To Be a Supermarket Snob?

[MitziK]

[Takes deep breath and sticks head over parapet]

OH took over pretty much all shopping, cooking and cleaning a while ago, as I was struggling to manage working fulltime with a massive Psoriatic Arthritis flare and he hadn't been getting much in the way of work (he was self employed, but the last year, I think, could be better described as unemployed).

Anyhow, he tries, but finds planning and organisation difficult and because I'm a fussy bitch I have strong preferences around food (ie, not from packets, low carb, wholemeal, lots of vegetables, that kind of thing) whilst he is happy to exist on Haribo, pasties and crisps, I get to the point where I have to stick my oar in over what he buys. I couldn't justify an online order, so I got him to agree to coming to a large supermarket with me, as the local mini ones largely sell utter crap ding dinners and overpriced, sad looking veggies.

All major supermarkets are within a short bus ride away in different directions. He insisted upon Tesco's. Not keen, but I'm not going to knock it. It's better than another month of the offerings from round the corner.

Anyhow, within a few minutes, I'm feeling disoriented, vague and as though I had a migraine without a headache. I struggled through, got the shopping and we escaped - but it took so long, what with having to go back and look at the same bits twice because I couldn't see what was wanted the first time of looking for it. It wasn't enormously busy, I wasn't panicking or anything like that and there weren't huge numbers of screaming kids even if there were several people who stopped dead in front of me, which is a heinous offence, IMO - but I felt awful and I was relieved to be out of there. As soon as I stepped outside, I felt fine again. I've disliked shopping there before, but put that down to being surrounded by screaming kids, angry Mums and probably being a bit hormonal or tired.

He says that I should just give him a list and not put myself through shopping again, but I never feel like that when I go to either Waitrose, even when they're packed. He was sympathetic but thinks I'm being silly and a bit of a snob, as veggies, meat and bread flour/yeast are the same wherever you shop - but why am I absolutely fine shopping in one and not the other? Could it be the lighting? Should I just give up and let him deal with it all?

Am I just being a snob and not able to articulate or admit it?

But youre not a snob. A snob would be saying oh I dont go into xyz because of the riffraff or poor quality or because its too cheap. Youre saying you dont like the building that tesco is in. So any supermarket chain in that building would have the same effect. My mum is the same with sainsburys - likes the one in town, hates the out of town one.

Tesco just isn't particularly nice IMO, so it isn't necessarily snobbery. I'm happy enough with Asda, Aldi, Sainsbury's, Morrison's, Lidl.

Yoga there’s a Waitrose on Byre road,the old Sainsbury’s at top,junction with Gt Western Rd

Waitrose Scottish branches

1. Waitrose Milngavie , Glasgow

1. Waitrose Byres Road, Glasgow

1. Waitrose Newton Mearns

1. Waitrose Stirling

1. Waitrose Helensburgh

1. Waitrose Comely Bank

1. Waitrose Morningside

Asda is nowhere near cheaper than Tesco or Sainsburys, maybe it was at some point, but they have put their prices up to equal the others. It's such a con that people think they are making savings there!

Waitrose is not necessarily expensive either, it just depends what you buy in there. If you buy the same items, and don't go Duchy Original, it won't cost you more.

If you want cheap, go Aldi or Liddle.

This supermarket snobbery is funny, but in truth it's a bit like pound shop - who gets away with selling items for a lot more because they are labelled a pound. not cost effective at all.

Tesco gives me migraines actually, so do Sainsbury's and Aldi occasionally too...I think it's the lighting

I've never had a migraine in Waitrose or M&S but rarely shop in either so it's not really a fair comparison

I find Asda to be a bit more tolerable although the food isn't particularly great

Waitrose delivers.

Ocado's minimum is £40.

Either you do the ordering or just leave it to him!

My Sainsburys delivery tomorrow is £1.50. Just do it.

Do an online shop every two weeks for the big stuff and store cupboard stuff to increase the value of the order, then let him hit whatever store he wants to for the fresh stuff.

We don't have a Waitrose here and the BIG big tesco is just too big - it's not laid out well and I can't handle it. I do have a Tesco delivery pass though.

I don't mind our local Sainsbury's but I feel I can't do a 'proper' shop in it cos it's only little.

Our Asda is about 7 mins from the house so if I only need a few bits I have historically used Asda. Towards the end of 2018 updated the store in a really weird way (again, it doesn't flow well) and I don't like it but I still use it because of its proximity (90% of the time I'd rather the extra 100 meters to Asda and pay £1 for something than £3 for it at the local costcutter or paper shop).

TBH I don't like shopping fullstop (clothes/food/other items included) be it online or instore and like ti get it done ASAP.

I do recommend the scan and go at Asda because even over Christmas I was in and out in such a short time cos noone ever seemed to be at those tills! I don't recommend it at Tesco purely because the store is so big and so metal that the wifi drops every single time I've done it and so it takes longer than queuing and going through the till!

I have both auto immune illnesses & CFS/ME. I had a meltdown in Tesco and at airport in the last month. I've become noise, light & crowd sensitive. I'm struggling to go shopping where it's hustle & bustle. I couldn't cope with all the security faff at airport either. I used to love travel & shopping. It's just one more thing that my health conditions are robbing me off. It's hell to live with. I sympathise & don't in least think you are a food snob, just overloaded with sensory issues when you are in a flare. At times it's made me think I'm loosing my mind as my behaviour is so irrational when I get overloaded, I get disorientated, tearful, angry. Please don't be to hard on yourself. It's taken me a good while to accept that it's my illness, not me

Do you scream at michaelangelo aswell?

Neither of my local Tescos are in precincts but both Sainsburys and Waitrose are, I think thats possibly the problem. They both look grubby, yes even Waitrose!

I can’t remember the last time I went to a big supermarket. I shop online with Tesco and I pay the monthly free so I can have free delivery whenever I like (I think minimum spend is £30). I think Tesco’s are pretty good, their fruit and veg seems to last the week (if it doesn’t get eaten). I just sit down one evening, do a meal plan and a online shop whilst watching tv , I’m a bit of a food snob and mainly live on fresh food and fish. I can’t cope with walking around a supermarket, I end up spending a fortune on things we don’t need and end up forgetting the important thing.

Don't go to places like Iceland or Farm Foods then you would probably drop dead.
Just do an online shop, what do you mean you cant justify it? Delivery is only a pound or two.

It might be the building! I have sensory processing issues, I tend to hear things other people can't hear. And Tesco buzzes. I don't know where it comes from but it is maddening and I can't concentrate in there. I travel a bit further to Aldi or Sainsbury's.

YANBU. Shopping anywhere other than Waitrose is a very dispiriting experience.
I used to like Booths but the one nearest me has gone downhill recently.

By the way, my DM found it pretty easy to find a code online for Ocado that not only gave money off but also a free year of deliveries.

wizzy psoriatic arthritis is debilitating, I'm not kidding. The pain can be horrendous.

Our waitrose is the worst for noise and claustrophobia. No windows, feels like a warehouse, and parents who don’t believe in telling kids off with screaming offspring. Hell

Are you the woman who screams in art galleries?

Your poor DH, you sound like hard work.

I've just compared what we bought with the cost online, swapping like for like. The only reason Waitrose would have been dearer was because he picked up a can of deodorant on Special offer. I expected it to be much dearer online, which is why I didn't think I could justify it when I could get off my arse and buy the stuff myself. As it was, it just crept into the minimum order level.

We're pretty much sorted for the month now, he just needs to get milk and eggs from round the corner, but I'll be ordering online to stock up on cat food next payday, so will try and get what isn't sold within walking distance at the same time.

I feel guilty being sat on my backside whist he dutifully trots round the shops, only to find they don't sell what I've asked for. I make a point of cleaning at least one bathroom or the kitchen from top to bottom every weekend so he doesn't feel like a skivvy and pester to cook at least once in the weekend.

Thanks for not completely slaughtering me, though. The input about lights and stimulation makes sense, as I'm resolutely a zero clutter and no busy patterns person.

Do you scream at michaelangelo aswell?

oh don't!

he is happy to exist on Haribo, pasties and crisps

I can't see a problem here. These three cover all of the major junk food groups

WR generally seems to be more expensive, but if you have their card you can pick items to have discount on, and they often have offers. The essentials range is competitively priced. The quality is generally excellent. I wouldn't do a bit weekly shop there.
Sainsbury's always seems expensive to me, but the shops don't make me feel ill like Tesco does.
Aldi and Lidl are usually the cheapest.I would do the big weekly shop in these.