"The Shopper's Reward"

[Chris Amirault]

Just got back from Shaw's, where I did some of the week's shopping, and did what I nearly always do: grab a bag of this or a bar of that as a reward for doing the deed. They are rarely the sort of thing that I would otherwise buy, and not an item on the list. In addition, they are nearly always something inexcusable, given my general predilection for quality food.

To wit: today I popped open a bag of Michael's Gold 'n' Good Sour Cream and Onion Flavored Ripple Chips. The photo on the taquitos.net page even includes the price. Retail is $1.39, but special today for $.79! (Every day is special when you buy a bag of Michael's.) Tang, crunch, salt, umami, and a slight transfat hangover in the checkout line. Now that's a reward.

What's your present to yourself when you shop?

[Anna N]

Usually my reward is something non-food but food-related. It might be a food magazine, book, or an inexpensive kitchen gadget.

[Lilija]

Basic normal grocery shopping, or trips to the farmer's market mostly go unrewarded, but there are a few stores I make it a point to get a treat from.

If I go to a particular Asian market, I never leave without stopping at the bakery on the way out, and getting a red bean bun and an almond milky bubble tea. It's about a once a month treat.

Whole Foods, another store I get to about once a month for bulk staples, I treat myself to some nice soap and or a fragrance oil. I'm a sucker for the Kuumba Made fragrances.

[mizducky]

As I'm doing my part of this week's blog, I'm getting way too much in touch with how I reward myself with caffeine. Either a non-fat latte, or a diet soda, or a diet energy drink. Zip zam zowie kapow!!!

[maggiethecat]

No-cal fashion and frivolity -- a Vogue or Vanity Fair.

[petite tête de chou]

Tillamook spicy pepperoni sticks and, uh, sugar-free Red Bull. The burps are interesting.

[rooftop1000]

I guess the Ritter Sport bar in front of me would be a reward ....for finding the damn german butcher shop after passing it twice on the highway

tracey

[mizducky]

Tillamook spicy pepperoni sticks and, uh, sugar-free Red Bull. The burps are interesting.

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"One of us! One of us! ..."

[Shelby]

I'm not telling

Ok

National Enquirer

*hiding*

[prasantrin]

kani kureem korokke

or for the uninitiated, crab cream croquette.

Sometimes even two!

[Dianabanana]

I do most of my shopping at the co-op, which is right across the street from our office. My reward is always a Poco Dolce chocolate in burnt caramel with sea salt. They keep them on the counter at the cash register--resistance is futile.

I must be crazy to publicly admit this, but when I'm at the regular grocery, my reward is a copy of US Weekly. Believe me, I know.

[purplewiz]

The grocery stores I do most of my bulk shopping at have in-store Starbucks. So...*sigh* Starbucks coffee or iced tea in the summer to sip as I wander around the store.

My excuse: it cushions the blow when I see how high prices are this week.

Marcia.

[MarketStEl]

For me, the shopping is usually its own reward, especially as I toss cheese into the cart or basket.

But if I'm traveling from the Acme to the Super Fresh via the 9th Street market, I might treat myself to either a coffee drink or a Chocolate Volcano from Rene at Rim Café, a little piece of the French Riviera plunked in the heart of South Philly. (Search the photo gallery -- there's a picture of me with my KU t-shirt in there somewhere. Found it--on Page 2 of the "Rim Cafe World" collection.) Rene is one of the nicest proprietors I've ever met. One Friday, on the way from a late-evening run, he even talked me into a game of backgammon.

[hummingbirdkiss]

mine is anything new we have not tried before

a vegetable, cheese, cracker I dont care I find one thing on trips to the store have have not ever tried and then go home and try it ..

[BarbaraY]

We're trying to eat more healthfully but there's nothing like a Snickers bar to stop the chocolate craving. I gobble it up on the way home.

If I'm at Trader Joes, it's roasted, salted pecans.

[Kim Shook]

Well, like Sandy says shopping is it's own reward. That said, I never seem to come home without some new thing.

Yesterday I was shopping sick - some upper respiratory thing. Achy, grumpy - just wanted to be home, but also wanted to finish shopping. So I treated myself to a Godiva smooth coconut cream truffle and a strawberry cheesecake chocolate covered thing. Well, my blood sugar was dropping and I was shaky and I needed something. Look, folks I am a diabetic - controlled by diet. I don't want to hear it !

Kim

[jumanggy]

Baked Lay's, or a small Kettle Salt and Ground Black Pepper. Though I am trying to cut out junk

[Lilija]

I was just chatting about this with my a friend of mine, and his reward is a pint of ice cream, every time he goes shopping, or in season, a quart of egg nog. My tall, lean muscle and metabolism of a race horse, friend. Jerk

[feedmec00kies]

Another vote for "shopping is its own reward". It's always bad news when I go grocery shopping without a strict shopping list written in order of what I pass when (which is often). Usually means I buy more than I need of yummy things that catch my eye.

My reward is never anything in particular. Last time I got something (in other words, didn't strictly follow my list) it was some Moroccan oil-cured olives and Knudsen's Tart Cherry juice.

Edited January 14, 2008 by feedmec00kies (log)

[smallworld]

One more for "shopping is its own reward".

But I guess it all depends on how you shop: if I shopped like my mother did (one giant shopping trip per week) I might need a treat. Lugging all those bags from the trunk to the kitchen and then unloading them is hard work, and no matter how fun the shop it's all forgotten by the unpacking stage.

I live in Japan, where most folks--at least city folks-- still go shopping every day, and when it's a natural and enjoyable part of the daily routine a reward is just not necessary.

That said, if it's really cold, and I've dragged my husband out with me, and we're feeling a little peckish, we sometimes pick up a couple of freshly fried krokke (potato croquettes) to keep us warm on the walk home.

[Chris Amirault]

All you "shopping is its own reward" people: do you only shop at Whole Foods, farmers markets, and Dean and DeLuca? I agree that shopping in those places is, indeed, its own reward. But an hour at megasupermart Shaw's, deciding whether to put up with mediocre industrial produce or blow the budget on a few potatoes, getting toxic shock from the detergent fragrance, bugging the butchers yet again about stocking decent meat, and adding the rising prices in my addled noggin while waiting fifteen minutes in a checkout lane under the fluorescent lights while serenaded by Kenny G: what reward is this?

[Rebecca263]

We buy fruit. Usually oranges. Sometimes an extra banana. In Florida we could buy ANY fruit, because the produce workers are friendly, and they'll wash our fruit for us, so we can eat it right there, but here in NJ, well, that AIN'T happening, dearie! So, we buy fruit, to eat straightaway, with a skin that can be peeled by hand. Kiddle always wants a fancy bottled drink to accompany... lately she doesn't get it.

Hey, our food budget (for 2 people, one teen and one cancer patient) is US$135 a month right now. Be assured, fruit is a treasure!

edited by me to add: Come over and eat at our house, I guarantee you'll be amazed at how well we eat on our budget!

Edited January 16, 2008 by Rebecca263 (log)

[Darcie B]

All you "shopping is its own reward" people: do you only shop at Whole Foods, farmers markets, and Dean and DeLuca? I agree that shopping in those places is, indeed, its own reward. But an hour at megasupermart Shaw's, deciding whether to put up with mediocre industrial produce or blow the budget on a few potatoes, getting toxic shock from the detergent fragrance, bugging the butchers yet again about stocking decent meat, and adding the rising prices in my addled noggin while waiting fifteen minutes in a checkout lane under the fluorescent lights while serenaded by Kenny G: what reward is this?

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I only wish I had a Whole Foods (better yet, Trader Joe's) here. I shop at Kroger and Aldi, have to put up with crappy produce (I wanted a plantain yesterday but of course they didn't have any), smelly people, crying babies, you name it. And I love it. I get in the zone and unless the crying kid actually runs into me, I hardly notice him. I love to linger in the "ethnic" aisles, perhaps to the chagrin of those in a hurry, and see what new goodies are on the shelves. I read labels, mentally keep track of how much everything is adding up to (), and spend ridiculous amounts of time deciding which bread to purchase. I rarely splurge on anything. Like Sandy, I'm just happy when I'm putting the cheese in the cart.

[ruthcooks]

Being diabetic, I can't indulge in my favorite junk food very often. But once a month, when I pick up my prescriptions at the supermarket pharmacy, I allow myself three doughnuts, usually lemon filled or sour cream cake or crullers or fritters. (Why three? They used to be three for a dollar. The price has changed, but my treat hasn't.)

I get some kind of perverse pleasure from buying doughnuts and diabetic drugs on the same day, like "take that! you stupid disease!" Not to worry, however, my condition is very much under control.

[MarketStEl]

All you "shopping is its own reward" people: do you only shop at Whole Foods, farmers markets, and Dean and DeLuca? I agree that shopping in those places is, indeed, its own reward. But an hour at megasupermart Shaw's, deciding whether to put up with mediocre industrial produce or blow the budget on a few potatoes, getting toxic shock from the detergent fragrance, bugging the butchers yet again about stocking decent meat, and adding the rising prices in my addled noggin while waiting fifteen minutes in a checkout lane under the fluorescent lights while serenaded by Kenny G: what reward is this?

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Dean and Dewha?

Yes, there's a Whole Foods near me, and I've even bought stuff there from time to time, but it's not part of my regular routine.

I will grant that the Reading Terminal Market spoils one, but trust me when I say I've seen some 9th Street vendors sell produce that might make you long for what Shaw's offers. What 9th Street offers is the thrill of the hunt -- the challenge of finding the true bargain among the past-the-sell-by-date stuff you find at many street vendors. (The meat and fish purveyors generally offer more consistent quality.)

Even a stroll through the aisles of the Ak-a-me and Super Fresh I find enjoyable, including the occasional interactions with random customers and the more predictable ones with store personnel.

And anyone can play the "It's me vs. the supermarket: Who will walk away with more of my money?" game, even at the most boring of supermarkets. I find I get a kick out of that too.