Over the last couple years, I’ve grown to enjoy using AnyList and my Apple Watch for grocery shopping and other errands. This setup offers a few nice conveniences like sharing lists with Jessi, a directory of things we regularly buy, and easy glance-ability when I’m actually doing the thing.
AnyList offers a bunch of perks when it comes to organizing lists. You can share one or multiple lists with other people, and they have a super affordable family plan that covers multiple users.
As you add items, AnyList creates a directory to save you typing the next time you need to shop. Instead of typing “Triscuits Family Size Less-Fat” every time I need some, I usually can just type “tri” and tap once to re-add it to our grocery list. It also automatically categorizes items by typical store departments, making it easy to grab related stuff together.
The Watch app is pretty darn good. The app is overall fast and responsive, and sync and navigation are snappy. You also can use Siri to add items to lists, although in my experience this seems to create a new item in the directory each time, even if you repeat an existing item’s name verbatim.
My habit now is to add things to our shopping list over time, and/or have Jessi add a few things while I’m on my way for an impromptu run. But when I get to the store, I like being able to put my phone away and quickly glance at my wrist for my next scavenging targets. For me, it reduces a lot of friction from carrying a printed list or keeping my (droppable) phone at the ready and constantly unlocking it.
I use the Watch option that, upon every wrist raise, displays the current app on screen for an hour from last use (Watch app on iPhone > General > On Screen Wake Show Last App). I can quickly flip my wrist for the agenda, tap items as I pick them up, and scroll to the next section.
This works really well for me. If you’re interested in a way to use your Watch in more aspects of your life, I definitely recommend giving it a shot for cases like this. AnyList is a great app and Watch companion.
