I have always been one of those moms who enjoys grocery shopping, and obviously much more so when I can stroll the aisles at a leisurely pace by myself. However, those glorious trips sans kiddos have been few and far between lately, especially during the summer.
When H-E-B Curbside shopping just doesn’t work out, I have to be a little smarter when grocery shopping with the littles in tow and H-E-B certainly helps me be as efficient as possible, while still making it a bit fun for everyone who tags along!
Over the years, I’ve learned a few tips to help try and make the experience meltdown free and avoid looking like a contestant on an episode of Supermarket Sweep.
- Park next to or near a cart return. I can typically get my kiddos in and out of our minivan {that I swore I would never own} while I’m quickly picking up or depositing the cart.
- Establish ground rules first and occasionally offer a sweet incentive if good behavior feels like a pipe dream. The sweet employees at the bakery are always willing to give out cookies with a please and thank you and the delicious tortilla samples are always a crowd pleaser with my kids. {And if you’re lucky, they’ll be handing out wine samples and Mom can get a reward too!} Buddy Bucks are another great tool to encourage good behavior as well.
- Grocery Store Bingo is one of my kid’s favorite things to do while I’m busy shopping. There are tons of free printables on the internet and when I don’t have one on hand, I will ask the kids to help me look for items on our own list. A little competition never hurt anyone, right?
- The mini grocery carts. Obviously you and your ankles need to proceed with a bit of caution when it comes to these, but if we go during an off time, it’s a great way for the kids to help.
And of course the H-E-B staff are always smiling and extremely helpful. From bagging your groceries, to helping you out to your car, they really make the whole experience that much easier for busy moms and dads!
If you have been struggling with getting your kids excited about a trip to the grocery store, be sure to check out H-E-B Kids Day on Saturday, August 17 from 10 am – 4 pm at your local H-E-B. The focus is all about their youngest customers and each store will have memorable and FUN activities for the whole family. Scavenger hunts, a kids’ register, and kid-friendly demos, cooking classes and samples will surely entertain the kids. H-E-Buddy will also be there and if your kids are anything like mine, a photo opp with him will be a must.
