Grocery Shopping Planner (AI Prompt)

## Optimized Grocery Shopping System

**Household:** 2 adults, 1 toddler | **Budget:** $175/week

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### BUDGET ALLOCATION

| Category | Target | Notes |
|----------|--------|-------|
| Produce | $45 (26%) | Seasonal focus |
| Protein | $50 (29%) | Bulk when on sale |
| Dairy/Eggs | $20 (11%) | Staples |
| Pantry/Grains | $25 (14%) | Mostly at Costco |
| Snacks/Misc | $20 (11%) | Kids + convenience |
| Buffer | $15 (9%) | Unexpected needs |

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### SHOPPING LIST TEMPLATE

**🥬 PRODUCE** (Shop first, takes most time)
Weekly:
□ Bananas (bunch)
□ Apples (bag)
□ Berries (for toddler)
□ Spinach (2 bags)
□ Carrots
□ Onions
□ Garlic
□ _______
□ _______

**🥩 PROTEIN** (Go straight to meat counter)
This week:
□ Chicken thighs (2 lbs)
□ Ground beef (1 lb)
□ Eggs (2 dozen)
□ _______

**🥛 DAIRY & REFRIGERATED** (After protein)
Weekly:
□ Milk
□ Butter
□ Greek yogurt (toddler)
□ Cheese
□ _______

**🥫 PANTRY** (Can skip weekly)
This week:
□ _______
□ _______
□ _______

**❄️ FROZEN** (Last before checkout)
□ _______
□ _______

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### BUDGET OPTIMIZATION STRATEGIES

**Where to Splurge:**
- Meat quality (better taste, more satisfying portions)
- Olive oil (health benefits, you use it daily)
- Eggs (pasture-raised worth the $2 extra)

**Where to Save:**
- Generic pantry items (same quality as name brand)
- Frozen vegetables (often more nutritious than "fresh")
- Seasonal produce (50% cheaper + better taste)

**Costco Strategy (Monthly Trip):**
Buy here: Rice, oats, frozen fruit, olive oil, butter, chicken breasts
Don't buy here: Produce (too much for 3), specialty items

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### STORE NAVIGATION ORDER

1. **Produce** → Most decisions, do while fresh
2. **Deli/Bakery** → If needed
3. **Protein** → Plan substitutions if needed
4. **Dairy** → Quick selections
5. **Center aisles** → Skip most weeks
6. **Frozen** → Last to keep cold
7. **Checkout** → Review list at register

*This order minimizes backtracking and keeps cold items cold*...