Smart shopping lists: eat well, spend less, reduce waste

We’ve all had those supermarket moments, rushing in hungry, grabbing whatever catches your eye and heading home only to realise… there’s nothing to actually make a meal. That’s where a shopping list can quietly change everything.

It’s not about being ultra-organised or planning every bite, it’s just a simple way to eat a bit better, spend a bit less, and avoid that “what’s for dinner?” panic at the end of a long day.

Why bother with a shopping list?

Think of a shopping list as your kitchen compass. It points you in the right direction, keeps you focused, and saves you from wandering aimlessly through the aisles. The good news? You don’t need to be hyper-organised or a meal-prepping pro to benefit from it. A list is just a little bit of thinking ahead that can help you feel more in control of what you eat (and spend).

Research shows that shopping without a plan often leads to impulse buys and more ultra-processed foods. It also means you’re more likely to forget the basics (and end up making another trip just for onions).¹

Here’s how a simple list can help:

• Spend less: You’re not buying food “just in case” or just because it’s on offer.
• Waste less: Especially if your meals are planned around what’s already at home.
• Eat better: Planning ahead makes it easier to include more veg, fibre and balance.
• Save time: No more aimless supermarket wandering or extra trips.
• Help the planet: Households in Europe were responsible for 54% of food waste in 2024. Lists help reduce that.²

How to make a weekly shopping list that works for you

You don’t need a fancy app or a colour-coded chart to get started. Whether it’s a scrappy notebook on the kitchen counter, a whiteboard by the fridge, or a quick note on your phone, the best kind of list is simply the one you’ll use. It doesn’t need to be perfect, just practical. 

A helpful trick? Create a basic template of your go-to items—pasta, oats, lentils, bananas—and before each shop, just highlight what you need and jot down any extras. It’s like giving your future self a little head start, and over time, it turns shopping into a smoother, more relaxed part of your week, something that supports your routine rather than disrupts it. We’ve listed a few more helpful pointers below. 

1. Look before you shop

Before you grab your bag and head out, take a peek inside your fridge and cupboards. You might be surprised to find you already have half the ingredients for a great dinner tucked behind the milk or waiting on the back of a shelf. Doing a quick check not only saves you from buying things twice, but it also helps you plan meals around what’s already there, cutting down on food waste and stretching your budget further.

Note down a few key things like:  

• Leftovers or meals already prepped
• Staples that are running low
• Fresh ingredients that need to be eaten soon

2. Think meals first, then ingredients

Before you start writing your list, take a moment to think about the week ahead and what kind of meals will fit into your real life. You don’t need to map out every single meal, but it helps to glance at your calendar. 

Perhaps there are days when you know you’ll be working late. Or are there kid’s activities which mean a quick meal will make life easier? Even just choosing three or four dinners in advance gives you a solid starting point, helps reduce last-minute stress, and makes your shopping trip much more purposeful. Keep it simple with ideas like these, they require few ingredients and make for quick home-cooked meals: 

• Frozen veg + eggs = stir-fry
• Tin of beans + spices = 15-minute soup
• Leftover roast = tacos the next day

If you share meals with family or housemates, you could also try to get them involved. Ask what they’d like or give everyone a day to choose dinner. It’s fun, takes some pressure off you and means you don’t need to buy all the ingredients or plan every meal. You could even create a challenge of using one ingredient for more than one more meal.

3. Organise your list by shop section

Ever zigzagged around the supermarket five times because you forgot to get milk? Organising your shopping list into broad categories like fruit and veg, dairy, pantry, frozen, and household goods prevents unnecessary backtracking and makes it less likely you’ll miss something important.

To go one step further…if you tend to visit one shop more regularly than others, then you could get even more strategic and arrange your items in the order you typically encounter them through the aisles. This only works if you know that shop well. Instead of wandering into every aisle "just in case," you’ll be moving with purpose, checking off your list section by section. 

Taking this extra care in your list building will help you stay focused and resist impulse buys. Supermarkets have grown substantially over the years, not to mention the marketing offers and tempting discounts, navigating those aisles is no easy task, but your new smartly categorised list will help you stay focussed.

4. Choose seasonal and budget-friendly foods

Fresh produce can get expensive, but buying what’s in season helps. Seasonal foods are often cheaper, more flavourful, and haven’t travelled as far, which also lowers their environmental impact. In spring, that might mean leeks, radishes and apples. In autumn, pumpkins, pears and cabbage. Not sure what’s in season? You can always take a quick look at the country of origin on labels. If it’s local, it usually means seasonal.

And don’t overlook tinned or frozen foods. They’re not only budget-friendly, but also brilliant for flexibility. A bag of frozen spinach or a tin of beans can quickly become soups, stews or speedy side dishes, without the pressure to cook everything right away or worry about spoilage. They're a quiet hero on any well-planned shopping list.

5. Match your shopping list to the best place

Where you shop can really shape how far your food budget goes. International food stores are often hidden gems - great for finding spices, rice, lentils, and other staples at lower prices than big supermarkets. Local markets, especially towards the end of the day, can offer great deals on fresh produce and give you a chance to support nearby growers. For bulk pantry items like pasta, oats, or canned goods, discount stores are usually a smart bet.

And if you don’t have time to shop across multiple stores, or perhaps find it tricky to stick to a list with all the distractions of a supermarket, online grocery shopping might actually be a helpful tool. It keeps you away from impulse buys and makes it easier to compare prices and keep an eye on your total as you shop.

Don’t forget your list when you shop It sounds obvious, but it’s easy to forget your list at home or make one and never check it again. The Notes app is generally a good idea as it’s on your phone, so you’re likely to always have with you. If you keep your list on your fridge, you can take a quick picture on your phone before you head out.

You’re doing something good 

That little list in your hand (or on your phone) isn’t just about groceries.  It’s a quiet act of intention. It helps you waste less food, shop more mindfully and take back some control in a world that often feels rushed and unpredictable. And that’s something worth celebrating. Whether this is your very first shopping list or just your first in a while, you’re taking a simple but powerful step toward feeling more confident in the kitchen, more connected to what you eat, and more in charge of your time, your budget, and your wellbeing. Changes like this really do add up, and by implementing just one or two of these tips, you’ll be off to a great start.