How to Make a Grocery List for Vacation

Why do I need to make a grocery list for vacation?! When I reach my destination, I’ll stop by the store and grab what I need. It sounds easy enough, but in my experience, not having a list slows me down. I also forget stuff and have to go back.

It took a while, but I finally learned that it helps to plan some meals, make a grocery list, and decide which foods to bring. I don’t do this for all trips, but it’s beneficial for longer vacations when we stay at a place with a kitchen.

This is also a must when you are traveling with picky little eaters! Some foods my son eats are hard to find at stores in some places, like Kauai.

Make a list of meals and drinks

What ingredients do I need?

Now, what ingredients do I need to make what I planned? I’ll list out a few of the meals shown above:

Omelets: eggs, milk, cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, spinach, bacon, avocado, green onions, and pepper.

Egg McMuffins: eggs, milk, cheddar cheese, bacon, english muffins, butter.

Tacos: tortillas, rotisserie chicken, refried beans, cheddar and pepper jack cheese, avocado, onions, and salsa.

You’ll notice there are duplicate ingredients. I keep listing all the items for each meal so I don’t miss anything, and then I remove duplicates afterward. It also makes life easier by planning meals that share ingredients, and it can save money.

Decide where to grocery shop

After spending hours traveling, the last thing I want to do is go grocery shopping, so to speed up this process, I break up my grocery list by store.

Here’s my final list of all the ingredients I listed above. Of course, it’s much longer when we travel.

Costco: rotisserie chicken, eggs, milk

Target: bacon, english muffins, tortillas, butter, cheddar cheese, pepper jack cheese, refried beans, avocado, onions, green onions, spinach, salsa

Pack: pepper

Which foods should I pack?

I pack foods that could be hard to find in a store or things, like salt and pepper, that I only use a little bit of, so it would be a waste to buy.

Some common things I bring are coffee, tea, salt, pepper, taco seasoning, pasta, and any spices I might need for a recipe (pre-measured).

Then, I throw in my son’s staples, like breakfast bars, fruit snacks, rice rolls, raisins, Cheerios, and Paw Patrol mac and cheese because somehow, it’s different from the original. 😏 Packing his food is also handy when he wants a snack on the plane.

I bring zip-lock bags and a small roll of saran wrap to store leftovers. Sometimes, we’d cook a meal and realize we had nothing to cover the food with.

Oh, I almost forgot, don’t forget a small juicer. If you like fresh fruit cocktails, it’s great to have on hand. We bought one on a Kauai trip, and now I always bring it with us!

After determining what to bring, I pack most of it in my son’s carry-on backpack! His luggage set is the best, and since we can fit everything he needs in his suitcase, his backpack always has plenty of space.

Vacation grocery list template

Click here to download a copy of the grocery list template I created in Google Sheets.

To edit the list, you’ll need to sign into your Google account. Then select File and Make a Copy. It’s easier to update the list on a computer and view it on your phone when traveling (or print it).

If multiple people are traveling with you, you can share the list and collaborate. I tried it with my mom for a Kauai trip, and it worked out great.