My Grocery Shopping Lists & Habits

This post is a long one.  I decided to look over my pantry & fridge and, in an effort to become more healthy in the way I cook & eat, I have written down my grocery shopping habits.  This week I meal planned - actually taking the time to really think about what I wanted to cook & planning out my grocery list.  Hopefully I won't lose the novelty of it & let it fizzle.  Other than fresh meats & fish, which I typically let my MIL buy & cook, the lists below are what I put together & it really shows the type of cook/shopper I am.  Not included are the 'treats' I buy as snacks for my kids - most of which is whatever is on sale that week & only enough for a few days of 'snacking'.  So here it is....

WEEKLY FRESH PRODUCE
These items are must buys every week - just buy enough for a week at a time so it is always fresh & available when you need.

Garlic
Ginger
Eggs
Milk
Variety Of Seasonal Fruit
Apples & Bananas
Small White Onions

HERBS & SPICES
These are some dry herbs & Spices which I have found very useful when baking or cooking.  These I buy in small quantities & replenish as needed as they do lose their taste once packaging has been opened.  In fact, these can also be purchased at  Bulk Barn and stored in airtight containers in pantry.

Ground Black Pepper
Dry Oregano
Dry Basil
Dry Cinnimon Powder
Dry Mustard Powder
Dry Ginger Powder
Dry Cloves Powder
Dry Nutmeg Powder

BUY IN BULK WHEN ON SALE
Self explanatory here.  These are my go-to sauces for spaghetti nights, home-made lasagna, leftovers, etc... These usually have expiry dates of 1-2 years & seem to rotate going on sale between all the major grocery stores in our area.

Pasta - all shapes & sizes
RAGU Tomato Sauces
CLASSICO Alfredo Sauce
Canned Diced Tomatoes

COOKING ESSENTIALS
Again these items should always be stocked but because the expiry dates are typically a few months (no more than a year) it shouldn't be bought in large quantities.  These items also go on sale every couple of months.

Blocks of Mozzerella/Cheddar Cheese
Non-Salted Butter
Uncle Ben's Instant Rice
Chinese White Rice
Ramen - Nissan & Mama Brand
Soy Sauce
Oyster Sauce
Hoisin Sauce
Sirracha Sauce
Olive Oil
Vegetable Oil
Apple Cider Vinegar
Balsamic Vinegar
Honey
Ranch Dressing
Ceasar Dressing
Mayonnaise

BAKING ESSENTIALS
Stuff I need for my bread machine & my often baked goodies: carrot muffins, banana muffins, baked cookies, etc...Recipes list of my faves coming soon.

Bread Flour
All Purpose White Flour
Whole Wheat Flour
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Salt
White Sugar
Brown
Milk Powder
Traditional Yeast
Vanilla Extract
Lemon Extract
Almond Extract
Chocolate Chips