Category: Online shopping

Shopping can be a challenging task, especially if you keep spending more than your monthly budget. Most people end up going to the grocery store every week. It can be extremely frustrating to go out when you’ve got dozens of chores at home. A lot of us end up picking up things that they don’t need. I think we’re all guilty of buying fancy snacks that look good only on the wrapper. Plus, time is a luxury, and people end up spending a majority of it trying to think of all the things that they need. To add to the nightmare, sometimes, they end up forgetting to pick up essential items. 

Well, fret not! A monthly grocery list comes to your rescue. It is a great way to turn things around, and it is a lot easier than it sounds. With some preplanning, you can save several trips to the grocery stores and save time and money. Keep reading to know how you can sail through the month by making a list. 

How Is Shopping Once A Month Beneficial?

Shopping once a month can help you save a significant chunk of your time and money. It can be beneficial for those on a budget and want to stay within a specific price range. It can help you avoid picking up unnecessary things and reduce food wastage. It requires some preplanning, discipline, and, most of all, self-control. 

People think that shopping once a month would deprive them of their favorite foods, and they’ll have to munch on leftovers and ready-to-cook meals for the last week of the month. But that’s not true at all. You can have healthy and nutritious meals and eat fresh food throughout the month. You can do this by stocking up on crucial things which may include milk, vegetables, fruits, canned foods, flours, rice, and other essential items. Buying in bulk can help you save money since certain items are priced at cheaper rates if they’re bought in large quantities, and since you won’t run out of these essential items, you’ll save plenty of time too! 

Map It Out And Know Your Goals

While you don’t necessarily have to pre-plan your meals, you need to know how much of every ingredient you need in a month. You can do that by multiplying your weekly groceries by 4. How much salt would you need in a month? Write it down. Likewise, make a list of all the items that you need. These items should be staples or things that you consume regularly. 

You can consume fresh vegetables during the first two weeks and then move on to the canned, frozen goods. This way, you won’t be depriving your body of any nutrients. 

You can also find substitutes for things that you frequently need. For instance, you can use powdered milk instead of buying milk every day. You need to include foods with a longer shelf life so that you can avoid another trip to the grocery store. Your goal should be to buy cheaper fares without compromising on quality. 

Learn More About Shelf Life

Some items can last for weeks, while some will go bad in a few days. Knowing how long each of them lasts is imperative. You must also know how to store each item in such a way that it stays fresh while its nutritive value isn’t compromised. You can start by dividing your grocery list roughly into three categories. 

Freezer Friendly and Canned Foods:

Some vegetables like peas, carrots, and corn can stay fresh in the freezer for months. People usually assume that freezing food would make it lose its nutritional value, but that isn’t true. Canned tomatoes, peaches, pineapples, etc. taste as good as fresh ones. Canned tomatoes are perfect for quick gravies and curries. 

Since these foods can stay good for a month (and even more in some cases), you can keep a stock of them and use them during the last two weeks of the month. Meat can be kept in the freezer, and it would stay good for a long time. Simply take it out an hour or two before you want to cook it. Fresh milk can be frozen too, but it might taste different and have a different texture later. These foods also cost less than fresh fruits and vegetables, so it’s better to stock up on them to have more variety and to save some extra cash. 

Packed Foods:

Flours, legumes, rice, pasta, spices, herbs, and other dry essential items can stay good for a long time. Although, in some seasons, you need to be careful with flours as they may be infested with insects. Make sure to store everything in air-tight containers. This keeps the food secure and safe from pests and insects. 

Fresh Fruits And Vegetables:

There are certain fruits and vegetables which can stay good for weeks, and knowing their shelf life can help you pre-plan your meals. For example, potatoes can be kept at room temperature for around 2-3 weeks, while Apples will stay nice in the fridge for about 4-8 weeks! Capsicums, leafy vegetables, string beans, cucumbers, and broccoli will remain fresh in the refrigerator for about 1-2 weeks. Garlic is a handy ingredient that can stay perfect for months at room temperature.

Stay Within Your Budget And Save Money: Ka-ching!

Set up a monthly budget and set aside an amount that you would require for your groceries and other essentials. You may even find out that you’re spending more than your budget. In such a case, you need to reduce the amount you’re spending. You can do this by buying generic items. Always make the most of the sales in your vicinity and stock items that won’t go bad anytime soon.

When you buy in bulk, you’ll save a significant amount of money. A 10kg bag of flour would cost way less than say, a 2kg bag. You’ll also be saving on the amount that you would’ve spent to go to the grocery store. If there are cheaper and healthier alternatives to the things that you regularly eat, make sure to switch over to them. 

Sometimes stores have aisles and counters where you can buy trial packs or travel-sized items. These can be handy if you’re going on a trip. Since you’ll be buying mindfully, there’s no fear of food items going bad.

PRO TIP: Always have a wholesome snack before you step out to shop. This will help curb any hunger pangs you have, and you won’t spend money because of a craving. Those pickles might look nice in the jar, but you don’t need them in your kitchen right now. 

Do’s and Don’ts Of Grocery Shopping

If it’s your first time making a monthly grocery list, it’s very easy to feel overwhelmed and add in things that you don’t need. Make sure that you only include items that you are likely to cook throughout the month. You can also allocate a certain amount of money per head and buy your groceries accordingly. For example, if you only want to spend 20$ per person in a month, you will have to pre-plan your meals accordingly. 

Ensure to include nutritious and healthy foods. It can be tempting to grab a jumbo bag of potato chips, but you must refrain from adding unnecessary items to your cart. Avoid going to the market as much as possible, since you may reach out for expensive items that you don’t require. For extra savings, keep an eye on the discount codes in flyers and brochures that are often sent in the mail.

A major mistake that most people do is that they end up buying too much of one thing and not enough of another. Make sure that you add enough of each category so that you’re on a balanced diet. Don’t panic if you run out of groceries in the first few weeks; it only means that you may have estimated the food requirements incorrectly. It gives you a chance to correct your shopping list for the next month. Also, be sure to stick to your list. Always ask yourself one question: Do I want it, or do I need it?

You can’t fit in everything in the fridge, so make sure that you don’t overspend on frozen or canned foods. Storage space should be one of your primary concerns. Always store extra supplies in a clean, dry area. Keep your kitchen counters clean and store essential items in cabinets. Think about it this way: you have a pantry, a fridge, and a freezer. Divide your supplies between these three, according to their shelf life. It would be inconvenient to have stacks of essentials lined on your kitchen counter. Make space for new supplies by throwing away any expired ones. Consume the things that are likely to go stale first. 

Clean your fridge and your cabinets a day before your shopping trip so that you have enough space to keep your essential items. Shop only as much as the space you have. It will help you keep things organized. You may have to go to the grocery store more than once. Even if you’re going to the store a lot less than you usually do, it’ll be worth the benefits you garner. 

Grocery shopping had always been a challenge for women. From listing the items to choosing the correct brand, everything should be planned perfectly. Groceries are not just a part of the food, but they are a part of your body and health. Are you one of the women who are worried about next month’s grocery list? Do not worry. Read the below passage to understand the world of grocery and crack it using some simple steps. Let’s create Create a perfect grocery list.

Some people purchase their groceries every month. But some people, especially women, buy their groceries every week so that they can eat fresh and stay healthy. Regardless of when you purchase, a grocery list is essential for every purchase. Make sure you create an excellent grocery list for every purchase. Below are some items that can contribute to a healthy grocery list. 

1. Bread and Bakery

You can purchase 

• Whole wheat Bread
• Muffins
• Whole grain flour Tortillas

The maida bread may taste better, and you might like it better than the whole wheat bread. But the whole wheat bread and whole grain flour Tortillas are much healthier. Maida is made from the endosperm of wheat. The whole wheat is made up of all the ingredients of grain. Maida is filled with carbohydrates, while entire wheat has essential vitamins and carbohydrates with fibers. Consuming whole wheat or whole grain is much healthier than consuming a part of it. 

2. Meat and seafood

You can purchase 

• Chicken 
• Seafood like salmon, trout, etc.
• Turkey

When purchasing meat or seafood, buy the leanest cuts possible. These lean cuts contain low amounts of fat when compared to other cuts. Also, reduce the consumption of beef as they have a high level of fat. While purchasing meat, make sure that the product is not expired. Also, in the case of frozen meat, check the storage condition of the meat before purchasing. Meat and seafood are enriched with protein. Proteins are essential for building the muscle of the body. The seafood is also abundant in omega-3 fatty acids, which is good for health. 

3. Cereals and breakfast foods

You can purchase

• Multigrain cereals
• Oatmeal
• Whole grain cereals
• Cornflakes

According to a research article, breakfast makes an essential part of the daily meal. Cereals mixed with milk and honey can make a good and healthy breakfast for your diet. You can also add other dried fruits, bananas, and fresh berries in the milk to make it more robust. The same can be done for oatmeal too. The whole grain cereals and oatmeal has abundant fibers that will assist your bowel movement and induce easy digestion.  

4. Canned foods and juices

You can purchase 

• Canned soups
• Stored vegetables
• Canned tuna
• Juice packets

If you are into fresh juices and soups, you purchase fresh vegetables and soups. But for working people, cooking food might not be an option all the time. If you are one of them, you can choose healthy canned foods that have a low level of sodium and preservatives. While purchasing juice buys the cartridges with fresh fruits and not the ones with artificial sweetener and flavors. 

5. Fruits and vegetables

You can purchase

• Fresh seasonal fruits
• Fresh vegetables

While purchasing fruits and vegetables, buy only organic produce. The commonly cultivated vegetable produce is exposed to pesticides and other soil-enriching chemicals. Also, try to avoid buying fruits that do not belong to that particular season. These fruits might have been old and preserved for a more extended period. According to a recent study, it has been found that organically grown fruits and vegetables have more antioxidants when compared to inorganic produce. 

6. Dairy, cheese, and yogurt

You can purchase 

• Skimmed milk
• Soy milk
• String cheese/cottage cheese
• Egg
• Tofu
• Pure butter
• Plain yogurt

Milk is a common product is most people’s basic grocery list. Milk products contain nearly 16 nutrients that are essential for improving health. Some of them include Calcium, Vitamin D, and protein. The calcium and vitamin D enrich and ensures bone strength, while proteins are responsible for the muscle development of the body. Nearly 40 percent of the children in Nigeria are affected by Rickets due to Vitamin D deficiency. Rickets is a common disease occurring commonly in the underdeveloped countries of the world. Check the expiry date and storage conditions of these dairy products before purchasing them. 

7. Healthy snacks 

• Vegetable sticks
• Dried nuts ( Almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, pistachios, etc…)
• Seeds ( Flaxseeds, Sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds) 
• Dark chocolate

A person needs to eat at least five courses a day. It includes 3-course meals and two snack course. For snacks, take at least one fruit regularly combined with some regular snacks. Nuts are filled with fibers and vitamins and are known to reduce the cholesterol in the body. A recent study found that consuming 30 grams of nuts daily reduces metabolic syndrome considerably. Recent researches revealed that Dark chocolate has a high level of anti-oxidants, and suitable for the cardiac activity.

8. Drinks 

You can purchase

• Green tea
• Orange juice with calcium
• Health mix drinks

Due to exposure to pollution and toxins through food and air, the human body is filled with unwanted materials. Green tea acts as an anti-oxidizing agent that purifies the blood and reduces fat. Consuming green tea also helps in boosting up your immunity. Orange juice enriched with calcium is a source of Vitamin C that can protect your body. The world is undergoing a significant crisis these days with an illness like COVID-19. So increasing your immunity is the only way to fight this illness. 

Health mix drinks made up of cereals, and other green vegetables remove the toxins from the blood and the body. You can also prepare your personal health drink every day, using fresh fruits and vegetables. 

9. Oil and Fat 

You can purchase 

• Vegetable oil
• Olive oil
• Butter

Cooking oil is essential for all types of food, from salad to fried items. Choosing healthy oils like olive oil will increase the good fat present in your body. The human body is made up of good and bad fat. While good fats can be quickly burned with exercise, it is tough to digest or burn lousy fat. 

Products like olive oil and butter are good fat, while refined oil and animal oil contribute to the bad fat. Fat is a source of energy that is essential to the proper functioning of the body. The body typically uses good fats for burning energy, and they are continuously replenished. 

10. Condiments

You can purchase 

• Salt
• Spices like pepper, cumin, turmeric, etc….
• Herbs
• Honey
• Sugar

Salt – Any food is incomplete without it. Salt is rich in sodium and used for destroying microbes. 

Herbs and spices – Herbs and spices do not just add taste to the food we consume, but they are also responsible for boosting our immunity. 

Honey – Always buy natural honey. Honey can be easily replaced with jaggery, which is just plain sugar. So always purchase a sealed honey bottle that is not adulterated. Honey is a natural antibiotic and can be used as a sugar replacement. 

Sugar – Purchase non-adulterated sugar and consume at a correct level as overconsumption of white sugar may lead to diabetes. Brown sugar can serve as a better replacement for white sugar. 

11. Flavor foods

You can purchase 

• Ginger
• Garlic
• Rosemary 
• Cinnamon

Ginger – Ginger has high levels of anti-oxidant properties that purify the blood and also reduces inflammation. Even though ginger is added only in small portions to the food, they play a significant role in the health of the body. Ginger tea is also suitable for health. It can remove toxins from the body. 

Garlic – Garlic is also a powerful anti-oxidant that is known for purifying blood. Garlic is used for reducing calories. Garlic is the best medicine for the common cold and maintains cholesterol. They play a significant role in atherosclerosis, otherwise known as the hardening of arteries. 

 Rosemary – Rosemary is a common ingredient in American and Italian cuisine. It adds extra flavors to the food. This small piece of leaf acts as an anti-inflammatory agent and protects the brain from aging. It also prevents cancer. 

Cinnamon – A spice that produces more flavor, and it’s more reliable than any of the above. This pure tree bark is highly anti-diabetic and also reduces the inflammation of the wound. 

All these high food materials have many properties. It is not possible to consume all these at once. But one can always try to include as many items as possible in a single meal. If you like cereal for breakfast, you can always add fruits, nuts, and berries in the cereal for flavor. Honey will provide sweetness to the milk. Add as much as garlic and ginger into your food and avoid picking them. 

What and what not to do while purchasing your groceries  

Even though the list is vast, all the groceries mentioned above are essential for a healthy lifestyle. When you purchase your grocery, 

• Check their date of manufacturing and date of expiry. Expired food packets may lead to food poisoning. A recent news article stated that only a low amount of Nigerians check the expiry date of the food products while rest do not. Consuming expired food products may lead to food poisoning and other health issues in the future.

• Check the storage condition of the food. Some of the frozen food and other food items that need to be placed under a refrigerated temperature would not be maintained correctly, leading to the decayed condition of the food products. 

• Always purchase organically grown fruits and vegetables. Though they are a bit costly, they are natural. Non – organic food items are bad for health and cause some severe diseases like food poisoning and cancer. The pesticides added to these non-organic food items result in nearly 1,00,000 deaths every year. 

• Do not buy foods that have artificial sweeteners and MSG. MSG’s are added to increase the flavor of the food and are bad for the health. They cause cancer and other side effects when consumed for a more extended period.

• After purchasing your groceries, store them adequately based upon their requirements. Do not store fruits and vegetables for more than a week. Check for molds in bread and other food items before consuming them. 

• If you purchase frozen produce, defrost them entirely before heating them or using them for cooking. Also, make sure that your refrigerator has 24 hours of power supply so that the food doesn’t go bad. Always wash this frozen food before cooking. It’s not just frozen foods, wash all your grocery before cooking. 

• And more important of all, do not waste food. The whole you live under the luxury of getting as much food as possible, there is another group of people around the world who does not have the liberty of eating three-course meals a day. 

Send food to your loved ones.

Currently, the world is facing a difficult situation. With the spread of the virus, everyone is locked down within their own home. Along with this, there are other instances like shortage of rain, low production of crops, etc. Most of the people living in developed and developing countries do not face these situations. But people living in underdeveloped countries like Nigeria are susceptible to food shortage and less or no water. 

To help your loved ones living in Nigeria, you can order the basic grocery list from the US and Canada to be delivered to them through online portals. Now Now Express is one such online portal that allows you to order food for your family living in Nigeria. Check into the website sendgrocerynigeria.com and order some fresh groceries for your friends and family. Purchase the groceries for an entire month by using the grocery list given above.