Grocery Clown Habits

[oldtoyota]

Honestly, people complain why their grocery bills are so high ($100 for HALF a week's worth of food!?!?), yet my family's bill is only $50 for a week's (sometimes more) worth of food.

My grocery bill is enormous for three people. We cook from scratch and don't used processed foods. We worked to get it down, and we did not succeed. I might be ready to try again.

[HappierAtHome]

I used to be a cart checker/side-eyer until I found myself being judged last year. I love Aldi and usually breeze through the first row (except for the nuts and oats) but will also pick up the squeezy organic apple sauce packets for my kids sometimes. As I grabbed a couple of boxes of (on-sale) apple sauce a woman looked sadly at me and said "Don't you think your kids would rather have delicious homemade applesauce."

LOL! What did you say back?

Hah- I got really defensive and was like "I cook from scratch all the time but sometimes I just need to give me kids an applesauce packet and they hate homemade applesauce no matter how I make it and I really do cook for them I promise I'm not a bad mom."

I'm sure I sounded like an idiot.

Oh, god.

I would have shortened that down to "fuck you!".

"I don't know, I can't have kids because of my uterus cancer.  <START CRYING>"

Oh yes. That. That is inspired.

Yep, dragoncar wins the thread.

[misshathaway]

I used to be a cart checker/side-eyer until I found myself being judged last year. I love Aldi and usually breeze through the first row (except for the nuts and oats) but will also pick up the squeezy organic apple sauce packets for my kids sometimes. As I grabbed a couple of boxes of (on-sale) apple sauce a woman looked sadly at me and said "Don't you think your kids would rather have delicious homemade applesauce."

LOL! What did you say back?

Hah- I got really defensive and was like "I cook from scratch all the time but sometimes I just need to give me kids an applesauce packet and they hate homemade applesauce no matter how I make it and I really do cook for them I promise I'm not a bad mom."

I'm sure I sounded like an idiot.

Oh, god.

I would have shortened that down to "fuck you!".

That's what I would say - later, in the car to myself. And all kinds of other clever responses. At the time I would have said just what OP did.

[LennStar]

So there are a bunch of clown habits that people have around groceries. What is within your sphere of influence to control or make a difference? Can you write to companies of the products you do use asking for less packaging? Can you educate friends/family and kids around you? Can you practice compassion for people who may not know any better or who are different struggles than you? Can you make it a point to support local food security initiatives? Can you support your local farmers?

The most sane response I've heard on this topic in a long while.

If you liked that I just point you to http://www.raptitude.com/
Take a week free from all responsibilities and start reading.

[Kyle Schuant]

I'm not fussed what people put in their carts. If you want to eat shit food and feel tired and weak and get sick all the time, but you enjoyed your meal and weren't stressed about making it, good for you. It's all fine with me unless they turn around and start complaining about how awful they feel.

Likewise people being in crap jobs, or screwing around on their spouse and ruining their marriage, or doing bungee jumping and breaking their legs, whatever. Or maybe you're spending lots of time at work to get that promotion and your children barely recognise you and your life is turning into the last lines of "cats in the cradle".

Live your life however you like, just don't complain about it. As Yoda said, do or no do, there is no whine.

[StarBright]

That's what I would say - later, in the car to myself. And all kinds of other clever responses. At the time I would have said just what OP did.

^yep. Also- since I would never dream of actually saying something to someone in public about their choices unless I thought they were in IMMEDIATE DANGER I think I also was having a moment of doubt like "Wow, I must be doing something really wrong if this person feels like they need to say something to me."

Of course 10 minutes later I was nothing but pissed.

[esq]

"I don't know, I can't have kids because of my uterus cancer.  <START CRYING>"
[/quote]

Oh yes. That. That is inspired.
[/quote]

Indeed, yes indeed.

[Jet711]

Ever since the school year has started, I have bought junk food once every 1-2 months (chips and sodas for parties, Christmas, e.t.c). Whenever I am in the store, I feel a sense of guilt and shame beyond belief - as bad as being seen in public in your underwear. Am I the only one?

[FIRE me]

I don't care what other people buy, but it always kind of astonishes me when the person ahead of me in line has the cart almost filled up with bottles of water. (And there's not a hurricane coming, or anything like that.) I know, I know...maybe their plumbing is on the fritz, or maybe their well water smells like rotten eggs...but still. I think some families waste a ridiculous amount of resources on bottled water.

I'll second that.

It's an obvious good and healthy choice if you are unfortunate and live in a municipality where the tap water is crap. But where I live, the tap water is great. And still, I see people filling their carts with cases of water. What an incredible waste.

[Metric Mouse]

Ever since the school year has started, I have bought junk food once every 1-2 months (chips and sodas for parties, Christmas, e.t.c). Whenever I am in the store, I feel a sense of guilt and shame beyond belief - as bad as being seen in public in your underwear. Am I the only one?

I have never felt this from buying food...

[teen persuasion]

Hmm, I seem to be oblivious to what is in people's carts, but when I'm waiting to unload my cart I notice all the stuff they unload onto the conveyor belt.  I always seem to think "where's the real food?  I just see lots of boxes: snack this and frozen that, drinks and desserts, etc."

Of course, when the kids were little I got lots of funny looks while I was hoisting 7 gallons of milk into my cart. :P

[MightyAl]

I really didn't notice what was in the elderly couple's cart in front of me. I was just unbelievably annoyed when the woman pulled out a checkbook to write a check after everything had been checked out and then they had some pouch of something that they had to pay for seperate with cash. I mean WTF!

I also don't know what you people are actually eating that you can spend 3 dollars every week for a family of four. I am at $1000 a month and working on it but you guys must eat a lot of beans and rice which is garbage. If you can do it god bless you.

[dragoncar]

My cart is never coherent  since I mostly shop at Costco and then go the the local store to pick up things I'm missing, plus things that are on sale.  I'm the guy buying:

Ice cream and a pork shoulder

Or

Beer and two potatoes

Or

Six pounds of sausage and orange juice

[Lews Therin]

60 Eggs, one bottle of Coke and 12 packets of heavily discounted meat. And one cucumber.

I see no reason to judge. People buy things!

[charis]

I also don't know what you people are actually eating that you can spend 3 dollars every week for a family of four. I am at $1000 a month and working on it but you guys must eat a lot of beans and rice which is garbage. If you can do it god bless you.

You are really missing the boat if you think this is what people are doing.  We are up to $320 for the month for a family of four for nutritious foods, including some organic products.  There are a lot of inexpensive nutritious foods.  We also buy in bulk and on sale.

[WildJager]

I also don't know what you people are actually eating that you can spend 3 dollars every week for a family of four. I am at $1000 a month and working on it but you guys must eat a lot of beans and rice which is garbage. If you can do it god bless you.

You are really missing the boat if you think this is what people are doing.  We are up to $320 for the month for a family of four for nutritious foods, including some organic products.  There are a lot of inexpensive nutritious foods.  We also buy in bulk and on sale.

And, I mean, rice and beans are a great way to stretch out your food.  Add beans to a burrito to stretch out the meat, put some chicken on a bed of rice, make curry for rice, etc.

But honestly, garbage?  I think millions of people around the world who subsist basically on those two foods would beg to differ.  They just learned how to make them more interesting with spices and cooking techniques.  If you're just boiling them and then chowing down, you're doing it wrong.  Learn how to cook Indian or Thai food to have your culinary mind blown (and cut your food budget drastically).

[Mezzie]

I look at other people's food because the other option is to read the front of those gossip mags. Horror!

I don't judge, though. Sometimes I see an ingredient that reminds me of something I want to make soon. Sometimes I feel envious because the person in front of me clearly does not have Celiac disease.

I DO cringe when people don't bring their own bags. My environmental high horse is dangerously tall.

[LennStar]

I really didn't notice what was in the elderly couple's cart in front of me. I was just unbelievably annoyed when the woman pulled out a checkbook to write a check after everything had been checked out and then they had some pouch of something that they had to pay for seperate with cash. I mean WTF!

I also don't know what you people are actually eating that you can spend 3 dollars every week for a family of four. I am at $1000 a month and working on it but you guys must eat a lot of beans and rice which is garbage. If you can do it god bless you.

[Dave1442397]

You should have seen the looks I was getting when I brought this haul to the cash register. I always stock up on Irish/English candy when I visit my parents, and I filled a carry-on bag with this lot.



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[SeaEhm]

I used to be a cart checker/side-eyer until I found myself being judged last year. I love Aldi and usually breeze through the first row (except for the nuts and oats) but will also pick up the squeezy organic apple sauce packets for my kids sometimes. As I grabbed a couple of boxes of (on-sale) apple sauce a woman looked sadly at me and said "Don't you think your kids would rather have delicious homemade applesauce."

LOL! What did you say back?

Hah- I got really defensive and was like "I cook from scratch all the time but sometimes I just need to give me kids an applesauce packet and they hate homemade applesauce no matter how I make it and I really do cook for them I promise I'm not a bad mom."

I'm sure I sounded like an idiot.

I would have said, "No, I tried that but they said the flavor was  weird after eating all of the popsicles they usually have for breakfast."

[Metric Mouse]

I also don't know what you people are actually eating that you can spend 3 dollars every week for a family of four. I am at $1000 a month and working on it but you guys must eat a lot of beans and rice which is garbage. If you can do it god bless you.

You are really missing the boat if you think this is what people are doing.  We are up to $320 for the month for a family of four for nutritious foods, including some organic products.  There are a lot of inexpensive nutritious foods.  We also buy in bulk and on sale.

And, I mean, rice and beans are a great way to stretch out your food.  Add beans to a burrito to stretch out the meat, put some chicken on a bed of rice, make curry for rice, etc.

But honestly, garbage?  I think millions of people around the world who subsist basically on those two foods would beg to differ.  They just learned how to make them more interesting with spices and cooking techniques.  If you're just boiling them and then chowing down, you're doing it wrong.  Learn how to cook Indian or Thai food to have your culinary mind blown (and cut your food budget drastically).

Right? I'm more partial to something like cholent than a typical Americanized curry, but there are so many things one can make with rice and beans and a basic masa that Indian and Thai food are just a small, small number of the vast possibilities if one is prepared to explore food.

[Zikoris]

I also don't know what you people are actually eating that you can spend 3 dollars every week for a family of four. I am at $1000 a month and working on it but you guys must eat a lot of beans and rice which is garbage. If you can do it god bless you.

You are really missing the boat if you think this is what people are doing.  We are up to $320 for the month for a family of four for nutritious foods, including some organic products.  There are a lot of inexpensive nutritious foods.  We also buy in bulk and on sale.

And, I mean, rice and beans are a great way to stretch out your food.  Add beans to a burrito to stretch out the meat, put some chicken on a bed of rice, make curry for rice, etc.

But honestly, garbage?  I think millions of people around the world who subsist basically on those two foods would beg to differ.  They just learned how to make them more interesting with spices and cooking techniques.  If you're just boiling them and then chowing down, you're doing it wrong.  Learn how to cook Indian or Thai food to have your culinary mind blown (and cut your food budget drastically).

Right? I'm more partial to something like cholent than a typical Americanized curry, but there are so many things one can make with rice and beans and a basic masa that Indian and Thai food are just a small, small number of the vast possibilities if one is prepared to explore food.

It's just sour grapes. We get that a lot here. "I'm incapable of getting my food spending down to a reasonable level, but eating at that budget is shitty anyway". It does get kind of old after awhile.

[dragoncar]

Rice and beans is garbage?  Everyone hold him down and I'll shave off his mustache

[scottish]

Our food spend last year was brutal, it was almost 17K CAD.   I know food costs more up here than in the US, but this seems crazy to me for 2 adults and a 17 year old boy.   And this is *after* I cut out the Friday night steaks.   I'd love to have it down to 1000 a month.

DW is reasonably frugal as well.    Whenever meat is on sale, she'll fill up the deep freeze, and she goes through the fliers every week to get good food prices.   So she's a little bit sensitive to questions about our food purchase habits.

I suspect the only way to figure it out is to collect all the grocery receipts and see exactly what we're buying for a month.   Any other suggestions?

[Metric Mouse]

Our food spend last year was brutal, it was almost 17K CAD.   I know food costs more up here than in the US, but this seems crazy to me for 2 adults and a 17 year old boy.   And this is *after* I cut out the Friday night steaks.   I'd love to have it down to 1000 a month.

DW is reasonably frugal as well.    Whenever meat is on sale, she'll fill up the deep freeze, and she goes through the fliers every week to get good food prices.   So she's a little bit sensitive to questions about our food purchase habits.

I suspect the only way to figure it out is to collect all the grocery receipts and see exactly what we're buying for a month.   Any other suggestions?

I would say this would be the way to tackle this, if you don't have a handle on what is blowing through the money so fast. I would say three months of careful study should give you a good handle on what is adding up to such massive spends.

Another suggestion would be to turn "Friday Night Steak Night" into something like "Friday Night Steak Quesadilla Night" You could easily use 1 steak for the whole meal instead of three; depending on your style of meat consumption, this might stretch those dollars.

[GuitarStv]

Our food spend last year was brutal, it was almost 17K CAD.   I know food costs more up here than in the US, but this seems crazy to me for 2 adults and a 17 year old boy.   And this is *after* I cut out the Friday night steaks.   I'd love to have it down to 1000 a month.

Holy shit!

Our food expenditures last year were about five grand last year, and that's including booze.

DW is reasonably frugal as well.    Whenever meat is on sale, she'll fill up the deep freeze, and she goes through the fliers every week to get good food prices.   So she's a little bit sensitive to questions about our food purchase habits.

I suspect the only way to figure it out is to collect all the grocery receipts and see exactly what we're buying for a month.   Any other suggestions?

- One thing that made a big dent in the expenses was to stop eating so much meat.  We don't eat meat more than once a day, and aim for at least two meat free days each week.

- When you are eating meat, opt for the bigger, cheaper cuts of meat (http://www.bonappetit.com/test-kitchen/ingredients/article/best-cheap-meat-butcher-cuts).  They may need to be prepared a little differently than you're used to, but they can all be made yummy.  Combine that with large hams and turkeys that always go on sale after Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.

- Eat out and order in rarely (we did four times last year).

- Buy nothing in individual sized packages (individual yogurt for example, is always more expensive).

[Poundwise]

Our food spend last year was brutal, it was almost 17K CAD.   I know food costs more up here than in the US, but this seems crazy to me for 2 adults and a 17 year old boy.   And this is *after* I cut out the Friday night steaks.   I'd love to have it down to 1000 a month.

DW is reasonably frugal as well.    Whenever meat is on sale, she'll fill up the deep freeze, and she goes through the fliers every week to get good food prices.   So she's a little bit sensitive to questions about our food purchase habits.

I suspect the only way to figure it out is to collect all the grocery receipts and see exactly what we're buying for a month.   Any other suggestions?

Trade in your 17 year old boy for a goldfish.  That should cut down costs a bit.

Seriously speaking, check for things like cereal, bags of munchies, ice cream, and cookies.  That's what my sons would live on exclusively if they could, but they are very expensive.

[scottish]

Once he's on his own, I bet our costs will drop like a rock.

Last year was the first time I've been serious about tracking our spending.   It was a big eye opener!   Food was the #1 category, so its the first one to dig into it (pun intended).