I'd really like to know when you grocery shop!

[MomOfOneFunOne]

AMDG

 

I DO NOT want to shop during the day.

I DO NOTwant to shop while my daughter is at swim practice.

I DO NOT want to shop on the weekend.

I DO NOT want to shop in the evening.

 

What's left?

 

I obviously need to do it. During the day I want to remain dedicated to school, sewing, my instrument practice and, if I must, housekeeping. I want to be with my family in the evening. I want to have fun or, if I must, get some chores done on the weekend.

 

I pretty much don't want to shop. Not being able to get out of it, I dont want it to interfere with all those parts of my life I actually enjoy.

 

I do love to cook but . . . Grocery shoping just gets in the way of everything.

[planner]

The only remaining option is to get up early and go shopping first thing in the morning.   Personally, I shop on the weekend and ask DH to pick up things as needed.

[Dandelion]

Well, ruling out days, evenings, and weekends pretty much eliminates most time slots.  Can you go in the middle of the night?  :tongue_smilie:

[freesia]

I don't. Dh does. LOL And he takes the baby/toddler/pre-schooler of the year. Actually, the husbands of many of my homeschooling friends do the grocery shopping. But, if he didn't, I'd order online.

[Coco_Clark]

I shop in the late evening after all the kids are asleep, sometimes its as late as 9pm. I kind of hate it. I'm tired that late in the day and its the only time I get to be alone with my husband and relax. But it's better than wasting my weekend at the store, or taking all three of my young kids during a weekday. I shop for two weeks at a time so I don't have to do it too often and I'm lucky to have a 24 hour market. I make a giant run to Costco every other month as well, we go at dinner time and promise hotdogs for dinner to keep the kids in line. And it helps that I can put two out of three in their giant cart!

[displace]

I prefer a one-weekly trip (which takes time planning ahead of time to decide meals for the week, about 1 hour).  I go when DH can be home so I can go alone.  It takes me 1-2 hours outside of the house.  I do like to go early on a weekend day when everything is stocked and there are limited crowds, but will occasionally go on a weeknight.  Usually every other week I will need to make a second trip for extra veges or fruits. 

If I bring kids with me I can usually only spend enough time getting ingredients for one or two meals before they decide it's time to go back home :)

[Starr]

I don't like to shop so I always took the kids with me for company. :D 

[Chris in VA]

Dh shops. It started as a way for him to give me a break by taking the kids and just evolved into a way for him to help--and, there's a bit of he's-better-at-controlling-spending-than -me. I make a list and he'll get just about everything I ask for.

 

He goes on Thurs, b/c that is the day after the ads come out, and the store is stocked well. He goes around 7pm, so he can come home, eat dinner, and relax by watching the news before he goes out. He takes dd with him most nights, unless she is in school and is tired or has homework. Bonding time!

 

Two years ago, I started a Thurs night class--now I get away with not even having to put the groceries away when he comes home,b/c I'm not there...:-) :-) :-) :-)

[Night Elf]

I've always been a weekend shopper. When the kids were younger, DH was home so I didn't have to take them with me. Now they are teens so it's a non-issue. But DH and I shop together on Sunday now. It's nice to go together.

[kitten18]

I do most of my grocery shopping while DD is at ballet.  She is there 3-4 days/ week. 

The main thing I like about it, is that it forces me to be FAST, no dawdling!!!

[Dandelion]

Shopping just for the sake of shopping is boring and can feel like an unpleasant chore.  

 

Would it help if you combined your shopping time with something else to make it feel more worthwhile?  If you have the option of going by yourself, can you download a podcast and listen to it while you shop?  Or call a friend and turn your shopping time into catch-up time?  

 

Personally, I like to take one child shopping with me and make it quality 1:1 time with that child.  When I have both kids with me, it just makes everything take longer and I feel like I'm corralling the kids the whole time.  But with one child, it's nice.   :)

[Karen in CO]

DH does our shopping on Saturday.   I plan the meals for the week and make the list.  He shops.

[mamaraby]

This week? It was actually this morning when I was out of the ouse anyway for a kid dentist appointment, but usually I just take everyone with me. Sunday morning is great because all the churchgoers are at church and the store's a practical ghost town. Of course, if you're the church going type that probably doesn't help.

 

I always figured taking the kids with was a great way to teach them life skills, introduce them to the many wonders of the produce department, and get a certain amount of buy-in on the kids' part come dinner time. I get it, though, it is much simpler to go on your own. In that case I'd either do it at night while the family is sleeping or delegate to your partner.

[Moxie]

What if somehow you shopped once a month and then did a quick pick up once a week for fresh stuff?

 

I dunno. 

 

I go on Sunday morning or afternoon (depending on how early I can drag myself out of bed because I have violin at noon).  I go alone.  I like that best.

If any of MY stores delivered, I would never darken the door of the grocery store again. What in the world is wrong with you?!?

[Georgiana Daniels]

I'd much rather shop for the food than cook it :P

[Soror]

We go to church on Saturday evenings and then go grocery shopping after church. We have church early so it works out very well. I don't much enjoy shopping with all the kids by myself plus it saves us gas money since we are already in town. I have dh pick up odds and ends if needed through the week but I try to plan so that I buy everything I need on Sat.

[Parrothead]

I go every other Thursday after school.

 

You'll probably just have to suck it up and go at the most convenient time.

[Joker]

We go as a family in the evenings, so we're still spending time together. It takes longer but we actually enjoy it.

[wendyroo]

Very early in the morning.

 

I have a 4 year old, a 2 year old and a 4 week old.

I nurse the baby when he wakes around 5am, jump in the shower and hit the store by 6am.  I can shop for a week of groceries and be home in about an hour since I am by myself and the store is pretty empty.  The bigger kids wake up at 7am, so DH has their breakfast ready when I get home and he helps me put away groceries while they eat.  Then DH heads to work, the baby wakes to eat and the wild rumpus starts.

 

Wendy

[lynn]

That has changed over the years some times it was tough.  Years ago shopping got done during MDO days.  There were times when the boys were little where I'd just get a few days worth of whatever we needed then go big shopping when I could.  Sometimes  I'd go in the evening when dh was home.   Now dh like to go out to lunch and grocery shop together on weekends or if we are busy I go first things Saturday morning, after coffee of course.    I have a friend who goes with another friend around 8P  during the week day.

[TammyinTN]

I do it all in one day...Costco, Wal-mart, Commissary...basically I just suck it up on payday and pay the bills, get all the groceries for 2 to 3 weeks and I don't have to leave the house again for that.  I detest shopping...I wish I could get amazon to ship it all to me once a month and be done with it.  I will hit costco on a Sunday afternoon to get fresh produce, milk and such, but that's it.

 

[*Lulu*]

As it has become almost impossible to take all three kids in the store, deal with the SN of two, and exit the checkout with everything we needed plus my sanity.............

 

DH does the shopping. One kid gets to go, (our SN kids are manageable in the store when you have only one), my sanity is, slightly, restored!

[MissKNG]

We go Monday morning, bright and early. Then we "refill" shop on Thursday (bright and early) for stuff that needs refills (ie. milk, fruit, etc). We did go early Sunday morning since we started school this morning. And I mean, we leave around 8am and 8:15am.

[LMD]

We all go together on friday afternoon when DH gets home from work.  

[AHASRADA]

I usually go 2x/week, once on Sat. after I drop dd at a class, and once on co-op day while the big kids are doing classes.

 

Sat. is a function of being out anyway, and I go alone. I actually kind of like shopping, especially alone! On co-op day, we are 45 minutes from home and the kids have classes all AM, so I have time to kill with the LO.

 

DH has never grocery shopped. He would have no clue what to buy, so I would have to write an extremely detailed list, with brand names and container sizes, it just wouldn't be worth it. Besides, grocery shopping gives me a reason to get out of the house!

[craftyerin]

DH shops on the weekend with the chiidren in tow. He's a lifesaver! 

[Pawz4me]

Early mornings, two or three times a week.  My kids are teens, so it's been a long time since I've needed to worry about taking them with me or DH being here with them.

[strange_girl]

I go on Wednesday afternoons. I take all the children. We get it done and come home.

 

If you want to eat, grocery shopping will have to be done...even though you want to do something fun.

[Lynnae]

I'm in the same boat as you. I think I'm going to suck it up and shop while my son is in class on Fridays. His class is from 12-1, which I hate, because the stores are going to be crowded at lunchtime on Fridays. But I don't like any of my other options, either. 

 

If we had a shop for you service in our area, I'd probably try it.

[Guest]

I shop in the summer.

 

The freezer gets filled from the Farmer's Market, most of the canning jars get filled from a fruit buying co-op with two pickups a year, the rest from a nearby apple orchard. I just got 80 lbs of field run potatoes for $40. Pumpkins and winter squash count as a "field trip to the pumpkin patch".

 

Winter grocery lists tend to look like this:

 

"cinnamon

flour

baking soda"

 

 

[PeacefulChaos]

lol!!!

 

Well, I usually shop on Thursday nights because I'm always out of the house anyway - whether it's for a mom's book club (2 nights/month) or worship team practice (the other 2 nights/month).  I go afterward.  I don't get home til after 9, usually, but it beats going out when I wasn't planning on going anywhere, kwim?

[happypamama]

I usually go once a week during the day, after our weekly standing appointment. Otherwise, we go one afternoon a week and hit the library, grocery store, and other errands. I go to a warehouse club about once a month, when DH has the older kids, and I have the three littles. Sometimes I go in the evening and take one big kid with me, plus the baby, which gives me a little one-on-one time with the big kids. I actually generally enjoy shopping for groceries, as there's something very momly about it, like I feel good about providing for this very basic of needs for my family.

[theYoungerMrsWarde]

We're a one car family. Dh gets the groceries on his way home from work.

[kewb]

It depends on what I need and where I need to shop.

 

Sometimes, early in the morning before school starts.

Sometimes, early in the morning on the weekend.

Sometimes, while they are at swim practice.

Sometimes, I give dh a list.

 

[Pretty in Pink]

I go once a week, on Saturday morning, with my dh. We leave the kids at home with our teenager and the two of us make it a date. We usually go for Starbucks or a light breakfast first and then hit up the supermarket. My dh remarked to me the other day that it's one of the most enjoyable things about his week! :D

[Mrs Mungo]

DH and I shop together on weekend mornings. We go eat, relax, take it slow. Going together and without the kids makes it much faster. Making a sort of date of it makes it more enjoyable. Of course, my kids are older, that was harder when they were younger.

[MinivanMom]

Last year I was shopping while the older two were at piano lessons.  This year I want to use that time to take the 3 little ones to the library by themselves, so I'm going to try shopping on Friday afternoons with everyone in tow.  We'll see how it goes.

[texasmama]

I do the Farmer's Market on Saturday morning about every other weekend.  It is 10 minutes from my house, small and easy to get into/out of.  I go every other week to a discount store about 30 minutes away after one of our school days is finished.  About once a month or so, I have dh stop by the Tiger Farms Market (small grocery attached to the Exxon) on the way home from church, as we pass right by it.  They have a surprisingly good selection of organics and produce.  High prices, though.  I buy bags of discount bananas for freezing there.  About once a month on a random day/weekend day/evening, I go to the local Kroger and stock up.  When I happen to be in Target or Walmart every other month, I grab a few items there.  Somehow, we mostly make it work this way.  However, I am in desperate need of frozen veggies and some ground beef and have no time/energy to remedy that.

 

I remember when I used to enjoy going to the grocery store...

[Spryte]

We use the home shopping option. It's $5 no matter how much your order totals, and they get it ready and load it in the car. DH picks it up on the way home. Easy peasy.

 

They take coupons, run specials for no fee shopping often, and the shoppers are good with choosing produce and meats.

 

Anything like that in your area?

[KatieJ]

Back in the day when I had all 4 kids at home and we did a lot more grocery buying, we had half school days on  Fridays.  We used it to catch up on something that got missed, needed redoing, or another day of Math, etc.  Then we all cleaned the house and then we left the house and did grocery shopping.   That meant the kids were free Friday evenings for friends, football games, marching band, etc.  Their chores were done. The house was clean, so Saturday could be what we wanted it to be.

[Lisa in SC]

Dh and I shop together on Sunday evenings. I meal plan and make the list on Saturday, and it only takes about 30 minutes because I have a list of about 50 meals we enjoy, so I just pick 5 and make my grocery list from that. We have a leftover night and then go out or do take out one night, so that allows for 7 days of meals. I quickly check the pantry, fridge and freezer to make sure I don't buy something we already have or forget to buy something we do need.

 

We've always shopped together, although sometimes with children in tow. It makes us feel like we get extra quality time together, since dh works long hours through the week. Weekend shopping makes the most sense for us, because I dislike trying to fit it into our already busy weekdays and nights. Sunday evening is good for us because we're already gearing up for the week, and I like the feeling that everything is set for meal prep that week.

[Ali in OR]

13 yo takes a couple of classes at the public school and we do shopping one day a week when she's in class (it was Thursdays last year). There is no great time to do it, but that works for us.

[twoxcell]

I grocery shop generally with my dh and kids on a Friday afternoon/evening about every two weeks. We also do some quick runs to the store here and there when we need something.

[KungFuPanda]

If there's no time you WANT to go, and you can't delegate this chore, you'll have to shop when you don't feel like it. Just suck it up and go during swim practice unless you have a social life in the waiting room. I actually hate big shopping, so I go several times a week instead. My store is close, so 15-20 minutes after leaving the house I can be home with 1-2 dinners. That's far less daunting to me than filling a cart and hauling multiple bags in and out of the car. I take my own bags. Most trips I only use one. One bag of groceries is manageable. Sometimes I 'shop' in my pantry and only need one item to complete a dinner.

 

Today, I walked to the store with DS and let him choose dinner. We called it Health. Going during the school day is awesome for getting in and out quickly. I'm beginning to wonder if amazon prime carries non-perishables. Hmmmmm . . . I HATE to shop, but it has to be done.

[Donna]

I don't go grocery shopping. (Occasionally I pick up something if I decide I want a certain meal for dinner when I have to cook.) My husband and dd have been doing the "real" grocery shopping for the past year or so. They do it one of the days I work so it frees up my time when I am not working. I sometimes leave some items on a list but otherwise he takes care of it all. I love it!

[Mandylubug]

I go at about 8pm on Tuesday afternoons with four kids in tow. I get looks of hatefulness from all people thinking my kids are neglected since they aren't in bed at home. It is the best time to go for us being that we have to be in town prior for gymnastics and it typically takes 30 minutes to drive to town from our home. I try not to make a trip just for shopping.

[linders]

I almost always shop while the DC are at swim practice. There are only so many laps I can watch, and there are 2 stores within easy striking distance. It makes me feel a lot better about what is otherwise "down" time. I keep a cooler in the car for cold stuff.

 

Why don't you like to do it then?

[KrissyMomma2]

I feel you! I hate food shopping I do mine online through PeaPod.  Otherwise give specific directions and send the DH.

[kitten18]

I almost always shop while the DC are at swim practice. There are only so many laps I can watch, and there are 2 stores within easy striking distance. It makes me feel a lot better about what is otherwise "down" time. I keep a cooler in the car for cold stuff.

 

Why don't you like to do it then?

 

:iagree:   I *like* to watch ballet but there's a small window to see in and only a couple moms can watch at one time and we're there 3 times/week so I get to watch sometimes.  And I have to keep DS entertained and relatively quiet in the waiting room.  It's usually easier to run over to the store and do some grocery shopping.

[Delirium]

Tuesday, before sales end, or Thursday, new sales, but not Wednesday. Only during normal school hours to reduce the number of possible people. Never with my child or spouse. Earbuds and music, and a list. It's the only way I find it enjoyable.