5 Tips & Tricks To Grocery Shop Like A Pro From Moms With Big Families

Have you ever considered doing this? Um, hello… Why did I never think of this?

1 Streamline your grocery list

There are few things worse than getting home from the store to realize that something never made it onto your shopping list. Put an end to that! “I keep a printed grocery list hanging on a clipboard in my pantry,” says Renee Bergeron, mother of 14 and writer of the Little Earthling Blog. “Attached is a pen and highlighter. I highlight items as soon as we are running low, and use the pen to jot down any extra items not on the list.”
2 Don't bother couponing

Almost every mom we spoke to said couponing wasn't worth her time. “We don't typically eat foods that offer coupons and the hassle of playing the coupon game stresses me out,” says Angela Coffman, the blogger behind Grocery Shrink. Of course, the mom of six will clip and save a useful coupon if she happens across one. Typically, to get bargains on the foods her family does eat (think: fruits, vegetables, and meats), she watches the grocery store sale rotations and only buys when items are marked down.

3 Pay with cash to stick to a budget

At the beginning of the month, Coffman puts the allotted grocery money in an envelope. “When the money is gone, I'm done shopping for the month,” she says. “It's easy for me to see where I stand with the budget and, because I'm not about to let my family starve, I make careful choices as I shop to make sure the budget will last.” She used to pay for groceries with a credit card, which was great because she'd get rewards, but Coffman says that paying with cash has reduced her spending by half!

4 Be flexible

Sure, you've planned your meals for the week and know what you'll need. But what if pork is on sale and chicken isn't? Sandy Christensen, who writes about life with her 12 kids at Twelve Makes a Dozen, says it's all about adapting: “I'm always open to picking up a bargain. If I can't find what I want at a reasonable price, I just change the menu.”

5 Make the supermarket a date destination

With a houseful of kids, it can be hard to get some time alone. “My husband and I try to make going on dates an important priority, but we have to make it doable with our time and budget,” says Kelly Crawford, mom of 11 and blogger at Generation Cedar. “So we've designated Friday nights for a grocery run/date night. Not the most romantic, but it gives us time to get away, talk, and enjoy one another. We're also getting an important chore done, which I hate doing by myself.”

You can see the rest of this list on Good Housekeeping. When you're finished, leave a comment and share your grocery shopping tricks.