I saw Andrea's post about forgetting why she bought ingredients so thought I'd share with you all my extremely anal way of making a grocery list.

Now keep in mind i have ALOT of time on my hands. It's just my husband and I and Sundays are reserved for drinking coffee and reading the paper and grocery shopping. I've only told this to 2 people. One is my very understanding friend and she said I was nuts and the other just told me I wasn't quite right.

I first look thru the grocery ads and start thinking of what I want to make for the week. I then consult the weather channel to see what the weather is gonna be to determine whether we'll be cooking on the grill or inside and whether it'll be too hot to have the oven on. I keep in mind what we've had the past 2 weeks and try to have a beef, chicken and pasta dish each week. I mentally store what we're out of during the week and immediatley write down the staples, bread, milk, butter, eggs as applicable.

Then on the back of the list i'll write s-f and put the date next to each so when i'm buying meat i'll know how long it's good for. then I plan meals. As i write each meal down I flip the list over and write down what I'll need to make it. If it requires a recipe I consult the recipe and make sure I have everything already or write down what i need. Then i'll consult my husband and write down any requests he may have for "treats".

Then I get a new paper and write down the things on the list in the order in which I'll pass them in the store. Cuz 9x out of 10 I'll be standing in the freezer section consulting my list and realize I forgot the lemon and have to go back to the OTHER side of the store to get it and I HATE when that happens.

I always end up switching the days and meals around once I get everything home..but by doing it this way I always know I have everything I need and I hardly EVER have to run back to the store to get something I forgot.

Yes I'm a control freak and I'm PROUD of it. :D

I try to do this...but I always forget the list when I go to the store :)

LMAO Chain. Yes you have a deficit...no purse. I forgot to add you have to put the list in the purse immediatley after you write it. OH and another thing..If I have a coupon for something I'll write cc next to the item on the list. But I always wind up either forgetting the coupons or forgetting to give them to the cashier cuz I'm too busy putting things on the...oh what is that thing called....and getting out my bonus card.

VEry good idea i am gonna TRY this, i always say i am going to make a list but never do and buy a lot of things that just are not needed.
Ive also learn never go to the grocery store hungry,big trouble for me.

I've cut my time in half by cutting out lists so that I have more time to hand the lady at Walmart all my coupons from other stors that they honor and remind her that Boogarts has double coupon days everyday by printing a list off my computer. lmao

When I had four children at home I used to do this:

Then I get a new paper and write down the things on the list in the order in which I'll pass them in the store. Cuz 9x out of 10 I'll be standing in the freezer section consulting my list and realize I forgot the lemon and have to go back to the OTHER side of the store to get it and I HATE when that happens.

I always end up switching the days and meals around once I get everything home..but by doing it this way I always know I have everything I need and I hardly EVER have to run back to the store to get something I forgot.

Which would be good except I often followed it by doing this:

I try to do this...but I always forget the list when I go to the store


That makes me almost organized but too forgetful to stay that way long enough to make it to store.

The grocery list thing has become more useful in my life since the popularity of cell phones!!!!

I keep a note pad which has a magnet on the back side. I keep it stuck to the frig door at all times. Loosing the list as fast as they can be written greatly decreases the
effiency of making a list.

When I find I am low on some thing I write it on the list with pencil velcro ed to frig door next to stuck list. Gary does most of the shopping because he likes to get the best deal; therefore does all this mathmatical stuff. He goes to store alone because the mathmatically thingie he does makes me want to strangle him as all i want to do is grab what I need and get out!!!!

Gary forgets to take the list 9 out of 10 times so he calls me on his cell phone to have me read needed item off the list still stuck to the frig, laying on dinning room table or left next to toliet in bathroom.

Isn't it great when teamwork works? :p

Oh thank heavens, I thought I was the only one. I have a flat-file database on my PDA, organized by where everything is in the store, so I don't have to backtrack. It has checkboxes, so when something's in the cart I can check it off and it'll disappear from the list. I don't always make the meals I plan, but I know that if I don't plan them we'll wind up having spaghetti every single day.

It's not odd. It's sensible. Good for you.

i would call that good planning....i make a menu, and shop according to the menu. even if i don't make it in order, at least i know i have the things i need. because if i don't i'm at the grocery store every day. i also try to make chicken, beef, pasta and fish at least once a week....so, i would say you are among kindred spirits with your shopping method. :p

Sometimes I feel like the only person in the food store with a shopping list.
It's a great tool. One I never forget to bring with me.
My list has the things on it I'm running low on.
And the ingredients I need for the meals I'll be making that week.
I cook six days a week. Friday nights I order pizza.
I also bulk buy a lot of things at Sams Club (Warehouse Store)
So I don't need the same things every single week.

I just get what I feel like at the moment. I live for the moment. :D I get too confused when I have a grocery list. I could take better forgetting something then using a grocery list since I get more frustrated that way.