Shopping for New Year’s Dinner

Shopping for New Year’s dinner can be quite a daunting task but with a little planning, this can be quite the opposite. For starters plan the menu before setting out to shop, this way you will only buy what you need. Some people shop then plan the menu and end up spending unnecessarily on items that will not be used. Planning the menu means taking into consideration any dietary requirements for the guests including special meals for different age groups such as the very young and the not so young. Planning ahead also includes preparing a guest list and thereby knowing how many guests are expected.

Preparing a Grocery Shopping List

Once the menu is set, the grocery list should be prepared. Separate this list into perishable and non-perishable goods. The non-perishables such as canned products and dry goods can be bought well in advance since they will keep for long and save on time when buying the perishables such as fresh vegetables and fruits. The refrigerator and freezer need to be cleaned out before shopping so that space is created for the New Year’s dinner ingredients which may include a large turkey and other meat products. For stress free shopping and peace of mind, pick a time when there is less shoppers’ traffic to avoid long queues and crowded shops.

Order items that need this well in advance and pay up the deposit if needed. Put a reminder on when to pick them up in your diary or on the refrigerator door. Plan to shop for the perishables as close to New Year’s as possible but not later than the twenty-eighth. This way, anything that is forgotten can be bought then or on the twenty-ninth and not on early New Year’s morning. Check off items from the shopping list as they are purchased to avoid double purchases.