A conversation at the grocery check-out

soarinup

I had to pick up a few things at the grocery store. I didn't notice, but my purchases were mostly fruit and veg and fish. It looked like a very healthy haul. The fellow behind me noted how "somebody is eating healthy" I said, "yes, when you age, you can't eat like a teenager anymore." He nodded in agreement. ITs something we all recognize, we can't put junk in our bodies the way we did as teens. What perplexes me though is how older folks love the idea of a 50's style eatery with the fried non-nutricious food they sell.

roylawrence87

You oughta see when I check out. Lots of perplexed looks. They think Im feeding horses or something... Its hilarious.

Ral263

Its the same thing with me!! They always say, "Wow. You must like fruits and vegetables. It's weird to see a college kid eat so healthy; no wonder you're skinny!"

And I'm always flummoxed. Never, EVER, would you say to someone who's a bit overweight, "Wow, 3 boxes of Ho-Hos? No wonder you're overweight!"

I hate that there is a double standard, and that it's now the "norm" to be unhealthy and eat crap.

Cbandelier

I went to the store one time and bought an unusually large amount of produce, even for me. I had it all on the conveyor belt. The cashier looked over at it with this expression of horror on her face, I guess she was new and hadn't memorized all the codes yet or even learned what some of the items were. I felt a little bad for her! And it took a REALLY long time to check out.

Wightvixen

In addition to the fruit and veg we eat ourselves, we also buy quite a lot for our guinea pigs. The supermarket checkout assistants are probably more impressed than they ought to be :laugh:

anovasjo

I'm glad I'm not the only one who eyes other shoppers' purchases. It's so interesting to see what other people like to eat! Plus sometimes I'll get a meal idea or two for myself :laugh:

FearAnLoathing

Nobody ever says anything to me but "Wow you must have alot of kids" lol
I dont but I hate grocery shopping and do one big haule once a month and smaller trips for things like milk an veggies when needed

LorinaLynn

I remember a time, not so long ago, when I was buying chocolate milk, Rice Krispie Treats, fruit snacks, candy bars, Lucky Charms (which I still eat - had some today for St Patty's!), and the only thing healthy was a bag of baby carrots.

The bag of carrots was for the DOG. :laugh:

robin52077

One time I remember putting all my veggies and stuff on the belt and the lady in front of me was quite large and had nothing but chips, snack cakes, and frozen pizzas. She looked at my food, looked at me, looked at her food, and looked down. She looked horribly embarrassed. I noticed this all out of the corner of my eye and didn't say anything to her but part of me wanted to.
Maybe the following shopping trip she bought better food. we can only hope.

techie30

OK, I'll admit it. I've become a food snob! I've gotten so meticulous about what I eat that I look at other peoples food at the checkout and count calories! OH NO!!! Not in a "you sooo shouldn't buy that" kind of way, just a "wow, I used to eat that" kind of way. I hadn't realized how much processed and fatty food I used to eat until I kept track of it all, now I'm shocked I ever ate that way!

Lizzy_Sunflower

Its the same thing with me!! They always say, "Wow. You must like fruits and vegetables. It's weird to see a college kid eat so healthy; no wonder you're skinny!"

And I'm always flummoxed. Never, EVER, would you say to someone who's a bit overweight, "Wow, 3 boxes of Ho-Hos? No wonder you're overweight!"

I hate that there is a double standard, and that it's now the "norm" to be unhealthy and eat crap.

Fantastic point!! I would LOVE to be in line to see a cahsier day That to some one

dixedreg

And I'm always flummoxed. Never, EVER, would you say to someone who's a bit overweight, "Wow, 3 boxes of Ho-Hos? No wonder you're overweight!"

Haha funny

Atlantique

I've still got a ways to go in making stellar food choices, but even i was struck by how much better my cart looked than some of the other ones in line this week!

The lady behind me had an uber-healthy cart that gave me some tips--like that my grocery store carries its own line of organic foods! Who knew!? (And where do they hide them, 'cause I've never seen them before!)

And I asked her about the whole wheat pasta she had chosen and she was all excited to tell me about it! :bigsmile:

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A few months back I saw a lady on one of those scooters (and let's just say it wasn't because of a knee injury :frown: ) with nothing but soda, candy, cookies pastries and crackers. That almost made me cry, right there in line. :sad:

kmc8834

I do experience this same thing at the grocery store, but I am even more perplexed when I look at the differences of food choices between me and my roommate. When she comes back from the grocery store the freezer becomes stuffed with boxed frozen pizzas, popsicles, frozen french fries, etc. While my grocery trip finds usually consist of fruit, yogurt, healthy snacks and protein rich foods like chicken or fish. She is not overweight by any means but it always makes my step a little lighter when I know that what I am putting in my body has to be better than over-processed, microwaved or fried foods! I feel much better when I make healthier choices at the grocery store and can come home and cook a nice, nutritious meal!

doitforabby

----

A few months back I saw a lady on one of those scooters (and let's just say it wasn't because of a knee injury :frown: ) with nothing but soda, candy, cookies pastries and crackers. That almost made me cry, right there in line. :sad:

This would be my mother! I can only imagine what people must think when they see her rolling her way around the store! That is a big reason why I'm here. I don't want to be that woman!

JennLifts

One time I remember putting all my veggies and stuff on the belt and the lady in front of me was quite large and had nothing but chips, snack cakes, and frozen pizzas. She looked at my food, looked at me, looked at her food, and looked down. She looked horribly embarrassed. I noticed this all out of the corner of my eye and didn't say anything to her but part of me wanted to.
Maybe the following shopping trip she bought better food. we can only hope.

Eek. I would feel terrible and smile sweetly!

JennLifts

My mom goes to the store for the rest of the family... and I can't even tell you how frustrated i can get. She comes home with stuff from sams.... which is a bulk store.. and she has 2 trays of JUMBO muffins that were so bad for you I couldn't believe it! (they had a label surprisingly) Frozen Spanikopita, french toast sticks, rice krispies bars... I'm like..... why would you do that? My sister goes and buys pints of ben and jerrys at a time. I give my mom the benefit of the doubt for buying some chicken and frozen veggies... but ugh.
I don't understand how when you know that something is extremely bad for you... and you have the means to afford differently... why would you buy your children that kind of stuff?

rmhand

I am proud of the amount of produce and fresh foods I have been buying. I'm trying to get totally aways from boxes and cans like "hamburger helper", "Pasta roni", and "Raveoli". There are much better healthier options that only have 5 more mins to prepare.

brityn

I got tired of the comments and the "eye rolling" when I started unloading my cart, so, now I do the self checkout. The only problem is they freeze sometimes and I think that might annoy the checkers even more when they have to come put their code in. Oh well. I'm making healthy choices for me and my family and I'm proud of that.

Becky1971

It really makes me very sad to see what the majority of people are purchasing, and they have 3, 4, 5 kids with them. I work in the schools these kids attend, and it really breaks my heart to see how many of them are so overweight. I'm very frustrated with what so many parents are teaching their young children about food. (or not teaching them.)

AmoreCouture

I got tired of the comments and the "eye rolling" when I started unloading my cart, so, now I do the self checkout. The only problem is they freeze sometimes and I think that might annoy the checkers even more when they have to come put their code in. Oh well. I'm making healthy choices for me and my family and I'm proud of that.

What do they roll their eyes for? You buying healthy food?

LisaLN

It really makes me very sad to see what the majority of people are purchasing, and they have 3, 4, 5 kids with them. I work in the schools these kids attend, and it really breaks my heart to see how many of them are so overweight. I'm very frustrated with what so many parents are teaching their young children about food. (or not teaching them.)

I have to agree. I have two daughters and I thank God they love healthy food. Yes, they eat a doughnut or brownie here and there. But my girls are happy to have a banana, pineapple or string cheese, etc., in place of a cookie. I've always tried to enforce a "One sugary item a day" rule. They get a treat, but then they need to make healthier choices the rest of the day. It breaks my heart to see how many kids are overweight nowadays. Some of it's genetic, I'll give you that. But most of it is simply laziness when it comes to making a family dinner, sitting down to eat, slowing down to eat, and not just eating on the run all the time. Plus a lot of kids simply don't go out and play anymore. I have very busy kids and we're on the go a lot (as I work full-time, also) but I always try to have something going in the crockpot or some sort of dinner as a family. God bless the inventor of Crock Pots! LOL!

Starlage

These are the exact reasons why I go to the grocery stores with self-check out! (plus fewer hands touching my produce is always a good thing)

kevanos

bit by bit the grocery culture will change!

Syreeta6

Its the same thing with me!! They always say, "Wow. You must like fruits and vegetables. It's weird to see a college kid eat so healthy; no wonder you're skinny!"

And I'm always flummoxed. Never, EVER, would you say to someone who's a bit overweight, "Wow, 3 boxes of Ho-Hos? No wonder you're overweight!"

I hate that there is a double standard, and that it's now the "norm" to be unhealthy and eat crap.

lmbo

brityn

I got tired of the comments and the "eye rolling" when I started unloading my cart, so, now I do the self checkout. The only problem is they freeze sometimes and I think that might annoy the checkers even more when they have to come put their code in. Oh well. I'm making healthy choices for me and my family and I'm proud of that.

What do they roll their eyes for? You buying healthy food?

Yeah they look me up and down, look at the cart full of fruits, veggies and whole grain everything. I'm sure having to weigh and enter a number for most of the things I buy is a lot less convenient then scanning the bar code on the bottom of the boxes for other people.

Barelmy

I don't understand how when you know that something is extremely bad for you... and you have the means to afford differently... why would you buy your children that kind of stuff?

Growing up, we had a crisp (chips) cupboard, and a chocolate drawer in the fridge (instead of a vegetable drawer).

My mother has struggled with her weight my entire life (literally; she was very slim before she had a baby). Once, as a teenager, I asked her to please stop stocking up the chocolate and crisps so much, because if they were around, I'd eat them out of boredom; I wouldn't go out and buy them for myself or ask for them. She told me she couldn't, because my sister and stepdad wanted them.

I suspect that there was more to it than that. At the very least, we could have come up with a compromise, for instance, to buy less at a time.

I didn't start eating well until I moved out, tbh.

reallivefitness

Being a college kid, I've gotten some comments about how much healthy stuff I buy. Especially because I have to flash my ID to get a discount, so then they know I'm younger than I look... It's especially funny when another college kid gets in line behind me and only has beer and frozen pizza. But, sometimes I do feel a little bad, because I tend to buy weird produce that not many other people do, and so the cashiers don't know the code for it. I try to do self checkouts when I can, but at the store where I go to school they don't have any, so it takes forever to get through my stuff.

omgitsgarry

The girls at 7/11 always comment on my V8 Juice hording and how healthy I have been eating lately. These are the girls who saw me buying stacks of bags of junk food, pizza rolls, and sandwiches for all the two and a half years I have worked at the shop two blocks up from there store.

aflane

I now get greeted by one of the produce managers when I go into my local Safeway. He immediately tells me what the fresh or new produce of the day is. Especially if they got in a new exotic fruit. He'll even cut something new so that I can try it. I'm such a veggie-holic.

Levedi

My mom goes to the store for the rest of the family... and I can't even tell you how frustrated i can get. She comes home with stuff from sams.... which is a bulk store.. and she has 2 trays of JUMBO muffins that were so bad for you I couldn't believe it! (they had a label surprisingly) Frozen Spanikopita, french toast sticks, rice krispies bars... I'm like..... why would you do that? My sister goes and buys pints of ben and jerrys at a time. I give my mom the benefit of the doubt for buying some chicken and frozen veggies... but ugh.
I don't understand how when you know that something is extremely bad for you... and you have the means to afford differently... why would you buy your children that kind of stuff?

Oh my gosh, that's just like my dad. He buys so much stuff that my parents have two fridges and a freezer to hold it all. Last time I was home there were three wheels of gouda in the downstairs fridge. Who needs three wheels of gouda cheese?! When my aunt visits she brings her own veggies, yogurt, and Kashi so she can stay on track with her WW points and my parents get offended. AND my Dad had the temerity to lecture me on my eating habits because I was getting unattractive. He's massively overweight himself and diabetic, but that doesn't stop him from lecturing people on nutrition. Between the unhealthy stuff in the house and my tendency to stress binge around my parents, going home for the holidays is massively unhealthy.