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I never have, but I guess in an emergency I would. Usually when they are melting down a book from my diaper bag works. If I give them a snack when they are angry at the store it will just get thrown and I don't want to make a mess. (The books sometimes get thrown too, but that doesn't make a mess so I just deal with it). If we are getting a toy or new book, I will let them hold that until we get to the check out, though. They have to keep it in the packaging though.
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Be careful when doing this! A friend of mine did this all the time and forgot to tell the cashier about a yogurt she gave her son and walked out. She got called in by security and was banned from the store. She was pissed because she'd spent over $200, offered to pay for it right away - it was clearly an accident but the store didn't care.
I personally wouldn't do it, but I think it was the way I grew up. I would be too nervous about forgetting.
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I haven't done it and doubt I will. I usually pack snacks to bring with (packed in my own container) otherwise if lo wants to eat an item while grocery shopping then I tell her she can have it when we get to the car if she has behaved,
I used to be a cashier and it used to annoy me a bit.
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@SweetiePie: haha, I will try to remember the puffs tip
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I have when shipping with DS, but DD was/is an easy shopping companion and usually doesn't need snacks. DS has eaten all of the snacks I brought in our diaper bag AND wanted more, so I grabbed him a pouch to finish with the groceries. I don't see any issue with this at all.
I wonder if the cashiers think I'm stealing stuff because 99% of the time, LO is eating bananas, puffs, pouches, or crackers that I brought along with me when I'm paying for my stuff.
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No, we go for the free cookie in the bakery
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Yes, we do this sometimes. However, a cashier once looked grossed out when I handed her a used pouch to scan, and that's when I realized not everyone wants to touch something a baby has sucked on! So now I save it for things like crackers, string cheese, etc, to be considerate if a cashier has an ick factor.
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No, I worked as a supermarket cashier in college and thought it was strange ringing up people's trash. However, about a month ago in the checkout line I felt very faint/dizzy all of a sudden so I took a bottled water and drank some while standing in line. The lady understood and was like oh honey you look pale and had some push my groceries out and load my car for me
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@Shizaz: That's messed up.
We do this so often I actually feel weird when I give LO a snack I brought! Like they are going to think I am stealing when it is a pouch that was already rightfully mine, ha.
I posted about this like a year ago on Facebook jokingly because DH was embarrassed that I was just ripping stuff open for LO willy nilly. (He didn't think it was stealing or bad parenting but just kind of shameless I guess.) I had a totally sanctimonious friend from high school (with no kids) leave the longest comment about teaching delayed gratification and how kids in Europe don't snack, etc. etc. OMG - eye roll.
DH has been reformed, btw.
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Yes, always. It's a rarity when I don't pay for an already-opened pouch or two!!
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@MrsLonghorn: this is brilliant!! LO would love this!!
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My mom always used to do this with us on long shopping trips. Our grocery store gives out free cheese/cookies/fruit for kids, so it's a non issue. If I needed to, I would definitely do it though! I worked at a grocery store for years as a teenager, and people always did it. Nobody at the store cared as long as it was paid for.
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@HabesBabe: I actually think (worry) about this and will purposely try to either bring things in home-packed containers or that are a brand the store doesn't sell (like Target Simply Balanced snacks when I'm at our grocery store) because I feel like it says I'M NOT STEALING
I honestly don't judge others who open pre-packaged things in stores (and I see it a lot), but I have never done it myself, and hope I never have to. It just makes me uncomfortable. Both DDs have had their share of supermarket meltdowns; usually being put in charge of holding something has worked for us.
Honest question (and seriously, not judging, just curious) - If you give your LO a banana, since a lot of people have used that example...how do you pay for it at the end, since bananas are sold by weight?
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@PinkElephant: I've only done a banana at Trader Joe's, because they're sold by the each there and not by weight. I think the majority of people (and seemingly all of the bees here) who do it don't consume stuff sold by weight. Our, if someone did, they have the cashier weigh something else equivalent (or heavier/more expensive).
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I did recently at New Seasons (like Whole Foods) and the cashier said they encourage it. I think it depends if the store has a policy or not. Honestly I don't take T to the grocery store, so the issue has not come up as far as needing to feed the kid.
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@HabesBabe: gotcha! Haha figuring out how to pay for a consumed item/keeping track of packaging would totally stress me out more, which is completely the opposite of why people give their kids not-yet-purchased grocery store food
:).
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@HabesBabe: My mother always had the store weigh a banana and then shop with me eating said banana.
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Like many others have already mentioned, I have done this in an emergency situation. I don't like doing it because I kinda feel like LO thinks he can get whatever he wants if he whines/cries for it, but omg when there's an impending meltdown in a store and all I need is some milk and stuff for dinner, then YES I will grab some melts or puffs or whatever. I have done this maybe twice. LO is 18 months and I am sure it will happen again at some point.
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I don't think I've ever done this. I tell lo that it isn't ours until we pay for it. I hope that doesn't come off as preachy or anything, it's just the way I was taught.
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We shop at Publix, and honestly, I've always gotten the feeling the encourage it or are indifferent. They give him free cookies, are always pushing slices of cheese on him, and hand him his popcorn chicken opened so that he can snack while we walk. They also have a big drink center where we grab a water if he asks. But Publix is all about the customer and I doubt it would ever be an issue.
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@PinkElephant: we shop at Wegmans, where you weigh and label all your protein as you go! So it doesn't matter if you eat it while you're walking, since they charge you by the weight on the sticker you print out in the produce aisle
It's trickier at our local co-op, thoguh, because they have a bulk wall with yogurt pretzels thst LO is obsessed with. There, I'll usually go back to a cashier and have then weigh it, or use the scale and write down the weight. Then I tell them to use that when I pay for it.
:).
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