Collection of Shopping Lists

Wanted Something Different

After spending a long time with books of lists, I wanted to refresh my perspective on a familiar phenomenon — the list. I thought I should revisit the other books about lists I had only skimmed through, and perhaps even look into those I had never opened.

I must say, my impulse met with only partial success. While searching for the right book, I stumbled upon a new one: “Milk Eggs Vodka” [1]. This book explores shopping lists.

The author of the book, Bill Keaggy, is a collector. However, he doesn’t collect stamps or coins — he collects shopping lists. Bill began collecting lists either in 1996 or 1997. Soon, his passion will mark 30 years! In 2000, he created the website https://grocerylists.org/ and uploaded the first 40 lists.

In 2004, The New York Times wrote about the website, and the mentioned book was published in 2007. Currently, the collection includes approximately 3,800 lists.

“Milk Eggs Vodka” is structured like an album with commentary. Staying true to the original genre, let’s take a look at a few lists from the website’s collection.

So, the List of Shopping Lists from the Collection of Shopping Lists

The Very First List

I am not entirely sure, but this might be the list where it all began. At the very least, the file is proudly named 0001.jpg.

Here’s what it contains:

1. Canned tuna fish
2. Paper towels
3. Frozen peas
4. Biscuits
5. Pie crusts
6. Mince for pie
7. Vanilla ice cream
8. Chz in can
9. Crackers
10. Meat
11. Eggs
12. Milk
13. Soda

Link to the original.

A Shopping List on a To-Do List Template

Here, we have three in one: a checklist, a to-do list, and a shopping list. How could I not include it in the article?

1. Gooey Butter
2. Ice cream 3/5
3. Pot pies 3/10.00
4. Pepsi 79¢
5. Soup
6. Gel caps/medicine
7. Milk
8. Hot dogs 3/5.00
9. Pasta
10. Scrub
11. Paper plates
12. Lettuce
13. HB ground beef
14. Meat

Link to the original.

A Shopping List with Love

At one time, the blog featured a to-do list from country singer Johnny Cash. The second item on the list was “Kiss June”. This shopping list, in turn, includes the item “Kisses for Kathy”.

1. 1 (28 oz.) can Red Gold Tomatoes
2. 2 Jalapeño peppers
3. 1 bunch cilantro
4. Tortilla Chips
5. Kisses for Kathy
6. Cauliflower for roast

Link to the original.

A List for the Focused

The aforementioned book begins with an introduction by Jim Kudall. It goes as follows:

My grandfather was an inveterate list-maker. He’d write something down on a scrap of paper and would never look at it again. For him, the physical act of writing was enough to elevate the note to a more permanent status in his mind. He’d say, “I’m not writing this down to remember it later, I’m writing it down to remember it now.”

1. Gas

Link to the original.

A List for Those Who Dislike Lists

Remember Grumpy Cat? The famous internet meme of the mid-2010s? As you might guess, Grumpy Cat was displeased with many things. And apparently, she hated lists too — at least, that’s what this paper says.

1. Yellow tomatoes
2. Butter lettuce
3. Celery
4. Avocado
5. Peppers (sweet)
6. Baby cucumbers
7. Grapeseed oil
8. Lemon juice

Link to the original.

Want to Explore More?

Feel like visiting the collection yourself and browsing through the lists? Go ahead — it’s available online. Bill has even created ultimate shopping lists for various themes based on the ones he found. Have fun exploring the website that:

Proudly wasting the valuable time of people everywhere since ~2000.

Enjoyed learning about this unusual collection? Don’t forget to subscribe to the “So List” blog. There’s plenty more to admire here. And you can also learn how to solve many issues using lists and checklists.

List of Links

[1] Bill Keaggy, “Milk Eggs Vodka: Grocery Lists Lost and Found”, ISBN 978-1440312014