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*Lindsey*
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| Posted: Feb 17 2011 at 2:21pm | IP Logged
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I am wondering how others handle grocery shopping. We are about 15 minutes from the nearest grocery store. For sometime now, I plan meals/shop every 2 weeks. It's getting more difficult to find someone to leave the kids with during the day and I dislike shopping at night after DH gets home.
Today I took all 6 of them and bought 2 weeks worth of food. I had to have DS push a cart because it wouldn't all fit into one. I was so thankful that he's big enough to do that now! We were only gone for 1.5 hours and it was a very successful trip.
However, it was very exhausting! I told DH that it might be an easier trip with all of them if I only had to get a weeks worth of food. BUT, I can't decide if getting them all ready and throwing our day out of whack once EVERY week is "easier" either.
How do you do it at your house?
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Lindsey
Mama to DS (11), DD(9), twin dds(7), DD (5), DS (4), DS (3), and 5 angels in heaven.
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hylabrook1
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| Posted: Feb 17 2011 at 2:35pm | IP Logged
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When I had lots of littles I would shop very early on Saturday morning. Dh and the kids would sleep in, while I'd be up and out of the house by 7. I'd stop someplace for a quick and cheap breakfast - and an uninterrupted weekly cup of coffee  . On Saturday morning, the store was just nicely set up to be inviting to the onslaught of shoppers who would come throughout the day. But by going early, I beat the bulk of them and got there before they had made everything messy. Usually there were only about 3 shoppers in the whole store. I could move through quickly, not have to wait in long check-out lines, and even stop and read labels without holding up anyone else in the aisle. I'd get home around 9, dh would be up to help me bring in the groceries, and the job would be completely done, cupboards and fridge stocked, by 10. The whole rest of the day just stretched out in front of us!
Peace,
Nancy
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Feb 17 2011 at 2:53pm | IP Logged
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And when mine were little, I shopped every wednesday.. but we made a day of it.. we'd go to story time at the library and then eat a picnic lunch with some other moms and kids at the park (or at McDonald's in bad weather.. it was the only place that had an indoor play area.. I'd buy french fries and bring sandwiches  )
And then I'd do all my running around. I always brought changes of clothes for all of the kids.. just kept them in the van. Because having to go home for more clothes because someone found a puddle at the park or something.. would short circuit the whole day.. but I could change them and keep going. AND it gets easier as they learn the routine.. and you learn little tricks that help.. but it is VERY exhausting. My dh worked a lot and not only could I not wait for a day off (could be more than every 2 weeks) but he could be out of town that long or longer so not even evenings.. and then when he was home I wanted to spend time with him.. not do grocery shopping with him and everyone or by myself.
But little tricks.. like I could move very slowly past things I was checking prices on.. I'd look ahead and look behind while deciding which to get but as long as we were moving in that super slow fwd speed.. the kids would stay settled but if I stopped to do the same thing, the kids would get restless.
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Bethany
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| Posted: Feb 17 2011 at 3:57pm | IP Logged
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I'm struggling with this too. My girls are about the same ages and I hate shopping! Right after #5 was born I relied upon Costco only because I could get large amounts and reduce the number of trips. But, unfortunately, you can't get everything at Costco. Right now my shopping seems so random and it drives me crazy. I like so many different stores for different reasons. Kroger, I can get everything. Sprouts, great prices on produce and natural foods. Costco, large sizes that reduce trips.
I just cannot go by myself with everyone right now. Yesterday I pulled into Walmart thinking it wouldn't be too bad on a Wed. and it was on our way home from swim lessons. I started stressing out just trying to find a parking spot and gave up. DH doesn't like stopping at Kroger on his way home because everyone else is also and it's busy.
I think I may have to try Kroger or Walmart early on Saturday morning. I would still have the baby, but she's getting better at sitting in a cart. I really need a system, I'm just not very good a devising one.
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Bethany
Wife to Mike, Mommy to Amelia (6/02), Sarah (10/03), Martha Grace (10/05), Rebecca Anne (12/07), Laura Catherine (3/10) and Reed Michael 7/4/14.
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DominaCaeli
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| Posted: Feb 17 2011 at 4:13pm | IP Logged
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I do all my errands on Saturday mornings: wake up, go for a run, shower and eat breakfast, and then head out for an hour or two to do the week's shopping. I'm usually busy from 7am-11am on Saturdays getting all that done, so it really eats up our day. But there's no way for me to go during the week (my husband has the car) and I wouldn't bring all the kids with me anyway. I also don't like going out in the evenings because I like spending that time with my husband. So Saturdays it is. We've been doing it that way for a couple years and it works well, but I will say that Saturdays are super busy: after all that, we usually visit either my family or his for the afternoon, then come home to clean and finish up Saturday chores before getting the kids in bed. Thank God we have Sundays to rest! 
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Grace&Chaos
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| Posted: Feb 17 2011 at 4:33pm | IP Logged
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I can totally sympathize, I don't try to go into the store with all six. My boys are just at that age that they can not keep their hands to themselves or have any patience while I look through coupons.
We are very fortunate, my dh has a four day work week (unless there are pressing cases and we don't see him even on his "days off"). But usually our routine is Dad shops at Costco for our staples on Monday morning while I school the older three. Then in the afternoon (every other week), while our oldest is at karate,( I'll do my coupon shopping at the local grocery store.
I have to admit it wasn't always like this. When baby #5 was born circumstances were different. I actually had a friends teenage daughter come over on specific days and hang out with the older four while I went to the market. This worked well too !!
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juststartn
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| Posted: Feb 18 2011 at 11:54pm | IP Logged
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We have to do the two weeks shopping...oldest pushes one cart, I push the heaviest one (it shifts during the trip).
We are 20 miles each way from the store/s. Well, there is one closer, but it is small and doesn't have all the things I need. So I typically do some shopping there (support the local economy, etc), and then..we make the trip to the bigger town. It usually takes me several hours, total (hit two-three stores in the bigger town).
Yes, it is exhausting. But I'd rather once every two weeks than every week. No way I want to do that every week. No way.
I find that having the ads and shopping according to those helps. I also know where the best deals are, usually, on the staples I buy regularly. I try to do as much as I can, as early as I can. That way the children are 'fresh', fed, and well-watered.
Less likely to cause problems, most of the time.
Rachel
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mamaslearning
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| Posted: Feb 19 2011 at 7:50am | IP Logged
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Either myself or dh goes shopping in the evening once a week. I'd love to do it during the day, but it's too frustrating right now (the 2yo is very energetic and the 4month old wants to eat all the time). I think of the evening shopping as my personal time. I'd much rather do something else, but it is kind of elaxing to br able to take the time to cost compare and search ouy new foods.
My dh usually works six days a week, so evenings are the only time we have. Sometimes, not often, I'll ask my parents or in-laws to babysit while I shop. Usually that's only if I have to go (like before a predicted snowstorm).
Sorry for any errors or short sentences. I'm NAK.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Feb 19 2011 at 12:40pm | IP Logged
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Remember if you go shopping with kids that it will always, ALWAYS be harder when you first start doing it. Kids need to be trained for shopping, you need to be trained in how to do shopping that will work the easiest for you AND the kids
My older kids were much better traind when they were little than my current littles. Now my current littles only go to the store with me for a treat (going out with mom). But of course when it's just me and 1 or 2 littles it's not as hard as when I had 6.
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CrunchyMom
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| Posted: Feb 19 2011 at 1:02pm | IP Logged
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Well, I'm fortunate it is an option, and it may not be one for others, but my dh does the grocery shopping. His work happens to be closer to the stores we prefer (like our weekly milk from the farm pick -up and our CSA in season), and he will sometimes go during his lunch break or on his way home from work to the store.
Sometimes, we will combine a particular stop (usually a Trader Joe's run) with other family errands, and my dh will sit in the car with the littles while I run in and do it quickly myself. Other times, we will all go in (often for Costco), but I find making it a full family outing is less stressful since there are two adults to corral kiddos. We don't go to those places every week, but everyone seems to enjoy it when we do.
In the past, I have kept a printed list for the stores we frequent so that I just have to check off what we need. These past few months have meant poorer planning and organization since we've had early pregnancy/house selling/house buying/moving/more pregnancy/etc... to disrupt--which means dh spending a bit more on groceries and convenience items. We also just lost our co-op for bulk foods which traditionally took care of a bulk of staples with a once a month pick-up.
But, typically, it works out well for me to plan, make a list, and he'll just follow it.
I've also done somewhat like Jodie described where grocery shopping is piggybacked on another regular outing, but I do find that 3 stops is pretty much all my littles can handle before losing it  Or maybe it is Mom that loses it?  
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Lindsay
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Erin
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| Posted: Feb 19 2011 at 5:56pm | IP Logged
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Lindsey
I have tried various approaches over the years, different ways work when the children are at different ages.
I think when I had children the ages of yours either dh or I would shop at night with our oldest to help push the trolley. At other times I would be there at 7.30am and be home and unpacked by 9am. Shopping when there are minimal people really makes the process far quicker and less stressful. I can even take all the children at those times and not feel stressed.
Currently I only shop once a month, but still prefer early in the morning. Dh prefers night.
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Grocery Shopping
