Shopping is always a challenge especially when you have children. But shopping during a pandemic has been even more stressful and difficult to navigate. But wait… let’s not give up just yet. There are some ways to get organized and get the food we need to tame those hungry beasts!
1. Keep all your reusable shopping bags in the car. After you go to the grocery store pack all those bags inside one larger one and get them back into the car so you are ready for your next trip.
2. When making a list organize your needs by category. I’m sure by now you’ve memorized the layout of your favourite grocery store (that is until they go a rearrange it on you). So when you write your list imagine walking through the store and put your items in order or at least like items together. That way you can avoid having to zig zag all over the place.
3. If you have to take your children with you, make sure that they are well cared for before you go in. That means bathroom, water and food so that you aren’t having to deal with those issues in the middle of the store. You too parents! Hangry shopping means lots of extra junk in the cart because you are starving.
4. If your children tend to make a fuss every time you go shopping and want treats, make a plan before you go into the store. Decide before hand if you are gong to get something and what that will be. Setting clear expectations is important and can help avoid a meltdown or a cart full of junk.
5. Only take in the essentials. No need to bring in your whole purse or bag and coat inside. It just adds to the stress and number of things you need to keep track of. If you are concerned about picking up extra germs, then taking less with you can help with that issue too.
6. Plan to go shopping when it is the least busy time. Find out when your local store is not so busy and plan to go shopping then. Many stores have special hours for seniors too. For our family I go once a week on a Sunday morning while the family is sleeping in. This was I can go alone and the store is not busy at all.
7. Bonus Tip When you get home have one person unload, sort and wash the groceries while another person helps to put away. We put away the freezer food (often out of the package to save space) first, then move on to the fridge items. Our family washed anything we can in hot water and we soak the produce in baking soda water first.
Having a plan, a list and a happy shopper can make all the difference when you go to the store. I’d love to hear your shopping tips in the comments below!
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Even though I shop with a list which is organized by section as you recommend, sometimes I overlook something. Instead of going back for it right away, I circle it. That way if I happen to miss more than one item, I can pick them all up at the end. And because it's circled, if I can't find something or it's out of stock, I know I need to add it to my list for next time.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I often circle items that I can't find so I'll remember to add them to my list next week.
DeleteBeing prepared and having clear expectations makes such a big difference with children! My children are adults now, but I remember sometimes having a scavenger-type check list for them that was fun and entertaining. Their reward was 25 cents--which seemed reasonable way back in the 90's!! https://www.organizedbyolive.com
ReplyDeleteI love the scavenger hunt idea that is a lot of fun and helpful too.
DeleteThank you so much. It certainly is a challenge to get out to the stores some days
ReplyDeleteHangry shopping, hahaha! So true and so easy to avoid. I have two tiny kids who need snacks on order to do anything outside the house. I always make sure to load them up with healthy snacks to avoid meltdowns. Great post! Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHealthy snacks are a great idea! Otherwise we ned up buying a lot of junk in the store.
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