Every single household has different stuff stocked in their pantry. Some of us like to stock up, some don’t. Most of us need to cater to some kind of specific dietary need of someone in our family. You may need to be gluten free, lactose free, heart healthy, low sugar or low carb. Since we all subscribe to different ideas of healthy eating, there’s almost no way for me to get specific enough in this article for everyone. I’m going to do my best to cover options in each section, as well as product selection.
When it comes down to figuring out what specifically your household needs each trip- that’s a whole different ballgame. The factors are endless! How many mouths do you feed, what are they allergic to, how much time do you have to cook, is there enough flour in the pantry for your dinner plans tonight…? See? ENDLESS! When Carina asked me the original question about grocery shopping, she touched on this subject:
“How to grocery shop. I hate grocery shopping because I either buy not enough for the week or I over buy in some things”
That, my dear Carina, is the kinda thing I can only give you tips on! Truth is, I don’t think anyone in the world can manage to make every single trip to the grocery store perfectly successful. We’ve all forgotten something before, and we are all going to do it again… grocery shopping is one of those chores like laundry and dishes… it’s constant. Even if you “do it all today”, you’ll have to do it all again next week! GAH! Don’t get overwhelmed. I guess my real message here, is that you shouldn’t be hard on yourself if you don’t buy enough or forget something… you’re ALWAYS going to have to take another trip to the grocery store. It will never end. So don’t feel badly about missing something!! Just keep your pantry well stocked so that if you DO forget something at the store, you can alter your plan for tonight’s dinner and not need to go back TODAY. (Keeping your pantry full, and writing down an item as soon as you use the last of it- those are the best tips I can give you!)
Another good habit to get into that will help you manage your trips is making a list. Honestly, I don’t do it. BUT- I only shop for two people, and I visit the store every two days, so if I forget something, I just deal for a day and grab it next time. If you have a large family, list-making is crucial to a successful and stress-free shopping trip! There are a couple of different ways to manage your lists. You can write items on your list the second you use the last drop OR you can write items on your list when you have ¼ of the container left. Do what works for you. If you keep a stocked pantry, you won’t need to make sure you grab some “before you run out”.
The other thing you should do is pay attention to the stuff that you wind up throwing away because it’s gone bad. Not buying enough food is one thing, and it’s easy to remedy by hitting up the store again! Buying too much food is always a losing situation. You waste money, storage space… you may even accidentally let food go bad in your fridge, which makes an unhealthy place for other stuff stored in the same drawer. I mean, this stuff happens to EVERYONE, so it’s good to take note when it does. If you’re buying 2 gallons of milk, but throwing half a gallon away each week, start buying 1 gallon container and one quart. You may need to adjust the amount of what you purchase, but you may also have to come to grips with a nasty realization like “I buy all these fresh fruits, and no one ever eats them!” If you find that your family isn’t eating enough of the foods you really want them to eat, it may be time to start looking for some new recipes! Mix up your meal routine, grind up the veggies so small they can’t see ‘em… whatever it takes! If you identify this problem, there are lots of ways to fix it. Take all of these things into account when you are making your list for your next trip!
Produce
The produce section is, of course, where you find all of your fresh fruits and vegetables. Most grocery stores sell some of their produce already prepared for cooking. This section also often contains pre-made smoothies and salad-ina-bag as well as fresh herbs and surprisingly, won ton skins. I know. It’s weird to me too.
A good produce section should be well lit, and smell either like the fresh greenery or like nothing at all. If you notice any musty or mildewy smells, you’re in the wrong place. Also, if you see fruit flys- bail.
Visit this link for my article on how to choose ripe fruits.
I do not often buy the pre-chopped fruits and vegetables. Even though Rick and I do a lot of juicing, I save a lot of money by chopping my own produce at home. That being said, I DO like pre-packaged salad…
Many of us use salad-ina-bag products. We love baby spinach in this house, and almost every trip to the store, I walk out with a bag of it. Be sure to keep your eyes open for grocery store brands, this isn’t a section that we typically associate with “generics”, but many stores have veggies packaged for them, and I find that the difference between the brand name salad and the store brand salad is often $1 or more! When pulling your bag off the shelf, be sure to take one from all the way in the back. The freshest produce is placed at the back, so the older stuff sells first. Makes perfect sense! Beat the system 
Before you toss it in your cart, look for wilted leaves or too much condensation or liquid. If you see either of those things, dive back in for another bag.
Organic vs Non-Organic is the conversation you’ll be having with yourself all the way through this section. I figure, buying stuff out of the produce department is an accomplishment in the first place, if you don’t buy organic, I certainly won’t come down on ya! It’s more expensive, and the actual health benefits are still being discussed. If you do prefer organic products, here’s an article on what is required for a food to be called “organic” and how to read labeling for those products. The “organic vs non-organic” debate can get a little confusing, so having a little knowledge in advance can help your grocery store confidence!
Bakery
Oh man. I’ll be honest with you. I try my very best to stay outta this place. LOL! Ughhh… it’s like… every day of my life renews my struggle NOT to eat donuts for breakfast… and then every morning that I walk into the grocery store, that amazing smell smacks me in the face. I have two choices: succumb to the sticky, sweet deliciousness, or RUN! So I run… you know… slowly. LOL
Personally, I’ve found that I can make pretty much anything in the bakery, and you probably can too! My cakes may not look as fancy, but they taste even better than the bulk-made baked goods in those cases. You can save money (and impress your friends, family and co-workers!) by making your own baked goods. However, if you are in a rush, it’s good to know that the bakery is right around the corner!
When in this section, if you want to save a little money, ask the bakers if they put out day-old bread. Higher end stores take day-old products off the floor immediately (and probably waste them), but many stores are starting to offer their day-old selections at reduced prices.
Deli This is the department where you can get bulk meats and cheeses sliced to order. Great place! Lots of items are available here that are not typically pre-sliced and packaged for the cases. For instance, one of my favorite treats from the deli is salsa marinated turkey breast. Oh man, it’s so good. When I have them slice any of my favorite meats or cheeses, I always try not to order more than I think I’ll eat in a day or two. I’d rather go back and buy fresh stuff than have things losing its flavor sitting in my refrigerator.
The deli is cool because if you ask politely, they’ll let you try a slice of something you’ve never had before. It’s a great way to diversify your menus without having to buy an entire package of something you’ve never tried before. Nearly every time I am at the store, I ask them if they have a little piece of cheese I can try.
Seafood
I have actually written an article on selecting the freshest seafood before. In the interest of time and space, check it out here if you’re interested!
Meat
The meat department and I have a love/hate relationship. I LOVE to look at all those delicious cuts of meat and imagine the delightful meals I could make that evening! I HATE meat juice. Thankfully, grocery stores are picking up on this and many now have hand-wipe stations. PHEW!
Get to know the butcher at your grocery store. He’s a good guy, I’m almost 100% sure of it. It seems I’ve never met a butcher who wasn’t ready for an enthusiastic and cheerful conversation on how to cook his finest cut of meat. If you have questions about cuts or cooking methods, just ask! These are the pros. They should be keeping their department clean, it shouldn’t smell nor should there be meat juice in the bottom of the cases. That’s one of the best ways to know if you can trust your butcher.
I’m sure you’ve noticed the price of meat going up recently. If you want to save some cash, you can buy meat in bulk. If you REALLY want to save some cash, take the extra step of buying your own meat grinder and learning to grind your own meat. If you already have a stand mixer
If you have a deep freezer, and hopefully a product like a FoodSaver
When selecting meats, look for bright color and not a lot of liquid in the foam tray. Chicken and pork should be pink, beef should be red. If the color seems dull, or the liquid in the package seems thicker than water, do not purchase that meat! Just like in the pre-bagged salad section, the freshest meat is at the back of the case. Not only that, but the back of the case is colder than the front, which means the meat back there is less likely to be spoiling. Go on and reach to the back for the best package!
Dairy
The dairy section of the grocery store is usually fairly large in comparison to the others. It will include products like milk, sour cream, yogurt, kefir, cream cheese, ice cream, butter… and bizarrely… eggs. I don’t think I’ve ever been to a grocery store that didn’t keep the eggs in the dairy section. Whatever, right?
Much like the sections discussed previously, the dairy section does have a manager, and his job is to keep all the products rotated so that nothing goes bad on the shelves. There’s not a whole lot of technique to share with regard to selecting a carton of milk or a package of butter, but the rule about the freshest products being at the back in the coldest part of the refrigerator is true here too. I always reach to the back for my yogurt, kefir and sour cream!
A quick tip about eggs: when I was younger, they didn’t have these clear plastic egg cartons, and all the eggs came in cardboard. My mom would always open the carton, and appear to count the eggs by tapping each one, which seemed strange to me because it would be easy to tell if one was missing. Finally one day, I asked her what she was doing, and she told me that when she touched the eggs, if any of them stuck to the carton, she’d know the egg had been damaged and the white was making the egg stick to the package. OH! Mrs. K is so smart! From that day forward, it was my job to check the eggs. Great job for the older kiddies.
The Rest of the Store
For the sake of time, and due to the fact that y’all have plenty of common sense, I’m not going to go over the middle portion of the grocery store, though I will list the aisles as they are typically laid out in most groceries. If your trip will be a large one, and you plan to do some stocking up, you might choose to start shopping in middle of the store. It can feel counter-intuitive, but you don’t want all your fresh/cold foods going bad while you wander the aisles. Remember that these middle sections are where the unit price is listed right on the price tags. Take advantage! Most stores stock their generic brand right next to the brand-name brand, to attract shoppers (remember, generics don’t advertise, but that means they must rely on you to look beyond the name brand to find the savings they offer). The middle part of the store is full of all the typical “grocery games”, like the classic “This box is bigger than the rest, but has less product inside”, etc. Understanding unit price will keep you from buying more packaging than food.
The following is a list of the rest of the aisles in the grocery store:
The Middle Section
•Bread/peanut butter
•Cereal/breakfast
•Baking needs/spice
•Canned veg&soups/canned fruits/vinegar/salad dressing
•Pasta/premade meals
•Rice/beans (international foods)
•Crackers/cookies
•Chips/Soda
The Freezer Section
•Biscuits/butter/juice
•Breakfast/chicken/breads
•Pizza/micro snacks (burritos, cheeseburgers)
•TV Dinners/veg/fruit/dessert
•Ice Cream
Household Goods Section
•Wrapping/baggies
•Plates/cups/plastic flatware and trash bags
•Toilet paper/paper towels
•Dish care
•Laundry care
Personal Care Section
•Cosmetics/hair care
•Hand soaps
•Shaving needs/toothcare
•Feminine products/sexuality
•Meal supplements
•Pharmacy products
Many grocery stores these days also include a special department for “Natural foods”. It’s like a mini-grocery store, with everything in it that the rest of the store has, but the products on these shelves are natural, organic, chemical-free, etc. This section is also becoming the place where alternate forms of standard foods and cleaning products are kept, for instance, this is where you’d find gluten-free breads, organic cereals, natural soaps and vegetarian selections.
Because this section is an after-thought in most already-established stores, it can be found just about anywhere. Some stores are constantly making more space for these products, to keep their shoppers from defecting to Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. The grocery chain that I prefer in my area has expanded their natural foods selection, tremendously, and now have dedicated employees, specially trained on the products they stock. I appreciate them going the extra mile, and many stores are doing the same. Now, I love Whole Foods, but find the prices there absolutely overwhelming. These days, my regular-old neighborhood grocery store is stocking LOTS of the same products those stores sell, at lower prices. Don’t completely abandon your neighborhood grocery for these specialty grocery stores. The folks who stock local grocery shelves are wising up to the organic food movement, and are adjusting to sell products people are starting to seek out. I do still visit Whole Foods on VERY rare occasion, but because of the thoughtful expansion of my local store, I skip their high prices as often as humanly possible!
***Next article, Grocery Shopping: Checking Out***
Honestly, I have SO many ideas to share with you about this subject, this will be a series of articles. I hope the way I plan to break it up will make it easier to search for the info later if you need it. 
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