I use a basic grocery list. I add what I need to the extra lines. I also look through weekly ads for the stores I frequent to help with meal planning. I have also gotten to the point that I know what items are regularly available at each store. I have been doing this for about 6 years and have honed my shopping process. I keep recipes on Pinterest and have a weekly dinner menu on my dry erase board under my calendar. The most important part is being organized.
I also have a chest freezer in my garage, so I’ll stock up on meats when they are a really good price. Before I put the meat in the freezer, I use my scale and vacuum sealer to portion the meat.
You can find my generic shopping list here:
Knock Knock All Out Of Pad Grocery List Note Pad, 6 x 9-inches (Blue) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1601061935/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_ZTAXSH41M5YZDG2RCN7J I have it on my fridge and add things as necessary.
That’s really cool!!! I love it! Have you seen these grocery list pads before? It helps me a lot to remember what I need. Makes it easy to just check off when I’m out of something. https://www.amazon.com/Knock-All-Note-Blue-12226/dp/1601061935
Also sharing the KINGJIM Digital memo Pomera DM30. It has a 6 inch eink screen attached to a folding keyboard, very similar to Freewrite except it has no internet connection function. It's very bare bones, just a text editor and a USB slot for you to write your files on. You can transfer the text via QR code as well (which works shockingly well). It's a very elegant package that's worth picking up if Freewrite interests you, but you don't want to pay whatever they're asking these days.
I used this a lot when I was traveling and wanted something slim and light to type on. It's a Japanese product that works with an English keyboard 98% of the time. There are little quirks in the input, for example if you hit a random function button and it converts back to Japanese text input. But I've done some good writing on this machine and I just don't use it now because I'm at home all the time and prefer my Yoga Book.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CYTVH4Z/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_24a9Fb5YZP313?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Oh, HAVE I GOT A SOLUTION FOR YOU OR WHAT. This thing has changed my life. It's incredible. I've bought like ten of them because I am afraid of what will happen if they ever stop making them.
I plan with a notepad and paper; recently I've been using this one from Amazon.
I prefer writing it down and sticking it to the fridge as a good visual for me for the week.
Perhaps you will be better served by an e-ink typewriter as you said. I have the Pomera DM-30 ( https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B07CYTVH4Z?language=en_US ), and the keyboard is nice enough if you're typing in English.
The cost of the device + shipping to Europe was a very reasonable 214,48€. The AA-Battery problem was solved using a pair of USB batteries with AA form-factor, like these: https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00D2V2O44?language=en_GB
I ordered mine back in March 2019 and should be getting it soon. I do a ton of traveling and camping so I needed something with a huge battery life and something I can just open up and immediately start writing. I'll see how it fits in my life.
Although, if I could do it all again, I'd just get this thing
https://www.amazon.com/KINGJIM-digital-memo-Pomela-Silva/dp/B07CYTVH4Z
For grocery shopping I picked up some of these note pads and stuck them on the fridge. It's easy, once you're out of something you check it off. We had the same problem making a list, he'd never check cabinets or say we were okay on toilet paper when there was only one roll left 🙄 but if I put it on the list he'd go and get everything on there... Although with covid we've been using instacart and having the groceries delivered and neither one of us have to go shopping lol.
We talked about doing equal share of cleaning and chores and it helped, but we both have our lazy days and things we need to work on. I hate cleaning bathrooms and he's bad with dishes, so I usually take care of the dishes and he takes care of the bathroom. You need to find a balance, some days I find myself doing more when he's exhausted from work and he does the same for me.
I just bought a Boox Note2 and it came with a free keyboard. If you’re looking for something simple, similar to the Freewrite that doesn’t save data in someone else’s cloud check out the King Jim Pomera Dm30 on Amazon.
I resort to these, as they apply well to many types of “dumbassery”: Knock Knock Nifty Note Pad, Parking Citation https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601064675/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_hD3hCbJC348QC
They just won’t help to clear the Supercharger anytime sooner.
Knock Knock All Out of Note Pad, Blue (12226) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601061935/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DayRAbQ0JAB70
I'm currently living out of a room with very restricted cooking allowed, but I eat very well with few trips to the store.
When I go, I get items to make a specific meal prep, plus anything on my list. I'll eat what I have until I'm out of a key perishable, then repeat. Usually it's lettuce and eggs that trigger a trip.
For meal prep ideas, someone posted a fantastic reddit cooking guide at one point, it's got some great ideas. Here's some I've been doing recently:
Egg/cream cheese/green onions/bacon/tomatoes/etc in the crock pot (precook bacon and onions in microwave or crock), scoop into burritos, wrap in wax paper and freeze
Beans/ground beef/onions/garlic/cheese. Same prep, freeze.
Bag of chicken wings, defrost 8-10 at a time, flour+ seasonings, bbq sauce of choice, make until done
Meatballs (recipe varies), pan fry, bbq, or oven bake, freeze in sets of 3-4 wrapped in wax paper. Reheat with serving of sauce (jarred or freeze your own). Boil noodles of choice al dente, combine.
Taco salad -usual culprits with a bag of Doritos on the side, add/mix when ready.
Other than salad, sandwiches are the most versatile lunch I make. Seed the tomatoes and use ranch instead of mayo, keep an oily barrier (cheese) between bread and water carrying ingredients, wrap in paper towel to extend life and heat tolerance.
I hope this helps, honestly though I think the key to reducing store trips is to keep good lists and make dinner based on what you have, not what you want.
I love the All Out Of lists for thinking through what I need. https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601061935/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_4bxxAbDQK4ZPY
I'd also add some decent olive oil and vinegar to your list - more versatile and better tasting than bottled dressings. Buy rice in big bags, Mac n cheese and frozen broccoli florets, Tabasco or sriracha if you like a little spice.