Oftentimes, people will grocery shop hungry, forget the list wadded in their pocket, and grab whatever looks yummy. Once home, they realize they bought 16 rotisserie chickens, a box of Chex Mix and a 6 pack of Rolling Rock.

In the interest of protecting your wallet, and preventing scurvy, BankRate has got 20 tips for smarter supermarketing. Among them:

• Shop Early and Alone: Friends convince you to buy more food, less crowded stores mean you're done faster and buy less.
• Start A Notebook: Most people only really make 20 things for dinner. Keep a notebook so you know what everything should cost—and whether that thing is a good buy at the time.
• Buy Veggies in Season: Don't buy red bell peppers in March. They're like $800!

20 ways to save on groceries [BankRate]