The Cardinal Rule of Grocery Shopping

I mean, every one knows it. Right? The one thing not to do when you go grocery shopping. You know it, don’t you?

Don’t shop hungry.

It’s one rule. How hard is that?!? But we all do it occasionally. Actually, I shouldn’t say we all do. I mean, you might not. You might be smart, unlike myself. You might know the repercussions of such a decision. You might know what havoc such a decision could wreak on your pantry. You might know that six months after such a decision to shop hungry, you will have to spend several hours throwing out things you never ate that have officially passed their expiration dates. It sounds like I apparently know these things too, yet….I still do it. Occasionally.

Just to prove my point, I have what I have officially termed ‘photographical evidence.’

This is a picture of my loot from Winn Dixie yesterday after I went to get a ‘few things’ after work. (Side note: I learned the ‘few things’ trick from my mom. She used to ask us just to run her down to Wal-Mart so she could pick up just a ‘few things’ without having to park. Whoever got to take her was always in for at least a 30-45 minute wait in the parking lot. I still fell for it every time. And now even use it myself on my dad when I’m home.) And just to be perfectly honest, I even texted a friend to tell him what I was doing (I mean, if that's not a cry for help, I don't know what is!) I knew I was committing the fatal error, but yet, I still couldn't stop myself.

Anyhow, the loot…

I wanted to make sure you got both a side and top profile.

And now, just look at all the things that came out of those bags…

Again, with both the side and the top profile, I know. But I just want to be thorough.

I mean, what could I possibly need with two, I repeat TWO, cans of fried onions?!? I mean, am I expecting an onslaught of calls needing green bean casseroles, STAT? And really, did I think that when I went back to the store to get canned vegetables, there was suddenly going to be a tsunami (mind you, I’m 209 miles from the nearest beach), and every last canned vegetable was going to just disappear into thin air?!? Now, I can explain the two boxes of cereal. See, I like Raisin Bran, and they had a two for one deal, so of course, I got in on that. But the individual boxes of cereal? Am I really gonna take one of those to work when I’m running late one day? Probably not. Most likely, I’m going to forget I have them. Granted I do try to cook for friends at least once a week, but even so, there’s NO WAY I’ll ever eat all this stuff.

Now I’ve got myself all worked up again. Oh well. Lesson learned. (Until the next time I do it.)