Grocery shopping

[BonitaApplebum]

Does anyone else enjoy it? I am wandering around a giant supermarket right now and thinking about how much I like food shopping, if I'm not rushed and in the right store. I like to walk around and plan meals, it's a good combination of tactical and creative.

If it's too crowded I bail asap, though.

[Newt]

I really like it! As long as I'm not in a rush I can cruise the aisles and change my meal plans multiple times before I decide.

[radial]

Now that there are a couple of premium grocery stores in my area, I do enjoy shopping for groceries.  It seems like there's always something new to try.  For instance, I bought sunchokes yesterday for the first time and look forward to roasting them. 

[BonitaApplebum]

I was in Wegman's yesterday when I posted that, which is pretty much peak grocery shopping experience for me.

[radial]

I was in Wegman's yesterday when I posted that, which is pretty much peak grocery shopping experience for me.

Me too, that's where I scored the sunchokes. 

[Rochey]

Negative.  Which is why I use our curbside pickup almost every weekend.  I can place my order while sipping on coffee in my kitchen and then pick it up later.  But then, I'm not a very creative cook, which is why I can't plan meals on the fly like you. 

[BonitaApplebum]

Negative.  Which is why I use our curbside pickup almost every weekend.  I can place my order while sipping on coffee in my kitchen and then pick it up later.  But then, I'm not a very creative cook, which is why I can't plan meals on the fly like you.

This is how I feel about most other forms of shopping -- I am an avid Amazon Prime user. I seriously can't be bothered to go to CVS or Target!

[DocBuzzkill]

I was in Wegman's yesterday when I posted that, which is pretty much peak grocery shopping experience for me.

I enjoy shopping at our neighborhood Roche Brothers.  This particular store was remodeled this past winter with even more improvements, sort of like a small-scale Wegman's.  The produce selection, including organics, the seafood, and butcher counters are excellent.

I also really like shopping at local venues like our farmers' market, Allandale Farm, and the Droubi Bakery a.k.a. Bob's Pita.  Then there are the destination markets: the Boston Public Market/the Haymarket (I stop at both since they are adjacent), and India Market in Waltham.  Ooooh, and the little markets in the North End!  I'll make a trip to the North End for squid ink pasta and wind up buying plenty of other items not on the short list.

[BonitaApplebum]

I also really like shopping at local venues like our farmers' market, Allandale Farm, and the Droubi Bakery a.k.a. Bob's Pita.  Then there are the destination markets: the Boston Public Market/the Haymarket (I stop at both since they are adjacent), and India Market in Waltham.  Ooooh, and the little markets in the North End!  I'll make a trip to the North End for squid ink pasta and wind up buying plenty of other items not on the short list.

I'll add Russo's in Watertown to that list.

Wait, where is the India Market? There is a pretty decent Indian store in Franklin, but I'm in Waltham a lot.

[rocketgirl]

Not really.  And if I am going to a big box store or big generic grocery store, I HATE that so many have chronic issues with being out of stock of things (this is you Target), produce being on the edge of expiration (Target, WalMart) or poor/no selection of generics (pretty much everyone but WalMart).  I'm doing good to even make it to the store; I don't generally want to go to multiple stores.

Although I'll admit there are a couple of smaller fancy grocery places that have some really lovely meat and produce.  But you can't buy a canned good to save your life.

[DocBuzzkill]

I'll add Russo's in Watertown to that list.

Wait, where is the India Market? There is a pretty decent Indian store in Franklin, but I'm in Waltham a lot.

Russo's has been recommended to me, but I have yet to go there.

India Market in Waltham is on Moody Street between Whitney and Spruce, so not far from the river.  There's a food court in the basement.  I also like Madras Masala in Brookline (Harvard Street) for basics, and it's closer to home, but with less selection than India Market.

[Dagstag v 2.0]

I love it. I spent many many many hours grocery shopping with my dad, and he loved food. I grew up thinking everyone’s dad did the grocery shopping, not mom.

One of my favorite dreams after he passed was one where we went to the supermarket but somehow it was the 1980s, and it was a double dose of dream dad + 80s nostalgia goodness.

Anyway, it was always fun.  I love the organization of a good grocery store and all the colors and smells and samples, etc. 

I LOVE Costco. I joke about wanting to live there. I don’t actually go there that much, maybe 4 times per year, but I always find it really comforting. I’ve always loved the bulk stores. I think the towering shelves make me feel protected.

We usually do Target and groceries every Saturday or Sunday.  It’s kind of like a routine date. When we were dating but not yet living together, we would meet at Target, shop together, then drive to the grocery store and shop together too. At some point he started picking me up.

[CheryG]

At home I don't mind it.

Away from home, I LOVE it.  I love seeing what other regions in the US offer for food.  In FL I can buy panela and bulla. Yay!

[diablita]

Love grocery shopping.  Love.  Happy to do it on the daily but I especially love visiting cities with big markets and getting to know them by their food.  Yesterday was our first full day in Toronto and I insisted on lunch (and perusing) at St. Lawrence Market. 

[BonitaApplebum]

At home I don't mind it.

Away from home, I LOVE it.  I love seeing what other regions in the US offer for food.  In FL I can buy panela and bulla. Yay!

Oh, yeah. Shopping somewhere else is amazing. Literally the very first thing we did when we got to Madrid last summer was hit up the mercado.

[The Turtle Whisperer]

I really enjoy it, but I doubt I would if I had to go in the evenings or weekends.

[diablita]

Good point TW. We’re spoiled to live in a small town where it never gets too bad other than 5-6 at TJ’s and all the damn time at Harris Teeter. I avoid those 2 at those times and am fine.

[Run Amok]

Yes, I've been thinking about this. I used to like it but I hate  now. I think most of that is that it's become a major pain in the ass. Sometimes you have to park a block or two away and it's often crowded and uncomfortable. If you wait until the evening to go, everything is sold out.

[rocketgirl]

Who the heck can go to the grocery store NOT in the evening?  And why they heck can't they re-stock?  I get that the more people are in the store, the harder it is to restock and it doesn't look "pretty", but if it isn't on the shelf, you can't sell it.  And empty shelves tick people off a lot more than having to shop around some boxes.

[BonitaApplebum]

Who the heck can go to the grocery store NOT in the evening?  And why they heck can't they re-stock?  I get that the more people are in the store, the harder it is to restock and it doesn't look "pretty", but if it isn't on the shelf, you can't sell it.  And empty shelves tick people off a lot more than having to shop around some boxes.

Seniors, stay at home parents, students, night workers...

I was super surprised when I transitioned from 9 to 5er to SAHM, there are always all these people out and about during the day. I was like who ARE all these people driving around doing things at 11:30 AM?!

It's definitely *more* crowded at night, but unless I shop at the crack of dawn there always seem to be like-minded folk shopping along with me.