Grocery Store

The grocery store is one of my least favorite places to visit. It has become even less favorable since I took my three kids with me. The nightmare of grabbing everything off the shelves, and ramming their own little shopper carts into each other became a reality. However, I have come up with some easy solutions to grocery store shopping with children.

My first solution is that the adult that does the shopping has to be prepared. Most people make out a shopping list, but you can be more efficient by making a menu for the week. This menu should include breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. I keep it pretty simple with cereal, eggs, or oatmeal for breakfast; sandwiches, tortillas, or leftovers for lunch; and granola bars or fruit for snacks. So when I make my menu, dinner is what I focus on because that is what will need the most ingredients. This menu will ensure that you don't keep running back to the grocery store during the week for forgotten ingredients. I keep an ongoing shopping list that I add to throughout the week when I know I'm out of something. Your shopping list should go in order of the store layout. For example, if you know the produce section is in the front of the store you should have those items on your list first. So be familiar with the store. You don't need to go down every aisle because this will make it more likely that you will buy more things you don't need or your little shopper will grab more things. I have heard many adults say that they don't have time to make a menu or list. My theory is that you spend the time making the list or you spend time in the store deciding. Either way, its the same time being spent.

Now you need to prepare your little shoppers. The first thing is make sure that they have just eaten a meal or snack before going to the store. I get cranky when I'm hungry, and my boys are similar. So lesson learned, don't go to the store hungry. If your little shopper is going to stay in the cart bring some small toys or books. My 8-month old stays in the car seat, which snaps to the front of the cart. I have toys for her to chew on. My 4-year old and 3-year old can have their own little carts or take turns pushing the big cart, but I give them the expectations before we get into the store. I also go over the consequences and rewards. The consequences are to ride in the big cart, and the reward is to pick out their own cereal and yogurt. I give them each jobs to do as we go through the store. I send one of them to get the carrots while the other gets the potatoes. I keep them each busy during the grocery store trip because they each want to be helpers. The more we go to the grocery store, the more they will know the routine, and they will know how to act. 

These tips have worked for me, but I still don't enjoy the grocery store. These solutions at least make it tolerable though. If we don't break anything or spill anything, I consider the trip a success.