Grocery store HORROR!!!!

Options
2456

Replies

  • Inshape13
    Inshape13 Posts: 680 Member
    Options
    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
    minizebu Posts: 2,716 Member
    Options
    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
    JDBLY11 Posts: 577 Member
    Options
    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
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
    Options
    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
    seinfeldlove Posts: 17 Member
    Options
    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
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
    Options
    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
    ChristineS_51 Posts: 872 Member
    Options
    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
    Xtinesky Posts: 127 Member
    Options
    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
    Skrib69 Posts: 687 Member
    Options
    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
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    Options
    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!
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
    Options
    Monetary budget has really helped with sticking to a caloric budget.

    this! i'm saving up for a trip to denmark at the end of the year and going to brazil next year for world cup. all of those extra extra empty calories rep[resents $ i can put away in my travel fund
  • naturallyme36
    naturallyme36 Posts: 155 Member
    Options
    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.
    Very smart and yes, GO YOU!!:flowerforyou:
  • Mrs__G
    Mrs__G Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    Way to go!! Going back in and returning the food a huge NSV!!! I agree the grocery store is an awful beast anytime but on football days, or when I'm hungry it's way worse for me.

    You should feel so proud of yourself :smile:
  • Healthy_4_Life2
    Healthy_4_Life2 Posts: 595 Member
    Options
    That is a wonderful thing that you did by returning the items. That shows that you are really dedicated to this healthy lifestyle and that you are not going to let somethings get in your way of reaching your goals. I find that grocery shopping can be quite crazy at times, particularly at Sam's Club or at Costco where they have all those food to sample and then feel the "need" to buy a box or two of what tasted yummy!

    What has been working for me is making a list and STICKING with that list NO MATTER what. I have 4 kids who will try to talk me into buying some things when we go shopping, so leaving them at home when I go shopping is also helpful. :happy:

    Keep up the great job!!
  • QuilterInVA
    QuilterInVA Posts: 672 Member
    Options
    There would be no junk food or overprocessed foods if people didn't buy it. The food manufacturers provide what the consumer wants. When the fast food restaurants offered healthy choices,. the very people who said they wanted them didn't buy them and so thery were discontinued. I have my goals firmly in mind and I am not tempted by junk or processed foods. I know them for what they are.
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
    Options
    Hi - that proves that the store is doing strategic marketing and product placement to make you want to buy that stuff.. and it worked!

    After awhile you kinda put blinders on your eyes and don't react to it, just keep walking past that and set your eyes on the FRESH FRUIT! yumm!! or whatever you find delicious. You sort of have to treat that stuff like a benign thing, neither good, neither bad. it comes after awhile. wow but before i used to dart right over to the pastry aisle and glare lovingly at that food.

    I was at a new store the other day and when i saw all the beautiful fresh food I was filling up my cart with everything i loved and later realized, wow, i sure filled it up with a lot of fruit.

    Oh yeah I forgot to mention - its true not to go to the store when hungry. it helps A LOT!!!
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Options
    I think i'm at the point where i just walk past most of that crap and don't even notice it's there. It has to be something like REALLY REALLY tempting; im talking individual ridiculously good looking cheesecake or something.

    I also walk in with a general idea of what im going to eat that week, so i just go to those aisles automatically and grab whatever. *shrug*

    Good job at keeping on track! If i have it around or in the house, i WILL eat it, so i usually avoid that stuff altogether.
  • beaches222
    beaches222 Posts: 437 Member
    Options
    LOL! I can so relate but it is so AWESOME that you took it back! YOu should be so proud! Thanks for posting as my I am going grocery shopping tomorrow and you have given me the courage to NOT pick these things up. LOL
  • roadregrets
    roadregrets Posts: 14
    Options
    I have this issue, I love a good deal and recently at the store only unhealthy items are on sale for back to school. So I picked up some cheese/cracker snacks but I ate them... So I always think I will grab something at this great price and only have a little what a savings! That was the same with halloween candy in our house growing up, my mom always busted it out mid october and we'd have to restock. So I am working on ignoring it as well. At Shoppers Drug Mart I grabbed all healthy milk, kashi bars, eggs, salmon etc. and skipped the pop and chips which were temptingly cheap. Every win counts! I have also learned to shop after eating, (as someone suggested) and I spend quite a lot of time looking at flyers and planning what to buy so my sweet tooth doesn't sway me too much.

    Good job taking it back!
  • Minnie2361
    Minnie2361 Posts: 281 Member
    Options
    Fantastic story. You had the courage to return them. You kept $23 in you pocket, if you were to times that 4, that is 4 visits a month to the store that would be a savings of $92.00 a month and that would leave you with $1104.00 extra at the end of the year in your bank account by not buying junk.

    No chump change,

Categories