A Well-Stocked Cupboard

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List your top 5 grocery store items.

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I’m a simple soul. I live at a residential college, so most of my meals are taken in the Dining Hall. That has its advantages, but no matter how much effort goes into variety, repetition is part of the deal. One side-effect is that trips to the supermarket become mercifully uncomplicated.

My top five grocery items are shaped less by appetite than by rhythm.

There’s mince for the dog. We try to feed her well, so I skip the canned food and stick with mince and good-quality kibble ordered online. It keeps her healthy, and it feels like the right kind of care.

Oats come next. Breakfast is the same most mornings: a bowl of oats with seasonal fruit and homemade muesli — nuts, seeds, coconut, a handful of cranberries. It’s familiar, steady, and quietly sustaining.

Milk is essential. We go through it faster than I expect, which means it’s always on the list, even when I think we have enough.

Oranges never fail to make an appearance. I love them, and a bag will disappear over a week or two without any conscious effort.

And then there are mixed nuts. On two lighter days each week, a salad and a handful of nuts is all I need.

It’s not an exotic list. I’m not an adventurous shopper. But there’s a quiet satisfaction in it. The cupboard isn’t full of choice, just provision. Everything in it has a purpose, and everything earns its place. When I open the door, I’m not looking for inspiration — only reassurance that what’s needed is already there.