It

Three tips for grocery shopping for those who don’t enjoy it.

It’s summer and I’ve been traveling the past eight days.

I attended a women’s business conference in Detroit followed by a visit with family, and most importantly, grand babies in Cleveland, Ohio.

Arrived home at midnight.

Opened the fridge the following morning – it’s empty!

I ate up everything fresh or gave it away before I left so it wouldn’t go to waste.

It’s Hard To Answer The Question “What’s for dinner?” With An Empty Fridge!

But it’s hard to answer the question, “What’s for dinner?”, or breakfast, or lunch for that matter with an empty fridge.

But first things first. I had to get my Mexican food fix from a cafe about five minutes from where I live.

Then I faced my least favorite task. Grocery shopping. I know, surprising for someone who loves to cook.

Fill Your Fridge With Possibility With These Three Grocery Shopping Tips

So for those of you like me who love the experience of cooking, but don’t enjoy the beating that grocery shopping can be, and even for those of you who absolutely love to shop, here are my three tips for grocery shopping.

1.  Buy food not products.  You’ll find food in the produce, dairy, meat, and some in the bread aisle.  In most grocery stores, these are the aisles that border the store.  If you have to read a label to determine the nutrition content, it’s a product.  You never have to consult a nutrition label to determine the number of calories in a bell pepper or a sweet potato.
2. Fill your basket with color.  This is why the produce aisles are my first and favorite stop.  I take a look at what’s in season, what’s on sale, and what catches my eye.  If it sparks my imagination, it goes in my basket.  Include a variety of colors and textures.  Your basket should look like a mosaic work of art.
3. Buy what you like.  Don’t fret over recipes.  Buy lots of produce and some of the supporting ingredients you really love and put them together in interesting ways.  You’ll be more likely to cook and enjoy your meals with this approach.

Happy shopping and cooking!