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Sample Grocery List for a Well Balanced Pantry

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In general, we like to fantasize about grocery shopping as a leisurely task and imagine ourselves pursuing an open air famers’ market, the sun shining on our faces while we carefully select perfectly ripened fruit and veggies before gingerly placing them in our wicker baskets. This idyllic version of the grocery shopping chore is in distinct contrast to the reality of the supermarket! You basically play linebacker, pushing a metal shopping cart through tight grocery store aisles.  You zigzag acrobatically across the store to get checked out and race home to the kitchen before your kids start begging, “What’s for dinner?”

Truth be told, sometimes we just don’t feel like going to the grocery store at all, and guess what? That’s okay. If you have a well-stocked pantry, you can survive for several days without stopping by the local grocer during those especially busy times.  So plan ahead and next time you visit the grocery store, follow our sample grocery list guidelines for the perfectly stocked pantry.

Making Your Pantry Grocery List

When constructing your grocery list, think about foods in terms of the major food groups to dictate what you should buy for your pantry.  With a little creativity, you can actually stock all five of the food groups in the USDA Food Pyramid! Laying out a grocery list in terms of food groups will make creating your list and shopping for the items much easier.  And no matter what, you will have a fully balanced diet on hand for any emergency!

Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta

While that loaf of fresh bread certainly isn’t a pantry item, all the things you need to make bread are perfect for keeping in the pantry.  Flour, sugar, salt and yeast are all dry and store well. You will also need a little oil (see fats).

Make sure you always have a box of cereal or granola on hand.  Cereal and grains are easily preserved in your pantry.  Keep one or more of rice, quinoa, or polenta on hand for an interesting alternative to potatoes.  Pasta also makes a great pantry item.  When combined with bottled pasta sauce or canned tomatoes, it comprises an entire meal without requiring a special trip to the grocery store.

Fruits and Vegetables

Since fresh fruits and vegetables are definitely not going to last in your pantry, try to stay stocked with dried fruits and canned veggies.

Banana chips, dried blueberries, craisins, and dried apricots make delicious snacks. While dried fruits are chock-full of fiber, calorie and sugar contents are, logically, more concentrated than in fresh fruits. Additionally, phytonutrients are depleted in the drying process of fruits. To supplement your fruit serving, buy canned fruits, where nutrients are generally preserved. However, make sure to check the labels of all your canned fruits and veggies and opt for those that are low in sugar (fruits canned in their own juice rather than in sugary syrup) and sodium.

Canned beans, artichokes, asparagus, tomato sauces, and sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil also provide great additions to any dish for those times when you can’t make it to the grocery store.  You can also get chili peppers or dried mushrooms to add a little kick to any dish, as well as concentrated soups (especially mushroom) that make a great lunch or provide the basis for casseroles, risottos, and sauces.

Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese

Dairy can be a difficult pantry group.  However, you can stock a box of dried milk, a carton of long life milk (either cow, almond. or soy) or evaporated milk.

Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dried Beans, Eggs, and Nuts

Since proteins are most commonly found in perishable foods, like chicken or seafood, most pantries are bereft of this food group. However, you can get your daily dose of protein from the pantry by stocking up on canned chicken or Chicken of the Sea (Tuna)!  Tuna also comes in vacuum sealed packages, which take up less space than cans.

Unsalted soy beans also have an astounding amount of protein with about 68 grams for every cup, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dried chickpeas are yet another great source of protein and can be soaked and cooked up to make falafel or hummus.

Eggs are also available in both powdered form and long-life cartons (both whole egg and just egg whites).  Other sources of protein include nuts, like almonds, cashews and walnuts.  Almond butter (a healthier alternative to peanut butter) often does not require refrigeration and is a great pantry staple.

For pantry proteins that can be munched on the go, pick up one of the numerous protein bars or high protein snack bars available at the store, which are portable, organic, and delicious.

Fats, Oils, and Sweets

Always have a pantry with a healthy fat, most often found in oils that can be used for cooking, vinaigrettes, or dips. These healthy fats my include olive oil and canola oil. You will probably need limited amounts of oils, so check your pantry before purchasing another bottle of olive oil.  Nuts and almond butter will also give you a dose of fat, along with a healthy serving of protein.

For the sweet tooth, try stocking some semisweet chocolate chips that can be used in baking, combined with granola to make trail mix, or melted over popcorn or nuts for a sweet treat.

Miscellaneous Pantry Essentials

After checking off all your major food groups, think outside of the box to make sure you have everything in your pantry to make a terrific meal. Spices are essential.  Keep some of the basics handy, like garlic and onion powder, mixed Italian seasonings (which include oregano, thyme and rosemary) as well as a rub or chili powder. Try to buy your seasonings in the bulk aisle, where they are less expensive than the pre-packaged alternative. Extras like breadcrumbs are all great to cook with and can make a vast array of meals. You should also stock up on airtight containers so that you can store your pantry foods for months to years on end. After organizing your pantry, make sure to go through all of your pantry foods every three months or so to make sure nothing has expired.

Follow this sample grocery list with all the necessary food groups to assemble a picture perfect pantry. For those days when you simply don’t want to force your way through the crowded grocery store, you can always rely on a great pantry to help you make a nutritious, scrumptious, and piping hot dinner with ease.

Planning a Low Sodium Diet with Your Printable Grocery Shopping List

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Ninety percent of people in the United States consume more than the recommended amount of sodium, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A surplus of sodium in the diet raises blood pressure, which, in turn, increases the risk of heart disease and stroke — diseases that kill more than 800,000 Americans each year. Instead of shaking table salt onto everything that passes your lips, use a printable grocery list as a tool to minimize your sodium intake and lower your risk for heart disease and stroke.

What is a Printable Grocery Shopping List?

A printable grocery shopping list is a shopping list you can find online and print out, rather than writing your own grocery list by hand. It’s extremely easy to find one online, simply search and find one that appeals to you.

How can it help me minimize my salt intake?

Minimize your salt intake by writing the amount of sodium alongside all of your grocery store items or by starring historically high sodium items like deli meats, bread and rolls, poultry, soups, cheeseburgers, cheese, pasta, meat dishes, potato chips, and pretzels. Check the sodium levels of items on your printable grocery list as you walk through the grocery store and make sure you don’t pick high sodium foods.

What foods should I put on my printable grocery shopping list that are low in sodium?

A product is considered low sodium if it has less than 140 mg per serving. If you want to decrease your sodium intake, shoot for about 2,000 mg or 2 g of sodium per day. Foods that are naturally low in sodium include fresh foods, like fruits and veggies, and some grains, like rice and shredded wheat. While dried beans are great for a low sodium shopper, watch the sodium content in canned beans to avoid a kick of sodium. You should also watch out for the high sodium contents in canned soups, frozen dishes, tomato juice, ham, and bacon, canned beans, and almost all prepared foods.

There are plenty of low sodium products out there for those that want to cut their salt intake. Just make sure to keep your eyes on the labels and use a printable grocery shopping list to drastically reduce your sodium intake.

Navigating the Grocery Store With a Grocery Shopping List Template

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More and more people are discovering the usefulness of grocery lists, especially those that can be found and downloaded online. You can save 5% or more on your grocery store purchases by simply sticking to a list and getting out of the grocery store as quickly as possible. A grocery list template, in particular, can give you an organized grocery list, downloaded off of the internet with just the click of a mouse. There are many online grocery list templates available to help you make your shopping trips run more smoothly. To better optimize your trip to the grocery store, you can base the order of your grocery list on your store layout. That way, you can have a set “route” and zip in and out of the aisles in no time. Thankfully, many grocery stores have the exact same layout. Here is your guide to understanding the basic grocery store layout and how to get in and out with ease:

Entrance: As you enter the grocery store, nine times out of ten the first thing you’ll see is the produce. Therefore, all of your produce should be first on your grocery list.

Perimeter: The produce, deli, and bakery are most likely all on the perimeter of the store, close to each other. You may find a salad bar or sushi bar too in a bigger store. Check out this section of the store after you grab your produce. Put your deli cuts and cheeses on the grocery list next, followed by baked goods.

Continuing Around the Perimeter: Continuing around the edge of the store, you’ll likely find meats. Put your steaks or chicken breasts on your list next.

Aisles: Now it’s time to conquer the aisles. Near the meats you’ll likely find the bulk section, sliced breads, moving on to canned foods and snack foods. Cereals are grouped together, while candies and snacks are usually close by. Then you’ll find the beverage aisle. Make your way through the aisles until you’ve completed your list, aside from frozen foods and toiletries.

Opposing perimeters: The frozen food aisles occur last on most people’s grocery store layout. Put your milk, eggs, and frozen food items last on your list.

By the checkout: The location of toiletries will vary, as you’re working your way back up to the checkout (making sure to take the perimeter of the store to avoid picking up something you don’t need) stop by the toiletries aisle, if you need things like deodorant or makeup.

Checkout: Lastly, turn the other cheek when you see candies and soda at the front of the store, check out, and get outta there!

Hopefully, this guide to grocery store layouts has helped give you an idea of how you should choose your grocery list template. Look online to see if you can find a grocery list template that has a layout similar to your grocery store to help you get in and out of the store in a flash and, ultimately, save a buck or two.