> Skip to content
FEATURED:
  • Student Success Resource Center
Sign In
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
Sign In
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
Sign In
ADVERTISEMENT
Profhacker Logo

ProfHacker

Teaching, tech, and productivity.

  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Show more sharing options
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Copy Link URLCopied!
  • Print

Preparing for a new semester: Conquer the grocery store

By  George Williams
August 17, 2009
From flickr user ghwpix. (CC-licensed)

ProfHacker leans towards how to achieve better living through embracing the digital, but our emphasis is “better living” and not necessarily “embracing the digital.” And so we also aim to provide common-sense tips on getting things done more efficiently–through whatever method–so that you can get on with spending most of your time on what’s really important to you. Now, shopping can be therapeutic if you’re on the hunt for nice clothes or a present to take to a friend’s birthday party. However, I don’t know many people who relish the thought of going to the grocery store to stock the pantry, especially once the semester is in full swing with class prep, piles of grading, committee meetings, writing deadlines, and conference preparations eating away at your available time. Do your future, buried-under-semester-work self a favor by taking a few simple steps right now.

Last January, I tried something for the first time and have been quite pleased with the results. I bought enough non-perishables to get me through the entire semester without having to go back to the grocery store:

Dried beans, nuts, oatmeal, breakfast cereal, protein powder, pasta, jars of spaghetti sauce, canned tomatoes, canned tuna, flour, rice, cous cous, quinoa, corn meal, sugar, fruit juice, soda, boxed soy and rice milk, cat litter, cat food… You name it. I bought it.

Why stop there? I thought. So I bought enough toiletries, too:

Razors, shaving cream, deodorant, facial tissue, giant bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, liquid soap, dish detergent, laundry detergent & dryer sheets, household cleaning supplies, and–of course–toilet paper! I also bought several travel-sized containers of toiletries for taking with me when I travel to conferences.

Granted, fresh dairy and fruits and veggies and meats are also important, so I do make a weekly trip to the store–or the farmers’ market–for those items, but such trips take much less time than they would if I needed everything else, too.

Stocking the cabinets in this way was not cheap, but because I bought in bulk at a big-box discount store, I saved money compared to buying smaller quantities more regularly over the course of the semester. I’ve also been very happy with the savings in time and hassle provided by this strategy.

Does this sound like something you’d try? Or do you already stock the kitchen and bathroom cabinets in this way?

[From flickr user ghwpix. Creative-Commons licensed]

We’re sorry. Something went wrong.

We are unable to fully display the content of this page.

The most likely cause of this is a content blocker on your computer or network. Please make sure your computer, VPN, or network allows javascript and allows content to be delivered from c950.chronicle.com and chronicle.blueconic.net.

Once javascript and access to those URLs are allowed, please refresh this page. You may then be asked to log in, create an account if you don't already have one, or subscribe.

If you continue to experience issues, contact us at 202-466-1032 or help@chronicle.com

From flickr user ghwpix. (CC-licensed)

ProfHacker leans towards how to achieve better living through embracing the digital, but our emphasis is “better living” and not necessarily “embracing the digital.” And so we also aim to provide common-sense tips on getting things done more efficiently–through whatever method–so that you can get on with spending most of your time on what’s really important to you. Now, shopping can be therapeutic if you’re on the hunt for nice clothes or a present to take to a friend’s birthday party. However, I don’t know many people who relish the thought of going to the grocery store to stock the pantry, especially once the semester is in full swing with class prep, piles of grading, committee meetings, writing deadlines, and conference preparations eating away at your available time. Do your future, buried-under-semester-work self a favor by taking a few simple steps right now.

Last January, I tried something for the first time and have been quite pleased with the results. I bought enough non-perishables to get me through the entire semester without having to go back to the grocery store:

Dried beans, nuts, oatmeal, breakfast cereal, protein powder, pasta, jars of spaghetti sauce, canned tomatoes, canned tuna, flour, rice, cous cous, quinoa, corn meal, sugar, fruit juice, soda, boxed soy and rice milk, cat litter, cat food… You name it. I bought it.

Why stop there? I thought. So I bought enough toiletries, too:

Razors, shaving cream, deodorant, facial tissue, giant bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, liquid soap, dish detergent, laundry detergent & dryer sheets, household cleaning supplies, and–of course–toilet paper! I also bought several travel-sized containers of toiletries for taking with me when I travel to conferences.

Granted, fresh dairy and fruits and veggies and meats are also important, so I do make a weekly trip to the store–or the farmers’ market–for those items, but such trips take much less time than they would if I needed everything else, too.

Stocking the cabinets in this way was not cheap, but because I bought in bulk at a big-box discount store, I saved money compared to buying smaller quantities more regularly over the course of the semester. I’ve also been very happy with the savings in time and hassle provided by this strategy.

Does this sound like something you’d try? Or do you already stock the kitchen and bathroom cabinets in this way?

[From flickr user ghwpix. Creative-Commons licensed]

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Explore
    • Get Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Find a Job
    Explore
    • Get Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Find a Job
  • The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Write for Us
    • Talk to Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • User Agreement
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Site Map
    • Accessibility Statement
    The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Write for Us
    • Talk to Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • User Agreement
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Site Map
    • Accessibility Statement
  • Customer Assistance
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Post a Job
    • Advertising Terms and Conditions
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
    Customer Assistance
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Post a Job
    • Advertising Terms and Conditions
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Subscribe
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Institutional Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Manage Your Account
    Subscribe
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Institutional Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Manage Your Account
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2023 The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin