Shopping List Template by Store Section (Copy and Paste)

This shopping list template is grouped by store section, so you can get through the store in one pass instead of doubling back for the butter. Copy it into any notes or reminders app, or print it. Delete what you don't need and write quantities next to what you do.

For a bigger, item-by-item shop, our grocery list for two weeks goes into more detail.

Shopping list template

Select everything in the box and paste it wherever you keep lists. Use the blank ☐ ______ lines for anything the template doesn't cover.

SHOPPING LIST          Date: __________   Store: __________

PRODUCE
☐ Bananas
☐ Apples
☐ Onions
☐ Garlic
☐ Potatoes
☐ Salad greens
☐ Tomatoes
☐ Lemons or limes
☐ ______
☐ ______

BAKERY
☐ Bread
☐ Tortillas or wraps
☐ ______

MEAT AND FISH
☐ Chicken
☐ Ground meat
☐ Fish
☐ ______

DELI
☐ Sliced meat
☐ Cheese (sliced)
☐ ______

DAIRY AND EGGS
☐ Milk
☐ Eggs
☐ Butter
☐ Yogurt
☐ Cheese (block or shredded)
☐ ______

PANTRY
☐ Rice
☐ Pasta
☐ Canned tomatoes
☐ Canned beans
☐ Oil
☐ Flour or baking supplies
☐ Spices and sauces
☐ Breakfast cereal or oats
☐ ______

SNACKS
☐ ______
☐ ______

DRINKS
☐ Coffee or tea
☐ Juice
☐ ______

FROZEN
☐ Frozen vegetables
☐ Ice cream
☐ ______

HOUSEHOLD
☐ Paper towels
☐ Toilet paper
☐ Dish soap
☐ Laundry detergent
☐ Trash bags
☐ ______

PERSONAL CARE
☐ Toothpaste
☐ Shampoo
☐ ______

OTHER (pharmacy, pet, baby)
☐ ______
☐ ______

RUNNING LOW / NEXT TIME
☐ ______
☐ ______

If your app understands Markdown, replace each ☐ with - [ ] and the items show as a tickable checklist. Our Markdown checklist syntax page shows the exact format.

Why the list is grouped by store section

If you write a list in the order things come to mind, you end up crossing the store back and forth. If you write it in aisle order, you read it top to bottom and keep walking forward.

The template follows a common supermarket layout, but no two stores are the same. The first time you use it, move the sections around to match the route you actually walk in your usual store. After that, the list follows your route without any extra work.

How to reuse the shopping list template every week

1. Keep one master copy. Save the full template and don't edit it. Each week, copy it into a fresh list and delete the lines you don't need.
2. Add things the day you run out. That's what the "Running low / next time" section at the bottom is for. When you finish the peanut butter, write it down then.
3. Check the fridge and pantry before you leave. Go down the list section by section and delete anything you already have.
4. Write quantities and sizes. "Milk, 1 gallon" or "Rice, 2 lb bag" keeps you from guessing in the aisle.
5. Plan meals first if you cook for the week. Write the week's meals, then add only the ingredients those meals need. A weekly planner template helps with that step.
6. Keep staples at the top. If you buy bread, milk and eggs every week, put them at the top of your master copy so you always see them.

You can adapt other lists the same way. See our to-do list examples and daily to-do list template.

Turning the template into a digital checklist

Paper works fine. A digital list lets you tick items off as you go, and you can reuse the same list next week by unticking everything. The main question when you pick an app is whether you need the list on your phone in the store.

Apple Notes or Reminders (if you shop with an iPhone)

If you have an iPhone, the built-in apps are the simplest choice. They sync through iCloud, so a list you write on your Mac is on your phone at the store.

• Apple Notes: paste the template, delete the ☐ symbols, select the item lines and choose Format > Checklist. Click or tap a circle to tick an item.
• Apple Reminders: supports sections inside a list, and can make a grocery list that sorts items into categories for you. The grocery list needs updated iCloud reminders and the same Apple Account on each device.

Both are free and come with the Mac and iPhone. If you shop with your phone in hand, one of these is all you need.

Microsoft To Do (Windows and Android)

As of November 2026, Microsoft To Do is free on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android and the web, and it syncs lists between devices. It works well if you plan on a Windows PC and shop with an Android phone.

Gubb (if you plan the list at your computer)

We make Gubb, a small notes app for Mac and Windows. It suits you if you build your shopping list at your computer while you plan meals, and want it in a quick window you can pin on top of other apps.

Check one limit before you choose it: Gubb has no phone app and no sync, so the list stays on your computer. To take it to the store, you copy it and send it to yourself (step 7 below).

These steps use the Mac version:

1. Hover over the top of the Gubb window to show the title bar buttons.
2. Click + (Create New Note).
3. Type "Groceries" or the date on the first line. Gubb uses the first 30 characters of the first line as the note's title, which makes the list easy to find later.
4. For each section, type ## and press Space, then type the section name, such as "Produce". The line becomes a heading.
5. On the next line, type [ ] and press Space to start a checklist item. Type the item and press Return for the next one.
6. Press Return on an empty item to end the checklist before the next heading.
7. To send the list to your phone, press ⌘⇧C (Command-Shift-C). This copies the whole note as plain text, so you can paste it into a message or email to yourself.

When you unpack the shopping, click each box to tick it and the item is crossed out. Next week, click the ticked boxes again to clear them instead of writing a new list. Notes save automatically as you type.

You can also add up a rough total in the same note:

1. Type gubb@math. Gubb replaces it with a short line confirming math mode, which you can delete.
2. Write a line of prices that ends in =, such as 3.49 + 2.99 + 4*1.25 =. Use only numbers and operators on that line.
3. Gubb adds the result to the end of the line (= 11.48).

Dollar, euro and pound signs are ignored, so $3.49 works too. Percentages don't work in math mode. Press Esc to leave math mode. The help center covers checklists and Markdown shortcuts and math in notes.

The Mac download of Gubb comes with a 7-day free trial, and the Windows version is on the Microsoft Store.

If you'd rather stick to the Mac's built-in apps, our guide to making a to-do list on Mac walks through Notes and Reminders step by step.