Tuesday’s Tip: Keep Your Pantry Stocked

Shopping for groceries is one of my least favorite chores. Yes, I consider buying groceries to be a chore. First there’s the issue of finding parking, then there’s the series of polite “excuse me”s as I maneuver the cart around the store, and finally there’s the bumping of backsides as the person at the register behind me and I unload our respective carts. Who enjoys that? Yet there’s nothing worse than opening the refrigerator or pantry and seeing… nothing. Sure, you’ve got two kinds of Dijon mustard and a can of tomatoes, but what’s for dinner?

To avoid this problem, I try and do my grocery shopping (or marketing, for those of you who prefer the term) on a regular basis. If you let it slide because you’re too tired to deal with it on your way home from work, chances are the next night you’ll be out of something, and the next night you’ll be out of something else. The best strategy is to shop regularly, which will help you to keep track of what you have and what you need.

Shopping for groceries regularly sounds simple, but it’s harder to do in real life. Still, it’s a goal worth trying for, because it’s better than waiting until you and your significant other have to resort to eating macaroni and cheese with bagged peas because you forgot to stop at the store. As an added bonus, the next time you have visitors, you’ll be able to provide them with snacks from your pantry, and everyone wins.