Grocery Store Hacks

My parents hate the grocery store. They despise the bustling of hundreds of people and the fact that there is never someone to bag the groceries. It's understandable - I get it. The store is definitely home to chaos and confusion. There are cons. Alas, I have to disagree with their perspective. I don't think that this is my teenage tendency to have a different opinion from my parents; I think that I just happen to love the grocery store. The hundreds of ingredients, the bright colors of the produce, and the endless opportunities for creativity make the place wondrous to me.

Oh. And I love the tea aisle. The tea aisle is the best.

However, I know that I'm in the minority. I'm quite sure that not many others consider the grocery store to be their happy place. This is evidenced by the mom with her three children, wheeling her cart around and racing around the aisles like a lunatic, in hopes of finishing faster. It is evidenced by the elderly couple who debate for five minutes between green beans and Brussels sprouts as a side for dinner, because they forgot to make a list. It is made clear by the stressed, anxious, and bored faces I see every Sunday at the local market. But this need not be the case.

Your trip to the grocery store can be not only easy, but fun! In order to enjoy it, however, you need to be prepared. Here are my Grocery Store Hacks to make your life a little bit easier:

• Make a list. Come on, people. Just make a list. For one, if you make a list, you are far less likely to forget anything or pick up unnecessary items. For another, a list implies that you have a meal plan for the week. Meal plans will allow you to stick to your nutritional goals. Not to mention that a meal plan, and hence a list, translates to no fretful visits to the store on a Thursday night for a rotisserie chicken. Oh! And don't forget to organize your list by section. Produce, meat, dairy, etc. You don't want to run back across the entire building because you forgot a bell pepper.

• Stick to the perimeters of the store. Pretend there is a big, scary dragon in the center aisles of the store and stick to the perimeters like glue. According to the article "Why is it important to stick to the perimeter of the grocery store?," "The key to success at the grocery store is to stick to the perimeter only. Avoid the center aisles at all cost. Those center aisles are filled with processed food, sauces that are high in sugar and junk food. If you walk the perimeter of the store, you will leave the store with healthy, fresh food. Take a walk around the grocery store and you will notice that fresh foods are always found outside of the aisles, along the perimeter. While walking around you will see healthy produce, meats, dairy, and organic foods in the “healthy zone”- outside of the aisles... Other than a handful of things, you should have no reason to step foot in those dangerous aisles." Sure, sometimes you'll need to visit the gluten free aisle for some almond flour, the frozen vegetables for riced cauliflower, and obviously, the tea aisle. But do try to visit the perimeters far more often - you'll get a healthier haul.

• Try something new once a week. I always anticipate what I'm going to get at the store for my new item - it's exciting! For instance, this week, Abby picked out a beautiful dragon fruit (from the outside aisles, ironically). We are planning to enjoy it tonight, and I simply can't wait! I've heard they are amazing. A brand new flavor, spice, or texture can help you to enjoy the grocery store more by providing incentive to move beyond your comfort zone.

• Coupons and Company! Collect your coupons, my friends. Save them up. Check the sales on the food you are planning to buy in order to save money. The key word there is planning. If something is on sale, but you don't need it or weren't intending to buy it, don't! You'll save more money buy not buying the item than by purchasing it with a sale. Another grocery store hack is to become friendly with the employees at the grocery store. They can help you find anything you are looking for, and the meat butcher in particular can give you tips for preparing your meal. Plus, who doesn't want more friends?

There you are folks! This weekend, when you visit the grocery store, hold your head up high and smile. It's going to be a blast!

Best wishes, always!

-Maya

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