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. You can 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.

• 8am - 10am - moms making a mad dash after dropping off kids at school
• Lunch Time - high school kids and worker bees
• 3pm - 7pm - moms after school with their kids and worker bees
• Saturday & Sunday daytime - worker bees stocking up for the week

Best times:

• 10 - 11:30am - after the morning rush, before the lunch rush.
• 7 - 11pm - most people have cleared out, shelves are being restocked
• 10 - 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
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.