Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Please help me to not hate the grocery store

Here's a funny video for you before I launch into my anti-grocery tirade.


Guys, I really really hate grocery shopping. Like, loathe it. When I was working all the time, Mike did all the grocery shopping, because I hated it so much. Now it falls to me, and I need help.

I have tried several things:

1) Sending Mike - this doesn't work, because I do the majority of the cooking, and I feel guilty about sending him because he works and takes classes. Plus, he always comes home with chips or something else I studiously avoid.

2) Shopping for a month at a time - if you ever want to eat fresh veggies, this doesn't work.

3) Listening to my iPod - people tend to give me weird looks like I'm antisocial or I'm about to run them down with my cart, even though I never have. I'm just as social with my earbuds out. Am I going to meet my new BFF at the grocery store? The worst part was when I listened to an audio book on my iPod, and an unexpected sad thing happened and I started crying in the middle of the store. This has also happened at the gym.

4) Online grocery shopping - they mess up my order, leave things off, and they always use plastic bags, even though I always request paper.

5) Making detailed lists - This works, but I end up putting lots of things on the list, and I end up having a cartful every time, and it's totally exhausting. I like the list-making, but not the actual shopping part.

I can't help it, the idea of going to the grocery store always fills me with dread and I just hate that place. Does anyone have suggestions on how to make it better? Is there a specific time I should go? Should I switch stores? Mix it up between Whole Foods and King Soopers (Fry's)? Go more often? I actually enjoy cooking, so that isn't the problem.

8 comments:

  1. What *specifically* do you hate about it?
    I enjoy the grocery store.... I go about 1x/week on a weekday morning (around 11a).
    It helps that I pretty much get the same food every week (stuff for salad, fruit, salsa.... and that's about it).
    Definitely try going at different times of the day

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  2. Amy - good point. I guess I specifically hate the crowds, the lines, rude check-out people, and I always think there could be something more worthwhile that I could be doing with my time.

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  3. I don't hate the grocery store specifically, but I hate shopping overall for the same reasons you stated above: the crowds, the lines, rude people, etc. BUT now, with a baby who hates being cooped up inside all day, I actually go to the grocery store almost every day just to get out of the house and to get things for that night's dinner. So I don't have much advice for you (other than get pregnant?)...but what helps for me is to go when the stores are not too crowded, and to use the self-checkout line as much as possible. Good luck!

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  4. Jenny - your comment made me laugh. Maybe getting pregnant is the solution to hating the grocery store! I'm thinking you guys are right, I should go at a different time, and go more often.

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  5. Hmmm. I enjoy the grocery store itself, it's the to and from process I don't like. Traffic, and then putting away the food once it's been bought. So Ben gets to do that part!

    I would second the suggestion to switch things up a little. Go to a different store or go at a different time. I like going at odd hours because it means there are less people there, and the people who are there are generally more interesting :)

    Also, I totally listen to my earphones when shopping sometimes! So ignore the haters who stare, because that's just the way the cool kids shop. ;)
    It makes shopping way more fun, and makes the time pass by faster. Except then I find myself distracted by what I'm listening to and end up forgetting half the things I need to buy! Oops. Or I'll be right in the middle of This American Life and have to go through aisles I've already been through just to finish the story :)

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  6. Mel - I hate putting the food away, too! Sometimes I just put the frozen and refrigerated stuff away, and then leave the other stuff out for a while and put it away later. Traffic, I don't have to worry about, because the store is so close to my house.

    I'll definitely try going at a different time. And I'm keeping the earphones!

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  7. I'm not the biggest fan of shopping either - mostly because it's SO EXPENSIVE.

    Also - I just get bored. I hope in the future grocery stores change every month; new paint job, new wacky foods, and robots that grab the high stuff for you.

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  8. @Just me - love it. I'm hoping that in the future my fridge just gets magically stocked for me.

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