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.
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.
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.
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
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.