Grocery Shopping Ritual

I was talking to my neighbors the other day about grocery shopping options in our neighborhood.

There are two fairly big stores within half a mile to a mile of our condo and in the summer it is the perfect distance for a stroll and errand in one. For quicker and more immediate grocery runs, thanks to the Hispanic community in Logan Square, there are small corner stores that stock the essentials like basic fruits and vegetables, milk and juices, bread, and pantry staples. There is one within a two-minute walk from my front door and I’ve often used it for a last-minute cilantro or milk run.

My neighbors subscribe to a delivery service that drops off grocery products once the order is placed online. They swear by it and I too see the awesomeness of it when I am trying to lug bags to the third floor, or when the snow is piled high outside. I’ve also started seeing friends on Facebook try a similar service offered by Whole Foods. Needless to say I am intrigued. My three staple stores for grocery items include Costco, Whole Foods, and a local fruits and vegetables market called Stanley’s. They are all within a 5-10 minute car ride from my home but on some days with a baby in tow or when the weather isn’t ideal, the task seems to take all day and I am sure that when baby#2 arrives the task will only become that much more time-consuming.

But there is still something peaceful about being in a grocery store for me. As I walk the aisles, it makes me so so grateful to be surrounded by an abundance of good food to nourish our bodies; so many people around the world aren’t so lucky.

Asha and I have developed a fun ritual of sorts for the weekends as we are making our grocery run. At Stanley’s she helps me pick the fruits and vegetables as I let her smell them, hold them, and tell them about why I think it looks so good. She usually grabs a stalk of lettuce or herb from my cart and waves it around like a flag. At Whole Foods I always get her the mini fruit tart and some new dried fruit concoction from the bulk bin section. At Costco, the over abundance of samples makes it easy to entertain her if need be (my favorite being the Vitamix or the BlendTech demonstrations).

I love my little girl! Her smiling face and company makes the most mundane tasks so much fun.