Watch KatieMumsnet discussing keeping your LOs entertained at the supermarket on Shop Talk and see if your top tips were used NOW CLOSED

[KatieBMumsnet]

Last week MNers shared their top tips on keeping your LOs onside whilst doing the supermarket shop - thank you for all your comments. Watch Shop Talk now to see if your top tips made it on the show!

Barclaycard Freedom Rewards, in association with Mumsnet, have created a new weekly online chat show: Shop Talk. Over the next few weeks, they'll be looking for MNers' shopping tips and tricks on a range of topics.

Heres what Barclaycard have to say about the show: "Shop Talk is a weekly chat show where we tackle the big shopping stories that you're talking about. A different presenter will host the show each week and first up was Andrea McLean.
Two panellists, including shopping blogger Emily and Katie from MNHQ join Andrea to discuss keeping the kids on side during your supermarket shop as well as making the most of those family days in during half term."

With regards to the Barclaycard Freedom Rewards credit card, Barclaycard say:
"Supercharge your every day shop with the Barclaycard Freedom Rewards credit card. Not only can you earn double Freedom Reward points at any UK supermarket or petrol station, you can also use it with the rewards card you already have to earn points. So you dont have to change the way you shop.
18.9% APR Representative (Variable)"

Next week's Shop Talk, hosted by Julia Bradbury, discusses reaping the rewards from everyday shopping and Barclaycard would love to hear your thoughts. What you would buy if you had an extra £50 on your reward cards? Would this differ to what you would buy with £50 cash? Share your comments on the thread here and you could win a £150 Champneys voucher.

Thanks,

MNHQ

[indyandlara]

We do a few things. I always have a list so DD (4) helps by checking I have remembered everything on the list. She also always has 1 or 2 things not on the list to remember to get. She also helps with all the picking off the shelves. The self scanners at Tesco are great and she loves using those. You just have to be careful that she hasn't scanned all sorts of random things which are in the shelves but not in your trolley- she likes to try to zap herself!

[tanfastic]

I let my ds who is 5 push the trolley. Only when it's not too busy though.

On other occasions I have promised him one of those ridiculously expensive pieces of plastic tat that they normally sell...just to keep him sweet. Normally works.

[SNOWBall4girlz]

My kids are older now but the youngest at 8 yrs still plays up if we don't keep her occupied. A promise of her choosing the pudding or a multipack of chocolate treats to share with her sisters normally does the trick, especially as she feels important that she gets to pick what dd2 and dd3 have to eat :)
When they were younger had two in trolley seat and one helping to push, croissants or bread used to do the trick with the eldest doling it out as we did the shop. (bought on the way in)

[Dancealot]

My youngest (2.8) likes to sit in the trolley whilst we race down the aisles shouting brum brum. Obviously we only do this when the supermarket is quiet and we don't go too fast! Otherwise I keep them entertained with a continuous list of questions and requests- can you help find the bananas, what colour are the tomatoes etc.

[DanglingChillis]

My top tip is to do the shopping in the evening after they've gone to bed.

[VeryStressedMum]

The only way to keep dcs entertained whilst doing the supermarket shop is them watching the tv. At home. Whist doing the shopping on your own.

[petalsandstars]

My DCs are too young to help yet so food is my coping technique giving rice cakes or flapjack etc on the way round.

[Kipsy]

I do my grocery shopping online - bliss!

If I have forgotten some items or (horror) if I need to do a full shop with DC in tow, these are some things that have helped:

1. Feed/water them beforehand, plonk them in the trolley if they are tired
2. On no account let them push or steer a trolley. If they insist on carrying your basket, put in a 4pint milk bottle at the first opportunity so they give up. I know this seems cruel - but fatigue = bad temper.
3. Ask them to write out ingredients for a fav recipe, complete with checkboxes to tick. Put them in charge of finding and picking these items off the shelves. If you have younger DC, you could try writing their list with pics instead of words and the all important checkboxes.
4. Use self scan if possible and get them to scan each item.
5. Let them load items onto the checkout belt.
6. Let them buy a treat - to be eaten after checkout. This always works!

[trice]

I make them do the shop from a list. We only get a few things from the supermarket so it doesn't take long.

[Beccie77]

My two are a little older and are made to play a more involved role. The younger is sent to fetch items from the list and is challenged to find the best bargain, 'is two for £1 cheaper?' The eldest is challenged on anything he tries to sneak into the trolley 'what sugar is in that cereal? Is that good for you? Which one of the ones you like has the least sugar?' We always leave that days tea for them to choose and supply as well.
'What do you need to buy if you want spaghetti meatballs?' And they are in charge of collecting those things (which invariably aren't on the list). They also have to choose brands, for example the list will say 'lunchbox biscuits' and they have to pick a pack, then they are looking for packets with at least 5 in, and if there's more they get to have the extra for lunch, again getting them to count and plan ahead.

[mrscumberbatch]

I'm an advocate of bribery. Due to shift working the only chance we get to go to the supermarket is at the weekend when it's super busy.

I've found that a blind bag of moshi monsters will get me roughly 40 minutes of trolley filling

I am considering moving to online shopping though, although find that the price hits home a lot more when you can't see the pile of shopping and it makes me spend less.

[babster]

When my kids were small, I would go to the supermarket armed with raisins and breadsticks to keep them busy. When they were a bit older, I'd give them jobs to do, fetching this and that. Now they are older, I merrily leave them at home and heave a huge sigh of relief!

[skyeskyeskye]

I mainly do online shop rather than go with 5yo DD. but if I do take her shopping then I try to bribe her with a comic at the end if she is good.

I also get her involved, let her choose which yoghurts she can have , things like that and also ask her to help me find things in order to keep her interested.

It was so much easier when she could sit in the trolley!

[asuwere]

online shopping makes life so much easier. If we do go to a supermarket, the kids know it's not for much and they get to look at toys so they are generally very well behaved. sometimes, if they've been very good round the shop, they may get a ride on one of those car/bus/plane things on the way out.

[Aethelfleda]

Bribery! I either cheat and go while the older two are at school, or use the age-old trick of bribery. Usually with a pre-existing snack from Mummy's Magic Bag, but if not then I buy a bag of apples/multipack of something and open it before reaching the checkout to pay. It is worth it for the peace and relative quiet!

The only time I ever got properly cross in the supermarket was when junior was wailing and grumping because he didn't want to stay sitting in the trolley (he was tired) and a "sweet" middleaged lady told me in all seriousness that it was because I was ignoring him, and if I just played with him more, things would be MUCH better....(reader, I restrained myself. Just.)

[MurderOfBanshees]

I'm lucky in that DS appears to love supermarkets (little weirdo), but if he is in a funny mood then just handing him the shopping list and pen keeps him entertained, or allowing him to carry some items. Keeping him busy seems to be key.

[hawkeye21]

Tried the inclusion techniques ('bananas next. Can you see where the bananas are?', etc). Now go for the avoidance technique and dash to the supermarket during my lunchbreak at work.

[RedBushedT]

I involve my children in finding items and putting them in the trolley. I also do "time trial" shopping if we only have a few things to get. Before we walk into the shop we estimate how quickly we can do the shop.. Then we try to beat that time using the timer on my phone to check
It's a great way to stay focused as well, so we are so less likely to get distracted by stuff.

[mrscog]

DS is 20 months. He is generally ok if I let him hold my hair (it's long) and then I occasionally let him hold things before they go in the trolley, that alongside a lot of chatter gets us through. I do also in quieter aisles spin the trolley around 360 and go ' wheeeee' which he loves. Does get a few 'looks' though!

[mojojomo]

My toddler sites in the trolley. For a longer shop I'll have a picnic off various snacks available. He likes to weigh fruit and veg using the hanging scales. He'll hold the shopping list and tell me what we need (what he thinks we need, usually "more raisins!") He likes seeing other people especially babies. The highlight is if he's allowed to help with the self-scan till, put money in the machine then put the change in the guide dogs' collection dog.

[lolancurly]

I get my daughter to help me collect items around the supermarket. Our local Co-op is small enough for her to know where everything is and not to get lost (she's 6). Of course, I can shop without her during the week, but this isn't always possible. It's also good for her to learn the value of food and to learn the difference between different products.

[Patilla]

I have so many good ideas for handling this - from spotting letters/words on things or giving DS a pictorial list of things to find and tick off to role playing a spy mission to find the secret tin of tomatoes.

Do I use these?

No, I'm usually dealing with baby DD, I'm trying to remember the items on the list I left in the hallway at home and there is usually at least one dash across the length of the supermarket for the toilets (For DS not me!).

So I may want to be the mother handling two children whilst turning the food shopping into an educational experience, I'm more likely to be frazzled, harassed and dragging a four year old boy from the toy aisle while alternating wildly between hissed threats and desperate offers of treats for behaviour approaching socially acceptable coventions.

But then I never liked food shopping before DC so it's obviously genetic!

[manfalou]

We usually agree a treat and talk about it as we go around the shop...its usually a bag of organix crisps. But where the eldest can reach things I also let him get things off the shelf and put them in the trolley.

However... I do mainly do my shopping online. So much more convenient and much easier to keep to the shopping list way from all the tempting offers.

[WhyIRayLiotta]

My DD is 1 year 9 mths old - and to keep her occupied I have to bring a variety of things.... starting with something like an orange for her to munch on, graduating to something interactive - a toy / book / my keys and then moving on to a drink - juice with a straw... and finally (for when I am paying) a dummy.

She gets board quickly and I have to try and get round quick so I don't run out of things and have a grumpy girl. She would much rather run around than sit in the trolly - but its too hard to chase her and push a trolly - and its a danger as she scoots in front of people tripping them up etc.

Whole lot easier leaving her at home with DP... but thats not always possible.

[OrganixAddict]

I can manage 1 or 2 dc easily - list checking, fetching items or doing the scanner.- they like to help. With all 3 is a bit trickier and I end up policing arguments over whose turn it is etc.
Trying to avoid bribing them to behave as they play up more to get the reward for stopping. Honestly, online or while older ones are at school is far easier.