Background
I used to write up a grocery list in this way: whenever I came up with something we needed, it went next on the list. Naturally that list was not in any sort of order since it was jotted down as we ran out of things and as came up with ideas for dishes we wanted to make. So when I went shopping, I would be strolling through the aisles, having a great time looking at food products, and then I would realize that an item I needed was 4 aisles back and I had even been standing right next to it! Ugg, now I need to backtrack to go get that item! I hated that wasted time and figured there was a way to be more efficient. Plus with a toddler either at home or shopping with me, I needed to make things even quicker.Initial Design
It took me a few visits to the grocery store to scribble down notes and refine it, but now I've got this spruced up so it matches the way I shop in my local grocery store, Copps.My Copps grocery list maker (Word doc on Google Drive)
It's organized by the aisles and sections of my local store's layout, so your store is probably different. Feel free to grab this and use it as a template to make your own.
Evolution!
Then I progressed to a more advanced version, the master grocery list. This is the same basic idea, but it includes the main products we buy on a regular basis. It's even so specific that it mentions brand names and preferences so conceivably I could hand this list to Husband Jeff and he could buy the groceries without issue.
Master Grocery List (Spreadsheet on Google Drive)
This took a lot longer to make. I had to go through the groceries we had in the pantry, cupboards, fridge, and freezer to figure out what we buy and if we have any preferences. I also browsed all of the grocery store fliers that came to our house to help ensure I had everything on the list that we typically buy.