Festive Food and Drink Shopping List

Who this is for

The big Christmas shop, in one list. Write each item with its section, the shop you will buy it from and the day it is needed, then compare your estimated cost with what you actually paid.

The person in the household doing the festive food shop, and anyone catering for visitors across several days who needs to spread the buying out.

What this helps you track

• Everything to buy for the festive days, by section of the shop
• Which shop each item comes from
• The day each item is needed, so fresh food is bought last
• Estimated and actual cost, and the difference between them
• What is still to buy

How to use it

1. Write the dates you are catering for, the number of people and the shops you plan to use.
2. List every item with its quantity, section and shop, and the date you need it by.
3. Add an estimated cost from your own idea of prices, then write the actual cost from the receipt.
4. Tick each item as it is bought; the totals, the difference and the items outstanding are worked out in the browser and the workbook.
5. Sort or group by shop before each trip, and by date needed for fresh items.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Why have a date needed column?

So you can buy long-life food early and leave fresh food until just before it is needed. Sort the workbook by that column, or read down it on paper, before each shopping trip.

Where do the estimated costs come from?

From you: last year's receipts, a shop's website or a guess. The sheet supplies no prices. The point is to see how your estimate compares with what you actually spent.

How much food do I need for the number of people?

The sheet does not say, because appetites, menus and visitors vary. The number of people field is there as a reminder while you write your own quantities.

Is this different from the Christmas dinner timing plan?

Yes. This list covers buying everything for the festive days. The timing plan covers cooking one meal, working back from when you want to eat.