Tag Archives: grocery shopping list

Resources to Format and Find a Printable Grocery List Template

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You may have already read our article on how to find the perfect grocery list template for you but you still may have trouble formatting, editing, or printing your grocery list templates. Luckily, we have some resources where you can find a grocery list template that’s easy for you to format, whether you feel most comfortable with Mac Pages or Microsoft Word.

#1 PDF: Grocery lists templates generally transfer well to PDF format, and PDF templates don’t usually require you to do much formatting. If you want to be able to type entries into your PDF grocery list template, you should make sure that you download a template that is not read-only and that allows you to enter text. Read-only versions of PDF grocery shopping list templates will need to be printed, and you’ll have to handwrite items, prices, and other information on the template.

If you don’t already have Adobe Acrobat Reader, install it by visiting the Adobe website. You’ll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view, edit, save, and print templates that are in PDF format.

#2 Microsoft Word: Since Microsoft Word is generally made for writing out long essays or documents, formatting a chart (which a grocery list will generally provide you with) may be tricky.

Fortunately, most Microsoft Word templates you can download are already formatted for you. Editing a template on Microsoft Word just takes a few clicks and a little bit of typing, and printing on Microsoft Word is simple and straightforward.

#3 Excel: Excel will most likely only be used for grocery list templates that are computing data, like budgets or prices of individual data.

If you use a grocery list template primarily for budgeting, Excel will help you quickly add up prices and assess whether your trip to the grocery store will cost you more or less than you desire. Excel can also help you figure out which non-essential items you should take off your grocery list to save money.

#4 Mac Pages: Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of grocery list templates that are available exclusively for Mac Pages (you can look at pre-formulated templates on the Pages database or import Word documents into pages).

Once you’ve imported a Word document into Mac Pages, you can easily edit, print, and save it. Since Mac Pages is similar to Microsoft Word in many ways, you can expect a similar grocery list template experience in both programs.

If you have a program you’re more comfortable using, you can usually export/import templates from other programs into that program. However, it may be easier to simply find a template online already in the format you are familiar with.

A $100 Weekly Grocery List Challenge

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While the average American now only spends about 13.3% of their budgets on food, 42% of that money is spent in restaurants, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Why the change?  Many Americans feel like they don’t have time to cook, go to the grocery store, and budget. However, budgeting is an important part of managing the household and, ultimately, being able to buy what you want. People at the Project Food Blog and other budget food websites often challenge their followers to take the $100 challenge, live on $100 dollars per person, per month. For the average 4-person family, that’s $100 when you hit the grocery store each week. This week, try making a weekly grocery list that rings in around $100. You never know what you can achieve until you try!

Creating a $100 Weekly Grocery List

  1. No Eating Out: It’s time to put down the menu and stop eating out. Consider this an intervention. Try to cut the eating out habit for just one month and see how you do.
  2. Reduce your Meat Intake: Limit your meat intake and you’ll save big. Why? Meat’s pricey! Instead try to find protein-packed veggies and beans, like black beans, corn, peas, and lentils.
  3. Stick to Your Grocery List: You have to stick to your grocery list if you ever expect to budget correctly. This means not grabbing that magazine that piques your interest at the counter and deciding against that something extra.
  4. Homemade snacks: Reduce snacking and eating in between meals. This will help you save big time; all of that snacking adds up. Replace your snack foods, like boxed crackers and granola bars, with cheaper snacks, like homemade crackers, nuts, and fruits.
  5. Drink water instead of bottled juices, sodas or other sugary/sugar-free drinks. Kool-Aid and other sugary drinks are money wasted on substances with little sustenance. Instead, opt for good ol’ H2O.
  6. Change your breakfast: Start thinking differently about food and opt for foods that will keep you fuller, longer. Most protein sources keep you much fuller than carbohydrates. This is especially important for breakfast, when most people load up on cereal. Swap cereal for omelets and you’ll be feeling full hours later, and therefore less likely to snack.
  7. Make sure your coupons are saving you money: Sometimes the coupons provided aren’t exactly for smart items with a lot of longevity. Additionally, coupons tend to be provided for name brand products when you could just buy the store brand and save even more cash than you would using the coupon for the name brand product. Analyze your coupons and make sure that you’re using them for a smart buy.

Just because your eating frugally, doesn’t mean you have to give up good food. You can easily make delicious veggie burgers, bell pepper fritattas, french toast, hummus, crepes, and seared tuna with ginger sauce, even on your budget. All of these dishes are extremely thrifty yet filling and delicious. Next time you’re making a weekly grocery list, try out the $100 challenge. You never know, you could be a lot better at budgeting than you thought.

 

What you Need to Know About an Ultimate Grocery List for a Balanced Diet

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Research shows that Americans don’t know their food pyramid as well as they should. In fact, the average U.S. consumer eats too much meat and grain and not enough fruits and vegetables, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Meat consumption is about 20% higher than it should be, while fruit consumption is about 60% lower than it should be. Eat a healthier diet by planning your grocery list around the USDA food pyramid to create the ultimate grocery list. Eating a balanced diet will help you and your family stay healthy and happy.

Whole Grains:

Make sure that you have whole grain bread instead of white bread, and whole grain rice instead of white rice on your grocery list. This could include grocery store items with bran and oats. At least half of your grains consumed should be whole grains, according to the food pyramid.

Healthy Fats and Oils

Average American gets 1/3 or more of his/her daily calories from fats, but stick to healthy fats and oils for your grocery list like those in nuts, seeds, avocados, and salmon.

Vegetables and Fruits

Make sure you have bountiful amounts of produce in the fridge and on your grocery list. In general, we should get about 3-5 servings of veggies and 2-4 servings of fruit every day. One fruit serving could be made up of 1 apple or a 1/2 cup of chopped fruit, while vegetable servings about be about 1 cup of raw, leafy veggies.

Meat, Fish, Poultry, Eggs, Nuts, Seeds, Beans, and Tofu

Proteins should be limited to about 2-3 servings per day. Two to three ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish makes up one serving. If you don’t already, put fish on your ultimate grocery list for a boost of omega-3 fatty acids. Seeds and beans are all plant foods rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Replace cookies or potato chips with nuts, which can make a great snack when eaten within reason. Sunflower seeds also make a great snack that’s perfect to take on the road.

Dairy or Vitamin D/Calcium Supplements

Dairy is at the top of the food pyramid because these items can contain a lot of saturated fat and cheese is high in sodium. Stick to 1-2 servings per day or take vitamins. One serving size could include 1 cup of yogurt or 1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese. If you’re dairy-free or vegan, try picking up a calcium and vitamin D supplement at a health foods store. Calcium supplements are better absorbed when taken in 500 mg dosages several time throughout the day. Your overall calcium dosage will depend on your general calcium intake and diet. The body requires vitamin D to absorb calcium, so many calcium supplements are paired with vitamin D for maximum absorption.

With an ultimate grocery list in tow, you’ll never have to worry about eating a balanced diet and getting the right nutrients. Just follow your healthy grocery list, and you’ll feel more energized and healthier in weeks.

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.

Counting Calories with Grocery Lists to Print

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Are you watching your calorie count? According to research by Alexander Chernev, an associate professor of marketing at the Kellogg School of Management, “Those most concerned with their weight are also more likely to underestimate the calorie content of a meal.” Counterintuitive? Definitely. Chernev explains the implications of his study by saying that dieters are, therefore, “more likely to overconsume and consequently more likely to gain weight.” Instead of lamenting Chernev’s studies, do something about it! Make your grocery lists with calories per serving next to each item so that you can better track your caloric intake and achieve weight loss goals.

How to Make Your Calorie-Counting Grocery Lists

Caloric grocery lists work the same as regular grocery lists, except that before you hit the grocery store you should jot down the expected number of calories in each item on the list. This will not only make you more cognizant of your caloric intake in general and educate you regarding the calories of each food, but it will also train you to always double check your food labels before buying a certain item. You never know, a food that you always thought was low calorie actually could be higher in calories than a healthier alternative.

Resources to Find Calorie Contents per Item

So how do we find accurate calorie counts before we hit the grocery store? Luckily, there are plenty of food databases out there that allow you to see the average number of calories per item (per serving) so that you can do your research before you hit the aisles. For example, Livestrong.com provides a library of over 1,557,800 foods to help you more accurately count calories. Madelyn Fernstrom, director of the Weight Management Center at the University of Pittsburg prefers SparkPeople calorie counter because of its goal range for calories and macronutrients. This tool has an enormous database of foods with accurate nutritional data, much of which is retrieved from the USDA’s food data and verified user submissions. You can also check out your favorite brands online and view their nutritional content and calorie counts.

Tips to Keep in Mind When Configuring Calories

When you get to the grocery store, don’t simply compare two items side by side, glance at the number of calories, and pick the one that’s closest to your researched calorie goal, as listed on your grocery list to print. Instead, make sure that you’re comparing your items based on calories per serving size. One box of cereal may list calories based on a 1/2 cup, while another may list calories of 1 cup. Some products try to “trick” the consumer into thinking the calorie count is lower by minimizing the serving size. Additionally, don’t simply analyze the number on the box. Look at the ingredients list and try to steer clear of products with trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, or preservatives. Sometimes the lower calorie option isn’t always the healthiest one.

After analyzing the items on your caloric grocery list to print, going shopping, and repeating the process, you’ll be able to better gauge your caloric intake on a daily basis and, with some exercise, achieve your weight loss goals.

Finding a Free Printable Grocery List Online

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As we quickly jot down our grocery lists while running at the door, our penmanship may not be at its best. Then, we end up at the store with a handwritten grocery list in tow that just doesn’t cut it. “Does that say ‘apple’ or ‘apricot’?” we ask ourselves, while reading our illegible handwriting. Even worse, we return home with curry when we really needed cucumber. So much for that summer salad. More often than not, our grocery lists resemble ancient, hieroglyphic tablets, rather than organized lists. Instead of spending all of our time trying to decipher our rushed handwriting, why not download a printable grocery list online? There are many different types of printable lists available that can help you get out of the store without having to bring your grocery list to the bridge of your nose to read it. An organized grocery list that’s easy on the eyes? Sounds good to us.

Different Types of Printable Grocery Lists

Try some of these printable grocery lists to see what best suits your needs.

  • Grocery List Makers: There are plenty of websites online that feature “grocery list makers,” or functions that enable you to check boxes and generate a printable list of all the items you need. Yes, that’s right, no writing needed. These websites have a list of grocery items divided into categories such as frozen, bakery, staples, produce, etc. Try to find a website that also provides you with a blank box so that you can easily add obscure items that may not be listed on the website. Once you are done selecting items, a simple concise list will be created, ready for you to print out.
  • Blank Grocery Lists: Not all of us have cryptic handwriting. If you happen to be a calligrapher or have neat and beautifully legible print, check online for a blank grocery list. The great thing about printing a blank grocery list is that you can fill it out at your own convenience, so that you don’t have to try and remember everything you need all at once.
  • Grocery List Generator: Grocery list generators are a great tool that can make grocery lists from recipes that you would like to prepare. All you have to do is select the recipes of the meals you’re craving, press submit, and print your grocery list. This type of list is perfect for those of us who love to bake and experiment in the kitchen.

No need to be ashamed of our dreadful chicken scratch. With a printable grocery list in tow, we can simply glance at our list without wondering, squinting, or groaning. Try different strategies when making your grocery list and you’ll be surprised at how much money you can save when you take the time to make an organized list, and stick to it!

Minimizing Food Waste With a Grocery List Maker

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According to Jonathan Bloom, creator of WastedFood.com, Americans waste as much as half of the food produced every year. That’s enough food to fill an entire, 90,000 seat football stadium to the brim at least once a day. This is not only food wasted, but dollars wasted. Imagine: we’re throwing our money right in the trash! Instead of wasting money on uneaten food, look into a grocery list maker that can help you minimize food waste. A grocery list maker is a device that can help you make grocery lists. A grocery list maker can often be found in food applications or on databases online. In a grocery list template you can specify meal plans, which could, in the long run, serve to minimize waste. While minimizing waste can be a challenge, taking some factors into account could help you significantly reduce your food bill when using a grocery list maker:

  • Don’t include items that are totally out of the norm in your grocery list maker. A study done at the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab found that more than 63% of unused products are bought for specific recipes, like Beef Wellington, that were never made. While you may think that you’ll eventually use the product for a specific occasion, 9 times out of 10, that product wastes away in our pantries. Don’t try and convince yourself that you’ll eventually make certain, bizarre recipes. Instead, stick to your guns and stay practical.
  • Keep your fruits and veggies fresher instead of letting them rot or throwing them out. This will help you greatly reduce your food waste. For example, keep apples in refrigerator, potatoes and tomatoes on counter, and put your asparagus and broccoli in water (like flowers). Try to avoid putting grocery store items on your grocery list maker that last for only a couple days, like berries and mushrooms. Citrus fruits, potatoes, and apples last much longer and will help you minimize your food waste.
  • Make a budget and be ambitious with it! Your budget should be a number that you never think you will plausibly reach (within reason), but that you would love to achieve. You will be shocked at how much you can save at the grocery store when you’re staying diligent. Making a budget will prevent you from straying too far from your grocery list and buying things that will just go to waste at your home. Put your budget for the grocery store trip on your grocery list so that you have a number in mind as you enter the store.
  • Find versatile ingredients that can be used in multiple recipes to avoid food waste. These items could include chicken breasts, spinach, cheddar cheese, and eggs.
  • Make sure your meal plan is visible so that you’re held to it.  Whether you put a meal plan on a menu board or simply write down your meals on your kitchen calendar, make sure they’re in plain sight so you’ll stick to it.

Just follow these tips and get your hands on a grocery list maker to minimize food waste and save big on your next grocery store bill. A grocery list could help you stay organized and stick to your budget next time you’re hittin’ the aisles.

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.

A Free Grocery List Can Make Shopping Easy

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We’ve all heard the accounting “hoop-lah” from those that say we shouldn’t spend over 30% of our income on rent or mortgage payments and that 5-10% of our income should be spent on groceries. Really, we just want to get in and out of the grocery store without a receipt that resembles a phonebook. However, it’s not always that easy. Take advantage of tools that can help you save money and not spend huge amounts of time wandering the grocery store aimlessly. Free grocery lists, in particular, can be found online and used to plan and organize your grocery shopping experience, particularly, your grocery store budget.

Finding a Free Grocery List and Sticking to Your Budget

To get an online free grocery list specially made for your budget, perform a quick search on your favorite online search engine. You’ll find a slew of different templates that can help you make a free printable grocery list. Many options out in cyberspace don’t have a specific budget function. If you find a template that you like, however, just select it and make adjustments to tailor the template to your budget. For example, create a grocery list, print it out, then, beside each item, write your “goal-price” or the price that you would like to pay for each item. Having numbers beside your items will help you stay cognizant of your budget while you’re at the grocery store. Also have a grocery store total in mind and state that total at the bottom of your grocery list. This will keep you from swaying from your grocery list and buying unneeded items.

Try and keep your eyes peeled for free grocery lists that can be synced to free budgeting apps. This will help you organize meal planning at large, not just when you’re hitting the grocery store. You can subscribe to websites that will provide you with a free grocery list in addition to budgeting tips and cheap meal recipes that you can prep for less.

While having a free grocery list that’s geared towards big savings will help you out in the long run, it’s also important to keep grocery store budgeting tips in mind as your peruse the aisles. For example, don’t shop hungry! You’ll be tempted to grab every snack food in sight. Do all your own chopping (as pre-chopped goods are often horrendously expensive) and look for sales in the newspaper before you head to the grocery store.

There are a variety of lists you can choose from, so finding the best list for you should be a cinch. Once you’re at the grocery store with your list, you’ll find budgeting a lot easier than you ever imagined it could be.

Using an Online Grocery List

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Is it just us, or has grocery shopping gone tech? With grocery shopping apps, coupon codes, self-scanning checkout lines, and online grocery shopping, we are surrounded by sophisticated technology from the time we grab a shopping cart to checkout. There is even technology, like “memory sensors,” that is being developed to track food from farm to store, and indicate how fresh your food really is. Now, you can even upload your grocery list online so that the whole family can edit, delete, and add items that they need or want. Online grocery lists can help you collaborate with the family and make sure that everyone has exactly what they want in the pantry.

How to Find and Use Online Grocery Lists

The first step to using an online grocery list? Getting one, of course! You can get online grocery lists by searching for apps or websites that give you a login and allow you to access your grocery list from your mobile phone, tablet, or laptop. These apps can also allow other members of the family to access the grocery list and add (or delete) what they do or do not want or need. Through these apps, customize your online grocery list and get the whole family involved. For example, let’s say that your husband picks up milk at the corner store. He can easily cross milk out of the grocery list, notifying the grocery shopper of the family that you no longer need milk. It’s easy as that! Many apps also allow you to save your grocery list and convert it into a printable grocery list, if you prefer looking at your list on paper rather than on your mobile device. Whoever takes on grocery store duty can simply print out the family’s list, and then head to the store.

When looking for your grocery list online, make sure that you have an idea of features that you may want or need. Some features of an online grocery list may include:

  • Checking out sales at the supermarket
  • Finding recipes that integrate those sale items
  • Selecting meals based on your personal preferences
  • Making an organized, online grocery list

If you find a grocery list app that fits the needs of your family and gives you the option to have an online grocery list, you should look into downloading the program and syncing it to your phone. Online programs, like Food on the Table, can make grocery shopping, meal planning, and recipe collecting a breeze.