Grocery Shopping
 

Lately, it seems to take forever to go grocery shopping. It is because I read the labels on everything now. ****, yesterday I found whole grain bread that was made with enriched wheat flour.
My husband now complains. What should I do - take him with me. That might involve getting a babysitter. No one year old will make it that long in a grocery store.

Help! How should I explain this to my hubby!

Hi Ophelia. :) I would definitely leave hubby at home. If he must go with you I would try to send him to the food court to get a drink while you shop. Don't despair though. Grocery shopping won't always take so long. You'll find a core list of foods that you'll always buy once you've been doing this for a while and shopping will become a breeze.

Why is he complaining? What's he complaining about? I don't understand.

If my husband complained that I took too long at the grocery store, I'd say, "Either deal with it or go do it yourself."

I should put my husband on here to vouch for me. He'd write, "Yep, that's what she'd say," hahaha!

Like it or lump it or go do it yourself. Period. That's what I'd tell him.

I would NEVER tell my hubby to do the shopping because I know I would go home with Chips, soda, icecream, a bunch of junk food that isn't good for me....My hubby has NEVER bought anything good for him in his life!! I sent him once with a list, and he still brought back a bunch of junk food that wasn't on the list! *sigh* Although my hubby isn't really supportive of my weight loss anyway....

I totally know what they mean though about shopping taking forever....I try to read everything, and then the things I buy specifically cereals, crackers, bread, etc... , I make a list of what they are, so I know those are GOOD choices.... That makes shopping a little easier because I know what "brands" to look for next time I need those items.

Ask him to have patience, it gets easier. You won't always have to read all labels. You'll find your regulars and favourites.
I also found that going more often and just getting a few things helped. Shoot for a few days worth of good carbs, nice vegetables and fruit, healthy proteins ... go home, sort it out, eat for a couple of days ... reassess and go do it again.
I actually love grocery shopping! I'm going in just a few minutes.

Susan, me too! I love grocery shopping...I'm going in 30 minutes actually :) I am the one in my house who does the grocery shopping LOL. I am only 22 yrs old...it sounds really odd, I know...I use my mom's debit card and that's just how it works around here!

cyndy & SusanB, I wish I had that "love" for grocery shopping! I dread it! I'm not very good at planning out meals....I go with a list but then when I get things home...I'm like "What will I ever do with that?" Most of the time I'm cooking just for myself, as hubby works late shift, and I find that a hard thing to do! Don't ask me why, I just can't bring myself to cook a decent meal for just me, so I usually end up buy frozen dinners and nuking them...Bad I know! Plus I hate putting on the oven just to cook one little thing... I'm terrible! It's a frustrating thing....

Grocery shopping definitely gets easier. You'll find you'll eat pretty similar things week by week. Hubby will just have to deal with it. I can't take my dh shopping, I have tried, but it just doesn't work.

I tend to do the SusanB patented little and often method :D I chose a gym next to the supermarket, so I tend to pop in after the gym (reinforces me to make healthy choices, nothing more embarassing than going to buy a large bottle of full sugar coke, a big bag of chips and a chocolate bar and find yourself standing in front of your personal trainer at the gym! ;)

I pick the meals, make a list and then shop. That way, when I get home, I know exactly what I will do with the foods I bought - they are for specific recipes. If you have a hard time making one meal for yourself, make a big meal and eat it over several days. I make big batches of home made soup, pasta sauce. I live alone so I usually eat it for a couple of nights and then freeze the rest in individual containers for later. I have no problems turning on the oven for one thing, that's what the oven is for, cooking things.

I actually love going to the grocery store, I go at least 3 times a week.

I still don't understand what he's complaining about. I mean, is he mad because he has to stay home with the baby?

And of course I'd never let my husband do the shopping and he wouldn't do it anyway. I just mean that if he wants to complain about it, he can do it himself. Which he never would. Which is why he won't complain, lol.

Why would ANYONE complain about someone taking too long to grocery shop, anyway?

Yeah, I'd tell the husband to shut up. If he must go with, maybe you can trade babysitting with someone. I used to drop my son off at my friend's house on my way to the store, and she'd do the same.

I now live across the street from a grocery store, and I find myself there 3x a week. I tend to choose one or two recipes and make sure I have everything for them, then I add a bunch of fruits, grains, veggies, proteins for the other meals, mostly based on in-store specials or price reductions. I also buy a bunch of convenience foods for my teenager.

I guess I like grocery shopping. My "treats" are to go to the co-op, a high-end grocery store, or Trader Joe's every few weeks to get the stuff not found at my locally owned place. I avoid large corporate places (except TJ's) like Cub, Rainbow, etc.

I just got back ... little time, little money ... my fella's did not eat well while I was working last night so I got deli meat, good grain bread and canned soup for them. lettuce, carrots, radishes, eggs and a diet coke :)

If some money springs from a tree before Friday I'll run back for canned tuna 89 cents, canned salmon $1. on sale tomatoes and more radishes and carrots.

I took my DH grocery shopping once. Only once in 18 years. He insisted on changing the brands of things that I normally buy. For instance, Kleenex. He wanted the store brand. I said fine, he can have that box and I'll take my Kleenex. So, while I blew my nose into soft, 3-ply Kleenex, he blew into doubled up store brand and his box ran out first!!! A big "Told You So"!!!

I have to admit, he does help when we go to Costco--he pushes the cart!

A bit of advice--stick to the outside aisles for 80% or more of your food. All that processed *&(^ is in the middle of the store and it will stick to your middle if you buy it and eat it!!!

I love grocery shopping, too. The only thing I hate is lugging it all in the house and putting it all away, lol.

My hubby hates shopping, and I wouldn't let him shop for me anyway. I don't plan out exacts. Like when my list says "light yogurt". I don't write out (2 blueberry, 2 coconut, and 2 black cherry). I know what *I* want...that's why I shop for it. Now him...he's easier to shop for. He gets the same things over and over, he doesn't care about labels, and when he says yogurt, I know which ones. He only eats two flavors. LOL And none of that sissy "light" stuff for him.

As for the baby, he's 8 months and he goes everywhere with me. I do the shopping while hubby's at work. I just take plenty to keep him entertained. I have a harness and will walk with him in that some, then will sit him in the buggy, and will take a seat and breastfeed in the store. I usually spend an hour or more, because I read lables, take my time, look at things. And I generally do ALL my shopping. I will go to Wal*Mart and get toilet paper, shampoo, and makeup along with groceries. I spend time picking through fruit. I don't like bagged apples as they're usually crap. So I get individuals, and check them for soft spots, size and color. I'm a slowwwwww shopper.

I used to hate shopping. Something about losing the weight and getting all that excess weight off my knees made me feel more like standing. Now I don't mind shopping at all. I enjoy it. And that's probably why I take a lot of time at it.

When I get home, I put the baby in his crib while I bring the groceries in. Then I put him in his high chair with some of the Gerber fruit puffs, some juice and a toy while I put the groceries away.

Oh...yes...memories of shopping with a one year old!! Not too long ago for me...but long enough...it goes fast!

Have you ever tried those fruit puffs? They are pretty good!

My friend has a baby and the banana puffs smell NOXIOUS!

I love grocery shopping too, and find myself there several times a week. Went last night in fact. I do not like either sending DH or taking him with me. First off, if I send him, I have to make the list very detailed or specific, and it doesn't allow for getting the produce that's on sale vs what's on the list and things like that. If I take him, he has a low boredom threshhold and doesn't want to stop and look at new things, or read labels, or compare products. He wants me to tell him what to get and he'll go off and get it. He can't understand how I can spend an hour or more there. :lol: Best bet is to go by myself - we're all happier! :)

If DH is complaining about how long it takes, maybe you should bring him and the baby along (that would possibly cure his complaining, having to deal with a 1 yr old at the grocery store vs. the house). He might want to spend time with you at home and gets impatient waiting for you to come home. Or another idea might be to wait until the baby is down for the night (if you have a store that is open late night) and do your shopping then.

Just some ideas from an older (experienced?) single mom, it has been awhile since I've had to do shopping with children that young, but when I did I made sure I had my standards shopping list ready and a few items for the babies to keep them occupied and happy.

I've "tried" just about everything. I "like": cherry, banana, and strawberry-apple fruit puffs, plus sweet potato and sweet corn veggie puffs, Hawaiian Delight, Mixed Fruit, Mango, Appricots, Blueberry Buckle, Vanilla Custard Pudding, etc. etc., and sweet potato soufflé. :D

My husband likes to go grocery shopping with me because I don't buy enough red meat!! He is always checking out the steaks. Weird, huh? My step-dad is coupon king. When I was younger he loved toliet paper coupons because he just couldn't believe how much toliet paper three girls went through! I can still picture him coming through the door with a case of toliet paper. Pretty funny if you ask me.

I always bring my boyfriend grocery shopping with me. I need him there to keep me honest (i.e., if I go alone, I will likely buy junk food to eat in the car on my way home--sad, I know, but I have a bingeing problem). He doesn't actually do any of the shopping. The first thing he does when we get in the store is go to the magazine section. Then he picks one and reads it while he follows me around the store :p He's there if I need to ask him anything (what kind of cereal do you want this week? are you out of mayo? questions about products I don't use or pay attention to at home) and to keep me honest, as I mentioned. I take quite a while, and he has NEVER complained about how long it takes. If I sent him to do the shopping alone, he would come back with Hot Pockets, frozen pizzas, soda, and maybe some chips, or maybe some expensive things I don't normally buy (like steak or big bags of pistachios--he loves those).

I don't have any kids, but when I do, if I'm still with my current boyfriend (fingers crossed), he will certainly stay home with the kid(s) while I do the shopping. He doesn't know enough to do it himself, and I'm sure a couple hours of quality time with the kids once a week won't kill him ;)