Light Hearted

I remember those days when our pantry was a treasure trove, overflowing with bounty from bulk shopping trips We were stocked up on snacks galore, ready to feed our hungry teenagers around the clock. Cereal boxes lined the shelves like soldiers standing at attention. We could’ve survived the zombie apocalypse with our arsenal of canned goods. Ah, those were the days.

But then, one fateful day, we blinked and suddenly found ourselves waving goodbye to the kids. No more rides to soccer practice or band concerts. No more piles of smelly sports uniforms to wash. And most tragically, no more hungry teenagers to help demolish the surplus supplies from Sam’s Club.

So we thought, who needs all these bulk boxes of mac and cheese now? I’m trading in my pallet of Gatorade for the sensible grocery shopping routine. From now on, it’ll just be quick trips to grab a few things here and there. I’ve got this adulting thing down pat.

Or so I believed. But somehow, I now find myself haunting the grocery store aisles every single day. The employees wave at me, and perhaps wonder if I secretly live in the store after hours. I’ve become more reliable than the automatic door sensors. I have personally gone multiple times at 6:00 am when the store is just opening, just to pick a loaf of bread or a can of milk. Forget the bulk boxes; I am perhaps now the poster child for “just needed one thing” shopping. My frequent shopper card should be platinum status by now. 🤣

I sometimes wonder why I’ve become a habitual grocery shopper. Is it because the store is within a mile of driving distance? Or perhaps it’s my fear of wasting food, so I opt for smaller, more frequent purchases. Or is that quirky hybrid work culture, forcing me to maintain two kinds of grocery lists – one for the office and one for home…LOL

Or there’s more to this daily grocery store routine than meets the eye. Maybe it’s not just about convenience or the hybrid work hustle. Could it be that I’ve entered a new phase of culinary exploration? After all, with the kids out of the house, I now have the freedom to indulge my taste buds and experiment with my culinary whims.

Back in the day, my grocery list was dominated by kid-friendly staples – pasta, pizza, noodles, and more of the same. Now, the world of cooking beckons, and I find myself reading enticing recipes and wanting to try them out. Who could resist the siren call of homemade guacamole after stumbling upon a mouthwatering recipe? And that’s when I realize that I need that avocado, even if it means driving the big truck to haul one little green gem.

Well, whatever it is, without a brood to cook for every night, one does feel a bit lost in the kitchen? Maybe I’ve lost my ability to plan and stock up on ingredients now that we don’t have picky eaters to appease. Choosing what to make for dinner each night can seem like a daunting task without a family to please. Have you experienced any of these kind of shopping shifts?