You know the drill: it’s 3pm, the dinner hour is staring you down, and the fridge is giving serious “there’s nothing in here” energy.
That’s where grocery delivery saves the day, especially if you know how to work the system.
Whether you’re a meal-planning master or just winging it one week at a time, these grocery delivery hacks will help you save time, cut down stress, and maybe even keep your kids from adding 12 bags of fruit snacks to the cart.
Why Grocery Delivery Is a Busy Family’s Secret Weapon
We all know that grocery delivery can save hours each week by skipping the run to the store (and the extra runs to pick up something you forgot on the first run #been there)
But I also love grocery delivery because it cuts down on my impulse buys. I’m not as easily swayed by endcap specials, flashy new items, and my stomach doesn’t make nearly as many decisions for me as my wallet does (which is kind of the point!)
I also get to schedule the grocery shop around the chaos – not the other way around. I’ve placed ingredients into my Instacart cart from the sidelines of more games than I can count.
Another bonus? Ordering online saves me from the begging of “mom can we pleeeeeeease get more nutella/chips/soda/candy” argument that my children love to spring on me when I’m at my weakest moment.
Hack #1 – Create a Master Grocery List Template
It’s a good idea to keep a written list somewhere you can glance at every time you sit down to place that order. Bonus points if you and your spouse use a shared list in your iNotes or Google Keep.
If you’re an Instacart user like I am, you can create a recurring or reusable shopping list in Instacart to make grocery ordering way easier (and faster)!
Here’s how:
Option 1: Use the “Lists” Feature
You can also check/uncheck items depending on what you need that week.
- Open the Instacart app or go to instacart.com.
- Click on the three lines in the top left to open the menu.
- Select “Your Lists” (or “Lists” on desktop).
- Create a new list—call it something like “Weekly Basics” or “Meal Plan Staples”.
- Add your go-to items (milk, bread, bananas, snacks, etc).
- When you’re ready to shop, open your list and click “Add All to Cart.”
Option 2: Reorder from Past Orders
This is a great way to recreate weekly hauls if your meals tend to stay consistent.
- Go to “Your Orders.”
- Scroll through previous orders and hit “Reorder All” or select individual items.
Bonus Hack:
If you tend to meal plan around the same meals each week, make a few separate lists like:
- “School Lunches”
- “Quick Dinners”
- “Breakfast Staples”
- “Snack Restock”
Then you can mix and match based on your week!
Bonus Hack:
Hack #2 – Use Store Loyalty Programs and Coupons
Instacart and Walmart will let you add your store cards to your delivery account, which means you’re still getting the best deals, even if you’re clicking away instead of physically tossing items into your cart.
You can even add in coupons! If you find digital coupons on websites, or the old-fashioned way via the newspaper, most delivery apps will have a section a checkout where you can plug in your coupons.
Plus, they’ll often offer coupon deals right in the app. It gets added right into your final total for a super-easy checkout process.
Hack #3 – Schedule Deliveries During Off-Peak Hours
One of my favoriter things about grocery delivery is that I get to do it when it suits me – not when I can squeeze a run to the store into my already packed days.
I recommend picking early morning or late evening deliveries; this almost always means better availability and sometimes it’s a faster delivery, too.
Those early morning runs can be even more beneficial for you, since they often coincide with restocking times at stores, so you have less chance of the dreaded “your shopper made a substitution” notifications.
Hack #4 – Batch Your Orders by Meal Plan
One of the easiest ways to streamline your shopping is by building themed meal nights into your week. Think: Taco Tuesday, Pasta Night, or Sheet Pan Thursday. These little routines cut down on decision fatigue and make your ingredient list a breeze to build.
If you’re building your meal plan from recipe links online, this is incredibly easy to integrate into delivery apps. Many apps (like Instacart or Walmart+) let you add entire recipes to your cart with one click.
It takes the guesswork out of shopping and ensures you don’t forget that one random spice or veggie you swore you had but don’t.
It’s like meal planning on autopilot. Future you will be so grateful!
Hack #5 – Share the Load
You don’t have to be the only one wrangling the grocery list. Most grocery delivery apps let you use shared logins or shared carts, which means your partner, nanny, roommate, or helpful teen can pitch in.
Got older kids? Make it a weekly chore for them to help build the order. It’s a great way to teach responsibility, and they’ll think twice before complaining about what’s for dinner when they picked half the groceries themselves!
Pro tip: Have the final say on what’s in the cart before hitting that “buy” button. That way you won’t be surprised when ice cream or fruit snacks wind up in the delivery order lol
Hack #6: Try Subscription Add-Ons for Regular Items
If you’re always buying the same staples (looking at you, milk, eggs, and granola bars), a grocery subscription can seriously lighten your mental load.
Many delivery services, like Amazon Fresh, will let you set up recurring weekly or biweekly deliveries for your most-used items, so you don’t have to start from scratch every time.
Even better? You can tweak your order week to week, so it’s flexible when your needs change. Keep your core list on repeat and update the extras as needed.
That’s less time scrolling the app, and more time doing literally anything else.
Don’t Forget the Tip and Rating
It might not seem like a “hack,” but tipping well and rating your shopper is one of the best ways to make grocery delivery actually smooth and reliable.
Plus, showing a little appreciation goes a long way in building a better experience next time around. If someone nails your order (and doesn’t squish the bananas), give them five stars and a thank you. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Final Thoughts: Work Smarter, Not Harder
Your time is precious – especially during the after-school chaos or bedtime scramble!
Grocery delivery is like having a magic errand elf, if you know how to make the most of it. With a few simple systems and the hacks above, you can stress less, eat better, and maybe even enjoy meal planning again. Maybe. 😄
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