Grocery Store Snob??

I buy my meats in bulk (like 4-6 cases of chicken breast at a time. Gotta love 10% Tuesdays) and a LOT of veggies. I often get a sympathetic look and someone always comments, "Oh! Teenage boys, eh? They'll eat us out of house and home!" to which I try and reply with a straight face, "I do have a son, but he's only 6. My girls are 5 and 4. This is aaaaaaaaall me. With a little hubby thrown in for "fun". LOL.

When I see a cart full of junk food, I am reminded how closely poor nutrition is linked with poverty. Picture a single-mom struggling to make ends meet- she doesn't have a lot of time to cook, and doesn't have a lot of knowledge about nutrition. Heck yeah she's going to buy that box of frosted puffs for $0.99 because it's quick and easy and cheap, as opposed to turkey sausage links and scrambled eggs, or Greek yogurt and fresh berries.

A study done by Adam Drenowski and SE Specter, titled Povery and Obesity: The Role of Energy Density and Energy Costs, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, ( http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/79/1/6.full ) found four things: "First, the highest rates of obesity occur among population groups with the highest poverty rates and the least education. Second, there is an inverse relation between energy density (MJ/kg) and energy cost ($/MJ), such that energy-dense foods composed of refined grains, added sugars, or fats may represent the lowest-cost option to the consumer. Third, the high energy density and palatability of sweets and fats are associated with higher energy intakes, at least in clinical and laboratory studies. Fourth, poverty and food insecurity are associated with lower food expenditures, low fruit and vegetable consumption, and lower-quality diets."

Oh man, I'm exactly the same. I take my grandmother grocery shopping every other week. She is the QUEEN of processed, crappy food. Ice cream, cheese danish, swiss cake rolls, salty pre-packed deli meats, everything crappy you can imagine is in her cart, and she one week of food for her is THREE weeks for me. It's craziness. I look at her cart and cringe, and I do the same at strangers. It's funny to see what your cart used to look like!

My cart is all over the place: organic baby spring mix, chicken breast, Greek yogurt, whole-grain bread, Eggland's Best eggs, cottage cheese, baby carrots, Pop-Tarts, ice cream, Tastykakes, Cap'n Crunch. Some of the treats are mine, some are my husband's and/or teenage son's. I don't much care what people think, but I suppose some might find the mix of items amusing.

This is pretty much me. I have tons of fruit, veggies, real meats, greek yogurt, then I have treats for me, hubs, and the kids. Once a month, I buy them both Lunchables (GASP!! I'm the worst mom, ever!!) .. lol

I'm not worried, my children are both healthy and active (and on target with their weight!), so that's all that matters to me! Hubs and I, we're working on our weight issues now, and both were learned behavors before we got together

I have always been like this. I look into other peoples carts and think 'where's the green filling?'

When I do buy ice cream and cookies and candy, like more than 1 item of junk at a time, I sometimes feel a bit self conscious. But then again I have and have always had an unhealthy relationship with food so that's not surprise.

I'm just guessing, but I suspect that your 2 yo little girls MAY be a little different than my 19 & 17 yo very active sons. Also, my husband and I go for all day hikes, we trail run, and we lift weights. If we want pop tarts & sugarlicious ice cream, we will eat it - and like it. In fact, I have a hankering for some Cocoa Pebbles, I may just zip off to the store to giggle at the judgers who don't know that you can eat treats, be healthy, and lose weight if you want to.

This would be different than having a cart full of nothing but Cocoa Pebbles, ice cream and pop tarts.

I do look at what is in other peoples carts, I don't think bad thoughts, I do wonder what people think about my cart when half the stuff I buy isn't healthy....I don't want to starve my kids they are already skin and bones and I have to get things they will eat, chicken nuggets, fries, chips, so its really hard for me to eat healthy in a house full of un-healthy food But I manage!

I don't consider myself a "grocery store snob" but I do get a little self-conscious about myself buying groceries. I shop for my husband and me, and we eat totally different, except we have the same thing for dinner.

He's naturally very slim, and he loves to eat processed stuff for snacks. He can eat toaster pastries for breakfast and ramen for a snack, but I can't (I could, but it's pretty empty carbs/sugar for me.)

So when I go shopping, I get half healthy and half processed stuff... Like Greek yogurt and fruit for me, and macaroni & cheese cups for him. I always feel like people are staring at me and thinking to themselves, "This is why she is overweight..."
I'd give Hubby the same thing as me, but he doesn't like Greek yogurt and he has a raw fruit allergy.

):

The crap in my cart is only for hubby... he's an adult and he can eat what he wants (literally and figuratively) My kids and hubby get dinner and lunches the healthiest way I can prepare them using things I choose. If hubby asks for "snacks" *eyeroll* I usually get them for him. His body, his choice. My kids? Eat what I cook and if not, eat it tomorrow. I'm not a short order chef. lol

^^ Agree. My son is away at college and it's just me and hubs for now. I am not my husband's mother or keeper. There are snacks and foods he likes that I don't, and vice versa. We pretty much agree on the meals, but the snacks are pretty different. I think it would be passive agressive for me to deliberately not buy foods he requests (we have a list on the fridge that we both add to throughout the week for food/tolietries that we need). He wants Doritos, I am buying Doritos. I don't have to eat them.

Haha, modern day wifely submission?

I do look at what is in other peoples carts, I don't think bad thoughts, I do wonder what people think about my cart when half the stuff I buy isn't healthy....I don't want to starve my kids they are already skin and bones and I have to get things they will eat, chicken nuggets, fries, chips, so its really hard for me to eat healthy in a house full of un-healthy food But I manage!

This makes no sense. What makes you think your children will starve if you feed them healthy food?

I do this as well, especially when they are extremely overweight I almost want to help them.

I secretly love going to the store after a run, it makes me feel a little elite or something and I am fully aware that people look at me, please do, I hope I inspire you.

This would be different than having a cart full of nothing but Cocoa Pebbles, ice cream and pop tarts.

Hmmm, good idea, maybe I'll get all 3 - the trifecta.

If I ever saw anyone with a cart like that, I would assume that they were going to have an awesome sleep over, & be hurt that I wasn't invited.

Point is, get over yourselves. It's not like a person's cart is a window into their soul or a measure of their value.

I buy most of my groceries online and have them delivered, so I guess the driver might think my choices are weird but they never say a thing.