Nervous about grocery shopping? Here’s how to get what you need faster

One thing you can do to follow coronavirus guidelines while grocery shopping is to get in and out quickly and efficiently. The approach I’ve been taking is the one I’ve trained test kitchen assistants over the years to practice: Before heading out, make a thorough list of everything needed according to where the items are located in the store and how they should be stacked in the cart; choose smart substitutes for anything you can’t find; and do it all as quickly as possible. It’s sorted by supermarket aisles and the order items should go into the cart, going from the heaviest and items that won’t be damaged if crushed to stackable stuff to fresh, with meat before produce. Your Printable Grocery Shopping List Print out this list, fill it out and take it to the supermarket to make the trip quicker. Grocery essentials If you’re new to cooking, here are some essential ingredients to have at home: Cooking oil Salt Spices Liquid seasonings Rice Pasta/noodles Whole grains Dried and/or canned beans Canned tomatoes and tomato paste Canned tuna or other fish Nuts or seeds Dried fruit Peanut butter or other nut or seed butters Flour Sugar Baking powder and baking soda Yeast Frozen vegetables and fruits Butter Milk or dairy alternatives Eggs Onions and garlic Root vegetables Fresh fruit Bread