It is the sacred month when Muslims around the world observe fasts, spend time in prayers, and introspect.
It is also one of the busiest times of the year when supermarkets and malls are crowded with an influx of Ramadaan food shoppers. Therefore, it is always better to complete your Ramadaan preparation in advance.
Grocery expenses typically make up the largest part of Ramadaan shopping for households. Families tend to go overboard when buying goods for iftars, suhoors, and Eid Al Fitr, leaving a dent in their monthly budgets.
With inflation soaring globally on the back of rising energy and food prices, as well as supply chain disruptions, you can adjust for costs incurred during the holy month with a few financial hacks.
To be prepared for this month you could use a guide that helps you shop and store your food properly, giving you a head start on planning your meals. This way, instead of worrying about the ingredients, you will be prepared and have plenty of time to come up with creative and nutritionally complete dishes for your family and friends.
That being said, here are a few tips to keep in mind before you head out for Ramadaan grocery shopping and keep your wallet happy too.
Stick to your list
When you are going across different aisles, you might end up adding the stuff to your cart that you really do not need but were tempted to buy.
Remember to stick to your grocery list and do not buy unnecessary or unhealthy food items that can take a toll on your health and pocket, too.
Further, we advise you to either go alone for grocery shopping or take just one person along to help you load and unload the items.
Make sure you are not taking along children or elderly people since grocery markets tend to get crowded this time around.
Shop in one go
Try to do your shopping in one go. This will avoid extra trips to the supermarket where there is an opportunity and temptation to spend more. You will also avoid the chaos of extra busy supermarkets during Ramadaan.
If you need fresh produce that cannot be bought to last the month, then decide on which date you will do the rest of the shopping.
Plan your meals in advance
Plan your meals a week ahead and make a list, before you go shopping. Try and divide your list into sections based on the different food categories.
This may take a few minutes but save you time in running back and forth to different aisles within the store.
Do all your shopping online
The best part of living in 2023 is that online food and grocery stores are popping up all over the country. This has many benefits but the one that surely stands out is that temptations are reduced.
How many times do you find yourself veering from your grocery list to add something to the cart that you do not necessarily need but can’t resist the urge to buy?
Online shopping makes it so easy to find what you are looking for, check out, and wait for the delivery guy to pull up on the driveway. No more walking up and down the aisles searching for something that might be out of stock anyway.
It lets you quickly run over to the kitchen to take stock of what you have and adjust your menu accordingly.
Clean your kitchen and refrigerator
The next step is to compare your shopping list to what you already have in your kitchen and refrigerator so that you do not buy the items you already have, and add or remove items as needed.
Make sure you do not overspend on unneeded things, which could result in food waste.
Having a clean and well-maintained kitchen and fridge brings out a sense of calm and gives you better productivity and motivation in the kitchen to prepare your meals and cook them with utter precision resulting in delicious meals.
This article was originally published in IOL Food digital magazine.
