How To Create a Master Grocery Shopping List (+ Free Printable Template)

Want to save money on groceries and never struggle with what to cook for dinner? You need a master grocery shopping list!

Having a master grocery list featuring the staple items and food that you buy frequently will help you to save money on food and ensure you waste less food.

It’s an important part of meal planning and helping you stay organised.

It means you won’t have to rush to the supermarket in the evenings because you have nothing ready for the evening meal, and will help you cook healthier meals.

I find staying on top of our food organisation also means that I enjoy cooking more, as I’m not throwing together meals in a rush every day.

Don’t get me wrong, some days it is the case that I chuck all the leftovers into an omelette, but I try to avoid that being a day-to-day event!

This article will show you how to put together your own basic grocery list and features free printable grocery shopping list templates for you to use!

I have two different types of grocery list templates.

The first is just a blank list, featuring categories so you can organise your shopping.

The second is my own essential food shopping list – featuring all of the key items I buy when I need to stock up my kitchen. You could use this as a quick done-for-you list if you’re in a hurry!

What is a master grocery list?

A master grocery list sets out the basic food you need to purchase for meals and snacks – generally for a week but some people shop further in advance.

It may also include household essentials – such as cleaning products and personal products like shampoo and conditioner.

Your basic grocery list should help you shop efficiently and mean you don’t forget anything!

It’s also an important part of ensuring you can meal plan successfully.

Master Grocery Shopping List explained

Your grocery shopping list can be broken down into a few primary categories.

Now different people may slightly alter the categories – and there’s a debate about where certain things like eggs should go – and some people may break their list down into even narrower categories.

However your basic grocery list will generally follow the order below. You’ll notice this is also the rough order in which the supermarket will lay out food.

Veggies and fruit are always at the start, then it’s the chilled section with meats and then dairy, and it all ends in the freezer and drinks aisles.

The reason for categorising items on your grocery list is you’re less likely to forget stuff if things are grouped together, rather than scattered at random across the list.

When getting started with your grocery list it’s a good idea to consider the layout of your local supermarket – as getting the order of your list right means you’re less likely to end up zig-zagging around the shop.

There are tips about how to navigate your grocery store layout here.

Here is a guide to the basic categories of your shopping list.

Produce

Fruit
Vegetables
Onions
Garlic

Protein/meat

Red meat
Poultry
White fish
Shellfish
Cooked meats
Eggs – confusingly some people put eggs under dairy but it is typically found in the bread or cereals aisles. It is a protein!

Dairy

Milk
Butter
Cheese
Yoghurt

Grains

Pasta
Rice
Flour
Cereals
Porridge oats
Granola

Condiments, oils and sauces

Olive and vegetable oils
Salt
Pepper
Table sauces – such as ketchup, mustard and mayo
Gravy
Vinegar
Pasta and other cooking sauces

Tinned and dried produce

Tinned veggies – chopped tomatoes are the ones we purchase the most in our family. They’re so versatile!
Canned fruit
Passata
Soup
Pulses and beans
Dried fruits
Seeds and nuts

Herbs/spices

Dried herbs – such as rosemary and thyme
Dried spices – such as garam masala and cumin
Stock cubes

Bread

Sliced bread
Rolls
Pittas
Pre-made pancakes and scones

Baking

Flour
Honey
Sugar
Golden syrup
Maple syrup
Baking agents

Snacks

Raisins
Biscuits
Crackers
Popcorn
Chocolate
Sweets
Crisps
Cakes

Drinks

Juice
Soft drinks
Bottled water
Tea and coffee
Hot chocolate
Wine, beer and spirits

Freezer

Ice cream
Frozen veg
Frozen protein
Fries

Household

Cleaning products
Bin bags
Toilet roll
Kitchen roll
Batteries

How to organise your grocery list

The best way to organise your grocery list is either by category or by aisle (based on the layout of the supermarket you shop at the most.

I can still remember my dad printing off his grocery master list – which he organised according to the layout of the supermarket.

He had the items grouped into boxes and each box represented a different aisle – so fruit and veg was all together and then meat was together, then cheese and butter was together, etc.

It means he had a list that is very similar to the category principle – as the supermarket tends to group items together like this with just a few exceptions.

Eggs are a big exception, as they are a protein but they are kept with the bread and/or cereals on supermarket shelves.

Every week my dad would go through his grocery master list – which featured every single item they ever bought from the supermarket – and cross off the stuff they didn’t need to buy that week.

It all fit on just one sheet of paper, making it easy to navigate. He certainly never forgot to buy anything!

Grocery list ideas

When putting together your basic grocery list there are a few ideas and tips you can follow to make it easier.

Have a master list

Having a master list gives you something to get started with each week. I don’t know about you, but if I have a blank sheet of paper in front of me it often takes me way longer to get started.

A master list of basic groceries, such as the free printable template you can download from the end of this article, helps to remind you of the key things you use every week.

Go through the master list before you go shopping, crossing off the stuff you don’t need.

Have a master meal planning list

When you are putting together your food shopping list it can also help to have a list of your favourite family meals.

I often find that my mind goes blank when I try to think about what we actually want to eat that week.

Having a list of the meals that my family will actually eat helps so much!

You can also try organising your meals into categories such as quick cook, family favourites, budget meals and treat meals (these would be your own takes on takeaways, or fakeaways as I like to call them).

Plan how to use every ingredient

For items that will go out of date within days of purchase, ensure you have plans for how to use all of it.

This can apply to items like double cream, which I often buy to add to curry or pasta sauces but usually a recipe only needs around 50ml. So if you are using a recipe with double cream, have a think about how you can ensure the whole pack is used within the use by date.

It’s a similar story with meat, especially beef mince. It can be cheaper, going by price per kg, to buy a larger pack of mince.

Either make a large portion of your meal so you can have leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day, or plan how to use the remaining amount of mince in a different recipe.

Look for meal inspiration

One way of helping with your organisation is to ensure your meal ideas are interesting and fresh.

It’s very easy nowadays to find free meal inspiration online.

Look for social media accounts that produce food you like the look of. If you’re a family look for family dinner recipe creators, or if you live alone then look for people with great ideas for single meals.

Be sure to take a note of any recipes that you love. I keep a folder where we print off or make a note of recipes we love so we don’t forget them.

Have some last-minute emergency ideas

It helps to have some meals that you can whip up at a moment’s notice in your repertoire.

My go-to meal is pancakes – which we have with maple syrup and sometimes a little fruit or bacon if we have it. It’s not just for breakfast! It also makes a wonderful dinner.

All you need for pancakes is flour, eggs, milk, butter and baking powder. I always make sure I have these items ready to go!

Grocery shopping list template

Need a grocery list template to download and print? I’ve got two to make your life easier!

One fits on one sheet and the other is spread across two sheets. Which one you use is up to you! Why not try both!

The basic grocery list templates are organised into categories, to make it easier for you to keep track of everything you need while shopping!

Download your free list templates here:

GROCERIES-LIST-2 Download

And my single sheet grocery template can be found to download here:

GROCERIES-LIST-3 Download

Free printable basic grocery list PDF

If you’re in a hurry then you can download and print my complete basic food shopping list.

This features everything that I would buy if I was starting from scratch and needed food for a week of meals.

It includes household essentials as well as groceries, as when you’re food shopping you tend to pick up cleaning and household items as well!

Download your free basic grocery list here:

GROCERIES-LIST Download

Sample grocery list

Here’s my basic grocery list, broken down by category, so you can see exactly what I would buy when shopping for essentials.

Produce – fruit & veg

Potatoes
Carrots
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Onions
Garlic
Lettuce
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Bananas
Apples
Grapes
Strawberries
Oranges
Fresh herbs
Chillies