# Grocery staples in your household **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [February 14, 2023, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767 "2023-02-14T12:04:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/1 "2023-02-14T12:04:27Z")
What do you buy every time you go to the grocery store? For my family, that list is short - milk, eggs, bread, and fresh fruit - we always use enough to need it each week. Everything else only gets purchased when we run out, which can be weeks or months. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/2 "2023-02-14T12:47:34Z")
Pretty much the same, especially eggs. I think my wife would eat eggs at every meal, and it’s a rare breakfast that doesn’t include them. I usually buy two dozen at a time. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/3 "2023-02-14T12:48:33Z")
Tomatos, orange juice, cake. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/4 "2023-02-14T12:51:07Z")
Huh, different definition of “staple”. I think if Staples as stuff i but before i run out, because i want to always have some on stock. But using yours: milk, breakfast cereal, berries. Eggs are a staple, but we buy them way less than once a week, as we often eat no eggs in a day. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/5 "2023-02-14T13:14:24Z")
I with you on the definition. My staples that are on the list every week, without fail, include Onions Garlic Lemons Green veg Tomatoes Parsley Fresh fruit Eggs Milk Fresh Salmon Fresh Chicken Smoked mackerel Salad leaves I work from home 2-3 days a week, so like to have fresh goods to whip up something healthy without thinking too hard about it. Bread is more of a weekend luxury purchase from the local bakery, so not a consistent buy. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/6 "2023-02-14T13:26:47Z")
For me that would be cheese. I eat a cheese sandwich every day for breakfast. Add in fresh vegetables and fruit. Milk every other week, if that often. I bake my own bread lately, so I don’t buy that any more, and only need to purchase flour occasionally. I tend to buy non-perishables or semi-perishables (whole grain flour, for instance, does go bad in a couple months) in bulk and store them. ---
**Author:** ![LVBoPeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@LVBoPeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LVBoPeep)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/7 "2023-02-14T13:28:32Z")
Half & Half, eggs and sliced turkey from the deli for both us and our geriatric dog who needs encouragement eating. I did find she was eating too much of the fancy cajun flavor I like to snack on so now we get the fancy stuff for us and the pre-packaged stuff for her. Whenever I don’t buy half and half and think I have enough to last until the next trip, I’m always wrong. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/8 "2023-02-14T14:02:28Z")
Huh. Staples to me are something that you may not always use, but always have. Things like - Rice - flour - yeast - A number of different cheeses - Butter - Lots of different spices - Olive and about 4 other different types of oils - I like to keep things like tomato sauce/paste around. Also Refried beans and tortillas. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/9 "2023-02-14T14:41:32Z")
Eggs, flour, sugar, rice, barley, pasta, onions, garlic, salt, butter, spices, cooking oils, … all meet that definition of staple in my household, but we don’t buy them every week, or even every month. (Well, we certainly buy onions every month. And honestly, the only reason we don’t buy them every week is that they keep really well, and we buy enough of them at a time that we don’t need to buy them every week.) ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/10 "2023-02-14T14:47:06Z")
I was using “staples” as stuff that is used a LOT each week and needs to be replenished each week. I understand that this is not really a standard definition, so my apologies for the confusion! Lots of families might eat rice every day but buy big 20 lb bags, so don’t need to get it every week. I’m just interested in shopping habits. Thanks for the responses so far. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/11 "2023-02-14T14:59:37Z")
Okay. Yeah, we often buy 20 pounds of rice at a time. It really is a staple in our household by many definitions, but no, we don’t shop for it every week. I suppose this means people with less pantry space will have more “staples” than those with more pantry space. 🙂 We have a lot of pantry space. We buy milk and berries every trip because they don’t keep well, and cereal because it’s bulky. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/12 "2023-02-14T15:13:43Z")
Besides the staples, buy the following items every week: 1 pint half & half, 1 can ground coffee, 3 plumb tomatoes, 2 large onions, 2 bell peppers (1 green, 1 red), 1lb mushrooms, 5 liters Diet Coke, and 1 single serve cherry pie. I have other regular items that I buy bi-weekly, or monthly. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/13 "2023-02-14T15:15:13Z")
Stuff I buy almost every trip: Eggs Creamer (International Delight French Vanilla) sliced swiss cheese lunchmeat bread (every other trip) green veg onions potatoes cherry tomatoes (great snacks!) cilantro jalapenos parsley mandarins or oranges (Mr Rebo is addicted!) ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/14 "2023-02-14T16:09:15Z")
My weekly grocery list always includes: Onion Green pepper Lettuce Radishes Cukes Milk Eggs Raspberries Bananas Other fruits - strawberries, melons, grapes, blueberries, apples, pears, oranges, cherries, blackberries. It depends on what’s available. But I always buy at least 3 or 4 different fruits not including bananas. Potato chips Creamer Bread for sandwiches Cinnamon bread Tuna 1 frozen pizza There are a lot more items that I buy regularly but not weekly. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/15 "2023-02-14T17:06:27Z")
I have lots of cupboard space plus a separate pantry, a large fridge plus a big chest freezer, and I really don’t enjoy shopping. So my pattern is to buy most items in bulk, hopefully when a good sale coincides with my current supply of something is getting low. Like, why not buy a full year’s worth of any canned or jarred item? I’ve never seen one with less than a year’s expiration date. Rice and dry beans, sure, many pounds at a time. I generally buy ten whole chickens, break them down into parts, then bag and freeze them in ‘one meal’ amounts – which isn’t all that much given a two person household. And do the equivalent with steaks, hamburgers, pork loins, etc. So my ‘weekly’ shopping trips consist of 1) things I use rarely but want for a specific planned meal 2) things used in small amount that happen to have run out (like baking powder, salt, or various spices) and 3) the tiny number of items that fit the OPs definition of 'staples; which are fresh produce, bread, and some dairy products. Thinking over the past month or so, the only items I’ve bought each week are salad greens, apples, yogurt and a Heath candy bar. (That last is my ‘reward’ for actually tackling the shopping.) ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/16 "2023-02-14T17:13:44Z")
Milk. Lots of milk. (Lactose-free skim.) Yogurt. Coffee. Whole wheat pasta. Fresh broccoli. Fresh spinach. Blueberries. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/17 "2023-02-14T18:03:13Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > What do you buy every time you go to the grocery store? For my family, that list is short - milk, eggs, bread, and fresh fruit - we always use enough to need it each week. Not to be a jerk, but this assumes we only go to the grocery store once per week. We typically _run in for a few things_ several times a week. So, there’s nothing we get “every time we go to the grocery store.” We do more major shopping more haphazardly. Maybe at weekly intervals, but maybe more or less than that. But the usual stuff we get: pint of milk (for coffee). Eggs. Cheese of some sort. Chips (usually blue corn tortilla chips). Bread or english muffins. Wine. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2023, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/18 "2023-02-14T20:14:47Z")
Every week: Milk Yogurt Fruit Milk Chicken parts Every other week Powdered sugar Eggs Sugar for coffee Cheese Chips Fresh veggies ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@salinqmind1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind1)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2023, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/19 "2023-02-18T20:13:45Z")
Eggs Butter Milk or Half and Half Cheese - parmesan, swiss, cheddar, mozzarella, blue Pasta Spaghetti sauce Chicken - mostly bone-in thighs, sometimes breast Mayonnaise Ham, Bologna cold cuts Frozen vegetables - broccoli, peas, mixed A lot of freeze. I don’t eat much bread - occasionally a hard roll, and always flour tortillas to make wraps. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767/20 "2023-02-25T02:53:44Z")
I just adore those rice pouches that you can heat up in 90 seconds. I can scarcely pass that display in the store without figuring I probably ought to grab a couple of them. And those cans of mandarin oranges have really become a go-to side for me, so I will almost certainly snag a can or three. Tuna fish has been my main sandwich since, like, birth, but I don’t generally have to replenish my supply every time I go to the store these days because I’ve been seeing a really cheap 10-pack that will last me a good while. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grocery-staples-in-your-household/979767.md?page=2)