Another strategy when shopping is to think of the things that you buy every week or two. If your household uses up peanut butter like it s going out of style then you know it will be a good item to buy. Canned vegetables, soups and pasta mixes are all things that can sit on the shelf for a long time and still be used. Perhaps the biggest pitfall is the possibility of buying something that will spoil before you can use it all. Unless you are feeding a large household avoid fresh fruits and vegetables or dairy products that can spoil within weeks.
Baked goods can also be difficult.
However, using the refrigerator can get you around a lot of problems. For instance, many places sell two loaves of bread together. You can freeze one loaf while you eat the other. Buying meats is also a good idea because you can freeze them and keep them a long time. However, it is best to separate the meat into dinner portions before you freeze it.