More men are grocery shopping. I'm one of them!

Steve: According to consumer research from Schnuck Markets, six percent more men are doing the primary grocery shopping in their household versus five years ago. As someone who took over the reins about 18 months ago, I am that six percent.

What's fascinating about this research is that it corroborates with what I have found since I started buying the food.

• While men make significantly more routine and immediate needs trips than women, female shoppers spend more money during these excursions than men. Steve: I agree. While food prices have increased significantly since I took over, and my kids are eating more, I have kept the food budget in line with where it was 18 months ago.
  
  
• Women also spend more time shopping with the largest difference coming from routine trips. Steve: I agree. I cannot count how many times my kids have said after coming out of the grocery store, "Dad, Mom would have taken at least twice as long." No offense babe :)
  
  
• Men shop later in the day, and are more likely than women to make a fill in trip after 6 p.m. Steve: I disagree. I like to get it out of the way early in the morning on a Saturday or Sunday. I will go to Trader Joes, Sunset Foods/Whole Foods, and Costco in a span of ninety minutes to two hours. And I only go to these locations once a week!
  
  
• Steve: While Shcnuck's did not explore this issue, I thought I would: impulse purchases. One thing that makes my shopping more efficient is to get only what I need. I have my shopping list on my iPhone and I remove each item as I go. No impulse purchases are allowed. This allows me to go into Costco at 10AM and be checking out at 10:10AM. Boom, done!

Feel free to share your grocery shopping tips.