Food Shopping

[Fzara]

I hate it, I hate it, I HATE IT!

Why can't they simply have more of those, "order online, pick up later" services? I mean, everytime I go to my local supermarket, I get lost in aisles trying to find things that end up in one aisle or another. (Hey, i'm only 18 :lol: )

I'm positive i'm not alone on this. How many of you either have to do your own food shopping, or are in charge of it in your household?

[Pat Logsdon]

You need this program (http://www.onlinesrs.com/forum/). :mrgreen:

Seriously though, I had this problem when I first moved out on my own. Didn't know where anything was, took me an hour to find the beef jerky, etc.

The key is in learning how the supermarket groups items together.

Once I got wise to the layout of my local store, I mapped a route through the aisles, and made a list that followed the route. So if paper stuff is on aisle 1, I put paper towels and napkins on the list first. Then cookies on aisle 2, etc., and just thread through the store.

Now I don't even need a list - I can usually just remember where things are.

Of course, I hate grocery shopping, so I wait as long as humanly possible to go. This is easier to do when you're single - wives don't generally put up with excuses like "But honey, we have mayonnaise AND saltines! Crunchy Mayo Sandwiches! Yum!"... :wink:

[Crystal Eitle]

I absolutely loathe grocery shopping. I don't really understand why I hate it so much, I just do.

[Janak Parekh]

The lines, right? I don't mind grocery shopping except for that. Oh, and bag-packing, I guess.

As for you, Fzara, consider using the titles at the top of the aisles... they do work... :lol:

--janak

[drop]

Agree. I hate redundancy of any sort. Didn't I just go thru this aisles last week to get the same brand and quantity of bread/milk/whatever?

I have to say ListPro helps a lot. At least I don't have to write another grocery list ever again. I still have to physically be there, but I can play Egghead while waiting to be checked out. Pocket PC rules!

[Fzara]

The lines, right? I don't mind grocery shopping except for that. Oh, and bag-packing, I guess.

As for you, Fzara, consider using the titles at the top of the aisles... they do work... :lol:

--janak

Already tried that. :oops: I mean, I know where the chips are and the ice cream, but the cans, dressings, cookies, cereals, detergants, etc, but its just doing $45 of shopping in less than 1.5 hrs is impossible.

I was thinking of asking the customer service rep. to give me that list that he has so I can type it up and put it into Excel, and then copy it into my PPC.

Surgical Snack-I tried out that program. Seems like a small, free edition of ListPro. Is it even possible to have your PPC out the entire time while you try to find things? (This would be almost impossible with my Rhino Skin Axim X5)

I'm glad I don't have to do the Indian food shopping. I let my Mom do that. ;)

Rishi

[Jeff Rutledge]

I may be in the minority, but I don't mind it that much.

Maybe it's because one of my first jobs with the City included doing some purchasing of supplies so I was in our local grocery store at least once per week. It's like Surgival Snack says: Once you figure out the layout, it gets much much easier.

Also, my wife and I do most of our shopping first thing in the morning Saturday or Sunday. At this time, the store isn't that crowded and the lineups aren't that bad. As for the bags, we're spoiled in that the store we go to bags the groceries for you and then carry's them to your car and loads the trunk. 8)

[Jeff Rutledge]

I get lost in aisles trying to find things that end up in one aisle or another.

You might want to think about using ListPro (or something similar) to create a shopping list template. You could include the items you need on a regular basis and then "flag" them to indicate that you need them this week. You could also include which aisle they're found in. When you get to the store, sort by the aisle and you're all set!

[GoldKey]

I just walk the aisles and grab what we need. We only cook a few nights a week so usually not too much to buy. I am in and out of the store in 20 minutes. I actually tried using a list on my PPC, but I had too many people stop me and ask about my "Palm Pilot" that it took longer to shop that way.

[Jeff Rutledge]

I just walk the aisles and grab what we need. We only cook a few nights a week so usually not too much to buy. I am in and out of the store in 20 minutes. I actually tried using a list on my PPC, but I had too many people stop me and ask about my "Palm Pilot" that it took longer to shop that way.

I used to do it that way (wandering the aisles). My problem was that I always seemed to go when I was hungary and brought home $100 more than I needed to. :lol:

[Crystal Eitle]

I used to do it that way (wandering the aisles). My problem was that I always seemed to go when I was hungary and brought home $100 more than I needed to. :lol:
You should try going when you're Spain instead. :lol:

[Mitch D]

As for the bags, we're spoiled in that the store we go to bags the groceries for you and then carry's them to your car and loads the trunk. 8)

Thank the Lord for places like Co-op where they are actually willing to help you pack the food and get it out to the truck in one piece!. :wink:

[GoldKey]

As for the bags, we're spoiled in that the store we go to bags the groceries for you and then carry's them to your car and loads the trunk. 8)

Are stores do that also, but they also have a rule that you are not allowed to tip the baggers/loaders. I heard they get fired if they get caught accepting a tip. I never use there services though because I would feel pretty weird letting someone else do something that I could easily do myself. It actually would take longer for them to do it because they are more careful than I would be.

But back to the original idea. I would love a service where I can just click from their website what I want and then just swing through a drive though and pick it up at a certain time.

[Pat Logsdon]

I used to do it that way (wandering the aisles). My problem was that I always seemed to go when I was hungary and brought home $100 more than I needed to. :lol:
You should try going when you're Spain instead. :lol:
Gah! :twak:

[Steven Cedrone]

I've always used VOShoppingList (http://www.voscorp.com/asp/ppc/voshoppinglist/default.asp)...

I always liked it...

Steve

[Jacob]

I used to do it that way (wandering the aisles). My problem was that I always seemed to go when I was hungary and brought home $100 more than I needed to. :lol:

Add thirsty to that!

I went shopping thirsty and came home with more juice than I know what to do with 8O

[Jeff Rutledge]

I used to do it that way (wandering the aisles). My problem was that I always seemed to go when I was hungary and brought home $100 more than I needed to. :lol:
You should try going when you're Spain instead. :lol:

I would, but I always seem to be in a Russia!!! 0X

[Jeff Rutledge]

I never use there services though because I would feel pretty weird letting someone else do something that I could easily do myself.

Yeah, I felt the same way until the first time I tried bagging my own stuff. I was terrible! Many things were bent or broken. I think I'll leave it to the pros - it's an artform.

But back to the original idea. I would love a service where I can just click from their website what I want and then just swing through a drive though and pick it up at a certain time.

I think I heard of something similar being tried in the States somewhere, but they delivered the goods to you instead. I don't remember any specifics or if it's even still around though.

[maximus]

I think I heard of something similar being tried in the States somewhere, but they delivered the goods to you instead. I don't
remember any specifics or if it's even still around though.

Ah, we used to have an online store like that.
Login, choose everything that we need, click 'checkout' .. and have it delivered in 1 hour, or you got a 10% next-purchase discount voucher.
But they went out of business in 6 months.
They used to have a nice website, friendly interface, big inventory, nice pictures, free delivery ...

But when it comes to fruit/vegetable/meat shopping, we like to touch/feel/choose it personally. Some people said that food tastes better if you choosed it personally. :mrgreen:

[CTSLICK]

Am I the only one using a grocery delivery service? We have found SimonDelivers (http://www.simondelivers.com) very convenient. My wife does the "shopping" in about 20 minutes online and its delivered the next day. Beats the heck out of banging a shopping cart around the crowded aisles of Cub Foods.

[Crystal Eitle]

Am I the only one using a grocery delivery service? We have found SimonDelivers (http://www.simondelivers.com) very convenient. My wife does the "shopping" in about 20 minutes online and its delivered the next day. Beats the heck out of banging a shopping cart around the crowded aisles of Cub Foods.
Hail, fellow Minnesotan! I keep meaning to give SimonDelivers a try. Is it much more expensive than regular stores, or about the same? (is the pricing similar to Cub/Rainbow, Byerly's/Lund's, or even more expensive?)

Regardless, it's probably still cheaper than going out to eat, which I do way too often.

[GoldKey]

Regardless, it's probably still cheaper than going out to eat, which I do way too often.

That is most of our week. For two people, it is almost cheaper to go out to eat. Plus no cooking or dishes!

[CTSLICK]

Am I the only one using a grocery delivery service? We have found SimonDelivers (http://www.simondelivers.com) very convenient. My wife does the "shopping" in about 20 minutes online and its delivered the next day. Beats the heck out of banging a shopping cart around the crowded aisles of Cub Foods.
Hail, fellow Minnesotan! I keep meaning to give SimonDelivers a try. Is it much more expensive than regular stores, or about the same? (is the pricing similar to Cub/Rainbow, Byerly's/Lund's, or even more expensive?)

Regardless, it's probably still cheaper than going out to eat, which I do way too often.

Yah-hey-der fellow Minnesotan!

Seems to me that they are trying to compete in the Cub/Rainbow sector but you will find some higher end items that are right there with Byerly's/Lund's. The prices range from competitive with Cub to somewhat expensive to way more expensive. Overall, our shopping costs are the same as they were when we shopped at Cub. We think part of this is that it seems way easier to avoid that urge to impulse buy that you get when you are walking down the aisle.

We have been using their service for over 2 years, it was kinda rough the first few months but they have improved by leaps and bounds. They are fairly responsive to request for adding product that they don't carry and are good about expanding the product lines overall. Food quality is normally very good. Customer Service has been great. Not happy with the bananas they delivered, call or email and they credit you...right now. Broken egg? They credit you for the whole dozen. Item missing? Credit...no questions asked.

Yes, there is the occasional item that doesn't get delivered because (a) they screwed up or (b) they said they had it but it was out of stock. But its no worse than the number of things I forget to buy or cannot find when shopping at Cub. :wink: And yes, I will still go shopping if I want to pick out the perfect steak (though their's are pretty good) or have something very specific in mind.

I'd say give it a shot for a couple of "shopping trips", you're not obligated to anything. I recommend a couple of tries because the power of their website really doesn't come into play until you have used it a couple of times. It remembers what you have bought before and you can use that list to quickly add items to your current shopping list. Makes shopping for the basics very easy.

For us, the biggest value in this is TIME. 20 minutes shopping online from the couch while watching TV beats 1 hour at Cub ANY day of the week!