Dopey Topic du Jour

Ok, here is something to discuss. Is anyone else, like me, a grocery cart voyeur? By that I mean when you go to the grocery store do you look at what other people have in their grocery carts - especially if they are obese people? I gotta admit I used to do this a lot in the pre surgery days. Don't know if I was trying to justify all the crap I was buying or looking for good things that I had somehow missed. But I really used to notice a lot what other people were getting. These days I do this  less. Maybe its because I hate shopping and just want to get in and out of there. Or maybe its because there are entire aisles that have nothing I want or need now and I'm not in the candy aisle watching people shovel it in like I used to do myself.

Today I was in the hippie co-op getting tofu and organic rolled oats and stuff I can't believe I actually like now. Was noticing all the weird stuff the person in line in front of me was buying and was reminded that I am less of a grocery cart snoop anymore.

So how 'bout it? Is anyone a grocery cart snoop? Does it make a difference if you are in Costco vs Trader Joes?

Diane

I used to do some snooping, but more than that I felt VERY self-conscious about what I had in my cart and would sometime hide unhealthy products under more healthy products - and even chose a different check out aisle if I knew someone nearby. 

It is good that you bring up the topic of the grocery store.  I live in Tanzania and we have a big supermarket with lots of products - but really the choices are quite limited compared with the West.  The last time I was in the US was three weeks after surgery and I was still on mushies, so I haven't had the experience of trying to negociate life in the US with my sleeve.

Two weeks ago I was in a gormet supermarket in South Africa and I nearly had a meltdown - looking at all the amazing products/produce.  It was so hard to make good choices - but I managed to do so.  Nevertheless, it makes me extremely nervous for my 6 week home leave to NY this summer.  I didn't realize until that moment just how much my limited selection made living with my sleeve easier.  How will I do being back surrounded by all my trigger and comfort foods a year after surgery?  Yikes!

Hally

Hi Hally!

it is easier to avoid triggers when they aren't around but think of yourself as doing well enough to graduate to something more difficult.

I peeked at your blog and loved it!

I snoop - always have, I might do it a little less now?  I remember the first 6 months or so after surgery I was appalled by all the crap in peoples carts but now I'm used to it again.  sometimes people have a cart piled high and you can't see ONE thing in there that is actual healthy food. not one!

I usually look at what's on the belt in front of me in line, just out of curiosity or habit.  I do make it a point to check out what someone's buy if I notice that they look really healthy and fit, and almost always they're buying lean meats, whole grains, and fresh produce--very rarely do I see them buying crap.  It's a reminder that the thin, healthy people are that way for a reason, and even THEY have to eat healthy to stay that way!

 If something catches my eye...yes.  And usually the cart in front of me at checkout.

Honestly...I am always amazed at the unimaginative crap people stuff their faces with.  And can I confess something?  I sometimes find myself *angry* at thin people whose carts are stuffed with flavors of ho hos I didn't even know existed, and and more ice cream novelties than Carter has pills.  I feel jealous in a way.  They think I am eating that way because I'm fat, and yet I don't and they do and they're thin.  Hrumph.

It does make a difference what store I'm at.  The POG (plain ol' grocery) is not too exciting.  But a specialty food store, I'm all over it.  And usually if it's a unique ingredient I'll inquire about the future of that ingredient ("say, whatcha makin' with that?").  

But, let's be honest, my cart is the one people look at .  I tell my cashier that it's a test to see if they know the obscure root veggie numbers!  

I peek, but not in the cart. I always end up looking at the person I. Front of me a checkout, when their stuff is on the conveyor. I do find myself judging slightly... And I feel bad about it, but when a person is in line with their kids and all that is going on the belt is soda, snacks, and frozen food I usually find myself hoping they are stopping somewhere else for fruits and veggies, even though it's none of my business.

 
OK.......you got me.....

I'm really not checking out other carts per-say.....

When I'm at the check out...just minding my own business...yah know....

This is where my mind goes.....Sorry......

I look up..... Hmmm....... cute girl......than look at whats on the conveyor.....Next read.......hmmm.......and single....you can tell when they have 3 yogurts, 1 banana, bag of pre-washed spinach,1  bag of Pepperidge Farm Mint Milano Cookies, 6 pack of diet coke, Special K, non-fat milk and a box of tampons. This girl is single !

Another scenario:

Same deal... at the check out.....hmmmm cute girl......look at what she's buying......yogurt, Special K, 8 bananas, 12 pack of Budweiser, frozen pizza, hot pockets, Red Bull, cashews, potato chips, Doritos, chips and salsa, steaks, potato's, wine and athletes foot powder. Ah....this girl has a husband or boyfriend !


At Costo I was in a slow line.......guy in front of me had a tree of some sort and a 12 pack of tube socks..... Guy behind asked me.....hey....that guy in front of you only has two things..... a plant and socks....he only came here to buy one of the two things....which one was it ????

frisco

   Funny you brought this up.....just thinkin' about this at Costco the other day!  I do look....but more of a "mini" social experiment!  Does the "contents" of the cart.....fit the size of the person.....for the most part....I find ....yes!   I noticed the tiny...(mostly Asian people the other day) had fruit....veggies...meat....not too much processed or  ....frozen stuff.( bags of stuff...not boxes)  the two MO couples 1 W/ 2 kids....had all boxed....processed stuff...snacks....frozen food items.  The other couple  ( the man was over 400lbs! and having a hard time walking!)  they were in the bakery section most of the time. ( I was pushing one of my students around to get in some exercise....walked 4 miles in Costco!)  So I saw the same people several times as I walked around.  On this day.....in this store......the cart  "contents" seemed to match the "size" of the shoppers. 
    Ironic thing is......at 500 or 400lbs....after surgery.....I had ALL healthy stuff in my cart!   What do you think people were thinking of me?  I can only imagine!  Things like....."yeah! right dude....is that what a 500lb guy eats?"  "he is probably stoppin' by McDonald's and gettin' 3 value meals on the way home!"  If they only........knew!  I don't judge people for what's in their carts......I judge them for what's in their hearts! (hey! that  rhymes!)  So if you're gonna look....keep the "eye rollin'" to a minimum!  

Yep, we are all snoopers. I wonder if people who have been slim all their lives do this or if they negatively judge the fat people they see with carts full of junk food. I used to be sort of self conscious about this - remember once many years ago when a gourmet bakery used to sell really excellent cookies for half price after 5 oclock and I was getting a bunch and someone from my office came in and I felt compelled to say I was having guests which I wasn't. Jeez that felt miserable.

I used to look in other's carts a lot more and like Jimbo notice whether the fat people had loads of poor choice food. But sometimes you can see its a harried working mother with a load of convenience foods trying to feed a family and get everything done. I think that scenerio is one of the root causes of the obesity epidemic.

And ha Frisco, so  you scope out single chicks in the grocery line!  And why not?  Years ago in my single days I always heard that the grocery store was a good place to meet other singles but somehow it never worked for me - probably because I was 200+ pounds and had a cart full of Reeses peanut butter cups and other high cal junk. Oddly, met my husband at the gym where we were both the "before" pictures.

Of course we don't judge anyone by what's in their cart - its merely a curiosity. Could have probably learned more in our fat days by looking in the carts of slim people and realizing they weren't buying the peanut butter cups.

Diane