Grocery store HORROR!!!!

naturallyme36

Is it me or is the grocery store one of the scariest places on earth when you are trying to change your lifestyle:huh:
Went grocery shopping and all of the treats were up front , (IT"S FOOTBALL SUNDAY) all of the chips, candy, cakes, pies at BOGO, soda etc. Once I broke through the crowd of delicacies I proceeded to the produce area and what do I see? well, it was more cakes, pies, chips and dips!!!!!!!:explode: My heart starts to race, I started to question myself, I tried to bargain with the God to give me some wiggle room and I walked out with one of each item listed above in my bag. Once I started to drive off, my phone buzzed and I was getting a post from MFP. I happily turned my car around and went back to the store, This time when I walked out I had $23.13 more in my wallet:flowerforyou:

CAN ANYONE RELATE TO THIS OR HAVE I JUST LOST MY MIND?!
WHAT'S THE DEAL?!

walleymama

I can relate, not so much for myself but because it drives me nuts for my kids, who love potato chips. It's one thing to avoid the chips and candy aisle, but like you said they are everywhere in the store in various promo displays.

Since I've started MFP, I see chips and candy as too little bang for the caloric buck, y'know? Like, I can have a bag of chips and then nothing else all day, lol, or pass on them. I like that you returned your stuff - good on you - and its nice to get that money back and use it for something better!

HeidiCooksSupper

Such a smart lady you are to go return that stuff. You are right, of course, about the layouts of the store. The food industry is all about selling us more stuff that is cheap for them to produce and sell. Produce is a lot more work for the stores than boxed stuff. High fructose corn sugar and salt are cheap for food producers. And producing stuff sweet stuff that just makes us hungrier is how they get us to buy more.

I am in awe that you have the integrity and intestinal fortitude to go back and return the stuff. Really! Good for you!

chandanista

Monetary budget has really helped with sticking to a caloric budget.

BrotherBill913

Bump

portpaw

Wonderful that you actually went back to the store and returned the items! Amazing and congrats!

purple_tux1

Good for your for returning the stuff.

I have this problem mostly when I go shopping hungry or with a whiny child. Dangerous!!

Schlackity

For me, it's not so much the site of all the goodies, but the smell of them. My grocery store makes some serious fried chicken, and if I go to the store on my way home from work, it's the first thing I smell when I walk in the store. I make a point of going at 7:00 am every Sunday so that I never smell chicken frying, and it's so early in the day, that I don't even think about buying any of that stuff that looks so tempting. I also always make a menu for the week and make my shopping list from that, so as long as I pay attention to the list, I have a better chance of staying on track.

Good for you for returning that stuff! I'm not sure I would have been so strong! :-)

manderson27

I order my weekly groceries online and have them delivered. That way I avoid temptation and can budget more easily. :happy:

soullightprisms

I so felt the same way, when I went to get groceries today. All of my favorites just calling my name. I have found for me that I have to make a list and then stick with it. When I don't,is when I start to haveissues. I look it everything now with such different eyes.

oiseau17

I primarily shop at Trader Joe's for this exact reason. I do alright avoiding the chips, dip, and soda, but walking through our grocery's bakery almost kills me with tasty, creamy, chocolatey temptation!

floop1207

good for you
i only have this problem near the bakery section. fresh bread is my weakness. chocolate, crisps etc i always buy lots of for my teenage son but i never really crave them. i recently bought a bread maker so now i avoid the bakery bit and don't even see the gorgeous pastries on offer. plus, i always eat now before i go shopping as skipping breakfast + food shopping = disaster!!

xoxolindseym

What I have noticed with the store I shop at is that on Friday the chips, dips, junk food, etc, is EVERYWHERE. I'm assuming this is for the weekend/football Sunday. On the beginning of every aisle there is a chip display or a soda display. But during the weekdays it's back to normal and not so much junk everywhere. I choose to go early Tuesday/Wednesday morning and it's very easy to avoid all the temptations when I'm still morning-grumpy and eat breakfast before I go.

I'm so proud of you for taking that stuff back though! :happy:

lgladybug

Oh!!! I can definitely relate to this! It was like that for me when I went to the store earlier today. It's like little devils everywhere you turn. That's awesome that you went back and got your money instead of the junk food. I can't say that I would've done that. You rock! Keep up the great work! You're doing so well!

poohpoohpeapod

That kind of food almost killed me, it does not hold the same appeal as it used to. For me, there is no end. I get the cronut then I want cookies, I get cookies then I want pizza... ugh a road to nowhere. I still get tempted, and I have to fight it, but for now, I pass.

naturallyme36

I can relate, not so much for myself but because it drives me nuts for my kids, who love potato chips. It's one thing to avoid the chips and candy aisle, but like you said they are everywhere in the store in various promo displays.

Since I've started MFP, I see chips and candy as too little bang for the caloric buck, y'know? Like, I can have a bag of chips and then nothing else all day, lol, or pass on them. I like that you returned your stuff - good on you - and its nice to get that money back and use it for something better!

Yes, and I have a teenage son at home that loves all of that stuff. I have started leaving him at home when I go to the grocery store.

naturallyme36

For me, it's not so much the site of all the goodies, but the smell of them. My grocery store makes some serious fried chicken, and if I go to the store on my way home from work, it's the first thing I smell when I walk in the store. I make a point of going at 7:00 am every Sunday so that I never smell chicken frying, and it's so early in the day, that I don't even think about buying any of that stuff that looks so tempting. I also always make a menu for the week and make my shopping list from that, so as long as I pay attention to the list, I have a better chance of staying on track.

Good for you for returning that stuff! I'm not sure I would have been so strong! :-)

My store also has the best fried chicken. PUBLIX!!!!

naturallyme36

Thank you Lady bug. You have been such a great supportive pal.:flowerforyou:

naturallyme36

Oh!!! I can definitely relate to this! It was like that for me when I went to the store earlier today. It's like little devils everywhere you turn. That's awesome that you went back and got your money instead of the junk food. I can't say that I would've done that. You rock! Keep up the great work! You're doing so well!

Thank you Lady bug. You have been such a great supportive pal.

darkrose20

...
Since I've started MFP, I see chips and candy as too little bang for the caloric buck, y'know?
...

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks this way. I see foods as "expensive" if they are high in calories. I like to save my money.

milmom2000

I'm right there with ya! I hate going shopping because the store like to promote ALL of the bad stuff first and then put the good stuff away from you! Pretty sad really! Here's to you for trying to get through it and working hard to get healthy! Here's to us girl!

Inshape13

My grocery store plan of attack is: go right after I workout(it is next to the gym and after it takes me busting my butt to get a good burn it is not worth the calorie hit), take a list, walk quick past the junk to the produce and bypass the candy at the register by reading the trashy magazines while in line.

Also, the vents from the bakery are purposely led to the front entrance so that the smell of cookies and or cinnamon rolls is always present at peak hours and that is when they bake for the day. I used to be a baker and that was one of the big points made in the store to make people get cravings when they entered the store. Marketing at it's best.

minizebu

If you are really tempted by these treats, then I would suggest going grocery shopping after you have eaten well. In other words, don't make it even harder on yourself by grocery shopping on an empty stomach.

Also, make sure that you are eating a good amount of protein with each of your meals. Protein will help you to feel full and you won't be nearly as tempted by treats as you would otherwise.

JDBLY11

Is it me or is the grocery store one of the scariest places on earth when you are trying to change your lifestyle:huh:
Went grocery shopping and all of the treats were up front , (IT"S FOOTBALL SUNDAY) all of the chips, candy, cakes, pies at BOGO, soda etc. Once I broke through the crowd of delicacies I proceeded to the produce area and what do I see? well, it was more cakes, pies, chips and dips!!!!!!!:explode: My heart starts to race, I started to question myself, I tried to bargain with the God to give me some wiggle room and I walked out with one of each item listed above in my bag. Once I started to drive off, my phone buzzed and I was getting a post from MFP. I happily turned my car around and went back to the store, This time when I walked out I had $23.13 more in my wallet:flowerforyou:

CAN ANYONE RELATE TO THIS OR HAVE I JUST LOST MY MIND?!
WHAT'S THE DEAL?!

The grocery store is actually the easiest place for me. I just get what I want that is healthy and it takes away the desire for sweets. My problem area is just wanting sweets in general from the places I like when I am not at the grocery store. For example, cheesecake and doughnuts sound really good right now. I notice that when I have my protein shakes I do not want sweets hardly at all. I have not really been having my protein shakes lately.

sympha01

I read an interesting article quite recently, /sorry/ I can't remember where or I'd reference it, about a grocery store chain that was partnering with a government health organization to do some experiments to see what they could do to turn some of this merchandising science the junk food industry has to getting people to buy more in the the produce aisle. Some of the takeaways for me were:

1. Apparently, for grocery stores produce is actually a very high-margin, profitable area per square foot. They would LOVE to see us buy more produce, even at the expense of packaged goods. That came as a total shock to me. I think the biggest profit challenge they have there is just plain old spoilage. If the packaged stuff sits on the shelves and turns around more slowly, it's no big deal to them. But the spinach has to move quickly or it gets thrown out, etc.

2. A lot of the merchandising decisions -- while they are ultimately the decision of the store -- are driven by the junk food manufacturers, who make "offers you can't refuse" to the retailers about end caps, special displays, and whatnot. There's a lot of weird stuff in those deals, where a big manufacturer has the power to punish a retail chain for not complying with merchandising demands for one product by raising the wholesale price for a totally different product.

3. While the suppliers of produce have gotten fairly organized in dealing with the stores, they are simply not as good at the merchandising science as the junk food manufacturers, nor do they have the same clout. Remember, Lays is Lays, they are a HUGE company and sell a lot of different products. The produce suppliers are often more loosely organized co-ops of farmers, or at the most organized "big agriculture" organizations like Dole, which are just as happy to see us buy canned goods and don't have the same skin in the game to get us to buy fresh produce.

seinfeldlove

I have a bag of Dove chocolates in the pantry that have been there since early summer. I bought them to help me past the craving for chocolate. Instead of half a bag of Kisses, I can savor one Dove square for a long time, enjoy it and be done. Good plan. But the reality of it has become that I ask myself if I really want to spend 50calories on that one small piece of chocolate when I could have a whole cup of grapes, the answer is no and the bag of Dove sits there uneaten. Go me.

Myhaloslipped

They place those things strategically to make you buy them. You just have to walk past all of it and ignore it like a BOSS!

ChristineS_51

Well done, a NSV for you!! :flowerforyou:

Supermarkets are designed to have the most profitable items at eye level and in the main areas - that's why usually you will find fresh produce at the sides and back of the store. That is also designed to have you walk past all the other tempting stuff! If you can, just don't go down the aisles with all the chips / biscuits / sweets / chocolates etc - have your list, stick to it, each time you do pick up something think about a better alternative that won't cost so much in calories or dollars!

Interesting thread! I know that is why they have stuff at checkouts too - chocolate bars etc - so whilst you are stood waiting you get tempted - they don't put apples / spinach / rice crackers at checkouts :laugh:

Xtinesky

You aren't wrong in saying the grocery store is hard to when you're trying to go for a lifestyle change. It's designed to tempt you to buy unhealthy stuff, they make it prominent and eye level.

Some people cope by going to the produce aisle first and fill up their carts there. I find I buy a lot of unnecessary and calorie laden stuff if I go in hungry.

Skrib69

Supermarkets are evil exploiters of clever marketing techniques and unfortunately they are very good at it! Personally I try the smash and grab technique so I get distracted by the crap as little a possible! Most of the time it works!

Hildy_J

Oh good for you!

There are aisles I don't allow myself to go down - like the one with the chocolate hobnobs and the one with the Danish pastries and pain-au-chocolat. *drools*

Lead me not into temptation!