When shopping with small children who can already walk, the following applies: refrain from constantly checking on your child. Of course, you should keep an eye on them, but also allow them to pick up products and examine them. You should take the opportunity to explain to your child which foods are involved. You should only intervene with particularly fragile (small) parts so that your child doesn’t injure themselves or accidentally damage the product.
Do you have children who are already going to school? Then definitely include this in the purchase. Depending on how old your child is, they can help you make the shopping list or remind you of little things. Older children should also be actively involved in the supermarket by putting groceries in the shopping basket or choosing the recipe for dinner. If your child is undecided, you could, for example, choose several favourite dishes. It’s extremely important to give your child a say - only then do they feel safe to be trusted with responsible tasks.
Go shopping at the right time and plan breaks
When shopping with children choosing the correct time of day is important. In order to avoid stress and unnecessary purchases, you should never go to the supermarket on an empty stomach, for example. Also, if possible, choose a time of day when it's not that busy. This way you avoid long queues right from the start. Also, if possible, make sure not to do your shopping at the weekend - experience has shown that it’s usually busier then.
Stay calm when shopping with the kids
If your child is already "old enough", then at best agree on fixed rules for the upcoming shopping trip. For example, it helps to explain to your child why it’s not good if they tumble around on the shelves (“then the groceries fall off and we have to pay for them”). In any case, you should justify your “rules” so that your child can understand them. At best, you should still involve your children in the shopping trip, for example they can weigh out the fruit and vegetables? For younger children, the whole thing becomes exciting if you make a game out of it (example: I am looking for a red fruit that grows in the garden and that you like to eat very much). "I see something you don't see" is also a great game to play and keeps the kids bored.
Tip: Offer your child an alternative instead. For example (“you can leave the chocolate bar on the shelf and read a great story at home?”.
What to do if my child eats or breaks something?
First of all, it’s important to remain calm. If your child eats food that has not yet been paid for, you must keep the wrapper so that you can still scan the code at checkout. If your child breaks something, in most cases you don't have to pay anything as long as the seller is fair. Only with very expensive items can it happen that you are "asked to checkout" - and have to pay the purchase price that the supermarkets normally pay.
