The Big Supermarket Shop can pay off all week in the kitchen

Fall is in the air, and with it an urge to get organized, clean up sloppy summer habits and knock our schedules into shape. One way to feel like you’ve got some semblance of order at home is to master The Big Supermarket Shop.

Many people are intimidated by the idea of a big weekly food shop. Too much to grapple with at once. But the payoff can be significant. A few pointers: — Make a master list of staples you always want to have at home, and organize it by area of the supermarket (dairy, baking ingredients, produce and so on). A wellorganized list saves you trips to the market, and also time spent zigzagging through the market, retracing your footsteps. This list is especially useful to have on your computer, so you can easily edit it every week.

— Before you hit the market, check the master list against the contents of your fridge, freezer and pantry. Stocked up on chicken broth? Take it off the list. Running low on quinoa? Onto the list it goes. You’ll also save money and aggravation by not buying another carton of milk because you couldn’t remember if yours was full or almost empty.

— Meal plan before you shop. This habit saves time, money and stress all week long. Pick out the recipes you want to make throughout the week, and then add the ingredients you need to your master list, in the appropriate categories.

— Take a bit of time to get your pantry into shape so you can see what you need. Group like items

AP PHOTO/TONY GUTIERREZ, FILE Alicia Ortiz shops through the cereal aisle as her daughter Aaliyah Garcia catches a short nap in the shopping cart at a Family Dollar store in Waco, Texas. Don’t be intimidated by the idea of a weekly big supermarket shop. Buying a lot in one fell swoop helps keep your kitchen organized ad well-stocked all week.