I live in the bush and only go into town once a week, so I usually bulk buy and plan meals. I also get cut off during flooding, so if it’s the rainy season and a risk of flood I stock up.
Strangely enough, I used to research this. I used to work for a grocery delivery company and we’re travel around to learn how people fed themselves in different parts of the worlds.
For North America and Europe, the big difference was among people in major cities, vs rural or suburban areas. The grocery, transportation infrastructure, and housing stock are often very very different. And that changes how people eat.
City shoppers = smaller, more frequent, shopping trips that cover the day or week.
Outside of the city = more need / opportunities to “stock up” and buy in bulk.
I used to go to a local supermarket once a week. I didn’t (and don’t) have my own transport, so I’d walk there (or get the bus there rather than home after work) and then take a taxi back home. Buying a week at a time worked out cheaper than constantly getting bits and pieces from even closer stores, but carrying the bags then became a pain, hence needing a taxi back, which undid the savings somewhat. (The bus is not really viable when you have four or more bags.)
Then I switched to every two weeks to save on taxi fare, shoe soles and dealing with weather.
And now I just order online and have it delivered every couple of weeks. I’d order more, but my fridge only holds so much, and fresh vegetables only keep so long anyway. And the delivery charge is a third of the price of a taxi home.
The only downside is that I don’t get the exercise of the walk to the supermarket.
I go to 4 different grocery stores for different items that are only found on each respective store. So I usually visit each of them once in the span of 2 weeks.
I used to have a market that was in between a subway ride from work and the rest of the walk home. I found picking up just a handful of things I needed, however often, was not a chore for me the way a large trip to can be. If I didn’t work a later schedule and had to deal with max crowds and lines that might not be the case.
Right now I live about half a mile from the nearest market, so we tend to do it as a car trip, less often, for more stuff at a time. Sometimes I will do it on foot. Not terrible but given the choice, I’d prefer the other situation.
This is also impacted by having a ‘we’ situation. If you don’t have to consider anyone by oneself it is easier to never plan.
A bit of both. Cooking is one of my hobbies so I keep a stocked pantry with goods that are shelf stable. But I also prefer to buy my produce as close to use as possible so go to the store several times a week for the perishable stuff.
It is not a dichotomy. Some stuff I buy to last a month or two, some other stuff I buy if I need it that day.
Some of the factors are, storage space, availability near home, shelf life, price difference.
There is no point in buying a year supply of rice to save 30€ but I’m willing to buy a year supply of table salt just so I can forget about it and it won’t use that much space in the pantry.
Once every 1 or 2 weeks. I like to have some stock in case of bad snow storms, or if I just don’t feel like going.
Nothing goes to waste. That’s what the freezer is for, and then it goes into soup eventually. Meal planning also helps. I have a dry erase board on the fridge so I can plan ahead and have a “menu” of what’s prepared.
standard American big weekly trip + a few small trips, like a single bunch of spinach or a single carton of oat milk. American products are portioned to be family sized, so you’ve got a few days worth when you buy something.
I often combine grocery shopping with the walks I take. If I’m not in a hurry and don’t need too many things that would be hard to carry, I’ll stop by the grocery store. When the weather is bad I might buy enough to avoid going out far for the next few days. I also keep a list of what I need to buy on my phone and update it when something runs out or is bought.
I buy the same extremely cheap food because I live in Amerikkka and food isn’t a human right here. I survive on 190 USD in food a month. So I buy what’s most calorie to price ratio that I can eat. Usually ramen pasta Roni and rice and potatoes and for a extra treat some cheese sometimes.
Been living off those items for years waiting for disability to get approved (going on 10 years as of 2026).
You know what’s wild? I’m overweight, I have a high BMI, not because I eat to much. It’s because I’m disabled and can’t afford nutrients foods and what I can afford is high in calories. If I eat less my stomach goes into a revolt because of lack of food as it’s incredibly hard for me
Anyways I don’t buy bulk. And can’t afford more then once a month of going to the store so on food stamps day I go and get everything and then stay inside tell the next month or doctor appointment,
My girlfriend and I managed to get it to a 3 week rotation. Turns out living in a city is exhausting, so we try to go out as little as possible.
Whereas my mom will go out every day to buy groceries to make dinner that night. That may be the difference between being bored and retired and being, whatever tf I am.
piefed.nullspace
I live in the bush and only go into town once a week, so I usually bulk buy and plan meals. I also get cut off during flooding, so if it’s the rainy season and a risk of flood I stock up.
I live ~50 meters from a grocery store, so I usually go several times per day.
Even if I lived that close, why several times a day? That strikes me as so many visits. Are you forgetting things that frequently?
That’s like having a huge, well-stocked pantry and fridge 50 metres away. OP doesn’t even need to have their own fridge.
That would be lovely.
Strangely enough, I used to research this. I used to work for a grocery delivery company and we’re travel around to learn how people fed themselves in different parts of the worlds.
For North America and Europe, the big difference was among people in major cities, vs rural or suburban areas. The grocery, transportation infrastructure, and housing stock are often very very different. And that changes how people eat.
City shoppers = smaller, more frequent, shopping trips that cover the day or week.
Outside of the city = more need / opportunities to “stock up” and buy in bulk.
I used to go to a local supermarket once a week. I didn’t (and don’t) have my own transport, so I’d walk there (or get the bus there rather than home after work) and then take a taxi back home. Buying a week at a time worked out cheaper than constantly getting bits and pieces from even closer stores, but carrying the bags then became a pain, hence needing a taxi back, which undid the savings somewhat. (The bus is not really viable when you have four or more bags.)
Then I switched to every two weeks to save on taxi fare, shoe soles and dealing with weather.
And now I just order online and have it delivered every couple of weeks. I’d order more, but my fridge only holds so much, and fresh vegetables only keep so long anyway. And the delivery charge is a third of the price of a taxi home.
The only downside is that I don’t get the exercise of the walk to the supermarket.
I go to 4 different grocery stores for different items that are only found on each respective store. So I usually visit each of them once in the span of 2 weeks.
I used to have a market that was in between a subway ride from work and the rest of the walk home. I found picking up just a handful of things I needed, however often, was not a chore for me the way a large trip to can be. If I didn’t work a later schedule and had to deal with max crowds and lines that might not be the case.
Right now I live about half a mile from the nearest market, so we tend to do it as a car trip, less often, for more stuff at a time. Sometimes I will do it on foot. Not terrible but given the choice, I’d prefer the other situation.
This is also impacted by having a ‘we’ situation. If you don’t have to consider anyone by oneself it is easier to never plan.
I buy in staples in bulk and produce, dairy, eggs fresh on the day. I don’t have a car so never more than I can carry.
A bit of both. Cooking is one of my hobbies so I keep a stocked pantry with goods that are shelf stable. But I also prefer to buy my produce as close to use as possible so go to the store several times a week for the perishable stuff.
It is not a dichotomy. Some stuff I buy to last a month or two, some other stuff I buy if I need it that day.
Some of the factors are, storage space, availability near home, shelf life, price difference.
There is no point in buying a year supply of rice to save 30€ but I’m willing to buy a year supply of table salt just so I can forget about it and it won’t use that much space in the pantry.
Would be interesting to see the breakdown by country (but difficult privacy-wise).
Usually 2 - 4 times a week, I’d say. (Germany)
Germany too. Once every two weeks unless I run out of something.
If it was up to me I’d have everything delivered every few weeks, but nobody delivers in Südbaden.
Doesn’t that make it more expensive to shop every day for small portions.
Big time more expensive.
Yeah
I tend to shop daily
Once every 1 or 2 weeks. I like to have some stock in case of bad snow storms, or if I just don’t feel like going.
Nothing goes to waste. That’s what the freezer is for, and then it goes into soup eventually. Meal planning also helps. I have a dry erase board on the fridge so I can plan ahead and have a “menu” of what’s prepared.
I go about once a week
standard American big weekly trip + a few small trips, like a single bunch of spinach or a single carton of oat milk. American products are portioned to be family sized, so you’ve got a few days worth when you buy something.
Paper products, freezer things, and snacks mostly come from Costco about once per month or when needed.
Milk, eggs, yogurt, veggies and things that get used regularly are bought weekly.
Things that are best fresh, like salad stuff, and items needed for recipes are more frequent.
Case by case mainly because it gives me an excuse to get out of the house for a trip often.
Cleaning supplies and other non food items I typically buy in bulk unless it’s a rare thing
Food I almost never buy in bulk because most of it goes bad pretty quickly and I don’t eat a lot of processed and shelf stable stuff.
The market is also very close
I often combine grocery shopping with the walks I take. If I’m not in a hurry and don’t need too many things that would be hard to carry, I’ll stop by the grocery store. When the weather is bad I might buy enough to avoid going out far for the next few days. I also keep a list of what I need to buy on my phone and update it when something runs out or is bought.
I buy the same extremely cheap food because I live in Amerikkka and food isn’t a human right here. I survive on 190 USD in food a month. So I buy what’s most calorie to price ratio that I can eat. Usually ramen pasta Roni and rice and potatoes and for a extra treat some cheese sometimes.
Been living off those items for years waiting for disability to get approved (going on 10 years as of 2026).
You know what’s wild? I’m overweight, I have a high BMI, not because I eat to much. It’s because I’m disabled and can’t afford nutrients foods and what I can afford is high in calories. If I eat less my stomach goes into a revolt because of lack of food as it’s incredibly hard for me
Anyways I don’t buy bulk. And can’t afford more then once a month of going to the store so on food stamps day I go and get everything and then stay inside tell the next month or doctor appointment,
My girlfriend and I managed to get it to a 3 week rotation. Turns out living in a city is exhausting, so we try to go out as little as possible.
Whereas my mom will go out every day to buy groceries to make dinner that night. That may be the difference between being bored and retired and being, whatever tf I am.
I go weekly