Never Shop on Sunday Afternoons
From shoppers making their way to and from to church and entertainers getting ready for the big game to procrastinators hitting the store before the weekend is over, Sundays are one of the most crowded times at grocery stores. Doing major shopping at peak hours is a bad idea; it’s never fun to fight the crowds, endure long lines and have to browse picked-over produce bins and sale racks.
When to go instead: basically, anytime. Off hours are typically first thing in the morning, late in the evening and during the week.
Always Shop with a List
It’s easy to think you’ll remember every item you need once you’re browsing the store, but in the hustle and bustle of shopping there’s bound to be something you forget. Before you leave home, take stock of your pantry items and make sure you’ve got things like olive oil, pasta and other staples you might not buy weekly. Sketch out a few dinner ideas so you know what to grab (and save yourself from having to figure out what to cook on the fly after work). Check out these doable ways to start meal planning this weekend. Plus, making a list beforehand lets you move more efficiently through the store.
Pro tip: If you organize your list by product type, it’s a breeze to pick everything up as you work through the aisles. Here are more ideas that’ll turn you into an expert list-maker in no time.