Grocery Shopping with Kids ... Just Got Easier
We received the Farmers Market Bag for Kids for free from BKYKid.com to review. No other compensation was received.
Grocery shopping hasn't always been my most favorite task in this homemaking journey. Most of the time I didn't know what to purchase. This caused me anxiety, but coupling this with having two girls in tow certainly didn't help.
When I realized that grocery shopping with the girls would be hard for me in their younger years, my husband suggested that I involved them in the process. I heard his suggestion, but I couldn't take it because, honestly, I just wanted to get in and out. I didn't want to take the time to come up with a game plan for grocery shopping. Shoot, I hardly was taking the time to write out a grocery list that made sense to me. Oh, how I am thankful that this area of my life has gotten a ton better and not simply because the girls are older, but because I now have a game plan for grocery shopping.
3 Tips for Making Grocery Shopping with Kids Easier
- My first suggestion is to create that meal plan that you dread to create. It took me a few years to finally come up with a meal plan that works for our family. Before I had a plan, I would simply write a grocery list filled with lots of stuff that I knew I would eventually use. I figured if I had some staple items I would be able to come up with something to feed my family. Currently, my list is very specific because I know exactly what I will cook each week. I grocery shop weekly because this works well for me. My weekly meal plan also includes an additional meal in case there isn't enough leftovers from one of the plan meals. I would also suggest taking meal suggestions from your family. Your children will be eager to help you shop for the ingredients for their suggested ingredients.
Use your meal plan to create a list of ingredients that your children can help you find in the store. My youngest daughter loves controlling the list while my oldest guides the cart. These have pretty much been their positions since entering the world of grocery shopping. Since we eat meals that use many of the same ingredients, I have found our new grocery list system is even easier for my daughter to navigate, and she helps me get the list ready. The Farmers Market Bag for Kids by BKYKid allows us to store our preprinted cards with the food's name in the "Get It" pocket. I printed out cards for the items we buy most frequently.
- Allow your children to help you shop. This sounds so simple, but this was probably the hardest for me. I didn't always want to take the time to explain which specific item I wanted off the shelf instead I simply wanted to say, "Grab the syrup." I did not want to take the time to explain weighing produce. I had an eye for what a pound and a half of grapes looked like. I admit that this was not the best approach. I was definitely missing out on teaching opportunities during the early years. Luckily, I finally took my husband's advice after he accompanied us on a grocery shopping trip. He was right. It was much easier to involve the girls because he took the time to teach them with a bit of patience. Now when we shop, my daughter is able to check off the items in the cart much easier with the Farmers Market Bag for Kids. After we get the item we need, my daughter simply moves the card over to "Got It" pocket.
Grocery cards and shopping tote to make grocery shopping easier with children.
Grocery shopping with kids doesn't have to be difficult. It is actually a life skill that they will use as young adults so why not involve them. Our Farmers Market Bag for Kids has made grocery shopping even more fun for my girls. The canvas tote includes nine preprinted illustrated cards for the veggies: beet, broccoli, carrot, chard, pepper, potato, spinach, squash, and tomato. I printed cards without illustrations for our specific grocery needs on cardstock.
From get it to got it with the Farmers Market by BKYKid.com.
I've found the Farmers Market tote just as helpful even when the girls aren't with me. I still make some grocery runs by myself. I like using it when I am not picking up too many items because I can use it instead of a shopping cart. So far, I haven't gotten in trouble for placing items inside of it instead of a shopping cart. :) Of course, it is the perfect companion at your local farmers' market.