Imagine this:

Grocery Shopping.

With kiddos.  

No, this isn’t the opening scene to a scary movie. It’s a weekly reality, that if not prepared for, can lead to some pretty big #GroceryStoreFails. Accident in aisle 1? Baby screaming bloody murder in aisle 4? Been there, done that. Our biggest #GroceryStoreFail was when Vivi ran off and wanted to hug a jar of pickles – that she proceeded to drop on the Whole Foods floor. The smell of pickle juice was mortifying!

I sympathize with other mamas out there going through the same thing and as much as we love our little ones, grocery shopping with them is HARD.

After chatting with other moms about this topic and sharing a few laughs (and horror stories!), we’ve put together the best tips and tricks for grocery shopping with kids in tow to help make grocery shopping a fun bonding activity instead! Now THIS is a list I’ll be sure to have on hand on my next trip to Wegmans!

1. Set up expectations with your little ones in advance. Let them know what you plan on getting for the week and how long you will be there for. This is SO key as it puts you in control and makes sure everyone is on the same page!

2. Do your research at home. Looking up foods and nutrition labels requires time. Don’t leave that for when you could be distracted in the moment.

3. Make sure you come prepared for the inevitable diaper blowout or toddler meltdown and have an action plan ready…YumEarth lollipops or Partake Foods cookies, anyone?

4. Don’t shop on an empty stomach. No good thing ever came from being hangry, and that goes for both your child AND you!

5. Let your child make a shopping list and check off items. They can then help select low-shelf/light items and will feel a sense of responsibility as they look forward to checking things off.

6. If all else fails, play a game like I Spy to help keep your little ones distracted, and you focused!

7. Lastly, grocery shopping isn’t something that can be done on a whim. Unfortunately, time needs to be set aside for this chore, so don’t go in a rush. It’ll stress you out, which will only stress your child out!

Whew, after reading that I feel like we’re preparing to head into battle! But it sure does feel like it at times, so I’ll be sure to implement these to avoid any more headaches (and trips to the wine aisle). But don’t forget to stop by the cookie aisle in these stores!

What’s your biggest #GroceryStoreFail?