Grocery Day

Today is Grocery Day. I love getting new groceries but with a 2 year old it is hard sometimes. I go to 2 stores and this makes it hard to keep him interested in what we are doing....he wants to get out of the buggy and I cant do this or he will take off......like a mad man. So what are your tips when taking little ones to the store?

I spend about $250 on groceries and toiletries every 2 weeks......just curious what you all spend. I shop every 2 weeks because when we were in the military that is how we got paid the 1st and 15th....and for some reason....10 years later I still shop this way. It works for us though. I only go back for Milk once.....not bad. SO what do you pay? And how many times a month do you shop? I spend $500 a month......let me know.

I'm off to Walmart...
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jennwa said…
Grocery shopping with little one is never boring. I spend about 200 a week on groceries and there is 6 of us. That included cleaning supplies and toiletries. I am trying to cut back using coupons and better planning.
Tips for taking littles ones (and sometimes I have to take all 4 of mine) is to try to include them. Let them hold the list, help put things in the cart or my favorite, give them a snack while riding in the cart. My neighbor takes a play cart for her little one to push around and put groceries in. She say it works for her. Next year when my 4 year old is in kindergarten I will try that with my littlest one. I do not want to take 2 mini carts right now.
Good Luck!!
7:07 AM
Sandra said…
LOL Jen, you could have been writing this about me. You know we're still in the military and we get paid the 1st and the 15th so I shop every two weeks and I also spend around $250.

Back in Idaho though, things were cheaper and I sometimes got away with getting groceries for two weeks for only $180. I miss that.

As for shopping with a little one, oh boy...I used to take snacks for Nicholas and let him take a toy or two, small ones of course.....I also noticed that if I let him help me get stuff he was more interested.

I actually saw a dad the other day, shopping with two little ones and he had them both in one of those car shaped carts, and inside he had a portable DVD player LOL Those kids were so good the whole time, they jus watched their movie.
I should try that with Nicholas LOL

Good Luck, hope this helps a little :)
7:18 AM
Laura said…
We spend $150 a week on groceries. Thankfully my little guy does okay in the cart but I'm usually in and out of the store in 45 minutes which helps.
8:11 AM
gail@more than a song said…
It is SO hard to take little ones to the store....when my 4 were little I waited until hubby was home and tried to go. I probably bribed them with candy at some point, my daughter does that too!
I have no idea what I spend on groceries now, maybe around a hundred a week, sometimes less and sometimes more depending on what's going on. I have to buy a lot of higher priced things though, the healthier stuff costs more...rats!
9:52 AM
Karen said…
Wow, I'm thinkin' I need to look at my grocery budget. You gals are doing a lot better than I am. I have two teenage boys, only one at home now, so that makes a difference I guess.

The suggestions for shopping with little ones are great ideas -- I especially like taking along the DVD! That's one ingenious dad!
10:35 AM
Christina said…
I shop every 2 weeks because we are still in the military. I also bring my 4 year old and no I don't have any great tips. I have 7 kids and haven't figured it out yet. Mostly I try to give him stuff to carry in the buggy or I let him pick different things. Maybe you could make a little bag up that has a few things in it that he can only play with at the store, like a book, a couple small happy meal toys, etc.

I spend about $300. or more since Hawaii is very expensive. Even in the commissary it costs almost $6. for a gallon of milk. I think I do pretty good, but sometimes need to go back since I may forget something.
12:14 PM
Carrie said…
We try to keep it under $100 per week and there is 2 of us. But we also don't shop at Walmart.
5:27 PM
Ann(ie) said…
I really suck at shopping. I don't know what I spend b/c half the time I stop by to get a few things every night on the way home b/c it's quick and easy. It's really lame and a ridiculously expensive way to go. I probably go on one big $250 trip a month and then stop by the store to fill in the rest of the month. I need a new system.
8:41 PM
PAT said…
Good morning, Jen...I guess what we learn in the military stays with us a long time. I learned to shop twice a month, just as you did, in the military. Nearly 45 years later, I'm still shopping twice a month!

We're empty nesters and spend an average of about $200 twice a month. Atleast that is what I figured into the budget!

It's been about 35 years since I had a two year old, so I'm afraid I can't give you much help with that.;-) One of the stores my daughter shops with her 2 and 3 year old kiddos, has fresh baked cookies out for sampling. One of these usually does the trick.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Pat
4:30 AM
threesidesofcrazy said…
I so understand "military" shopping ~ 23 years now and no matter where we live, we will always shop in the military manner.

I always tried to get ahead of my budget so I could afford to go a day or 2 BEFORE payday that way the store was usually empty and less tempting for little hands. Shopping went faster and with less 'No, you can't haves...".

I also stocked up on case sales and meat for the freezer a month in advance.
9:39 AM
Wifeof1Momof4 said…
What has helped me is I make my menu and then shop for what we need. I add tolietries and cleaning products once a month. I am trying to get back to shopping 2 times per month, but because I shop with all 3 boys (I need my oldest to push one of the grocery cart)I do not like spending 2 hours in the store. I do like however not going to the store multiple times during the month. We buy milk and eggs once a week from our ice cream store which is on our way home from Wal-Mart. We usually spend between 450-500 because I am buying more fresh fruit and nuts for snacks.
11:42 AM
Musings of a Housewife said…
I went grocery shopping with my 2-year-old this morning. ACK. I keep her in the cart, and I just talk and sing to her to keep her entertained. If I'm desperate, I open a box of crackers and feed her. Yes, I'm one of THOSE moms. I have no qualms feeding my kids from a box of something I plan to purchase. I never do it with things bought by weight, like deli cheese or grapes.

We spend close to $1000 a month on groceries!!!! That includes cleaners and paper products. I've tried to scale back, but I really don't know how to. I don't buy a ton of junkfood. My kids probably do go thru granola bars and goldfish crackers faster than necessary. But I don't have the energy to fight it.
1:05 PM
Michelle said…
Hi Jen ;) I guess for grocery shopping we spend every week $150 or so?I let McKenna who is the same age as Miller get things twist ties,her "snacks".I also might take stickers and paper with us and that keeps her busy!
1:28 PM
Michelle said…
Yep I shop about every 2 wks too - except I TRY and avoid going on the 1st and 15th since that is when it's most crowded LOL

I think we spend about 130-150 every 2 wks w/fluctuations. We only have 1 child though, and she doen't eat much at all so it's still like buying food for 2 LOL
7:37 PM
Mrs. S. said…
That's probably around what I spend, give or take some extra.. What's funny is that we were having a rough time just a few years ago and my budget was $80 every two weeks, which sounds positively miniscule. It was by the grace of God that we made it back then.

When you figure out how to make shopping with kids easier, please pass it along! I spend just as much time putting things in the cart as my youngest (18mos) does emptying things back out onto the floor. We don't move very fast.. Select, put in cart, pick up off the floor, put in cart, etc..
10:33 PM
Mom said…
I spend about $130 a week on groceries a week there are 4 of us and I am trying my best to reduce that but I think that is wishful thinking. As for shopping with kids whenever I take both my 3 and 5 year I end up coming back stressed out because it never fails halfway through my shop they lose interest and want to run around. I do take them separately and make a game of it and it works much better.
5:33 PM
Cara said…
Found my way here from Sandra @ Diary of a SAHM. Love Your blog!!!
When my kids were little, I used to let them listen to their own CD player while we shopped.. I used to get the stories on CD, it helped for a little while!

Cara
http://deepfriedapplepies.wordpress.com
1:45 PM
Unknown said…
Grocery shopping...not a fun topic, but I will tell you that in my family, there are just 2 of us and I can shop for about $200/month. My secret - I always buy bulk - especially in meats. i actually just posted a few websites on my blog about my shopping and budgeting. If you want to check them out, just click on the website links.
9:30 AM
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