Notes about a Wal-mart trip

1 - When the lines are 5 people long and you are a cashier about to open a new lane PLEASE don't ask the person that is just deciding to walk towards the check out line to come over so you can help them.


2 - This involves one of my very biggest pet peeves! I ALWAYS put the basket back in the right place, in the "cart corral". Always. Today I saw someone, probably a college student, just shove it between two other cars and leave. If I can do it when it is windy and rainy with my 3 small kids (plus the newborn I used to babysit), I know you can do it by yourself on a beautiful 80 degree sunny day!!


3 - *First a little background - we've really been trying to make changes in the way we eat lately. Brad did so a few years ago, and I've slowly been trying to comply, especially when it comes to what the kids eat. We try to eat things that are less processed, refined, sprayed with chemicals and messed with in general. Trying is the key word. We do whole grain, free range, grass fed, organic, etc. whenever possible. This particular shopping trip I guess I was proud of how healthy our stuff was, even though I only had 21 or so items. That explains why I wasn't in the express line - I don't break that rule either. I resent those who do. Anyway, I had lots of produce (not much organic, since I was in a Super WalMart), nothing hydrogenated, and very little sugar.

So, I noticed a woman with a really full shopping cart in the bread section. Stuff was piled as high as possible. She had a boy with her, maybe 12 or 13 years old? She grabbed two loaves of white bread and handed them to the boy, to put in his own very full basket. My first thought was "how impressive" - they are the kind of people that plan ahead and only make weekly (or monthly??) trips to the store. I wish I would do that. I go about every 2 or 3 days.

Then when I got in line to pay, I was behind them. There was actually another woman with them, and a total of 3 very full baskets between them. One of the ladies had a shirt on about children's advocacy or something, so now I'm impressed because they are obviously doing something to help kids. Then because I had tons of time, I started staring at the little conveyor belt thingy. I wasn't trying to be nosey. There was quite a bit of junk food (i.e. 4 boxes of Little Debbies zebra cakes, about 8 bags of chips, tons of soda, 5 or so bags of Banquet chicken nuggets) I am quite sure there was not a single produce item at all - maybe some applesauce?? Their receipt was seriously more than 4 feet long.

Of course this is all speculation on my part, but the kids who are going to be eating this food are probably already facing some obstacles. I started feeling bad about what choices are being made for them, and how these choices will likely affect their health and eating habits for the rest of their life. It doesn't seem fair. Then I started hoping they have a deal with the farmer's market here, maybe? So then I resolve to try harder to give our kids better food.

Two days later...here's the part where I'm a total hypocrite: I decided I was going to blog about this while I was waiting for my Vanilla Dr. Pepper and Frito Pie Jr. Wrap from Sonic during happy hour before picking up kids at school. I highly recommend the Jr. Wrap. yum. Obviously I need to hit the nutrition books a little harder for my own good!