I’m not going to lie, grocery shopping stresses me out. There is a lot of pressure that goes into planning meals and shopping for yourself.

It can be especially stressful around the holidays. When I first got to college, I had no clue what to buy or how expensive it would be to buy groceries for myself once a week. After being in college for a few years now, I can comfortably say I may have cracked the code on college grocery shopping.

Taking Inventory

Every good grocery trip starts with a list. This grocery list will help you to organize what types of food you are planning on having that week, and what ingredients you need. It's always a good rule of thumb to do a thorough check of what you already have at home. Also, it's smart to stock up in bulk on items in your pantry that you use often.

For me, I always keep rice and pasta on hand with some sort of frozen veggie. Also, think about what your schedule for the week will look like. Are you going to be rushing between classes, or will you have time to sit down and cook a full meal? If you are short on time, consider meal prepping for the week (read more tips on meal prepping here). Other seasonal favorites, like chili and soup, can be made in large portions and kept for a longer time.

Make the List, Check it Twice

Now once you’ve evaluated what you already have in your pantry, think of what meals you want to have for the week. I learned a trick to making grocery lists super simple, efficient, and nutritious.

Create your grocery list by separating it into different sections for each food group. You will have a section for fruits, vegetables, proteins, dairy, and grains/carbs. List around 2-3 items for each group that you want to eat and make meals out of. This way you always buy the stuff you like, and you won’t have as much food waste.

This structured list also should be a little bit adventurous. Try finding new recipes that will help expand your food horizons. Checking out seasonal items that are fresh right now is a great place to start! Fall is the perfect season to try fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, apples, okra, brussel sprouts, and pumpkins.

Grocery Games

Now with the list in hand, you are ready to conquer the grocery store! But what is the best way to navigate it? While everyone has their preference for shopping, I tend to work my way around the store starting with produce and then navigating the perimeter. This way I’m not crisscrossing the whole store trying to find one thing.

With produce, purchasing items that are in season tend to be fresher and more nutritious because of when they were harvested.

When looking for places to save money, I suggest opting for the store brands. They tend to be significantly cheaper and practically the same as the name-brand item. Also, consider buying in bulk items you eat most frequently. This eliminates the need for multiple trips.

I hope these tips better prepare you for your next grocery run. Don’t forget to branch out and try something new, and

Be well, Auburn.