Efficient and Effective Grocery List Idea for Home Cooks

I decided to create a permanent grocery list. Here’s why: 1. It made sense to be efficient when I was shopping. I wanted to be in and out of the grocery store quickly. 2. It made sense to be cost-efficient. Quality ingredients are important to great food, but without a list, I frequently splurged on ingredients that I didn’t use, or they went bad. 3. It made sense to have a diverse pantry to make a multitude of recipes, but I also wanted it as condensed as possible. I listed ingredients that are versatile and can be used in many dishes. 4. My list is somewhat designed to have health in mind.

Brown Rice

• Rice is world’s 2nd most consumed food behind corn.

Butter/Oils

• Always essential to cooking.

Milk/Almond Milk/Heavy Cream.

• Mostly essential to cooking. I put heavy cream because its a little more versatile than milk. Occasionally when I run out of milk, I will dilute heavy cream with water as a substitute for milk.

Canned Tomatoes

• Tomatoes are very useful, but they have a short shelf life. Canned tomatoes are cheaper and last longer.

Canned Beans

• Dry Beans can also work as well, but they take much longer to prepare as compared to canned beans.

Vanilla Ice Cream

• For those with a sweet tooth, Vanilla Ice Cream is a great base to make a lot of desserts.

Frozen/Canned Veggies or Fruit

• I always recommend getting fresh over frozen/canned. For my life, it made more sense to get items that lasted longer. But frozen or canned produce lasts way longer, can be time efficient when preparing, and cheaper.

Fruit

• I like to maintain a stock of fresh fruit as a healthy snack, and to use in smoothies and salads. I tend to lean towards fruits that have a longer shelf life compared to most fruits: apples, oranges, bananas, lemons, and limes. Citrus fruits tend to be very versatile in many savory focused dishes as well.

One Unique Item

• I gave myself a little leeway by getting an ingredient or food item that I personally enjoy.

Seasonal Items

• Seasonal fruits, vegetables, and even some protein are affordable because they are in abundance in season. They also give you the opportunity to try new dishes or new ingredients.

Local Food

• Farmers markets and other local groceries have a mix of high quality ingredients and some cheap ones.

Rotisserie Chicken/Whole

• Rotisserie Chickens are so useful. They can be a quick, fast meal. You can shred the chicken. You can boil the carcass for stock.

Pasta/Noodles

• I personally love pasta, but I think its a very versatile ingredient and many recipes can be made in just one pot. You can be very creative without using many additional ingredients.

Nuts

• I mostly consume nuts on their own as a health benefit and snack. However, I frequently add them to salad, Asian dishes, Indian dishes, desserts, and other sweet dishes.

Garlic

• Whether fresh garlic or jarred, minced in oil, it’s a very versatile ingredient used in many different cuisines. Both forms of garlic last a while.

Potatoes

• Potatoes are a versatile starch that can be in breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They have a decent shelf-life when stored correctly. Plus I love the taste.

Bread/Bagels

• Sandwiches are always a great way to enjoy a quick bite. I included bagels because I love breakfast sandwiches. Bread can always be used to make crostini’s, croutons, French toast, breadcrumbs, bread-pudding, or garlic bread.

Chocolate

• I have a sweet tooth and chocolate goes into a lot of my desserts.

Eggs

• Eggs are a highly useful base ingredient and who doesn’t love eggs for breakfast. Also, mastering eggs can be challenging and it can be a great learning tool.

Mirepoix (onions, carrots, and celery)

• Mirepoix is 2:1:1 mixture of onions, carrots, and celery, all slow cooked. It’s very versatile in the kitchen and it has variations amongst different cultures cooking.

Flour

• I make a lot of sauces, enjoy baked goods, and fry things here and there. Very useful in my kitchen.

Sugar

• Important to many facets of cooking. No kitchen should be without it.

Herbs

• Fresh herbs are crucial to make dishes pop. Whether to garnish or as an ingredient. I usually buy in small quantities because they have a short shelf-life, but when I have some leftover, I dehydrate them using the oven at a low temperature and make my own herb blend.

Condiments

• Ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, ranch, soy sauce, salsa, hot sauce, worcestershire, and maple syrup are just some examples in my cupboard. They are very useful on their own, of course, but can be integral in many dishes.

Cheese

• The thousands of varieties of cheese can allow you to explore all the tastes; popular in many cultures around the world. I consume it on a weekly basis and love to cook with it. The opportunities are endless.

Tea/Coffee

• Personally, I enjoy this everyday. I highly suggest to pick some items that you personally enjoy on a regular basis.

This list is personal to my lifestyle. Your experience, taste, culture, what’s available, and location are dependent on how your own list looks! I would to hear what your lists looks like.