Wednesday, May 09, 2007

The Grocery Chronicles

I make at least one (hopefully only one) trip to the grocery store each week. If I average about 30 minutes per trip, that means I spend an average of 1560 minutes (or 26 hours) a year in the grocery store. Here are a few observations/notes on the grocery-shopping experience:

1. Taming grocery cart wheels can be classified as a full-contact sport. Thankfully, both grocery stores where I shop have just remodeled and purchased an entire new set of grocery carts so I'm savoring each day that the wheels are gunk-free (and thus wobble-free).

2. Why do they place the mini white powdered doughnuts right next to my Health Nut english muffins? Don't they know this will tempt me? (Answer: Yes, and they don't care and out of spite for their disregard, not out of self-control, I have resisted the urge to purchase said doughnuts, thank you very much.)

3. I really prefer to bag my own groceries, although I do get some strange looks from employees and patrons alike for this action. If you've ever had a bagger that overloaded, underloaded or mixed inappropriate items in your grocery bags, then you may understand why I just prefer to do it myself - not that I don't appreciate the fact that someone is willing to do it for me.

4. There is an obstacle course in every grocery store: it's called the bakery section, through which you must pass in order to get to the produce section. (Obviously on purpose).

5. Imitation Crab Meat. Hmmm. It doesn't look good. It doesn't sound good. Unless there's some secret to it that I am not aware of, I think I'll just stick to real crab meat - even if it's just on special occasions.

6. I think it's humorous that the produce section plays a thunder-sound to alert patrons that the "sprinkler" for the veggies is about to come on.

7. There's really no excuse for running out of chicken breast. None.

8. Commercials that tout stores selling only food or only household goods are lost on me. They say things like "who wants to buy their apples at the same store as their mop?" Me! I appreciate the fact that I can do almost all of my necessity shopping in one store. Sorry, convenience comes first in this case.

9. Have you ever noticed that when the check-out clerk is unsure of the kind of fruit or veggie that you have purchased, they'll just guess and enter a code instead of asking you. Watch them closely...price matters in this instance!

10. Something I don't like to think about...consider all the germs your check-out clerk spreads on the check-out counter after touching people's meat containers, then all their other food, then the register, the bags, your recipt, etc. It's not their fault and inevitable for them, really, but we should all remember to wash our hands when we get home!

6 comments:

Stephanie said...

Good comments. I have a thing about touching the grocery cart. I keep thinking the whole time how many germs are probably on it. And now that Caleb has to sit in the cart it bothers me even more. I need to get one of those cloth things for him to sit in, but I haven't done it yet.

LoriLoo310 said...

I have one of those cloth things Stephanie commented on, and it's a lifesaver! I also appreciate how a lot of grocery stores are providing complimentary anti-bacterial wipes by the carts. I've been known to wipe the whole cart down.

Unknown said...

I hate how they constantly spray water on the produce. Sliding dripping wet lettuce into the plastic bag is a pain. I like the free cookies for kids. Keeps mine occupied for about 5-10 minutes of shopping. I prefer bagging my own groceries as well. I do a much better job than any bagger I've ever had. I take my own stuff to the car but I think they should ALWAYS offer to help you out. I've never had imitation OR real crab meat. Never will have imitation, I can tell you that now. And for crying out loud let's determine a national standard on where to put the velveeta. I never can find it from store to store. It can be with the cheese, or near the canned rotel, or stuck over in some random area next to pepperoni or something. And heaven knows you can't ever find a grocery employee to ask.

Blair said...

Good call on the Velveeta. In DC I can't even find Rotel half the time, which is distressing. And Rach, I hate to break it to you, but most restaurants in TX use imitation crab meat because it's so much cheaper than trying to get fresh crab down in those land-locked areas. You've probably had it and didn't know. This is not a problem I encounter in the Chesapeake, fortunately.

Anonymous said...

That's why I don't order crab meat at those kinds of restaurants! :)

Brooke said...

I loved your list! So insightful! I personally am amazed at the quality of some baggers. It's like they know the layout of my kitchen and other rooms in my house. I hate bagging.