Well, it depends what you are buying for. If you are on a budget, try going to a smaller chain store, with off-brand products, like Shop-N-Save or Dierbergs. They usually have food offered at a much better price. You could even buy in bulk, like at Costco and Sams, although you need a membership. If you are on a diet, say a low-carb diet, try buying at a health food store, which doesn't carry fattening foods. You could even try going to an organic grocery store, which only carries organic foods. But, if you still want to shop in stores like Wal-mart, go in knowing what criteria the food you buys needs to match (low-budget, low price; low-fat, read the nutrition lable).

Find yourself a good cookbook for beginners or pick up the latest issue of a cooking magazine or two. Find some recipies that look delicious, make a list of everything you'll need, and then go shopping. Once you figure out what you're good at, make big batches of the dishes you especially like (e.g. a huge pan of lazagna; a giant crock of chili) and freeze them in individual serving size containers. That way, you you'll have a ready supply of instant wholesome meals and won't need to cook as often. Presto!

well.........the first thing you may want to do is get a peice of paper and write down things you need. or want then just start to shop at a grocery store and buy the things on your list.

Take the time to put together a shopping list. If you are handy in the kitchen, put down the ingredients for the foods you like. If not go through a beginers cookbook, or a four ingrediant cook book, and read the ingredients. Once you pick up basic supplies, salt, sugar, etc. You can expand into spices etc. Try to have fast box meals on hand such as maccaroni & cheese, or canned stew, or tuna or canned chicken, for those days you may not have time to cook from scratch. Once you have your basic pantry set up, you'll know what you need to replace as you use items. A friendly piece of advice is don't shop hungry, you'll end up with all cookies or chips etc. Good luck.

When I moved out of home, I asked myself the same question. I think buy food items for meals you enjoy eating. Start off with simple recipe's. If you have just moved into a place of your own, you might would to go to a night course or short course. you would then find out how best to use you're stove or oven. As a group we all made the same meal, ate it and took home the recipe. If you don't succeed the first time, don't worry. Invite some close frinds over for dinner. Choose what you want to cook, (take the recipe with you) go down to the local grocery store and get advice from the storekeeper. He/She should give you advice on what you need, how much (amount, not cost) whether the greens are in season and any herbs, or wine to go with the meal. the main thing is to have fun.

Do you remeber living with your parents and the food they had in their cupboard? You need some basics first like bread, milk, butter, breakfast food and maybe some tv dinners. Then consider the fruit and vegtable isle. If you are not into cooking much by some frozen veggies. Make sure you buy toilet paper and tissues and laundry supplies! And remeber cheap brands are not always bad quality, just because you use to complain when your parent bought that doesnt mean you cant maybe buy some stuff in it and buy some familar brands you like and test it all out... GOOD LUCK!

first decide if you want to cook or just readymade/ quick making meals or mixture or both meals Also what are your tastes keep sunday or holiday to do grocery cooking Then just write what you like on your list : buy a couple of each to last you the week. don't forget fruit, milk, meat and tea /coffee stiocking on reglar basis Happy shopping when i started shopping i would spend hours going around grocery stores browsing the produce there when you are in the mood and have time. You learn a lot about thngs you don't know

Great question! If more people asked for advice on this topic, they wouldn't waste so much money and time. I reckon that any fool can keep track of whether they need to pick up toliet paper or laundry powder, so I'll skip those kinds of things and go straight to food. It is crucial to get the 'pantry staples' under control and constantly stocked (keep a list on the inside party door and mark off any item you finish). Many 'beginners cookbooks' currently have lists of pantry staples to work from- spice mixes, canned fish, asian sauces, flavoured oils, pasta, rice, noodles, tinned vegetables, etc. These are the non-perishable things that act like the foundations of your cooking- then you just have to buy the fresh ingredients that you feel like eating on any given day to mix in with them. Semi-perishable stuff (like onions, garlic, hard cheeses, lemons) are good to get used to putting in your shopping basket every time you shop too. You can use them in almost all international cuisine dishes. Fresh herbs in small pots are good this way too. I suggest parsley, basil (in summer), mint and thyme. The next step (more important than buying cookbooks or learning recipes) is to learn a few basic cooking techniques. Once you have a basic salad, asian stir-fry, omelette, pasta and stew/casserole under control, you can mess with the ingredients depending on what's fresh at the store or what you feel like or what leftovers you have. And because you know the technique off by heart, you don't have to take cookbooks or shopping lists to the store with you! Easy! cheers

Until you get the hang of it, just shop week by week. Make a list of meals for a week, the ingredients needed to make them and then buy those things. Throw in some fruits and veggies for snacks and you'll do fine. As things come up, add them to a weekly list you keep on your fridge. For non-food items make a list of the products you use on a daily basis (paper towel, toilet paper, etc.)

Some very good Higher-end stores (at least in NYC) are Citarella, Eli's, Gourmet Garage, Amish Market, Fairway, and Really Cool Foods. And you can never go wrong with Stew Leonards. (You should only shop here though if budget is less of a problem).

Go with the store brand,...you'll save a lot of money.