Slipper Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I feel so weird. I can never get all of my groceries in one trip through the store. I try stacking as carefully as I can, but I either make two trips or go to two different stores. I've noticed other families with half full carts cheerfully making their way to the front of the store although they may go more than once a week. Currently, i make one large trip on the week-end and then towards the end of the week, I usually have to run back for milk or some other odd or end. (Don't get me started on the cost). I do have a weird shopping list - we try to eat all gluten free due to dd's Celiac. My oldest has autism which means that she sometimes won't eat what the rest of us are eating and she's starting to eat a lot. (I blame being an almost teen-ager. My husband is aghast sometimes at how much she can eat - almost as much as he does). My husband takes salads to work (and he likes a varied salad so I buy lots of veggies). I would love to hear stories of others who have towering carts or someone in tow with a second cart at the store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merry gardens Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I can fit a lot into a single cart, but once they're bagged, I often end up with two carts. I push one and pull the other, or an older child helps with the second cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinder Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I use only one cart but I got shopping more than once a week. We have no food issues here. I've seen people with two carts where the second cart had only kids in it. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hwin Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 One cart, two weeks' worth of groceries. I feel like we eat a lot, maybe it just comes from smaller packages? :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xixstar Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 1 cart for typically 1-2 weeks worth of food, family of 5. We don't buy meat or milk at the market. So our cart usually only has produce, cheese and bread - occasionally pasta and sauce if I'm stocking up. But produce usually ends up being a good portion of the cart though our garden is reducing that now that we're into summer. Oh and we do shop at costco every few months as well and that stocks up on some staples too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REv1053 Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I refuse to push 2 carts through the store, and no way am I volunteering to take kids to the store to push the extra cart. I go twice a week if necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merry gardens Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 ... I usually have to run back for milk or some other odd or end. (Don't get me started on the cost)..... Besides using two carts at some store...we also buy milk at the gas station frequently to supplement our groceries. It's not that different in price, and I save money by staying out of the store. If I need more than just milk, I may make a second trip to a different store that sells groceries. I buy and stock up on different items at different stores. In a month I usually rotate through grocery, small specialty grocery store, club store, and larger drug store that also sells groceries. At some of those stores, I might only have a small cart (because I like some of their items and need milk), but overall I do most of my shopping elsewhere. I have a large family. I'm sure that my grocery shopping is not typical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 We are a two cart family when going to Costco....a one towering cart family when going elsewhere. I occasionally have a smaller cart--that's usually when I'm just picking up a few items that missed the original weekly shopping list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I do one cart, but it isn't unusal for us to hit the grocery store for something every 2-3 days. We have 6 different options within 5 miles from us from 2 standard chains, whole foods, 2 co-ops, luxury grocery, convenience store down the street which has great produce sales sometimes and I like them all for different things, so I tend to stock up on certain things when I hit them. We have no real food allergies, but try to eat well. We just started getting a CSA so our produce shopping will be way down for the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I can fit a lot into a single cart, but once they're bagged, I often end up with two carts. I push one and pull the other, or an older child helps with the second cart. This usually me, too. If the kids go with me, they each get one of the mini kid carts, and fill those up, so that would technically be more than one cart filled with groceries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 (edited) Huh. We're a family of four, with two teens. I shop once a week, and I use a single cart. In the name of full disclosure, I'll explain that I am currently hitting three stores on my weekly shopping trips. I go to Aldi for most of our produce and some of our staples, then Target for a few things on which they are consistently less expensive (frozen fruit, for example) and finally Publix for the things the other two stores don't carry. Very occasionally, I also stop at the health food store for a couple of things available only there. But I never come close to filling my cart at any of the three stores. But, even before I started this routine and was doing all of my shopping at a single store, I can't remember ever needing two carts. I wonder what I'm doing differently? Edited June 8, 2012 by Jenny in Florida Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prairiewindmomma Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 At Costco, I could mostly fill one cart with just papertowels, toilet paper, diapers (I had three in diapers at one point), wipes, dishwasher or laundry soap, and non-food items + our four gallons of milk. Our other cart had our other food items. My friends with 6+ kids usually need three carts if they are only shopping once a week or so....they go through 2 gallons of milk a day. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 At Costco, I could mostly fill one cart with just papertowels, toilet paper, diapers (I had three in diapers at one point), wipes, dishwasher or laundry soap, and non-food items + our four gallons of milk. Our other cart had our other food items. My friends with 6+ kids usually need three carts if they are only shopping once a week or so....they go through 2 gallons of milk a day. :) Well, maybe those are a couple of the answers for me. We don't use paper towels. I never used disposable diapers. We don't drink milk. I do buy soymilk, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Rat Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I get the job done with one full cart. Now my mom goes with me so my oldest pushes hers and we have 2. That doesn't really count though as it's two households. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Michelle* Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 One cart for one week, but we get our milk from another store and our CSA home delivers our produce. We also get some things delivered from Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 (edited) Just milk alone fills half a cart for our family. There are also just a lot more of you than we have here. And you have boys. So, it totally makes sense you'd be buying more. My husband was the third of four boys in his family. I often wonder, as I watch my single 14-year-old son eat and eat and eat, how they managed to keep everyone fed during those years. Edit: For what it's worth, we seem to generate less trash than average, too. I'm always a little bemused at the twice-weekly garbage pick-up in our city, since we don't manage to fill the garbage can even once a week unless we've had a major life event (like moving). So, maybe I'm just buying stuff that comes in less packaging? Edited June 8, 2012 by Jenny in Florida Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 90% of our shopping is done at Costco. Many times I even need a 2nd cart there! 40 pounds of dog food, 8 gallons of milk, meat, produce, cereal, etc... Bulk shopping takes up a lot of room! This isn't weekly though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 None. I have to carry home everything I buy, and I usually don't shop at the stores that have carts anyway. In the US, I never used more than one cart, even on my huge quarterly shopping trip. That cart was well-packed though, but that was okay because it was my one shopping trip with a car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I have never used more than one cart. We used to have five and now we have anywhere from two to four, depending on college schedules, youth group activities, and my dh's work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 One cart for four people, every two weeks. But no cleaning, personal care, or laundry products (I use Amway stuff), no pet food (Innova/Evo only, which I have to get at "specialty" stores, not, say, PetCo or PetSmart). Maybe half a gallon of milk. Now that it's just Mr. Ellie and me, I use those cute little carts that some stores have now. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Depends. We've used 2 before, and will again, no doubt. First Tues of the mth is 15% off total grocdery bill, so we stock up and yup, that's 2 carts easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Count me in the half-full cart people. It's not that I shop more frequently, it's just that I don't buy a lot at the grocery store. I get 90% of our fruits and veggies (most of our food) from the local produce place, and we buy many other things in bulk at the local source (honey, meat, etc.) The only time I will have a full cart or more than one cart is if I am having long-term guests who want "regular food" or I'm buying for a party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipper Posted June 8, 2012 Author Share Posted June 8, 2012 I'm going to try doing two trips this week (we live 15 miles from the nearest store and an hour to the nearest Publix/health food store). I'm going today after a dentist appointment and pick up pet food, toilet paper, bottled water, soda (we use a 12 pk a week), and cleaning supplies. Tomorrow I'm going to "the city" and buy my meat, dairy and veggies. That should solve things. (Plus I'm going to a specialty health food store for some gluten free things). It might be that bulk items are what is causing me grief. My daughter with autism only drinks rice milk (although she is starting to drink flavored water occasionally) and we use 1/2 gallon every two days, plus regular milk for the girls (and cream for DH and cooking). Plus, I'm bulk cooking some soup (he has friends over every other Sunday) and need to buy the ingredients to make about 40 quarts of it. Really we don't eat many processed foods (other than gluten free mixes) so it amazes me at how quickly the cart fills up with dairy, meat, veggies and dried beans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 (edited) I get it all in one cart: slightly fuller one week, slightly emptier the next. Do you use a lot of disposable things? We don't use much paper towel, for example, as we use washable cloths. Laura Edited June 8, 2012 by Laura Corin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baseball mom Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Weekly -- 1 cart When I get to go to the store about 40 miles from here and they are having a good sale -- 2 carts -- but this is stocking up Normally I buy all milk at the gas station. It is the same milk as the grocery but is quiet a bit cheaper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frugalmama Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 It depends on how the coupon deals are!:D If I get a really good deal I've done 4 carts before easy. Normally I do one, but shop at least twice a week. If I am making a big monthly run because I have a ride {we don't own a car}, it's 2 or 3 carts at least. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I fill a cart a week. But it is full. Occassionally, the cashier won't be able to get everything back into one cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmos Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I'm going to try doing two trips this week (we live 15 miles from the nearest store and an hour to the nearest Publix/health food store). I'm going today after a dentist appointment and pick up pet food, toilet paper, bottled water, soda (we use a 12 pk a week), and cleaning supplies. Tomorrow I'm going to "the city" and buy my meat, dairy and veggies. That should solve things. (Plus I'm going to a specialty health food store for some gluten free things). It might be that bulk items are what is causing me grief. My daughter with autism only drinks rice milk (although she is starting to drink flavored water occasionally) and we use 1/2 gallon every two days, plus regular milk for the girls (and cream for DH and cooking). Plus, I'm bulk cooking some soup (he has friends over every other Sunday) and need to buy the ingredients to make about 40 quarts of it. Really we don't eat many processed foods (other than gluten free mixes) so it amazes me at how quickly the cart fills up with dairy, meat, veggies and dried beans. Those bolded things are all pretty bulky. I can see how your cart(s) would fill up quickly that way! I have about a 30 minute tolerance for grocery shopping (and a small family) so my cart is never that full. Once a year or so, my dh gets it into his head to go to the big grocery store a half-hour away and do a big stock-up. Then our cart does get pretty full but even then it's just one cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abacus2 Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 1 cart, although I frequently shop at multiple stores and get some food elsewhere like 1/2 a cow from the farm or food from amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 1 cart for a weeks worth of food for our family of 5. We rarely fill one cart, but e carts at my usual store are bigger than like a standard WM cart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafiki Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssavings Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 One cart, every week and a half or so for us and the kids. But my kids are still pretty young, and DD(baby) doesn't like much solid food, yet. But all our baking supplies (corn meal, non-wheat flours, etc.) are bought at a different store monthly. We rarely (never) buy packaged foods (allergies), don't really use paper/disposable products, don't buy bottled water/soda/juices, don't have pets, etc, so we have less bulky stuff in our cart, for sure. If we used disposable products, had pets, and drank bottled drinks, we'd need another cart, because that stuff is bulky. As is, we fill a cart with mostly meat (not terribly much, we eat meat only a few times a week), rices, wheat-free pastas, quinoa, produce, beans/lentils, and frozen fruits for smoothies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myeightkiddies Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I use one cart because I shop approximately every other day. Often there are daily mini stops for items. Despite having a deep freezer and two refrigerators (and a large pantry) there really isn't a lot of room to store a week or two worth of groceries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasia Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Two carts, once a week at our regular grocery store. My oldest comes shopping with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curlylocks Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 1 cart for typically 1-2 weeks worth of food, family of 5. We don't buy meat or milk at the market. So our cart usually only has produce, cheese and bread - occasionally pasta and sauce if I'm stocking up. But produce usually ends up being a good portion of the cart ... :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Family of 4 - 1 cart -1x per week. But, I don't do all my shopping at one store. I go to different stores for different things. At the grocery store I am usually buying some produce, milk, cheese,pasta, tomato sauce, and other shelf stable dry goods. I don't as a regular thing buy soda, refrigerated juice, deli meats, chips, or cookies. Well, sometimes chips and cookies. If I can make it myself I try to go that route because I like to be in control of the ingredients we eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I've never filled two carts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I'm going today after a dentist appointment and pick up pet food, toilet paper, bottled water, soda (we use a 12 pk a week), and cleaning supplies. Tomorrow I'm going to "the city" and buy my meat, dairy and veggies. Those bolded things are all pretty bulky. I can see how your cart(s) would fill up quickly that way! True. We don't buy bottled water. We've been experimenting, instead, with reusable bottles with filters, which we really like. I buy my pet food at PetCo, usually, not with my groceries. Soda, though, I'm embarassed to admit how much of that we go through in a week. Other folks mentioned bread, and I don't buy much of that, either, since I make my own. That means buying flour, of course, but I can get many loaves out of a single 5-lb bag. I also don't buy meat, and I suspect a bag of dried beans takes up less space in a shopping cart than the equivalent amount of protein in the form of meat. I'm always fascinated by these discussions! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jujsky Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 We use one cart in the store, but to be fair we usually hit the grocery store and then a warehouse store like BJs or Sam's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beth S Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Two carts at Aldi, with food for 3 weeks. Initially the 2nd cart contained an infant car seat and a toddler. It has gradually be claimed for more food to buy!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tori@thehomefront Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 We load up one cart to get to the checkout, but often use two to hold the bagged groceries. I'm a little - ok, a LOT - OCD about how my groceries get sacked. There's a method to putting it in the cart, checking it, sorting the bags once loaded, and getting it to fit in the car. Wow, now I feel quite freakish! :blushing: Anyway - we have a family of 6, every other week is a "stock-up" on staples. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Two carts every time, sometimes three. I shop once a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 One cart, usually once a week. It's never full, although it could be if we had the budget. Big bag of dog food once a month, cat is now eating gluten free and people food only (sigh) and we don't buy water, although we do buy soda from time to time. I don't drink milk and the guys only use about 1/2 a gallon a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Generally I might half-way fill a cart every week, or these days a handheld basket. However, all my meat is bought in bulk from local farmers. Eggs are currently from my mom (and hopefully from my own chickens soon!). I do not buy anything disposable, other than toilet paper. We only drink water(from the tap- super yummy well water!), or tea (homemade). I don't buy packaged products other than condiments, anything else is very rare and nonexistent these days. Pantry stables are bought in bulk from the co-op once a month with a few things bought from Amazon or a few different suppliers (ie for coconut oil and a few other gf items that are cheaper from other sources). The only thing I generally buy at the grocery store is produce and a few canned items(ie tomato products, mushrooms, and olives generally). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QuirkyKapers Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 One cart once a week. Although, lately it seems like we are shopping more times and buying less items than one time with many items. I think it is just quicker to grab and go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berta Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 I shop once a month. In one day I will get 3 carts at Aldi and another cart at Walmart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 Depends upon the kind of grocery shopping I am doing. If I have the room and am stocking up, I will have two or three. If it's a quick run, then it's one, sometimes two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 I've never needed more than one cart. I go shopping 1-2x a week, usually once to TJ's where the cart might be fairly full, and once to Whole Foods where I only buy a few items (usually meat and fresh produce). Or I just go to one or the other. Family of 5, don't eat out much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 I shop at multiple stores and generally do several smaller trips a week. Most of the time I can even go through the express lane because I don't have much at all. It's rare for me to buy more than $30-$40 worth of groceries at a time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted June 9, 2012 Share Posted June 9, 2012 One cart. I don't typically buy everything I need from one single store so I never go over one cart in each store. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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