Taking your kids to the supermarket is often a tricky experience. You want to get through as fast as possible without any tantrums and with a trolley filled with healthy food.
The kids see the lolly aisle and want to dive right in and start eating.
So how do you avoid the pitfalls around every corner and leave without a trolley full of junk? The way PlanBuyCook’s Jen handles it is through meal planning.
First we start with the weekly meal plan so we have the shopping list on the phone before leaving home. The kids have had input into the week’s meals. We agree that the list is ready to go, and then head to the supermarket.
Once at the supermarket, I tackle the issue head-on with the kids. The lollies are sometimes placed in the same aisle as the cereal, so you can’t avoid that aisle at the shops.
I like to engage my kids in a conversation about the great colours and packets, with things like “Isn’t that a beautiful purple colour, and I wonder how they get the colour into those lollies”. That way you are acknowledging that they look great and attractive. The kids have my attention. We also talk about how they probably taste great, and before we know it, we’re in the next aisle!
If I get any resistance after that, we check the list to see if there is any mention of lollies, and if not, we move on.
I use the same tactic when at the checkout. I talk about the chewing gum packaging and the little lollies and just keep the conversation rolling while the food goes through the checkout. I don’t want to get into arguments and shout at them to put them back. Instead of avoiding it and hoping they don’t see them, I talk about them openly. The kids now say things like “That chocolate would be really nice but I know we’re not buying any now”. It is a really great step forward.
When shopping for one of their parties or for lollies to donate to the school fete, I add them to the shopping list, take the kids with me and involve them in the purchase, so they know that they can have special party food and that it is ok as an occasional food.
I try to move the conversation away from whether it is ‘bad for you’. Rather I like to talk about it not being everyday food. Like everything, it is mainly a question of balance.
How do you handle the supermarket run with kids? Please SHARE in the comments below.
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mom94125 replied
- 17 Oct 2015 , 6:35 pm
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