Getting There: Learning How to Maximize My Weekly Shopping With Mariano's

Remember when I told you that I was a member of Collective Bias®? This is another sponsored post that I am so happy to be a part of! I'm so excited to share it with you. Before you get worried, remember that all the opinions are my own!

This semester, I'm on an eight meal per week meal plan. That means I have to cook a lot. I also have to learn how to shop. The opportunity to visit the Jefferson Park Mariano's in Chicago gave me the perfect opportunity to test out my grocery shopping skills. I came up with a few tips that I thought everyone could use!

1. Choose the right store. It seems silly but choosing a store that has everything will save you time and money. Why go to five stores when one store has all the items you need? I like Mariano's because it had everything on my list from food, to a small spray bottle, to organic soap!

I was really excited that they had the travel sized spray bottle I needed for school!

I'm all about using natural bar soaps for body wash. I was giddy with excitement when I saw their selection. I cut myself a piece of the patchouli mint soap. It smells divine.

2. Make a list. How often do you go to a store only to forget to purchase one of your main items? I love writing things the old fashioned way but my mom says that there are some great apps for grocery lists. Mariano's even had store maps available so I'd know where I was going as I crossed things off my list. I'm forever lost in grocery stores, so that was really helpful.

I made myself a list over a cup of tea.

3. Buy the store brand. This tip is especially true for the college students out there. Buying the store brand is an easy way to eat well for less. I was really impressed with Mariano's store brand. I actually didn't realize it was a store brand until my mom mentioned it. I bought Roundy's (the store brand) brown long grain rice and my mom bought some of the Roundy's flavored water that we sampled. It was delicious!

4. Reward yourself. Rewards programs are often the simplest way to save time and money. On top of discounts, the Mariano's reward program actually lets you make shopping lists, test recipes, and view cooking videos. Mariano's also has an amazing online community full of recipes, tips, and tricks. You can also join the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #MyMarianos.

My reward was all of the goodies that I brought home!

Don't forget that you can see more pictures of my shopping trip here!

Do you have any shopping tips and trips I could use?

Share the love,

Taylor