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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Do you go food shopping as a family?

297 replies

Allyourdreamsaremadeofstrawberrylemonade · 01/09/2024 22:47

Have realised that we never do. Either I go with Dd, 6 or Dh will nip to the shops for the odd bits needed or I will do the big shop on some Saturdays whilst Dd stays with Dh.
Is that weird, seems a bit sad

OP posts:
StTola · 01/09/2024 23:08

Allyourdreamsaremadeofstrawberrylemonade · 01/09/2024 22:58

@Devilsmommy No, I meant weird that we don’t do it as a family

Why would anyone drag small children and unnecessary adults around a supermarket buying cabbage and toilet rolls? We get basics and heavy stuff delivered, and some combination of one or more of us buys bread, vegetables etc at the farmers’ market on Saturday morning.

MillyTheMoo · 01/09/2024 23:09

Good grief NO, for a million reasons, no

Penguinmouse · 01/09/2024 23:09

We have a toddler who sits in the trolley but will avoid making the food shop a family activity if we can avoid it. One of us will do it or do click and collect/online ordering. Nothing more annoying that a family being dragged around the shops, causing chaos because they don’t want to be there.

NewName24 · 01/09/2024 23:09

Don't understand which way to vote, but the weird thing would be to do the shop as a family.

It's really not something anyone needs to do as a family. Just annoying when whole families clog up the aisles.
So inefficient for family life too. I mean, why would you? Why would anyone ? Confused

mynameiscalypso · 01/09/2024 23:10

BigMandyHarris · 01/09/2024 23:01

Yep, we go together 😊
Too many kids don’t do normal ‘life stuff’ now.

To be fair, to many adults it's not that normal a part of life anymore. I don't know anyone who does a big supermarket shop regularly

justasking111 · 01/09/2024 23:10

We keep a shopping list pad on the kitchen windowsill, both write down what has been used up or low stock, whoever feels like it grabs the list and shops. The occasional big shop I do alone.

Mermaidsarereal · 01/09/2024 23:11

We used to and it was a bloody nightmare! Now my DD is almost 13 so stays at home while me and DH do the food shop... she just tells us anything she may want.

Dotto · 01/09/2024 23:14

Nope. Would rather stick needles in my eyes. MIL & SIL used to do theirs together with the kids in tow in ASDA on a Sat as if it was some sort of enjoyable activity. Baffling.

DifficultBloodyWoman · 01/09/2024 23:14

Uggghhhh!

Family shopping trips are hell!

For the family and everyone else around them.

Unfortunately, DH and I will probably do a family trip today. Bad planning on my part, we need some urgent items as well as food for the rest of the week. DH is off work for a week and will inevitably want to come with me rather than stay at home with DC.

I promise I will try to keep him focused and get in and out of there as quickly and unobtrusively as possible!

Portfun24 · 01/09/2024 23:14

Absolutely not, Dh will sometimes say hel come with me but I prefer just to go and whizz round myself quickly.

Noseybookworm · 01/09/2024 23:14

Absolutely not! DH hates food shopping, I quite like it. I usually go on my own but would sometimes take one or two of the kids when they were at home. I would never think of it as a whole family activity!

MSLRT · 01/09/2024 23:14

Since when did food shopping become a family outing

Crystallizedring · 01/09/2024 23:16

DH and I have both worked in retail and we could never understand the amount of families that went shopping. Sometimes even with grandparents too. Usually with parents arguing and kids crying for sweets.
We try very hard not to take DS to the supermarket as he's a nightmare. Generally we get it delivered online but if we need anything in-between one stays home while the other shops
Don't do it if you can avoid it. Not fun for anyone.

firsttimemum1230 · 01/09/2024 23:16

I prefer to go alone or with my partner and our two year old… I don’t necessarily find it sad if it’s just me and my two year old though just very stressful and an hour longer than needs to be. No need to deep it.

ProvincialLady2024 · 01/09/2024 23:16

Never as a family. I've taken the children when absolutely no other choice, but my word they made it much more painful than it needed to be!

MultiplaLight · 01/09/2024 23:18

I refer to the family shoppers as zombies. Usually at least 4 infected with the ability to be in the way at every possible moment while drifting around the store grunting at each other.

Deadringer · 01/09/2024 23:18

No and I don't bring my dog either.

ManchesterLu · 01/09/2024 23:20

Food shopping isn't a social/positive activity, it's just a chore. There are far better things you can do for family time. Just one of you go, and get round and out as quickly as possible.

CrushingOnRubies · 01/09/2024 23:22

Not as bad where I live now but my old local supermarket used to be near a tourist hotspot. Nothing like tourists spending a wet day in the supermarket on their family holiday not knowing where anything is and just mooching around. Drove me crackers

fizzymizzy · 01/09/2024 23:23

I take my 14 year old. Weirdly it's one of the only places she is ok with so we go for a quick coffee then have a wander round. It enables her to be out and about in society and also have some sort of input regarding what she eats. I will keep doing it for as long as it benefits her in a positive way. DH will tag along as he enjoys a coffee and isn't able to get out alone due to a physical disability.

Allyourdreamsaremadeofstrawberrylemonade · 01/09/2024 23:29

I just think back to my childhood and mum took us shopping and we’d take my gran too

OP posts:
Russiandollsaresofullofthemselves · 01/09/2024 23:30

shopping as a family of 5 is a nightmare, everyone wonders off to different areas and then everyone also adds crap to the trolley that you wouldn’t usually buy. you are not missing out. I try to go alone where possible.

Growlybear83 · 01/09/2024 23:32

I've done my main shop online for years, but usually pop to a supermarket once a week for top up bits. I had back surgery a few weeks ago and wasnt able to drive for six weeks, and so my husband took me a couple of times once I was more mobile. He meant well , but it was such an ordeal going round a supermarket with him! 😆

TuesdayWhistler · 01/09/2024 23:32

MSLRT · 01/09/2024 23:14

Since when did food shopping become a family outing

I worked for Asda for a few years, on the bakery department and the Seasonal department and on the beer etc.

Very very often, especially on a Sunday, you'd see families in the store wandering about, poking bread, fondling knickers, trying all the 'try me' toys and generally being in the shop for a long long time. I think some of them did see a trip to Asda as an afternoon out.

RosesAndHellebores · 01/09/2024 23:34

I never took the dc once they were old enough for nursery, 2.5. DH came with me once, before we were married. Never again.

The DC grew up quite competent.

I always look at the groups of mum, dad and three DC and wonder why one of the parents doesn't take the dc to the park instead.

Can someone explain why dc are allowed to scoot in the supermarket please. Our DC are 29 and 26. I am sure that if I had allowed one or both to scoot in the supermarket 25 ish years ago, the manager would have had a stern word with me.