I mis-used the term Big Shop. We shop Winn Dixie, Publix etc. and it’s “big shopping” to us. 
I do tend to use a grocery shopping methodology, but since I live with someone who is chaotic in their approach to grocery shopping, I use a very basic methodology with minimal expectations to keep my sanity.
I order my groceries online and have them delivered. I get paid twice a month so that is when I order groceries.
Do you keep your pantry stocked systematically so you can always put together a meal from there?
Yes, there is always enough there to put together a meal.
**Do you always/never use a grocery list? **
I’ll say yes, since I usually start with looking at my previous orders to quickly add things I order frequently.
Do you “coupon” (the verb)?
Yes, I get the Sunday Chicago Tribune and I’ll use the occasional paper coupon from there.
**How often do you Big-Shop? How often "just grab a couple of things’? **
Twice a month for regular shopping. I eat out often, I don’t usually buy groceries outside of regular delivery.
How many people do you routinely cook/shop for?
Just me
Do you enjoy grocery shopping?
Sure, I can spend a couple of days deciding what I want.
**Use convenience stores or warehouse stores or something in-between? **
I’ll buy beer at a convenience store. There is a coffee house up the street that I’ll buy coffee beans from.
What country do you live in?
USA. Chicago, IL.
Before I was married I would pop into a small supermarket on the way home from work most days and just pick up the two or three items I needed.
Now my wife does one large weekly order for the whole family. She orders online and it gets delivered.
Our main methodology for grocery shopping is for Suburban Plankton to call me on his way home from work and ask if we need anything from the market. This is usually followed by me asking, “Well, what do you want for dinner?” It’s far from ideal, but it’s what’s working for us at the moment. Far too many time we have planned a "menu’’ for the week, bought the groceries and then ended up putting the meat in the freezer and throwing out the rotted veggies because we just didn’t feel like cooking that night.
To answer some of your questions:
Do you keep your pantry stocked systematically so you can always put together a meal from there? Basics are stocked, milk, flour, eggs, etc. If all else fails I can make biscuts and eggs or pancakes for dinner.
Do you always/never use a grocery list? SP calls and I give him a list
Do you “coupon” (the verb)? not even close
How often do you Big-Shop? once a month or once every 6 weeks or so
How often "just grab a couple of things’? 4-5 times a week
How many people do you routinely cook/shop for? there are 2 adults and 1 teen aged boy
Do you enjoy grocery shopping? I hate it with a passion you can only dream of
Use convenience stores or warehouse stores or something in-between? we shop at our local chain grocery store (Bel Air) or at our local natural food co-op (we are owners)
What country do you live in? USA, Northern California
We don’t have a coupon culture here in Canada, but we do have weekly flyers listing discounts on various items at various stores. So, I browse the flyers and write down what I would like to get from each store and I check the cupboards and fridge, etc. in case we’re out of stuff. Then I go to anywhere from 2 to 5 stores and buy all my items. I try to keep my list in the order that things are stocked in the store, so I don’t have to double back for missed items.
I usually go out on Saturday for most stuff, but usually have to pop back out Sunday for a few additional items.
Four people in the house. I enjoy grocery shopping.
I pretty much always shop at grocery stores with occasional visits to Costco for bulky items, like 20 lbs of potatoes, etc.
Do you keep your pantry stocked systematically so you can always put together a meal from there?
No, I live in a tiny hotel room. Mini-fridge & a microwave, very little room to store things.
Do you always/never use a grocery list?
Don’t use a list much. I buy pretty much the same thing every month. I’m in a rut.
Do you “coupon” (the verb)?
No, very few coupons are useful to me.
How often do you Big-Shop? How often "just grab a couple of things’?
My disability is deposited on the 3rd, I try to do my monthly shop then so I don’t waste money at the liquor store. I will pick up some extras about mid-month at Walgreens or the liquor store.
How many people do you routinely cook/shop for?
Just myself.
foreveralone.jpg
Do you enjoy grocery shopping?
No, there is usually some crying involved at some point.
Use convenience stores or warehouse stores or something in-between?
I shop mainly at Food Co., a grocery warehouse type store, Walgreens, and the corner liquor store. Once in a while a trip to Safeway.
What country do you live in?
Fogtopia. (Still called the USA for now)
**Do you keep your pantry stocked systematically so you can always put together a meal from there? **
Oh God yes. We have a ton of stuff in the pantry. If we are running low on fresh ingredients, or forgot to defrost meat or something, we can always throw together some kind of Indian veggie food, or pasta, or an omelet, etc. from things we always have around.
**Do you always/never use a grocery list? **
We tend to keep a list of things that are running low or that we buy regularly, but it may be very vague, e.g. “fruit, meat, yogurt,” and such if we aren’t out of anything specific or don’t need anything specific for a recipe we have in mind. We don’t tend to do a lot of super-specific meal planning ahead of time - it’s more like “hey, we have some chicken and some veggies. What can we cook with those?”
**Do you “coupon” (the verb)? **
Not really, though I do flip through the Costco book to see whether they have one for something we would need anyway. We don’t buy a lot of processed foods, which seem to be what most coupons are for. If it’s for something basic like canned tomatoes or toothpaste, sure, I’ll use it, but I don’t spend a lot of time on it.
**How often do you Big-Shop? How often "just grab a couple of things’? **
We do a medium-sized grocery run once a week, usually visiting both Costco and another multiethnic supermarket that’s very close to Costco that has a huge selection of things that Costco doesn’t (and that sells things in more reasonable quantities than Costco does). Last night we didn’t do Costco because we weren’t running low on any of the stuff we buy there. We don’t do much in the way of picking up one or two things, and if we do, it tends to be more in the vein of an occasional visit to some ethnic grocery or bakery that carries items we like that are not easily found elsewhere. Every once in a while we’ll run out of onions midweek or something, but there’s a more or less decent smallish grocery a couple of blocks from here that we can use for staples.
How many people do you routinely cook/shop for?
Two, with the occasional dinner party
**
Do you enjoy grocery shopping? **
I don’t mind, generally - depends how tired I am. I do love exploring new and different out-of-the-way ethnic markets, bakeries, etc.
**Use convenience stores or warehouse stores or something in-between? **
Generally Costco plus a local multiethnic supermarket, supplemented by other random local shops. Almost never convenience stores.
What country do you live in?
U.S. (Chicago)
**Do you keep your pantry stocked systematically so you can always put together a meal from there? **
It’s not stocked systematically, but I have enough in there to throw together meals in a pinch. My pantry gets stocked with stuff I know I like to keep onhand when it goes on sale, or when I think I want to make something, buy what I need and then never get around to making it.
**Do you always/never use a grocery list? **
I make a list of the things I know I want. Usually starts bread, milk, eggs, cheese… then anything that I can remember I’m out of or want to cook I will pick stuff up and menu plan as I go. I don’t always bother cooking a real meal, so I also end up buying stuff I can throw together easily or just nuke and eat.
**Do you “coupon” (the verb)? **No
**How often do you Big-Shop? How often "just grab a couple of things’? **
It usually starts off with just grabbing a couple of things on my way home from work and then turns into a big shop, especially if there’s good stuff on sale.
How many people do you routinely cook/shop for? Just me.
**Do you enjoy grocery shopping? ** Yes, I like wandering around thinking about yummy things I can make.
**Use convenience stores or warehouse stores or something in-between? **
I guess something in between. There is a good sized grocery store on my way home from work, so that is where I usually shop, but I also check the flyers and if there is something on sale at another store, it’s easy enough to shop there.
I don’t go out of my way to shop warehouse stores - I’m only feeding me, so I really don’t need bulk quantities of stuff, anyway.
What country do you live in?
Canada
**Do you keep your pantry stocked systematically so you can always put together a meal from there? **
Yes. I went nuts and spent a small fortune at the Container Store once for a ton of airtight containers like these in various shapes and sizes for staple items like pasta, dry beans, rice and other grains, crackers and chips, etc., and there’s the stockpile of canned goods in the pantry. Whenever something gets low, I top up. If there’s one of those things on sale, especially canned stuff, I’ll buy it even if we don’t “need” it.
**Do you always/never use a grocery list? **
Almost never.
**Do you “coupon” (the verb)? **
I look at the store circular online every Friday and check to see if there are any great deals, but clipping coupons is not something I do. Mostly I’m checking to see if I can use any of the items that give bonus “gas points” (the store has a program where you get per gallon discounts based on how much you spend at the store, and certain items each week give you more “points”).
**How often do you Big-Shop? How often "just grab a couple of things’? **
There are 3 grocery stores within a quarter mile so we always just buy things as we want/need.
How many people do you routinely cook/shop for?
2.
**Do you enjoy grocery shopping? **
I worked at Safeway for 12 years (I don’t anymore), and that experience is sometimes useful when shopping, and I do kind of like being at the store without having to do any work.
**Use convenience stores or warehouse stores or something in-between? **
I love CostCo, but it’s dangerous. Everything in the store, food-wise at least, is roughly $10 each, so if you put 10 things in the cart you just spent $100. Plus you have to consider where you’re going to store that humongous package of whatever.
What country do you live in?
USofA.
Do you keep your pantry stocked systematically so you can always put together a meal from there?
No, my bf and I live in a rented house with the smallest kitchen ever - we have no pantry to speak of. We have one cabinet we have allowed for dry foods. It right now contains some various types of pastas, rice, peanut butter, soups, tuna, and a box of protein bars. If we suck at meal planning when we shop that week, we will very likely not have the right combo of items to make a decent meal by the end, but we have pulled some winners out from random items before.
Do you always/never use a grocery list?
We try but sometimes the list is just in our heads instead of written down which leads to failure. Recently one grocery trip had to turn into 3 because we kept forgetting things. There is probably something wrong with us…
Do you “coupon” (the verb)?
No. Whenever I’ve personally tried I just forget to use the coupons.
How often do you Big-Shop? How often "just grab a couple of things’?
We shop $50+ usually once a week and then since we always forget something, one of us often ends up going back once more at some point, or we do a dismal job at actually buying food the first time and go back.
How many people do you routinely cook/shop for?
Just us 2.
Do you enjoy grocery shopping?
No, because we are so horrible at it. Maybe one day we will get better, we’ve only been doing this together since March.
Use convenience stores or warehouse stores or something in-between?
We shop the “normal” 2 local grocery store chains and Trader Joe’s as well sometimes. We have a Whole Foods down the street and have never been in. Bf wants to go, I am eh. I have a big box membership but do not use it.
What country do you live in?
US - Missouri.
I shop once a fortnight, using a grocery list. I will deviate from that list if I spot some very good specials. (Saving 30 cents on an item does not interest me: saving $5 on a jar of my coffee means I get 6 jars).
That is at the supermarket. Weekly I will go to the farmers market for fruit and veg. I also have an Austrian run deli a few km away where I get my ham and similar. Once a month I go to the organic butcher out in the hills. (I also buy organic poultry from the supermarket).
I usually sit down every weekend, plan our week’s meals, then get whatever ingredients I need to round out what we don’t have, though I try to use up as many ingredients as I have on hand to avoid spending a lot.
With respect to your questions:
**Do you keep your pantry stocked systematically so you can always put together a meal from there? ** I stock things like oats, nuts, onions, lentils and canned tomatoes as well as spice mixes for Indian food.
Do you always/never use a grocery list? Almost always use one. I also write down what I’m buying ingredients for at the bottom so I remember what I was planning to cook later.
Do you “coupon” (the verb)? No, I’m not that organized.
How often do you Big-Shop? How often "just grab a couple of things’? Once a week, I “Big Shop;” maybe once a week I just grab a couple of things, but I try hard not to have to. Evenings are too short as it is.
How many people do you routinely cook/shop for? 4 - two adults, two kids
Do you enjoy grocery shopping? Not really.
**Use convenience stores or warehouse stores or something in-between? ** I use our regular grocery store and sometimes Costco - they have good deals on nuts and meat. But I wouldn’t buy veggies or fruits there. We eat a lot of produce, but not enough to justify purchasing it there. I almost never go to convenience stores.
What country do you live in? USA
**Do you keep your pantry stocked systematically so you can always put together a meal from there? **
I keep a few staples on hand which, if not shelf-stable, don’t go bad quickly: tortillas, peanut butter, brown rice, sriracha sauce, cheese, rice milk, canned soup. If all else fails, I can have a cheese quesadilla or a rice burrito. Pretty much anything else is bought as-needed, especially fresh fruits and vegetables; my job is at a supercenter, so I can buy a single tomato or whatever I need for that day’s dinner. It’s nice, as I don’t have spoilage, and my meals can get pretty varied since I’m not trying to figure out how to use up a huge bag of potatoes before they go bad.
**Do you always/never use a grocery list? **
I will put a list on my phone (as well as an alarm) to remind myself to pick up a few things when I get out of work. Those items are the types of things that I don’t need to buy on a regular basis, like toiletries, cat food, cleaning supplies. I don’t think I ever put my own food choices on the list.
**Do you “coupon” (the verb)? **
No.
**How often do you Big-Shop? How often "just grab a couple of things’? **
I very rarely “big shop” (which I’m interpreting as stocking up to fill cupboards and fridge). If I do find a good deal on something shelf-stable that I’m likely to use, I’ll sometimes stock up on that one item.
How many people do you routinely cook/shop for?
Just myself. My shopping habits do change when I’m in a relationship, since I can’t just say “cereal for dinner!” and expect the SO to be happy about it.
**Do you enjoy grocery shopping? **
Not really. I typically shop overnight to early morning, when stores are not very busy. I do hate shopping in the early evening or before holidays because of the crowds and lines. I’m not much of a browser, and don’t get any particular thrill from looking at product, but I don’t hate it.
**Use convenience stores or warehouse stores or something in-between? **
Grocery stores and supercenters.
What country do you live in?
USA
This. I don’t mind shopping for food but I can’t be doing with all that wandering around, browsing and looking for offers on stuff I wouldn’t normally buy. Very rarely deviate from the list, if I do it would be something like having bananas on the list and deciding when I’m in the fresh fruit section that I’d prefer nectarines.
One big shop per week plus a couple of times to the convenience store for milk or something.
I don’t look for coupons but the supermarket I use most has a “Brand Match” system whereby they monitor the prices of branded items at three rival supermarkets and if one of them is selling the same product at a cheaper price they give you a coupon for the difference, redeemable next time you shop there so I use them.
Just cooking for me and I tend to cook the same 5 or 6 meals every week, sometimes eat out and once in a while pick up a takeaway on the way home.
I’m in the UK.
I do a big grocery run once every other week. We fill up on milk, produce, and other perishables probably three to four times in between. I also write the meal plan for two weeks at a time. We are four people: me, my husband, and our two teenaged sons. The big shopping run is always my job, and I usually do the in-between job too but sometimes my husband does that.
I always use a grocery list. Rarely if ever use coupons; they simply aren’t a thing here.
I nearly always have something in the house to make a meal from, and try to keep some things around in case I’m not feeling up to making supper. (My husband can cook and cook well. He just won’t, usually.) I also try to keep basics on hand; nothing as frustrating as finding out you’re out of flour and you only need ONE TABLESPOON for this recipe…
I shop at our local co-op grocery store, which is fairly large by Norwegian standards. A few times a year we make the drive to Sweden, where there are megastores catering to the Norwegian market, specializing in meat and other things that are generally cheaper in Sweden than in Norway.
I don’t really enjoy grocery shopping, but I enjoy being done with it!
I do this, too. It makes shopping much faster. I usually go with at least one kid six years old or under, sometimes both the 6-year old and 2.5-year old. Having everything arranged by layout speeds the process and helps prevent unplanned and unhealthy purchases. Having a plan also seems to keep the kids in check. Predefined expectations, less time for meandering and fewer questions about what we’re there for help.
We do a big shop twice a month. I plan out what I’m going to fix, plus factor in a couple of “grab it and growl” nights where everyone’s on thier own, or we go out to eat. I make a list of the ingredients I need for what’s being cooked, plus what we need for lunches, breakfast, etc. (Snacks & dessert in there too) If we go in between times, it’s just to pick up one or two items or more milk or something. I do the vast bulk of my shopping at Aldi’s , so I don’t “coupon”. I generally shop for three people. (we just moved from his Mom’s and our roomate’s moving in really soon) & I live in the US.
I probably shop differently than a lot of people, because I live in a large urban center without a car. And do we do order in quite a bit. So when it comes to the “big shop” - my frequency would be never. I have three medium-sized grocery stores within walking distance. One is remarkable for being apparently wellstocked but never having anything I specifically need (like if a recipe calls for plain crushed tomatoes, they will only have the kind with Italian spices). I also have a Trader Joe’s which I like a lot but have to take 2 buses to get to, so maybe about once a month I’ll hit that for coffee, dried nuts/fruit, chocolate, and convenience items like frozen burritos and those packages of grilled chicken.
I get vegetables and red meats and fruit through my CSA (farm share) so all that’s really left is dry goods and nonedibles like cat litter. Probably once a week I pick up any specific items I need for anything I plan to cook. Usually it’s just a few staple items.
I have a few things I will tend to eat regularly and will buy an extra if there’s a sale (like, say, cans of tuna or bread flour) but I’ll be honest, keeping my grocery budget down to the minimum is not a priority for me. I try not to waste what I do buy, and I’m pretty good about that, but if there’s something I feel like making, lack of sale won’t stop me.
I don’t know if I enjoy grocery shopping but I certainly hate it less than a lot of people. I like looking at products (often more than I like buying them). Places I go to rarely and often have new products, like TJ’s or Target, I usually take my time and make sure I’ve covered the store. I have +10 towards inventory so sometimes I see a thing that would work with something I already have.
ETA: two people in household, USA.
One person, living with others but keeping separate food.
On the day I get my first paycheck of the month, I buy my basic protein sources (yogurt, tuna, eggs if they’re cheap, peanuts) at Aldi.
Then I go to the local grocery store and buy my vegetables (cabbage, anything I can get for less than .75 a pound with coupons. Used to be potatoes, but they don’t agree with me now.) and a bottle or Sriracha.
And…well, that’s it. Use above ingredients to make salads till your cabbage runs out. Buy more cabbage and yogurt in two weeks. Repeat.