matliste

Matliste is a Norwegian term referring to a list of food items to buy, commonly understood as a grocery list or shopping list. It is used for meal planning and grocery shopping, helping ensure necessary ingredients are available while supporting budgeting and reducing food waste. A matliste may be created for a single trip or as a weekly plan, often organized by category such as fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, and dry goods, and aligned with a meal plan for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Etymology and usage: The word is formed from mat meaning food and liste meaning list. In everyday Norwegian, handleliste is the more common term for a shopping list, while matliste emphasizes the food items needed to prepare planned meals. The exact usage can vary by region and household.

Construction and practices: A typical matliste starts with staples and recurring items, followed by ingredients needed for planned meals. It can be written on paper, a whiteboard, or entered in a mobile app. Shared lists facilitate collaboration, allowing household members to add items as they are noticed or used.

Relation to related concepts: A matliste intersects with meal planning and grocery management. While a recipe provides a specific ingredients list for a dish, a matliste aggregates needs from multiple recipes or plans to forecast weekly shopping requirements.

Examples: For a week featuring chicken curry and vegetarian pasta, a matliste might include chicken, onions, garlic, coconut milk, curry paste, tomatoes, pasta, bell peppers, and pantry staples like rice and oil.

See also: grocery list, meal planning, recipe ingredients.