Whole families going food shopping

[Shiningstarr]

Just came back from food shopping, there were a couple of young families in there, one in particular, the mum was pushing the trolley, her two young children walking near her and the dad was following with a pram and carrying another toddler.

Surely it would be easier for just mum to go and do the food shop, or just dad? Why bring all those children plus pram? I can't think of anything worse. Both mum and dad looked stressed.

Peak Mumsnet snobbery here. I mean honestly why can't the children just stay home with the Nanny whilst the mother does the shopping and the father closes a couple of acquisition deals on Lombard St. Geez 🙄

I don't notice any shops turning families away.

Don't notice a major space difference either - mini Waitrose and train station M&S can get a bit cramped. Cheaper supermarkets have plenty of space in this country - it's called the pile em high and sell em cheap model for a reason.

Not clear why families shopping together needs more staff either.

Possibly (based on this thread, including deleted comments) less judgement re having more kids, shopping as a family, young parents, extended families doing things together in cheaper supermarkets. Some of these things are markers for lower socio economic status so more likely to be seen in cheaper shops. And these shops target families and family shoppers with their offers and marketing.

Geez! First World problems........mind your own business.

NEWSFLASH

When going to a supermarket, expect there to be other people there.

I really enjoy food shopping with my family, Covid shopping was really miserable. I often ask whether the kids want to come for the trip out to keep me company. They then get to choose eg yoghurts or biscuits. My teenager likes to look for things like bargain treats she can con me on not getting for her.

I agree it’s great for teaching kids about life stuff too. Recently I have shown my 7 year old to look for price per kg on cheese etc.

I don’t really get why you wouldn’t want to spend time with family in this way?

@aSofaNearYou
Yes get your kids involved in some chores, some of the time. But every week going shopping? Are they also helping with all the cleaning, admin, gardening etc etc all the time? Doesn't sound like much of a childhood. I don't know, if I had a choice I would just always choose spending free time wandering round a park / nature with my family and partner, than wandering round a artificially lit environment looking at a load of consumer good in tons of packaging. Supermarket shopping personally is something best kept to the bare minimum. Wandering round a farmer's market is entirely different, and actually think that is good for kids as they actually learn what stuff genuinely looks like (covered in dirt) and what's in season etc

Sounds like hell to me. I started online shop 14 years ago when DD1 was a toddler and never looked back. Often see families with tiny babies in car seats and young kids in uniform wandering around shopping centres or supermarkets late into the evening.

I did not read through all the posts, just the first and last pages.

I cannot imagine men going to all the trouble to post their "opinions" on something like this.

The parents then complain about 'pester power', I don't recall ever going shopping with our Mum except ehen I was older and could ccarry bags!

Hair shirt not too itchy I trust.

Or help with the shopping trolley😀

Embarrassing as a teen

I adored going shopping with my father on a Saturday morning.

My kids have the choice most of the time to join or not.

I cant see what's to get worked up over here. It doesn't make your shopping slower?

Why on earth would this bother any of you? What is it to you?!! Let people live their lives. They could have any number reasons to be doing it together maybe they really want to be together and spend time together and be a team rearing their kids and show them how to behave in public. Don’t be so negative.

My kids are both teens now but even so we only go food shopping as a family if we have been doing something else first. For example we all went to a larger town further away to do back to school shopping last month and treated the kids to lunch out at the same time. I also needed food shopping so we stopped into a supermarket for a food shop on our way home. I did the same when they were younger too. I certainly never thought oh let’s all go shopping as a family for fun 😂 I hope no one ever thought that was the kind of day out I took my children on.

I used to go shopping with my SAHD as a kid and as a teenager and actually quite enjoyed it. To be fair, I have a lot of siblings so sometimes it was just nice to get out the house with him.

Nowadays we do click and collect with our shopping. I order it all and DH goes and picks it up on the way home from work one evening. Works well. That isn't to say that we don't occasionally pop into the shop with our two young kids for a few things at the weekend (never a full weekly shop). They are at an age where they quite like putting things in the trolley, help finding items, scanning at the til etc. I think it's good life skills for them.

10th post, 10 minutes in: it’s the fault of a controlling man. Mumsnet never lets you down.

I'm sight impaired. If my husband doesn't drive me to the supermarket with my children in tow I'd never leave the house

Perhaps they're trying to get their children involved in meal times by encouraging them to chose foods by themselves. Perhaps they want their children to grow up with an understanding of how to navigate a shop/interact with others/manage a budget/use manners.
Perhaps all that is pretty important rather than growing up assuming the magic Waitrose van delivers to all.
I like to see children shopping. It gives me hope there might be responsible adults in the future.

Couldn’t agree more!!!!!!

I only take all my children and my husband when I have to but those occasions are a necessity. They’re horrendous and stressful and I’d hate to know if a nobody was judging me because of it 🤷🏻‍♀️

I'm really sorry but I don't understand. Are you saying it's ok to take kids shopping if you're by yourself but you can't bring an extra adult with you? So like mum+kids is ok, mum+dad+kids is wrong?

This. Everytime.

Surely you only bump into them once maybe twice in the whole shop? It’s not a big deal. Have you considered online shopping or click and collect?

When they weren't having chicken dippers and wedges, cheese and ham kievs and chips, chicken in barbecue sauce with cheese and boiled potatoes, pollock in tomato sauce with potatoes and broccoli, tuna sweetcorn pasta bake, lasagne/chips/salad, pasta with bacon, peas and philly cheese, burgers, pizza, hoisin duck pancakes and fried rice, chicken/pork/gammon, roasties, veg and gravy, lamb in soy sauce with rice, chicken yakitori, sausages and mash or jacket potatoes with prawn cocktail and salad. Or smoked salmon and cucumber sandwiches with two petits filous as a chaser. Or pancakes with strawberries and ice cream, iced yum yums or half a packet of vienetta. When they weren't getting a MaccyD's on a Friday evening after karate.

Oh yeah for sure The ones I saw in costco yesterday were definitely doing this in the frozen food aisle!! 😂