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This Grocery List Could Save Your Life

March 1, 2012   35 Comments

The grocery list above jumped out in front of a car and saved my life. Okay, I realize that is ridiculous, but grocery lists can be life savers!

Grocery List Important In Weight Loss

Why? Because if you stick to them, you will keep a bunch of CRAP out of your cart. Seriously.

The list above is empty because this isn't just any list - this is YOUR list. You need it to help you avoid the sign below:

littledebbie

This display of packaged snack junk food was a few steps away from the milk. It was positioned in such a way that I could not avoid looking at it.

You see, I plan to keep to the edges of the store and AWAY from most of the packaged food by just not walking by it. My local grocery store has figured out my plan and managed to put these in front of my nose. Not only do I like Little Debbies, but they are on special!!!

RED ALERT, RED ALERT, whooooo- whoooo! DING DING DING........

Will they go into my cart? NO! Are they on the list? NO! I stick to my list. I did not put them on my list because I am working on eating healthy food.

Your grocery list is one of the most powerful tools for keeping you out of the doctor's office. I don't like to use war analogies very often - but the grocery store is like a mine field.

What does your store want you to do? Buy more food. What is your goal? To be healthy and (probably) lose some extra pounds. These goals are counter to each other.

It is not like the store is trying to do battle with you - but it puts the food that is hard to resist right in your path! Maybe you could visualize these displays as large ticking bombs and just run from them. Walk quickly in the other direction and whatever you do DO NOT lift the bomb and look at it.

If you make a grocery list you will:

  • Save money (no extra food you don't need)
  • Save time
  • Avoid junk food

Yes, it takes time and planning to sit down and make a list. Get some nice grocery list paper and put it on your fridge (see below). This paper can help you be organized and support your new list habit.

Do you make grocery lists? How do they help you?

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First 20 Comments: ( See all 35 )

We keep a grocery list and are usually pretty good about not buying extra junk...usually. ;-)

For anyone wanting a good grocery list app, I can't say enough good things about Out of Milk. It's currently only for Android, but they are working on an Apple version for their phone and tablet too. It's a nice, clean interface and is very intuitive, you can upgrade to a pro version that lets you share it across various devices, great for a couple who want to both add/remove things on the grocery list.

http://outofmilkapp.com/About.aspx

I only go to the grocery store once a week. I keep a magnetic tablet on the fridge so that during the week as soon as I notice something I need it goes right on the list. I also keep a running list just on Notepad on my phone. Before I leave for the store, I merge my lists, check coupons, and one last check in the pantry and fridge to see what I need. I eat nothing but real food so it's pretty simple; fish, fruit, vegetables, grains.....

This is great, but I have no control at the grocery store. I think of all the gooodies I want to make! :)

Here's a time saving idea I've tried. Ask the store for a list of what's in each aisle, then create a list of the regular (and of course healthy) items you buy by aisle. Each week I print this week, stick it on the fridge and circle items we need or add to it as needed! I'm Hugely unorganized and this is a sanity saver for me!

I've never thought of trying the "aisle" trick, as Angimw suggested, but I love the idea! Personally, I already organize my list by food groups, so this idea just seems like the next logical step! Thanks for the tip!

http://collegecookingandironchefamerica.blogspot.com/

I definitely keep a list, otherwise I can never remember anything I need! I think it's okay to veer from the list if there are healthy foods on sale. I like to stock up when there's a good sale.

It's a lot easier to stick to the list if you go shopping with a full tummy. When I am hungry everything looks delicious, that is when I buy the most junk food. Surely there's a study out there, anybody?

Yes, I always carry a list. I do buy a few extras when they are on special, but I don't often give in to the temptation to buy junk. One of our large grocery stores is undergoing a renovation, and I've noticed that all the good-for-you food is located farther away from the entrance! Naughty Superstore!

This article was so funny! I can just imagine you looking at the deal and running away haha!

Grocery store lists are a great idea, I should make them more! I'm usually good in a regular store about only getting

good stuff but trader Joe's preys on my love for that store! Lol

Thanks for another great post :)

Yes, I make a list because I can never remember what I need...Although many times I do go to the grocery store hoping to get some ideas of what to eat for dinner. So, I wind up buying stuff that is off the list.

And... DON'T take your kids with you! (They are suckers for those ticking time bombs.)

P-L-E-A-S-E Mom? This is a tough one if you have youngsters. I thought I was past this as my boys are now 11 & 15 - but I took my older son with me to help the other day and ended up buying him all sorts of stuff I usually don't get. There is a stat that says you spend something like $34 extra on weekly groceries when your kids are with you!

I order my groceries online - almost never tempted by impulse purchases that way!

I wouldn't dare go grocery shopping without my list! I have a small pad in the kitchen that we write things on as we run out of them and then I plan my menus and compile my master list on Friday night. Takes me 30 minutes tops!

Lisa, so true! They couldn't leave those edge-of-the-store shoppers like us alone! They've even polluted the produce department with various sugary treats.

here is a great site for free printables - and they have an assortment of grocery lists. it requires standard paper and pen :-)

http://www.freeprintablegrocerylist.com/

I always have a list with me. It saves me money and time. The only time I can never stick to my list is when my husband comes shopping with me!! He gets me side-tracked!! :)

I make lists, because otherwise I forget things. I've been using a website - http://www.ziplist.com. I love it since I can use it on the web from my phone, as an app on my phone or on my computer at home. It's also free which I also really like. :) I sit with the store flyer to make my list (I like to follow sales) and meal plan for the upcoming week.

"If it's not on the list, it doesn't exist" has been my shopping mantra for some time now. It's also the excuse I give my hubby when he asks me if I got some extra thing when I was at the store. Seriously, if I don't write it on my list, I completely forget about it!!

I take the kids to show them how to shop. In hopes they will be better at it then me! Our list stays on the wall where everyone can add to it. Agree never shop hungry!

Almost always have a list. I figure out what I'm going to be making that week, compare with coupons, make a list and then I'm off!

The exception is Trader Joe's... That's like a specialty stop.. ;-)

My husband's idea is different. In fact, He came home with a single serving package of Ding Dongs one day. He said it was a "treat" and we could each have one out of the pkg at 180 calories each. You know what? It was gross! It didn't even taste like chocolate. No flavor. Guess I'd rather eat tomatoes! Or real chocolate. ;-)

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