Winter Grocery List: Fill & Download for Free

Taking bath every day in winter ❄️Finding your passionRemembering every single item from a grocery list which your mom gives youAsking your crush outSolving earphone puzzle6. Inserting a USB stick on the first go7. Finding the opening of clear tape8. Following a new year resolution9. Accepting your mistake10. Moving out of your comfort zonePeace out ✌

I try not to be judgmental. I try, really I do. But here is what screamed “I’m low class” one afternoon.It was winter time in south Texas, which means the temperature can go from 85 down to freezing in a matter of minutes. I had a few items on my grocery list and set off to my neighborhood WalMart, practically across the street from my apartment complex. That day, the wind was sharp and the temperature was around 40 degrees.I drove into the huge parking lot, and found a decent parking place. When I opened my car door to get out, I could hear a small child crying, and then a surprised scream, and then more crying. It’s not unusual to hear a kid crying at a huge store like WalMart, but for some reason, this one caught my attention. Then I saw them. It appeared to be a young mother and two small children. One child was in the basket, and the other one, maybe around 3 years of age, was trying to keep up with his mom as she pushed the basket with one hand and tugged him along with the other. The poor kid was actually being lifted off the ground by his arm and his little flip flop was barely hanging on as his toes scraped against the pavement. The baby in the cart was quiet, with a filthy face and a wide eyed look on her face.The woman that I guessed was their mother was wrapped up in a big fuzzy coat, carrying a huge designer bag and steadily fussing at her little one. The children were dressed for much warmer weather, with light weight clothing and little flip flops on feet that must have felt icy cold. The crying child was dirty and his curly hair was messed up and sticky looking. No coats on either child.I paused as I approached the mom, who, with her kids, was obviously looking for her car. I smiled as brightly as I could and said, sweetly, “Looks like you have your hands full, can I help in some way?” She stopped fussing at the little boy long enough to give me a dirty look and tell me NO THANKS. I heard her phone ringing from the depths of that designer pocketbook and as she flipped it open, I noticed that her nails were perfectly manicured, and three of her fingers were encased in sparkly diamond rings.Turns out her car was parked right next to mine, and as she picked up the little boy and tossed him in the back seat he stopped crying. I watched as she buckled the baby into her car seat, then got in the car herself.I jotted down her license plate number as she drove off and called the non emergency police line to report a child in a car, unsecured. That woman, with her warm fuzzy coat and designer purse, beautifully done nails and pretty jewelry, was the most low class thing I’ve seen in a while. For her to be dressed warmly and her children shivering in the cold with not even a warm shirt on, that was low class. She was perfectly put together, yet the children were in pretty sad looking shape. That kind of woman doesn’t deserve kids. It made me sick at my stomach, wondering how she treats her children out of the public eye, if she would mishandle her son like she did in public. Poor babies.

I mostly shop weekly, mostly at Costco, with some supplementary things from ethnic markets in my area (Indian, Mexican, and Chinese), and from the farmer's market or the CSA.I usually shop to replenish my pantry, nonperishables, and other stuff (toothpaste, soap) as needed, and to refresh the perishable items.Perishable items:milkplain yogurt (often we make this ourselves)cheese (blocks of cheddar, shredded mozzarella)unsalted butteroccasionally cottage cheese or sour creameggsmushroomsfresh fruits and veggies, according to season, prefer local when available (which in California is frequently, but I wish less stuff were labeled "produce of USA")Frozen:ground beef or pork (I often buy hamburger patties because they are easiest to handle).boneless skinless chicken piecescut cornsausagePantry staples:onionspotatoessweet potatoesgarlicNon-perishable:rolled oats (and sometimes other rolled grains--rye, barley, wheat--to make muesli)whole wheat bread flourwhole wheat pastry flourunbleached flourrye flourcorn mealbaking powdercornstarchsugar (granulated/brown)/maple syrup/honeyyeast (about once per year, in the 2-lb bag)saltolive oil (mostly for cooking)vegetable oil (for baking)canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato pasteketchup, mustard, soy sauce, oyster sauce,dry pastabrown ricealmondsClif bars (about the one packaged snack I purchase, because sometimes they're nice to toss in a bike bag)chocolate chips (sometimes for baking, sometimes for nibbling on)natural peanut buttertahinidried beans (pinto, black, white)a few cans of beans for those occasions when I don't feel like cooking from dried or am short on timeherbs and spices (buy in bulk or in baggies, instead of expensive, little, glass jars): cumin, oregano, chili powder, dill, garlic powder, thyme, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, powdered ginger, salt, pepper (black, white), paprikaHere is an assortment of things I rarely purchase, because I usually grow them:fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, lemon thyme, sage, oregano, green onions, and basil in season)lemonsorangessquash (summer or winter)fresh tomatoesgarlicapplesAnd an assortment of things I rarely purchase, because I can make them from the other things on this list:bread/muffins/quick breads/desserts, or mixes or dough for any of thesepackaged cerealsyogurtprepared meals/snacks, or boxed meal kits (e.g. Hamburger Helper)frozen or restaurant pizzaspice blends (e.g. "taco seasoning mix,")And another assortment of things I rarely purchase, because I use reusable/durable alternatives to disposable:paper towelspaper napkinspaper plates/disposable cutleryplastic bagsaluminum foilSwiffer-type products