Tips for Screen Free Shopping
If the thought of running errands with your child makes your head spin with anxiety, you’re not alone. For me, a natural planner, preparation is the key to success. It's also the antidote to that anxiety.
There are several things we do to successfully get through a shopping trip screen free. It all starts before you ever leave the house!
Have a plan.
Know which stores you’re going to, which order you’ll go to each, and don’t be overly ambitious. Before #2 was born, I could consistently plan on an outing that included two to three stops. I always did the most critical store first (usually groceries) and planned stop two as the next most important (typically Target), and stop three was a hopeful stop, if the first two stops went well and we were both up for one more stop. If things don't go well, we abort the mission and go home. We can always go another time.
Make a list.
I love these Post-It Notes, and they are what I use for all shopping lists. I write days of the week and meals on the back of the note, and then make my list on the front. Pro tip: organize your list according to when you’ll encounter each item within your grocery store. When I make a list, I write what I need for each meal all over the paper (ex. Produce is at the top, followed by spices, meats, and snacks on the left. Dry goods, dairy, and bread are always on the right side of my list.) Each area on my paper represents a different part of the store. When I’m done, I can go through my list from top to bottom as I shop, which makes shopping faster, and I’m less likely to miss anything on the list since I’m not jumping around in the store.
Timing (and snacks) are everything.
My favorite time to shop is during my #1’s snack time. I didn’t really have a preference on before/after #1’s nap time before #2 was born, but now we also need to go before nap time, because #2 does better earlier in the day. I always have a steady supply of healthy snacks for #1 to munch on in the cart. Favorites include apple ‘fries’, quartered grapes or cherry tomatoes, raisins, graham crackers, cereal, sliced peppers or cheese cubes. I always pack at least two different snacks, and present the produce first.
While we’re in a store, #1 rides in the cart and I wear #2 in a baby wrap so I still have both my hands. I try to involve #1 in the process, so I talk to her about what we’re looking for, what color is it? Is it in a box or a bag? Should we get this one or that one? I also let her handle items and drop them in the back of the cart. She especially loves peeling the stickers off our produce and putting them on her shirt. This even trumps snacks! She also holds my list, which I stick to the handle of the cart- another reason giant Post-It’s are the best! We can get through the store in 20-30 minutes using the list and being strategic. When we check out, #1 likes to help place items on the belt, and again, I let her so that she is involved in the process. At 27 months, she names each item as it’s placed on the belt. She used to help me bag, too, but with #2 along, it can get a little nuts, so I’m keeping her in the front of cart for now.
There are several things we do to successfully get through a shopping trip screen free. It all starts before you ever leave the house!
Have a plan.
Know which stores you’re going to, which order you’ll go to each, and don’t be overly ambitious. Before #2 was born, I could consistently plan on an outing that included two to three stops. I always did the most critical store first (usually groceries) and planned stop two as the next most important (typically Target), and stop three was a hopeful stop, if the first two stops went well and we were both up for one more stop. If things don't go well, we abort the mission and go home. We can always go another time.
Make a list.
I love these Post-It Notes, and they are what I use for all shopping lists. I write days of the week and meals on the back of the note, and then make my list on the front. Pro tip: organize your list according to when you’ll encounter each item within your grocery store. When I make a list, I write what I need for each meal all over the paper (ex. Produce is at the top, followed by spices, meats, and snacks on the left. Dry goods, dairy, and bread are always on the right side of my list.) Each area on my paper represents a different part of the store. When I’m done, I can go through my list from top to bottom as I shop, which makes shopping faster, and I’m less likely to miss anything on the list since I’m not jumping around in the store.
Timing (and snacks) are everything.
My favorite time to shop is during my #1’s snack time. I didn’t really have a preference on before/after #1’s nap time before #2 was born, but now we also need to go before nap time, because #2 does better earlier in the day. I always have a steady supply of healthy snacks for #1 to munch on in the cart. Favorites include apple ‘fries’, quartered grapes or cherry tomatoes, raisins, graham crackers, cereal, sliced peppers or cheese cubes. I always pack at least two different snacks, and present the produce first.
While we’re in a store, #1 rides in the cart and I wear #2 in a baby wrap so I still have both my hands. I try to involve #1 in the process, so I talk to her about what we’re looking for, what color is it? Is it in a box or a bag? Should we get this one or that one? I also let her handle items and drop them in the back of the cart. She especially loves peeling the stickers off our produce and putting them on her shirt. This even trumps snacks! She also holds my list, which I stick to the handle of the cart- another reason giant Post-It’s are the best! We can get through the store in 20-30 minutes using the list and being strategic. When we check out, #1 likes to help place items on the belt, and again, I let her so that she is involved in the process. At 27 months, she names each item as it’s placed on the belt. She used to help me bag, too, but with #2 along, it can get a little nuts, so I’m keeping her in the front of cart for now.
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