Grocery shopping question

ludicrous

We are looking at the possibility of me staying home after I just lost my job at 32 weeks pregnant. Obviously DD would come out of daycare and we started talking about some of the day to day stuff like grocery shopping. I mentioned it sounded difficult with 2u2 and DH reminded me that people do it every day. So they question is do you? Or do. You attempt to make other arrangements? If you do how do you even unload groceries from the car

naturelle25

Grocery shopping is one of those things that has NOT gotten easier the older Owen has gotten. As a matter of fact, it has gotten more challenging because he does not want to sit in the cart at all and will stand up while strapped in. Lilly is great but I will usually do my shopping when DH gets home or do Meijer Grocery Express where you shop online and pick up your groceries at the store for a small fee. It's completely worth the $7 to me, lol! HTH!

ak1234

I'm with your husband on this one.  You can't make a mega-trip, but you can pick up a good number of items.  For me, I try to get the cart with the car on the front to keep my oldest completely occupied.  I put my little one in the large part of the cart.  I have to put groceries around him and under the bottom, but it works.  To get them in, I start the car (it has been HOT here in the DC area), put the air on full blast, and put my toddler in first.  I then snap my baby in, and then I unload the groceries.  Five minutes, tops.

ETA:  I always, ALWAYS park next to the cart return, even if it means parking further away.

rgtsmom01

I don't shop with my boys.  I keep a running list all week of what I  need and I go every Monday morning.  I have someone who comes and watches the kids and then I go get it all done for the week.  I plan my meals for the week everything so I don't have to go back.  It's great!  If I didn't have a sitter to watch them then I would pick one night a week after the boys have gone to bed and the husband is home and that's when I would go. 

mayowife

I have taken both of my LOs shopping, but only for quick trips. During the school year when DH is working I usually grocery shop after 7 when the kids are in bed.

If your DH works long hours and you have to take the kids you will manage. Just yesterday someone I know said she takes all four of her boys grocery shopping- they aren't babies any more though.

mrsseguin

I go out all the time...it has it's challenges.  I am pretty strict when we go out.  DS likes to run away.  He is allowed to walk, but once he runs once, he gets put in the cart.  The baby is in the cart too.  When they are both in the cart, it's easy.  When DS walks I have him help.  He puts groceries in the cart and helps push it.  It's a longer trip but doable.  I'll get about a decent amount of grocery shopping done...although it is much easier when we go as a family.  You have to be flexible, if you know the kids are getting crabby, just hurry up and grab what you need before it escalates then you've got a big hot mess to deal with! 

Edit: I also try to park next to the cart return.  I put the kids in the car then unload the groceries.  When I get home, the kids go in the house, then I unload the groceries.  If they are sleeping, I'll leave them in there till the groceries are in the house.  Our front door is about 5 steps from the car, so it's not a big deal for me to leave them to throw the groceries in the front door.

kattyleigh

ak1234:

I'm with your husband on this one.  You can't make a mega-trip, but you can pick up a good number of items.  For me, I try to get the cart with the car on the front to keep my oldest completely occupied.  I put my little one in the large part of the cart.  I have to put groceries around him and under the bottom, but it works.  To get them in, I start the car (it has been HOT here in the DC area), put the air on full blast, and put my toddler in first.  I then snap my baby in, and then I unload the groceries.  Five minutes, tops.

ETA:  I always, ALWAYS park next to the cart return, even if it means parking further away.

Exactly this. Or if the baby is awake, he goes into the Ergo and I wear him around the store. I never ever go anywhere without my Ergo.

12bailey18

I'm about to venture out and do this for the first time this week! Also, my DH is changing jobs here in a few weeks and will be working very long hours and will be away on weekends. I have no choice BUT to do the grocery shopping with my 2. I do plan on wearing LO #2, luckily (so far) she enjoys being worn. I also plan on breaking up the grocery shopping into 2 trips a week, that way it's a smaller load. I agree with PP- I always park next to the return...even when I just had one!

As far as unloading the groceries into the house with 2, I put DS #1 in his high chair with his snacks and Nick Jr. on and unload the groceries. Now that DD is here, I'll just bring in the carrier and she can stay in there until I'm done. We'll see if this plan works out for me...LOL.  ::wish me luck::

NavyPilotWife

It's not that bad.  Are there times where one or both kids are throwing a fit as we're checking out?  Yup, it's not every trip, but it happens.  Anyway, I meal plan, so my grocery lists are very specific.  I grab, what I need and get the heck out of there.  I make a large grocery run, once per week.  Sometimes I make a quick trip into our small local store for produce, milk, and their sale items. 

As far as other logistics go, I still wear the baby in the Ergo and put the toddler in the cart.  I usually give the toddler a snack, while we grocery shop.  She also likes the spaceship carts, where she can "drive."  Unloading is a pain and it usually occurs close to lunch time.  I get the toddler out of the car first and give her cheese or a banana.  I bring the baby in and she's usually content to stay in her car seat, while I bring the groceries into the house.  I quickly toss all of the cold food into the fridge or freezer.  Then, I feed the kids and finish putting away groceries after lunch or after the kids go down for a nap.

middlemarch26

I loved grocery shopping with my 2u2!  It was one of our favorite outings.  I think you must have a sling and not hassle with the baby bucket.

#1 strapped into the cart and #2 in the sling.  (I talked to them the whole time about what we were getting, let #1 hold some of the groceries, leaned over to get kisses from them the whole time...we had a blast.)

Park next to the cart return.  Put #1 in the car where he's safe.  Strap #2 into carseat.  Strap #1 into carseat.  Load groceries.  (Or shop somewhere where they carry out your groceries for you!)

Eventually #1 went into the cart with the groceries and #2 strapped into the seat. 

 

middlemarch26

Oh!  Unloading:

Take kids into the house.  Put #2 in swing or bouncer or whatever.  Let #1 play in the room.  Go back out and get groceries.  They'll be fine in the car for 3 minutes while you get the kids settled.  Kids will be fine in the house for 3 minutes while you bring groceries in.

kcisthebombdotcom

I also stay home (mostly, I work part time though, lol) and I do all the errands/take the kids out everyday alone. It's really not all that bad.

I have a couple of different strategies. First, I usually go around 9am on a weekday morning when it's slow. If I can, I get a cart that has space for both kids. I keep the baby in her infant carrier and put it in the basket/put my DS on the seat in the cart if I don't have a lot to get or I store items underneath the cart. I've taught my son to not run off and help push the cart, and he's at an age where he LOVES to help me with anything so he listens great, so most of the time right now I put the baby in the seat/let DS walk with me. I also love taking the kids-we are able to practice words, practice listening in public, etc.

I get the bags in the car while both kids are still in the car. Sometimes I leave the non-perishable stuff in the car and let DH grab them on his way in from work. Then I get both kids in the house and put the stuff in the fridge.