I don't exactly make a list, but I do usually have a basic plan. I start in produce, there are things I buy every week, because I eat a lot of them, for example, carrots, celery, apples, melon (this is me, you might have different items). Then I buy other things that look good, like seasonal fruit, and vegetables. I typically build dinners around whatever vegetables look good. This is maybe more natural for me because I'm a vegetarian, but even back when I ate meat I did this. Based on what vegetables I buy, I know what I need to get to go with them.

For breakfast and lunch, I try to have a basic plan about what I'm eating for the week. Breakfast might be a healthy cereal, plain yogurt and frozen berries, or whatever. I usually have one (maybe two) things planned for lunches, for example, hummus (to go with veggies), a sandwich, etc., and then mix it up with leftovers from dinner.

I also try to make sure I have pantry staples like brown rice or beans, so I don't discover I'm out of them halfway through the week. I usually buy enough of these that I don't have to bother buying them again for a while.

For me this works, because it gives me enough structure (knowing I want to eat certain things for the week), but also lets me get enough variety that I don't be bored. The other thing that people always say, but I do find helpful, is just avoid certain sections of the store. I typically spend most of my shopping time in the produce section, I don't go near the bakery, I stop in frozen food just to get any frozen fruit or veggies I need, then get any dairy I might be buying. I hit the middle of the store for pantry staples (rice, quinoa, almond milk) only when I'm out or buying something specific for a recipe.

I know this isn't a specific list, which is what you asked for, but I doubt you'd really want to eat what I eat every week anyway. The other thing is, after a while, you get accustomed to not buying certain things, and it stops being so much of a struggle. Oh, the other thing is, keep in mind that if you're eating a lot of produce, it's going to look like you're buying a ton of stuff, even if it's not that many calories.

What I do:

Breakfast is pretty basic. I have either eggs with cheese or steel cut oats/oatmeal. Both are quick and easy for a workday morning.

Lunch - Planned overs. i.e. planned leftovers from dinner the night before.

Dinner - Here's where the shopping list comes in.
* We (we = husband and I) get the weekly store ads on Wednesday.
* We make note of what's on sale (veggies, meats, and staples like flours, beans, tuna, etc.)
* We flip through cookbooks, kind of randomly, and pick out 7 recipes that look yummy, then write them on the fridge (piece of paper works, we have a magnetic white board), plus one "lazy back up" meal just in case we have a "I don't really want to cook" night.
* Any ingredients for those recipes that we don't have on hand (note, we've stocked up when certain staples, mentioned above, were on sale previously) go on to the grocery list.
* We go through our envelope of coupons to see if we have one for anything that's on the list.
* One of us goes to the grocery store and buys what's on the list.
* Each morning we get out the meat/fish/whatever's frozen out of the freezer for that night's planned meal.
* Each night, we cook the pre-planned recipe and store the planned overs for the next day's lunch.

Saves money and makes list making plus grocery shopping a breeze.

As for a cure for a sweet tooth, I have a mouth full of them, and no cure in sight. My solution is to eat a lot of fruit. Also, if I can manage to make it a week without sugar, I want it a lot less. That first week is just painful.

As a side note, I REALLY miss good farmer's markets. Also, I loved the point about spices, they really do help.

Well, I was just wondering if you have an iPhone? In the iPhone is an application called iCookbook... I love it! You can search through thousands of recipes! These recipes allow you to make substitutions, for healthier choices, or even change up the recipe. As you tag the recipes you would like to cook, it creates a grocery/shopping list for you. I email it to myself and delete anything I may already have in stock, and then off I go to the market. What I am learning to love about this app (still playing) is you can utilize these recipes to create your weekly plan ahead of time.

If you don't have an iPhone... please, please check out http://healthygrocerylist.com/... This site is the easiest ever... search recipes depending on your nutritional needs, once you have a recipe you can calculate the number of servings to the right. It will list the recipes you selected for the week and then click generate grocery list and ta-daa!!!

Remember, planning ahead is key... have that list and STICK to it!

Enjoy!