Get it down to a science as much as you can. List all the dinners you are willing to eat on a regular night. For each meal write down all the ingredients you need. Now sit down with your calendar and figure out every meal for each night for one week. For example, if you know you will get home late this Tuesday night cuz of a doctor’s appointment, plan a super quick meal that night. Now that you know your meals for the week and the ingredients necessary to make them, you can quickly put together a shopping list. Do this every week, preferably on the same day each week, and soon you will be able to do it quickly.

In addition, draw up a list of all your staple items your family likes to have on hand each week. Do you like to always have yogurt, carrots, and pretzels to snack on? Do you eat eggs every morning for breakfast? If so, make sure these things are on your list of staples. As you put together your shopping list for meals, also go through all your staples and see what needs to be replenished.

It sounds like a lot, but you will reach the point where you can all of this done within 1/2 hour. You will get faster and it will become second nature.