What to Order From the Grocery: 10 Tips for Ordering Groceries Online

Do you ever wish your weekly groceries could magically appear at your door?

The chore of grocery shopping can be tough— fighting for a parking spot, screaming children down every aisle, and big crowds on weekends.

However, with online grocery shopping, your dream can become a reality. It’s easier than ever to order groceries online from your favorite store and have them delivered to our home, right when you need them.

But how do you know what to order or how to find the right delivery company? Not to worry— it’s easier than you think.

Keep reading for our top ten tips for how to order your groceries online.

1. Be Flexible With Brands

We all have our go-to brands for cereal, coffee, condiments, and more. But when you’re ordering groceries online, you may find that you need to be more flexible.

Certain popular brands may be sold out or not available online, so it’s a good idea to have a few back-up brands in mind.

Who knows— you may accidentally discover a new favorite!

2. Save Money With Curbside Pick-Up

Grocery delivery services will charge a one-off fee for delivery, or users pay a monthly subscription fee for the service.

A top tip for saving money is to opt for curbside pick-up, outside your local store, rather than online delivery. Although it may be less convenient, it’s usually cheaper and it still saves you the hassle of shopping.

When you arrive for the order, it will be there prepared, ready to get loaded into your car. Try it out!

3. Order Early

During busy periods, including around the holidays, you should try to order well in advance of when you need your items.

Delivery windows can fill up fast, and it may be several days before the next opportunity for delivery.

Thanks to food distribution software, we can effectively transport fresh produce and perishable goods across the country, allowing freshly harvested food to reach us quickly.

However, the grocery stores still only have so many drivers and trucks, so ordering earlier gives you the best chance of getting everything on your list.

Ordering early in the day can help as well, as popular items may sell out fast.

4. Shop Around for Special Offers

If you’re new to online ordering, you’re likely to find some great deals.

There’s so much competition in the online grocery space from brands such as Peapod, Amazon, Safeway, and Target, that each store is eager to attract new customers.

As a result, may offer free or reduced-price delivery for new customers. Before placing your first order, review all the sites that deliver to your area and see which one offers the best selection, delivery times, and look for new customer deals.

5. Stock Up on Essentials

When thinking about how to buy groceries online, it’s better to place a few large orders than multiple smaller orders, since you’ll usually pay per order.

For your first big order, it can be useful to stock up on pantry and freezer essentials. Items like spices, flour, rice, sugar, and canned goods will last a long time and provide a solid base for almost any recipe.

If you’re fully stocked at home, you won’t need to worry about running out to the store each time you want to try a new recipe.

6. Give Clear Delivery Instructions

If you live in an apartment block or have a hard-to-find home, make it easier for the delivery driver by giving clear instructions about how they can access your home.

For example, do they need to park on a side street, avoid a barking dog, or buzz you on arrival?

Remember that in many cases, this may be the driver’s first time to your address. They’re busy and driving to deliver all of their orders within a specific time window, so making things easier for them helps everyone else receive their groceries in a timely fashion.

7. Know What to Order Before Going Online

When ordering online, make a grocery list just as you would if shopping in the store.

It may sound silly, but it’s just as easy to forget to put a few important items in a virtual cart as it is a real one.

If you have a list, you can methodically place your order and be sure that nothing’s left out.

8. If You Can, Tip Your Driver

Delivery drivers work hard in all sorts of extreme weather conditions to ensure you receive your groceries. Their jobs involve daily heavy lifting, driving and navigating, and probably dealing with the occasional frustrated customer.

Through all of that, they still aim to deliver with a smile on their face. If you’re ordering online, even a small tip would be very much appreciated.

It shows your appreciation for a job well done and also provides a nice benefit to someone who may be on an entry-level salary.

9. Plan Your Menus in Advance

You can save money and time by planning your menus in advance and ordering accordingly.

Come up with a few dinner ideas, or browse the grocery store’s online recipe suggestions. Whether you’re shopping in person or online, you’ll save money if you have a solid plan.

Otherwise, it’s too tempting to pop a few packets of chips or unhealthy frozen meals into the cart!

10. Try Local Produce Delivery Services

When thinking about online groceries, you may only be thinking about the large national stores. However, if you’re mainly interested in fresh fruit and produce, you may be able to find a local delivery service or farm that offers fresh produce boxes each week.

Sometimes these can be more affordable than grocery stores, as you’re ordering straight from the source. Plus, the food is sure to be in season, fresh, and delicious.

Save Time and Order Groceries Online

Now that you know what to order and how to order it, you can start enjoying online grocery shopping.

It’s a huge time saver for busy families, professionals, or those who find it hard to get to the shops. With online shopping, everything you need is at your fingertips online and can arrive at your door in a matter of hours or days.

Get started today to see how online shopping can bring convenience to your daily life.

Browse our online magazine for some more healthy lifestyle tips!