Can you go grocery shopping without needing a list?

Yes. But don’t be in awe. It’s just me and the dog, so I buy the same things every week. No variety.

@chyna -I am though. lol I can’t remember sh!t.

Yes, I usually prepare a list, but it is more of a guideline of stuff I must have – I give myself the right to add stuff to that cart that wasn’t on the list.

I always do, and often forget stuff. I have lea4ned to be a very creative cook.

Do you mean shopping without a list? Or, going shopping even when you don’t really need any food in particular? I assume the former.

I go all the time without a list, but I probably should always use a list, because it’s not unusual for me to forget something.

I usually don’t let staple things run out, so if I forget on one shopping trip I can just buy it the next trip and I haven’t gone without. Things like bread, milk, eggs, bread crumbs, lettuce, some sort of fruit, cucumber, carrots, flour, sugar, spices, pasta, rice, frozen vegetables, fresh mushrooms, green beans or zucchini, canned tomatoes, canned beans, spaghetti sauce, and I keep a few frozen dinners for back up.

I haven’t been very creative with my cooking, so I always have a lot of the basics I need to prepare almost anything. Spices, condiments, some canned goods, rice, pastas, etc.

I live one mile from two grocery stores, and there are two others I pass by constantly, and two more beyond that that are near other things I do, so running in to pick up something isn’t a big deal. I also don’t work full time, so I have a lot of free time.

I used to be able to go without a list when I was younger. There are some things I buy every week. Everything else now goes on a list. Sometimes I forget to buy a regular item not on the list and sometimes I miss buying something on the list. Ah, the joys of aging!

I can go without a list only because I usually don’t buy many things at once.

If I’m going to another store, like Walmart, I may make a list because I will be in there solely because I need certain things and Walmart is not close to my house.

When in the grocery store, I can make a list in my head and remember it. If there are four or five things, I will think of the first letter of each thing as a guide. So if I need cat litter, paper towels and milk, I’ll think “c,p,m” and that will help.

@jca2 – that’s way too much effort. Writing them down is much more effective for me.

In short: I write a list when I’m making a special trip to a specific store that only carries the item I need, or when I am completely out of something that really matters.

I can, but I don’t prefer to. I usually meal plan for at least a week in advance, so my lists help keep things on a budget and plan. Shopping off the top of my head leaves more margin for overspending or obviously forgetting stuff I need.

@elbanditoroso: Sometimes I’m thinking of what I need when I’m driving to the store. I don’t necessarily always have paper and pen and I’m not into putting things on my phone. My method is pretty easy, for me.

It’s always a disaster. I inevitably forget something and buy way too much junk food. Sometimes I’ll also get way too optimistic/overambitious with the veggies and buy things that end up spoiling because I don’t get around to making them (looking at you Sunchokes).

I make a list. I won’t bother to go shopping unless I need a bunch of things.

If I “need” only one or two items I figure I don’t really “need” them. I can find a substitute for anything.

@LuckyGuy There is no substitute for Cap’n Crunch!

Not only that, I need a frickin tour guide to show me which aisles stuff is in.
They move everything around just to play with my mind, I know it!

@ucme -Join the club.Lol

Nah. If I do, I inevitably forget something. I tend to buy ingredients for a dish I’m making every week (intended to last for several days) and if I don’t bring a list, I usually forget at least one of the ingredients and have to go back out to the store. :(

Yes. But I almost never go grocery shopping. Rick took that over.

When I shop for specific items for a specific dish I just keep running the ingredients for that dish through my mind.

And let me rant for just a minute: if you aren’t disabled, sick, or have a good reason to order groceries and pick them up curbside, go in and shop for yourself! Because these people are shopping for you, they have these huge carts blocking the aisles. And they will not move as they are on a deadline to get your pickles out to the curb. Rant over.

Rant heard!

@lucillelucillelucille If I ever “need” Cap’n Crunch I’ll pour some sugar over Cherrios and wear a white, dixie cup, sailor hat while wolfing it down with milk.
If I’m also out of milk, I’ll use water. :-)

I’m not driving 7 miles to get only 2 items. It’s cold out there!

^That will never take the place of Captain Crunch!

Cap’n Crunch is gross!

I love Captain Crunch. too much so, apparently. I bought some for the first time in years and ate nearly the whole box in just a few days.

My sisters used to eat that!

S.h.o.p.p.i.n.g

Need Cap’n Crunch. Lol.

Since I live alone a lot of the time now I don’t need anything very badly, I can always find something in the pantry or freezer. When I’m with my husband I care about him being happy with his meals so I’m more on top of it.

I never take a list unless i am going to follow a recipe in which I don’t already have ingredients, like certain spices.

I know all of my recipes pretty well, so I know what I need. But I shop often, I have not done the “week’s groceries” thing since I was married. Even then, my list was only for making sure I didn’t forget any extra necessities, but most of the standard stuff I would just add to the cart without using a list.

Back in the day – you could buy Cap’n Crunch for the hacking tools they included in every box.

“link”: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/capn-crunch-whistle

I don’t drive so I have always tried to live close to stores. I don’t mind living in a horrible place as long as I can walk someplace to get a party pizza.

And I can only bring home what I carry so I normally hit up Safeway every other day. Right now I live a ten minute walk from a Safeway so it isn’t a huge deal. The other day I got home from shopping and realized I forgot olive oil so I just put my stuff away and walked back to get some.

I do make a list for household stuff like foil and toilet cleaner. Since I always forget that stuff. But it is rare I buy those things.

If I am going for food I just wing it.

@LuckyGuy -That’s one fancy hat!

It used to be I didn’t have to write anything down; including shopping lists, addresses, anything.
Now, I frequently get in my veteran’s social worker’s car to do my monthly shopping, and halfway there I get a mental image of where I last touched my list. Not in my purse, of course.

I can, but it’s cheaper if I don’t. If I don’t take a list, I buy way too much crap that I don’t necessarily need for right now. If I take a list, I’m more focused on getting exactly what I actually need and don’t tend to pick up any extras. I keep a running list on my notes on my cell so I’ve always got my list with me

I shop, almost daily. I just buy, what I need. Usually whatever is on sale from my local store. No list required.

I can get 90 to 95% of what I need without a list.