A minimalist grocery list is a list of the essential grocery items you would normally buy. They’re your core groceries that you get each week. It contains simple, whole pantry, fridge and freezer ingredients.

Use the minimalist shopping list as a starting point, then add anything additional you might buy for the week.

What you add to the core grocery list would differ based on how you plan your weekly shopping.

You might add ingredients for a specific recipe based on your meal plan. Then you use up that ingredient throughout the week so you’re not left with small amounts of random foods to clutter your pantry, or soggy herbs in your fridge.

The benefit of keeping a minimalist grocery shopping list is that you don’t need to create a completely new grocery list from scratch before each shopping trip. The list of core ingredients is there, then you customize it each week to suit your needs!

When you see a list of your core groceries, you’re much less likely to forget something you need!

You can use it by simply adding ingredients you need that week, and crossing out ingredients you don’t need.

minimalist grocery shopping list

How to use a minimalist grocery list?

The minimalist grocery list contains the staple ingredients you buy almost every shopping trip. Think:

  • milk
  • eggs
  • bread
  • veggies
  • fruit
  • cheese
  • meat

It doesn’t list stock up items that you would typically buy less frequently than every couple weeks. Things like:

  • big bags of rice
  • herbs & spices
  • oil & vinegar
  • baking supplies
  • condiments
  • household & personal care items

Obviously you would still need to buy those things, but you will add them to the core grocery list as they run out or before you do the weekly shop.

Using the minimalist grocery list in this way, you’re going to be much less likely to over buy, because you intentionally take time to build the list for what you need right now.

It also helps if you have an organized refrigerator and organized freezer!

Here is my free minimalist grocery shopping list, divided by category to make it easy to shop the grocery store.

But first, check out the workbook:

The Minimalist Meal Planning Workbook completely simplifies meal planning and takes you step-by-step through the process so you can stick with it once and for all!

The Minimalist Meal Planning Workbook completely simplifies meal planning and takes you step-by-step through the process so you can stick with it once and for all!

Minimalist Grocery List

Vegetables

  • potatoes
  • sweet potatoes
  • carrots
  • onions
  • green onions
  • garlic
  • cabbage
  • squash
  • cauliflower
  • broccoli
  • kale
  • lettuce
  • spinach
  • celery
  • cucumber
  • bell peppers
  • jalapeños/hot peppers
  • beans
  • tomatoes
  • mushrooms
  • frozen veggies

Fruits

  • apples
  • oranges
  • bananas
  • lemons
  • limes
  • grapefruits
  • grapes
  • kiwis
  • melon
  • pineapple
  • berries
  • mango
  • pears
  • frozen fruit

Dry Goods

  • nuts & seeds
  • dried legumes
  • dried fruit
  • breakfast cereal

Grains

  • oats
  • pasta
  • crackers

Bread & Baked Goods

  • bread
  • buns
  • wraps

Canned Foods

  • tomato sauce
  • canned veggies
  • canned fruit
  • pickles
  • pesto
  • coconut milk
  • canned fish
  • canned beans/lentils

Prepackaged Snacks

  • granola bars
  • chips
  • dark chocolate
  • rice cakes

Dairy/Dairy Alternatives

  • milk/plant based milk
  • greek yogurt/plant based yogurt
  • cheese
  • butter
  • eggs

Meat, Poultry, Seafood, & Plant Protein

  • ground beef
  • beef roast
  • whole chicken
  • chicken legs/drums/thighs
  • chicken breasts
  • ground chicken/turkey
  • salmon/trout
  • white fish: tilapia, basa, etc
  • tofu
  • tempeh

Beverages

  • coffee
  • tea
  • sparkling water
  • wine
  • beer

A printable or digitally editable grocery list is so useful as it allows you to personalize the grocery list to suit your needs!

This minimalist grocery list is based off the master grocery list.

The difference is that the master grocery list contains all the foods you would ever buy, then you cross off anything you don’t need to get this week. Whereas the minimalist grocery list contains just the core foods you buy nearly every week, then you add in extra things you need.

Choose the one that suites you, or try them both to help you decide which type of grocery list will work better for how you shop.

The Minimalist Meal Planning Workbook completely simplifies meal planning and takes you step-by-step through the process so you can stick with it once and for all!

Continue reading:

9 Best Grocery List Notepads on Amazon
Pantry Staples List
Save Money on Groceries
Minimalist Kitchen List
Kitchen Necessities List

minimalist grocery list simplify your grocery shopping once and for all!

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