Just moved out and now wondering what to do about the food shop!

[Alison8493]

Hi
This is the first time living alone, I've just moved out of my parents with my mum and dad. Would love to shop at Aldi/lidl but work full time so not really an option and having to stick to asda online. Previously didn't buy my own food, just ate what was in the house and paid my keep.

At the moment I've just got in all the essentials like milk bread some meals etc and doing a full shop Monday.

Do I do a big shop initially? Stock up on things like marmite, sauces, spices, tinned foods, frozen foods, pastas, rice etc then just add to it each week/month as I go along?

I think perhaps I'm being a bit ocd but I come from a mum who always has everything you can ever imagine in the house lol

If you have nothing at all you need to stock up on condiments and spices such as salt, pepper, mixed herbs,Worcestershire sauce, oil,garlic, chili etc. Also tins of tomatoes, different kinds of beans, and bags of pasta, spaghetti, rice. I would also get frozen veg, sweet corn, oven chips, maybe a couple of frozen ready meals for emergencies. Other staples would be tea, coffee, milk, butter, yoghurt, bread and some fruit and fresh beg like onions and potatoes. Then menu plan so you know what you need for planned meals such as chicken, mince, eggs etc.
Don't forgetnto buy stuff like loo roll, washing up liquid and washing powder too! And wine!!!!!!!

You can still go to aldi even if you work full time. They are open at the weekend too

I would buy ingedients that can make more than one meal - say chicken and veg, which can make the base for a pasta dish but also be adapted easily to make a chilli. Think about the food you like and if the ingedients are only available in big packs, batch cook and freeze some in individual portions. Have plenty of sandwich food, for lunches. You can look up simple recipes on the internet.

We've just started totally from scratch. There is quite a lot of stuff that you just don't realise you haven't got. Cling film,soy sauce, sellotape. I didn't do it all at once, I spread it out over a few weeks.

Lidl and Aldi are usually open for about 14 hours a day so I'm not sure why a full time job would prevent you going

When I was single and lived alone I had coffee, milk, bread, margarine (I didn't know any better then), jam and vodka. Everything else I bought as and when and I ate out a lot.

Nobody really does a big shop these days. Little and often is the way to go.

Oh and pasta and pesto.

No wonder I was thin. I never ate anything!

Now I have a pantry stuffed full of stuff. And a freezer. And a bulging fridge and a weekly veg box. I'm also 4 stone heavier

Family having a stock of basics and essentials didn't happen on day one, so don't panic.

You will obviously need to get in your staple shop.

Best way to plan that is to think about your day.
Get up - need toilet paper, toothpaste and brush, soap, shampoo etc.
Breakfast - milk, tea and coffee, sugar, juice, bread, butter, cereal - add your preferences for jam, marmalade, peanut butter, Marmite, honey or whatever

What meal would you need next? and do a section for kitchen essentials such as washing up liquid, scourers, kitchen roll, cling film, tin foil, cleaning materials and cloths, stuff to do your laundry, bleach and cleaning materials for surfaces and bathroom.

Olive and vegetable oil, salt, pepper, mayo, dried pasta, rice and other stuff you just expect to go to. Plus some freezer staples. I always have onions and tinned tomatoes in and some dried herbs.

Then get yourself an 'emergency' meal plan. Baked beans, cheese and crackers, eggs. Make sure that if you're either broke or starving, there's something you can go to

Or just buy stuff as you need it. You're young, you have no dependants so don't stress it. Enjoy yourself.

You can meal plan when you're middle aged 😉

Have a think about what you want to eat

Breakfast, cereal or toast? If toast you'll need jam/marmalade/Marmite/Nutella/peanut butter as well as butter. That kind of thing.

As other have said, you don't need everything this week. I would keep a long term list in the kitchen and add to it each time you think - I'll just X out of the cupboard - and find you have no X.

Congrats on your new place

I'd start small and add to cupboards as budget permits and as you feel is necessary according to how you eat. Don't judge yourself by your mother. For example, I don't think I ever tasted fresh spices until I lived on my own and had to get some - and wasn't faced with 'Oh there should be some of that at the back of the second shelf down.' Some people's cupboards and stores may be full of assorted things but they often represent years of acquisition and aren't necessarily great to eat.

regarding cleaning items, bleach is not an essential and buggers the environment. Get a bottle of the 'cif' type cream cleaner and an anti bac spray. The former will do most jobs, the latter gets used if you've had raw meat around or there's been a biohazard.

two separate cloths, one for the kitchen, one for the bathroom. If on different floors treat yourself and have bottles kept in each. Own-brand for everything, never a need for branded cleaning materials.

if you've got wooden surfaces, polish and a duster are also good. That's all you really need.

I'd go to Aldi/Lidl on a Saturday morning. In at 8am, whizz round, chuck it all straight off the conveyer into blue ikea bags (Amazon sell them) and be home for 9am to eat chocolate brioche.

I meal planned when I was single. It was good practice.

Sign up to all the online shops if your doing a big shop and use their first time user vouchers.