How do you shop?

[old fashioned]

I've noticed when shopping, most people just look at it and either buy the item or not. They might pick up something and turn it over or at best give it a squeeze but not much else. Either way, not really paying too much attention to what they are getting. I'm referring mostly to fruit & veggies or meat. This behavior kinda confuses me & I always think 'don't you even want to know your food at all?'

I say this because when I'm shopping for fruits & veggies I always will pick thru to find a good looking item, turn it over to see any bad spots or not, squeeze it to be sure it's firm with just a little give (not solid rock unless it's apples) and even sniff it for good or bad smell or no smell at all before choosing what I feel is the best one. When I've bought fresh mushrooms, I don't usually buy the packaged ones (unless it's a really good price) and will pick thru the whole bunch of loose ones to find the whitest, tightest caps & shortest stems. With bread I give each loaf a good squeeze to find the softest one, then I smell it. And I rarely buy meat that I can't see thru the package. The only time I have, was some bacon sold in a 10lb box for really cheap but there had been one box open so I could see what was expected to be in the other boxes and I took a chance...I wasn't disappointed thankfully. But I've noticed alot of stores around here atleast are using the clear packaging less & less so you can't see the meat inside before you buy it, especially ground beef that is sold in 'chubs' and I won't buy it. I don't think the store likes to see me coming since I don't just buy it sight unseen, or felt, or smelled or squeezed, etc

In other words, I spend time getting to know my food before buying it. How about you? Do you really get into your food or just toss it in the cart?

 

[abifae]

I pick through it too

*poke poke* *squeeze*

When I was little, I'd use my nails to scoop tests out of the apples til my dad caught me at it.

 

[old fashioned]

I pick through it too

*poke poke* *squeeze*

When I was little, I'd use my nails to scoop tests out of the apples til my dad caught me at it.

why oh why am I not surprised

 

[FarmerJamie]

I pick through it too

*poke poke* *squeeze*

When I was little, I'd use my nails to scoop tests out of the apples til my dad caught me at it.

so it was YOU! I worked in a grocery store's produce department while I was in college. I usually closed up, which meant making sure everything was re-stocked in the aisle before I left. Once a week, the plums, peaches, etc, looked like someone was picking them up with claws.

 

[JRmom]

I also poke, prod, and smell the produce... and I'm usually the only one doing it! I can't believe the number of people at the farmer's market who just grab 'n go.

And meat, well, I'll look at every single package that contains the weight I'm looking for to find the "perfect" package. For example, a good steak. I want some fat on it and I may have to paw through all of them to find one that hasn't been trimmed to death.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

In other words, I spend time getting to know my food before buying it. How about you? Do you really get into your food or just toss it in the cart?

We spend lots of time getting to know our food

Seriously though, we are careful about buying produce and the occasional meat.
It is rare to walk into the fruit sections in any grocery store in Alaska and smell ripe fruit.
On the rare occasion we do, we buy whatever it is that is giving off the fragrance.

 

[Wifezilla]

I am a compulsive cantaloupe sniffer If it doesn't have that wonderful melon smell, it isn't going to taste worth a darn.

 

[old fashioned]

I also poke, prod, and smell the produce... and I'm usually the only one doing it! I can't believe the number of people at the farmer's market who just grab 'n go.

me too, that's why I posted this thread to see if anyone else did or am I the only one...

And meat, well, I'll look at every single package that contains the weight I'm looking for to find the "perfect" package. For example, a good steak. I want some fat on it and I may have to paw through all of them to find one that hasn't been trimmed to death.

this too.....or the package isn't more fat than meat.....I do alot of pawing thru the meat section

My mother once told me I was just like my grandmother..."you smell everything, what's up with THAT?" I told her that you can tell alot about something from the smell. Not only food, but other stuff as well. I even smell our firewood.

 

[FarmerChick]

I choose fruit carefully but I also notice the others shoppers do to.....so, I guess in my area people know how to shop. it sure isn't just me :/

but nowadays I don't watch others carts or how they shop, used to, but now I don't care what they buy or how they buy it.

I am on a mission for me...lol..I hate shopping anymore so I go full speed, do my thing, and bust out fast.


I did farmer markets for over 15 years. They were the choosiest customers. No one ever just grabbed and bag and leave. Everyone took care about what they spent their money on as I do.

 

[moolie]

Huh.

I pick over and check all produce I buy for freshness/bruising, jiggle each free-range egg in the carton to ensure none are broken/stuck to the carton, check the cheese packages for moulds, and I buy all of our meat from organic producers I trust and know at the farmer's market (bison, pastured pork, free-range chicken, occasionally pastured beef).

Actually I buy all of the above from our year-round farmer's market and the cheese/eggs lady knows me to see me (if not my name) and the guys who staff the Hutterite colony stalls know what I'm looking for as I approach and will often offer me good deals if I buy multiples (I'm sure they do this for all the regulars).

I don't buy much that comes pre-packaged, but do read labels on the few things we buy, and we buy bulk non-GMO organic grains, beans, nuts, raising, seeds, pasta, rice etc. and either buy large bags or deep scoopfuls from the bulk bins at the natural foods store, checking that nothing else got mixed in (any place that sells bulk foods will probably be happy to sell you a full bag, often at a discount to the bulk bin price--some places just want you to call in advance or place an order in advance).

I always check the dates on the milk and buy the freshest in the case, even if I have to dig to the back to pull one out (all Canadian milk is hormone and anti-biotic free, we buy organic full-fat pasteurized). I actually pull the lid off yogurt and sour cream when I buy them (I make my own yogurt but occasionally buy more for more starter) and check the foil seal below the lid to ensure it's sealed--but this is because we had a crazy lady in our city who was tampering with those items last winter (no idea what she did) until she got caught and arrested. I don't know if anyone else still does this, but I still do.

Even when I go to the neighborhood grocery store, the people I see buying produce or bread (we bake our own) do take their time in choosing what they want and everyone checks the milk dates, and lots of people read labels unless (and this is my assumption) they are buying something they always buy (brand loyalty), in which case they just grab it and toss it into the cart.

So I wouldn't ever think you were odd for shopping the way you do, I think it's totally normal.