Used to think writing down groceries was a waste of time, now I keep a running list on my phone and it's saved me from three emergency pantry trips this month

I finally gave in after buying the same jar of pickles three times in one week, and now I actually plan meals around what's already in the fridge instead of just winging it like I used to - anyone else have a system that finally clicked after years of chaos?

3 comments

3 Comments

lisa526d ago

I read this article about how people waste like 30% of their groceries because they forget what they have, and that's exactly what I was doing. I started keeping a magnetic notepad on the fridge and writing stuff down as soon as I notice it's running low, not when I'm about to cook dinner. The trick for me was getting a cheap little dry erase board that hangs right on the freezer door, so I see it every time I grab something. Now I don't even think about it, I just jot down "eggs" when I use the last one or "ketchup" when the bottle feels light. It sounds so simple but it really cut down on those stupid trips where I'd walk around the store trying to remember what I actually needed.

the_patricia26d ago

Three emergency pantry trips sounds like an excuse to buy snacks you wanted anyway.

torres.sage26d ago

Three emergency pantry trips" haha, @the_patricia you called it perfectly. I did the same thing last week and came back with cookies and chips I definitely didn't need. My pantry is basically a junk food stash now.