My best advice - go without the kids or send your husband, partner or friend.
Here are some other suggestions to help ease your pain:
Shop on-line
I know it sounds crazy, frivolous, and decadent, but it can ease your stress. Shopping on-line allows you to shop at your leisure, compare prices and items, read labels, etc. It also saves you from all those impulse-buy items. I do it about every other month - that’s when I order all my stock-up items like the 40 lb. bag of dog food, laundry items, 24 pack of toilet paper - you get the idea. They bring it right to your door - rain or shine. The only down side - if you are a coupon clipper - you can’t use them.
Shop at off-hours - less crowds, less lines.
Times to avoid:
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8am - 10am - moms making a mad dash after dropping off kids at school -
Lunch Time - high school kids and worker bees
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3pm - 7pm - moms after school with their kids and worker bees
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Saturday & Sunday daytime - worker bees stocking up for the week
Best times:
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10am - 11:30am - after the morning rush, before the lunch rush.
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7pm - 11pm - most people have cleared out, shelves are being restocked
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10am - 11:30am on Friday - **hidden secret** the store have cleared out from the morning rush, all the new sales are being displayed and all the bread and produce are fresh.
Use an iPod/iPhone
What? and not listen to the piped-in music? Yes. It will help you stay focused and not get distracted by all the craziness going on around you. People selling things tend to leave you alone.
Have a list
I know. Easier said than done. If you have an iPhone or PDA, create your list on there. The iPhone has several grocery list apps that you can add - I use Grocery IQ. You can also use a white board to list items needed - then take a picture with the camera on your phone. Or the old fashioned way - a piece of paper and a pen.
