Weekly food shopping – what a chore! Nothing can prevent the fact that it has to be done but it is possible to make it a more simple, user-friendly process.

If you have ever tried supermarket shopping online you will know that your basic shopping list is saved from one session to the next.

This means that next time you log on, your basic shopping list has already been created and you only have to add extras or remove things you don't need.

Why not use this simple idea at home? There is no need to cudgel your brain every time you go shopping, trying to remember the basics you always require. Create a master list that you add to throughout the week. If you seem to need bleach and two loaves of bread every week, make them a permanent feature on the list.

Even better, plan your meals for the week and create your list around the ingredients you require. If you do this you are far more likely to use what you buy and fewer things go to waste. How often do things go out of date in the fridge waiting to be used?

As things are used up through the week, add them to the list. Try to get everyone in the family to use it. Older children who use up the last of something should add it to the list as they throw away the packaging. How often do you come back from a shopping trip to discover that what you believed was a full jar of peanut butter on the shelf is actually empty.

If you favour a particular supermarket, write your list in the order things can be found in the store. This will save a lot of time.
Remember to take old plastic bags with you when you go shopping so that you are doing your bit for the environment – keep a stash in the car.

Then, try to pack them logically. If all cleaning products go in one bag it will be easier to unpack and put away when you get home.

So, although I can't wave a magic wand and make the need for food shopping disappear altogether, hopefully, these tips and a good list will make the process a little more bearable.

Brigitte Girling, of Style2Live, can be contacted, 01379 897248, or www.style2live.co.uk