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How to plan a weekly shopping list (and stick to it)

Updated · PIICK IT!

A weekly shop goes well when the list is written before you leave the house, and badly when it is written in the car park. Planning takes about fifteen minutes once a week and saves the extra trips during the week.

Here is a routine that works for most households, whether you shop alone or split the trip.

Step by step

  1. Look in the fridge, freezer and cupboards and note what needs using up.
  2. Plan four or five dinners around that, plus one easy night for leftovers.
  3. Add the breakfasts, lunches and snacks you buy every week.
  4. Add household items that are running low.
  5. Group the list by aisle: fresh, dairy, meat and fish, pantry, frozen, household.
  6. Share the list so others can add what you missed before you go.

Write the list by aisle

Grouping items the way the shop is laid out means you walk through it once instead of zigzagging back for the eggs. Most supermarkets follow a similar order: fruit and vegetables near the entrance, chilled and frozen towards the end.

Keep a base list

Most households buy the same 30 to 60 things every week. Keep those on your list and untick them after each shop instead of writing them again. In PIICK IT!, ticked items stay crossed out until you clear them, so last week's list is this week's starting point.

Spend less without trying harder

  • Shop after eating, not before.
  • Set a rough budget and add prices to the items you know, so the list shows an estimated total.
  • Buy own-brand basics like flour, rice and cleaning products.
  • Use a monthly list for bulk items and keep the weekly shop for fresh food.

Weekly routine

  • Check fridge, freezer and cupboards
  • Plan 4 or 5 dinners
  • Add the base items
  • Group by aisle
  • Share before you go
  • Tick items in the shop

Lists to start from

Questions and answers

How do I make a weekly grocery list?

Check what you already have, plan a few meals, add your regular items and household basics, and group everything by aisle. Sharing the list lets others add what you forgot.

What should be on a basic weekly shopping list?

Fruit and vegetables, milk and eggs, bread, a protein for each dinner, pantry staples that are running low and household basics. The weekly family template has a full example.

Should I plan meals before I shop?

Planning even four dinners cuts waste and extra trips. You do not need a full menu, just enough to know what to buy.

Try it with the people you live with

Create a free shared list, invite your household and see who bought what in real time.

Create a free shared list

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