A quick trip to the supermarket can feel very different once you have children in tow. There's plenty to look at, lots of tempting things within reach and, somehow, the checkout queue always seems longest when everyone has had enough.
But shopping with children doesn't have to be stressful. With a little planning and a few ways to keep them involved your weekly food shop can become much easier for everyone.
Get children involved in the shopping
Rather than trying to keep children entertained while you shop, why not give them a job to do?
Toddlers and younger children can help you spot familiar foods, count items or find different colours. You could ask them to find the bananas, look for something red or help choose which apples to buy.
As children get older, they can take on more responsibility. They could help you:
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Write the shopping list
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Find items in the supermarket
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Put suitable groceries into the trolley
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Weigh fruit and vegetables
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Tick things off the list
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Choose ingredients for a meal
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Help plan what the family will have for dinner
Giving children small, age-appropriate tasks can help keep them interested while also teaching them about food, choices and everyday responsibilities.
Set expectations before you start
If your child is old enough to understand, talk about what you're going to do before you enter the supermarket.
Keep any rules simple and explain why they're important. For example, rather than simply saying, "Don't touch", explain that some things can break or that items need to stay on the shelves until you're ready to put them in the trolley.
It can also help to be clear about treats before you go in. If you're not buying sweets or a toy today, saying so at the beginning can sometimes make the inevitable request in aisle five a little easier to manage.
Turn the food shop into a game
For younger children, a supermarket is full of opportunities for simple games.
Try giving them clues about the next thing on your list: "Can you find a yellow fruit?" or "We need something that comes from a cow."
You can count tins, look for particular colours or play a supermarket version of "I spy". Older children could even have their own mini shopping list to complete.
It doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes simply having something to concentrate on is enough to make the trip more enjoyable.
Choose the right time to go shopping
Timing can make a big difference when you're shopping with young children.
If possible, avoid setting off when they're already hungry, tired or due for a nap. A hungry toddler surrounded by shelves of food isn't always a combination we'd recommend!
It can also be easier to shop when the supermarket is quieter, particularly if your child finds busy places overwhelming.
Make sure you've eaten before you go and take a drink or snack for your child if you think they'll need one.
What if my child gets bored or has a tantrum?
Even with the best planning, children can become tired, frustrated or overwhelmed. And sometimes a supermarket meltdown simply happens.
Try to stay calm and acknowledge how they're feeling while keeping any boundaries you've already set. If possible, give them another job or activity to focus on.
If things really aren't working, it's also OK to cut the trip short. The shopping list will still be there another day.
What if my child opens or breaks something?
Children are curious, and accidents happen.
If your child opens or eats something before you've paid for it, keep the packaging and speak to a member of staff or mention it at the checkout so that you can pay for it.
If something is accidentally damaged or broken, let a member of staff know rather than trying to clear it up yourself, particularly if there could be broken glass or another safety risk.
The supermarket can then advise you on what happens next.
Give children choices – but keep them manageable
Giving your child some choice can make them feel more involved, but that doesn't have to mean giving them free rein in the supermarket.
Instead of asking, "What do you want for dinner?", you might ask them to choose between two meals. Or let them pick between two types of fruit or two suitable snacks.
They still get to make a decision, while you keep the choices realistic.
Don't expect every shopping trip to go perfectly
Some trips will be easy. Others will involve forgotten shopping lists, requests for biscuits and someone deciding halfway around that they're absolutely finished with supermarkets for the day.
That's family life.
A little preparation, realistic expectations and giving children something useful to do can make supermarket shopping much less stressful – and may even turn it into something they enjoy helping with.
And on the days when you really can't face it? There's always online shopping.
