Stocking up for the zombie apocalypse

Due to the fact that I work the graveyard shift, running errands can be a bit difficult. To get around this problem, I generally only go to the grocery store once or twice a month.

We have a decent-sized fridge for storing fresh foods and a separate freezer for when we buy in bulk. I also keep a stocked larder because you never know when you’re going to need to eat from what you already have in the house.

Prior to leaving for the store, I sit down with my menu cards, cookbooks and recipe programs to plot out all our future meals. Next, I open the Clear app on my phone and create a list of ingredients. If I’m cooking at night and I notice that we’re getting low on a particular item, I’ll also add it to the shopping list. Lastly, I rearrange the list into aisle order, from produce to meat, from pantry items to dairy/frozen goods. This may sound like a ridiculous step, but I’ve found that building the list in this fashion keeps me from forgetting an item or having to backtrack.

Once at the store, I lock my purse and cloth bags to the shopping cart and don a set of headphones. The other end of the cord is plugged into my phone and tuned to a second app: Zombies, Run! You’d be amazed at how quickly you can knock out a month’s worth of grocery shopping when the undead are chasing you.

I’m sure I look quite silly during this process, particularly when I react aloud to the story’s twists and turns, or start mouthing the words to the songs, but who cares? I’m doing my chores and getting much-needed steps — all while being entertained.

What do I buy? Here’s a typical shopping list:

With these items in stock, I can create a tasty mixture of meals full of fresh and shelf-stable items. Plus, I generally manage to buy everything for about $300, which is pretty decent considering I make from-scratch meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.

So, what does your grocery list look like? And do zombies chase you, too?