You thought you stocked the larder, the refrigerator and the meat safe with sufficient comestibles and ingredients just the other day but you find your maid complaining about the lack of provisions and kids whining about there being nothing to eat. This is a common phenomenon in most households and can be easily addressed with a little bit of planning and preparation.

Shopping Then and Now

The world has progressed from the olden day troubles of having to stop at various outlets and boutiques to procure the numerous household items required. One stop shops such as Keells Super have it all and save you a dozen stops; what’s more, they even give you the option of procuring your household items online. To save time, money and the hassle of driving around in the traffic and finding parking, the most convenient option available would be the electronic purchase. This is especially fruitful for generic products where there is no great variation in the type of the goods.

Everyone’s Needs in a Single List

Your parents, spouse, kids, siblings, maids, gardeners and even your pets have their daily essentials, the sporadic needs and the once in a blue moon wants which need to be managed well to avoid disappointments and inconveniences. Get everyone to let you know of their very specific individual needs and preferences. Once you have a comprehensive list prepared it’s a matter of scanning the list to identify the probable ones needed for that week. Include them in a smaller list penned out for that week before you begin your voyage or your electronic endeavour, such that you don’t miss something important as you may have to pay again for delivery.

Have Regular Days

If you do your shopping every Friday night or Saturday morning, make sure everyone knows about it. That way if they need something the prerogative of informing you falls on them, hence regardless of whether you don on a pair of jeans and step out or whether you sit in the comfort of your home and place the order online each person would keep you up to date of their needs and you would simply have to choose and buy.

Compare Prices and Quality

While leading supermarkets generally stock goods of reasonably good quality, there may be certain elements that are more important to you in each ingredient or condiment; the strength of the tea, the aroma of the coffee, the stark redness of the chili powder or flavor of the cumin powder. In this case, read up about the product and its description to identify what would suit you the most. The online portals clearly indicate the prices of goods along with the respective quantity, therefore a quick calculation should tell you which is the most pocket-friendly.

Plan Your Meals

Given that the world is moving towards healthier food and smarter eating habits, it would be ideal to explore the advantages of having a proper diet planned for the household with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, lentils, milk proteins, and fats. If you draw up a chart of meals to be consumed as breakfast and dinner every day you would be able to ensure that plenty of healthy meal and snack options are available for everyone. Since lunch is rice with a few curries in most Sri Lankan households anyway, that does not require much planning; however, it is good to ensure that some green leaves, at least two vegetables or some dhal is included to provide essential nourishment. If you could stock up some muesli bars, easy to eat fruits, which do not require peeling, carrot sticks and nuts the kids would not gain unnecessary weight by munching all day.