How Many Times a Week Do You Go to the Grocery Store?

One of the reasons that I NEVER go to Walmart is that their carts are so insanely small that I can't fit enough in there each trip (especially if I have at least 2 kids with me), and end up having to make another trip to get the rest...I think it is deliberate to make people come back more frequently.

Target--that's my store. Even if I don't have any kids with me, I still get one of those supersized carts with seating for 3 kids--gives me a TON of space to put the items I need, and I don't have to back for a LONG time.

I almost never go to Costco anymore--when I do, I focus on the frozen goods, stock up, and don't go back for 2-3 months.

I grocery shop at Ultra Foods because it is MUCH cheaper than Jewel & Dominick's, and then I get my produce at Westbrook (on 63rd St)--VERY cheap fruits/veggies, or if I want organic items I go to Whole Foods on 63rd St in Willowbrook.

once unless its a week I am having friends for dinner. I make a list of everything I need including planned out dinner items. Every once in awhile I forget something on the list so i have to go.
I hate hate hate grocery shopping. I like to get in and get out. I have no patience with some people when it comes to the grocery.

Sometimes it seems I go to the grocery every other day. I went Monday and then again yesterday for milk. 2 gallons a week is not enough. I do buy extras when I can--esp on sale. Sometimes it seems I can buy what I think is enough for the week and my family eats it is a matter of days so I have to get more. Target is almost every week depending on their sales and I don't shop at Sam's Club or Costco.

I shop at 5 stores (to get the best prices, and yes, $800-$1200 a month in savings is worth the extra $20 in gas... they're all within 2mi of my house. I could get all the things I need at ONE store, but it would cost me an arm and a leg)... so I'm always shopping one week, and then don't need to the 2nd week unless I need something.

QFC one day
TraderJoes the next
Whole Foods a third day
Veggie Mart & Bakery a fourth
Central Market a fifth

I have an absolute cash budget of $300 every 2 weeks, though... so I'm not spending a crazy amount. I generally spend $200-$250 on week 1 and then whatever is left over goes for extras on week 2.

Milk is usually 3 months until expiration... I buy 12 half gallons. That's a 2 week supply for us.
Bread lasts for a week, I buy as much as we need, and then reup on week 2
I get a lot of my veggies frozen from Trader Joes, the fresh ones I buy as neded.
Meat freezes
Leafy things either keep for about 2 weeks in the crisper, or I have sealing pot type herb keeper things that keep fresh herbs for months.
Roots keep dry for ages
We're not big fruit people. My son is the only one who eats fruit... and his fruits keep: like mikans/oranges those keep for weeks when I buy a crate of them, and Bananas that get all spotty I freeze for banana bread. Kiwi's get eaten so fast there's no need to worry about them.

((It periodically gets brought up how much X costs, where. Hawaii is more expensive than Seattle -but not by much! I could move there and not flinch at my grocery bill-, and parts of NewEngland are about the same... but we're generally 2x-5x more expensive up here than the rest of the country.))

We go every Sunday.

I write out the menu for the week. Main meal, side dishes, lunches and breakfast. Then go through the cupboards, fridge and freezer to see what I will need for them. Write down what I need to get.. right down to the spices. Sometimes we run out of milk or bread before the week is over but we just stop at a quick mart and don't go to the bigger ones ( plus they are an hour away from us)

If you buy lettuce as a head and not the precut packages it will last for the week. Most other fruit and veggies will last a week. Banana's are the only ones that I find will go bad before a week if I don't buy them green/ just starting to turn yellow. But then again, my kids normally don't give banana's a chance to go bad :)

I do a big shopping trip at Walmart and BJs every two weeks. Usually I am back at BJs for milk or Public for produce in the middle of those trips. I plan out our meals for two weeks so I don't have to run out for much. And plus I am on a budget. We have one account strictly for groceries and eating out. We generally leave just enough in there to get what we need and a little to play with. So I have to shop wisely and I realized reducing my trips reduced my $$$$$.

We do exactly what Rebecca does; we go to Target once a week, every Sunday. That's it. If I need anything during the week, I wait until Sunday. I hate going to the store.

I can't believe the people that have responded saying they go 4-5 times a week! I go once a week, that's it, usually on Saturday or Sunday. Its all about being organized and knowing what you're eating for the week and when to eat it. This is what I do: I make a menu for the week and make my shopping list accordingly. (I try my best to only buy what's on my list which helps with over spending.) When making my menu, I plan the meals that use produce that will go bad the quickest for the beginning of the week. The heartier produce that will last 6-7 days is used in meals towards the end of the week. Of course, there's occasionally times when I need to make a quick trip to the store for an ingredient that I forgot to buy but its not often.

I do a big shopping trip ONCE a month, then I might supplement once or twice if I forgot something or need something the day of the recepie but for the most part my freezer is my friend.
I go to Sam's Club, Fiesta (Mexican mart great produce!), Jewel-Osco and sometimes other cultural grocers depending on what I plan to make.

Too. Damn. Many. So I can't help....but will be looking for tips

So, I live directly next to a grocery store... the Monday morning deliveries are incredibly fun at 4am... UGH. But, that being said, it has turned into my "pantry". I probably go there 5 times a week, minimum... if not twice in one day.

However, when I'm feeling motivated (which, unfortunately, isn't often when I work full-time and have an hour commute on each end of my day), I figure out what I'm going to make for dinner every night of the week on Sunday and do one big shopping trip... and then if I've forgotten something, it's easy enough to run next door and grab it...

Also, as far as fruits and veggies go, find out how to properly store them in order to make them last longer... Ex: I just read that tomatoes shouldn't be stored in the fridge... but I've been doing that forever. Apparently they should be stored room-temp and flat on a counter (especially the grape/cherry kind) and used within a few days of purchase.

Once, unless we need to swing by somewhere and get milk or bread.

We plan ahead, we take a list (there is a list on the fridge for people to add to) and we usually hit one of the stores where we can get all the things we need (like Giant vs a smaller store if we need a lot of toiletries). Don't buy lettuce in fancy packages anymore. By the head lasts longer. In general, cut your own veggies. They last longer whole.

Usually twice a week--one bigger trip that includes produce and then another produce trip!

I go once a week, almost never more than once. I use the Grocery Gadget free software for my computer/iPad and phone and it keeps a list for me of all of the things I buy at every different grocery store. Then whenever we run out of something I just go on my phone or computer and indicate how many I need. The app tracks everything so when I get to a store I simply select the store I'm at and everything I've noted over the week shows up. It even learns the layout of the store.

Before I used this app I was always forgetting something because I'd forget to add it to my paper list. Now I can't forget stuff because it's right there automatically on my phone. And my husband can add stuff from work or his phone too. I love it and it really helps me cut down on the runs to the store.

I do my food shopping at Walmart and I go once a week. I may stop at Shoprite or A&P once if there's something I need that Walmart doesn't have. Fruit, bread and veggies do last a week. Do you make a menu and a shopping list for the week? I always plan out the week's dinners and make a shopping list, so I'm not scrambling for dinner or finding that we run out of things.

Once a week. I menu plan for the entire week (including breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner) on Sunday and shop that night. To make it easier on myself, we have a few recurring things every week.
-Meatless Mondays. There is a rotate of 6 or so recipes we rotate on Mondays, that have no meat.
-Taco Tuesdays.
-Soup Saturdays. I cook a soup in the crock pot on Saturday and we eat that with a sandwich. I rotate 5 soup recipes.

I don't shop at a sams or costco type of place

It really helps me, because I only then have to plan a few dinners and the other ones are already planned. I have the ingredients for the 3 meals we know we will have every week already on the list.

Everyday usually. I try and go less. But we are always running out of something. I haven't had enough money or storage to buy lots. Also, my family seems to just eat more and go through the food faster if I buy large amounts.

4-5 as a normal non-couponing, non-sale-shopping mom :)

I recently had to go 2 weeks without grocery shopping due to a medical issue. It was not a surprise so I was able to stock up so we were OK for that long. I have since started only going about every 10 days - 2 weeks. For one thing, I found that I enjoyed not having to go so often. I also noticed that I spend less on groceries by not going every week anymore. I freeze both bread and lunch meat so there is always stuff to make lunches for school. I do have to get milk in between and when we run out of fresh fruit and/or veggies, I get those too. When you do have to make those small in-between trips, just make sure you go with your list & only get what is on it. My problem is when I browse. It is then that I stray from the list & get things that I find and think we "need". Good Luck! I'm interested to read the other responses with the hope that they will help me too. Food is definitely expensive.

I go grocery shopping once a week. I make a weekly menu of what we will have and then I shop from that so we have everything we need. I go to costco maybe once a month and get the bigger things like toilet paper, paper towels, and just some other random stuff that we need around the house.

I shop at Market Street almost daily for groceries and I am there pretty much on a daily basis (eat lunch almost daily there as well.... great hot veggies, hot soups, salads and sandwiches) I rarely walk out under $50 spent. I do get my fresh fruits and veggies there. I am there so much I know the staff, LOL.

As for Costco..... about once every 3 months BUT, I stock up heavily and spend about $600 each trip. I have a lot of basics that are just things I won't walk out of Costco without.... toilet paper, paper towels, butter, DanActive, Baby Wipes just to name a few.

Target... not much, just when daughter needs some of her feminine products, LOL.. When I buy those I also stock up.

I'm fortunate to have a huge pantry and good storage space so I take advantage of it.

Updated

I shop at Market Street almost daily for groceries and I am there pretty much on a daily basis (eat lunch almost daily there as well.... great hot veggies, hot soups, salads and sandwiches) I rarely walk out under $50 spent. I do get my fresh fruits and veggies there. I am there so much I know the staff, LOL.

As for Costco..... about once every 3 months BUT, I stock up heavily and spend about $600 each trip. I have a lot of basics that are just things I won't walk out of Costco without.... toilet paper, paper towels, butter, DanActive, Baby Wipes just to name a few.

Target... not much, just when daughter needs some of her feminine products, LOL.. When I buy those I also stock up.

I'm fortunate to have a huge pantry and good storage space so I take advantage of it.

Usually 3:
1 to Costco (on the weekend)
2 to HEB - (grocery store) - one on Sunday and one usually mid-week to get produce.

:)

I go 5 times a week but that is because I work in a pharmacy in a grocery store...lol.
I would say if you are eating a lot of fresh food...fruit...veggies etc then you are going to be going to the store at least twice a week...just because things don't stay fresh much longer than that.
Make a list...get your coupons and such organized...plan your meals ahead...and then just be systematic at the store. That is really the only way to do it.

I swear I go all the time too, but I coupon a lot, so you have to go when stores have sales and restock in the mornings and whatnot, but I am saving so much money in the long run, worth the hassle! other than that, if there are no good deals or I do not need anything for storage I generally go once every week and a half or so....But luckily we live a block's walk from a grocery store so its not far. I rarely go to Target, walmart becuase when you coupon prices are sooooooo outrageous there! (for what I buy at least). ANyway I have no answers. Do you meal plan? I make a list from my cupboard of what we can eat, then buy the nessary items to complete the meal. I also do not plan a certain food on a certain day, that way if I am too tired/things pop up/too busy with my one year old I can pick the dinner that is the easiest to make, if things are working so I have a little more time I can make one of the harder dinners. Good luck!

I go to the grocery store about every 3 weeks. But hubby will stop about once a week for me and grab some milk, lettuce and some more fresh fruit. Otherwise I get everything else in bulk when I go so we don't go very often. I try to stay away from Costco but do buy their splenda and benadryl so usually once every 3 months or so, whenever we need those. I hate all shopping so I try to bust it out and be done with it. Thank God for the big freezer and pantry. =)

Costco once a month though sometimes something comes up. The grocery store once a week.

I go to the grocery store once a week - period. If I run out of something, I usually do without (if possible) because I HATE grocery shopping. Fresh fruits and veggies definitely last a week in the frig. I usually try to make whatever I'm going to make with them early in the week, but if I don't they are fine for the entire week.

Before moving to Houston we lived in a rural area outside of Dallas, 25 minutes by car to the nearest Walmart. So we didn't go that often. Since moving to Houston, there is an HEB literally at the end of our neighborhood. So now........ twice a week. It's kinda nice.

Once a week at one store + an extra trip to Costco and Trader Joes every other week (I alternate those). Fresh fruit and vegetables will stay good for a week or longer if properly stored. I also plan our meals in a way that uses up the most perishable items first (things like berries, lunchmeat etc) or portion items up to freeze them until needed.
Planning ahead is most important and I also have our pantry stocked with food that keep well if I unexpectedly run out of stuff before I get around to shop(like pasta, dry beans, canned tomatoes, tuna....).
Good luck!

I plan out my menu for the whole week, for dinners at least, and from there I make a list of everything I need to buy for the week, including some stuff for lunches and breakfast and any staples we have run out of. I grocery shop once per week, though it is at two stores (one for meat and produce and the other for all the stuff that is in the center of the store like cereal). I also go to Costco once every other week. I enjoy grocery shopping :)

I do occasionally forget something and have to make an extra trip during the week, but I'm generally pretty good. I never have a problem with things going bad in a week. We tend to eat berries or things that might go bad in the days right after my shopping trip, and save studier produce (broccoli etc) for later in the week.

I am a crazy grocery store shopaholic--every employee who works in a grocery store by my house knows me by name or by my face--and I don't live in a small town either! It's like seeing family everyday--they even know my personal business! I go every single day to at least one store. I mostly buy food and things we need. I'm not a "stuff" shopper for clothes and gadgets, so we get fresh food every day. I'm very lucky because all the stores like Target, Sams Club, Walmart, Meijer, and 2 other grocery stores are all within a mile of my house. I know what you mean though, I wish I could shop less, but I'm addicted and it doesn't look like I'll change anytime soon:(

I go to the regular grocery store once a week and to Costco (for t.p. paper towels, etc.) once a month. I buy bulk meat and then re-wrap and freeze it in usable portions. I buy 1/2 green bananas and 1/2 almost ripe. Apples stay fresh for more than a week. I buy 2 loaves of bread and freeze one. I buy 2 gallons of milk. I have an extra frig/freezer that allows me to store the extras. It helps a ton!
We live out of the city and don't have a store that I can just run to ~ so on the weekend we try to write out a menu for the week and I shop according to what we plan to eat and what is on sale.

We usually go once a week to Publix. I do my best to avoid Wal-Mart at all costs. There are a few items I pick up once a month or so at Target. We usually need to get milk during the week but manage to combine that with the drug store or some other run.

I go once every 2 weeks, unless DS or DH goes through the milk extra fast or something to that effect...then it ends up being 1/week. Being on this schedule has given me greater control over how much $$ is spent, sticking to it means I eat what we have until the next grocery shopping trip. This also makes couponing easier, and stocking up on things so as to not run out easier.

I make a menu for the next week on the weekend, and shop once for that.

My husband goes to CostCo once a week (soy milk for 1/2 our family, and what ever else he finds that is interesting).

Cows milk and yogurt and a few other things come from Trader Joes. That's about every other week.

We do all frozen veggies.
One of those trips includes a lettuce box for salads.
Starting to use frozen berries - working great!
We freeze bread, bagels and buns.

The only frozen meals we do are the ones we cooked.

We go through bananas like crazy. Pick those up where ever we can.

The key is to have a meal plan for the upcoming week. You can still be flexible, but start with making sure you have everything for 7 dinners, breakfasts and lunches.

--A.