I've heard, many times, that it is wise to shop for food on a full stomach. By doing so you avoid impulse buying of snacks that you're currently craving, and stick to whatever list you brought with you in the first place. I can see the wisdom in this, but I'm honestly not sure it matters, because I find I impulse buy snacks whether I'm hungry or not. Maybe I'm just highly suggestible. Does this tactic work for anyone else?
It is so wise! And I think I might be dumb, but I always go to the supermarket on an empty stomach and want to buy every sort of junk food I can find. I mostly resist, but sometimes I end up buying a few things I shouldn't and probably wouldn't have bought if I was not starving at the moment!
Yes, this does work for me, but I have to make sure I don't let myself run entirely out of groceries before shopping, lol. Often times when I go to the grocery store hungry, I will lose my better judgement and purchase a whole bunch of ingredients just to make one dish when I get home. Then I will end up blowing my budget for the next two weeks and either end up overspending to get more groceries or have to cut back on what I'm eating in the following days to make up for it. Sometimes if I have absolutely nothing in my fridge or pantry to make before shopping, or if I don't have the time to make anything, I will at least swing by some place like McDonald's and just buy a McDouble to tame any hunger pangs. Spending $1.20 or so is still cheaper than blowing an extra $50-$70 on groceries that I wouldn't normally buy. Some of my biggest offenses are blowing all sorts of money on exotic ingredients I will probably never use again, such as curry powders, coconut milk, agave nectar, spelt flour, etc...
I eat very healthfully, so I find I actually make better choices when I'm hungry lol. If I go full, I end up buying less because food just isn't appealing to me as much. When I'm hungry I can think of a million and one things I can do with my foods and will leave with enough to eat lol. If I buy too much, I'm still spending less than the typical eater and it won't affect my health or waistline negatively because my foods are always good for me; so no biggie.
It makes no odds to me either way, I make a list before I go shopping and stick to it. I just can't afford to be buying extra items right now and have to account for every penny so I never deviate from the list. If I am actually hungry, I just remind myself that I'll have plenty of options to choose from when I get home.
I’m usually pretty good about sticking to my shopping list, whether or not I’m shopping hungry. I think if I do have the occasional urge to impulse buy, I will do it anyway, regardless of whether I’m hungry. However, the fact that I tend to get, um, hangry means it’s important that I eat before doing anything that requires some level of concentration. So for me it’s more about not going crazy rather than suppressing any spending urges.
This works for me. If I'm hungry and walking through the grocery store I am definitely more likely to buy more items than had I not been hungry. It's that impulse shopping but for food, so everything starts to look good when you're hungry. I end up buying things I wouldn't normally buy.
I try to remember this, but it's also important to not OVEReat before going to the store. If I eat too much and feel really full, then I start getting sleepy/groggy and just want to go home. I'm less likely to really pay attention to what I'm getting and then I end up needing to go back sooner than necessary because I forgot things.
It's better for me to go in at just the right state of being full as it gives me the most balanced view of what I will probably crave later on without going overboard. However it's not always possible, so if given a choice I'd probably just go in full and risk not getting enough snacks I might want later on because having less junk food to eat is not such a bad thing anyway and I'd rather have less of it than too much.
I've heard this over and over again, and it does actually work! I know for a fact that if i go shopping on an empty stomach, I end up buying the whole store. I buy all the wrong things too, including snacks of all sorts. Then I go via the deli counter and do some more damage! So I always make sure I've eaten before I go shopping.
I will often make the mistake of going to the supermarket when I am absolutely starving, and then I obviously spend a lot more money throwing snacks into my trolley, and basket lol. Then I will get home and pig out on the stuff that I have purchased, one after the other. I don't always go when I am starving, but it is a smart idea not to be hungry when you go shopping.
Yes I believe this is best mainly because you will end up buying all sorts of snacks as you will want to eat right away not waiting for food to cook. Also I would not go to the store starving because then I risk getting a headache and get grumpy with headaches. Granted you can get headaches from pretty much anything but the less risk factors the better.
This is actually really important. I find I stick to my budget better and buy less junky food when I do my groceries while not hungry. Same with some other posters, I'll grab a value burger or something If I didn't have time to eat at home. Even just having a coffee and muffin/donuts helps. When I am hungry EVERYTHING looks good to me and I buy it all.
It is crazy to think that some people might not even think about this and the impact that it has on their spending habits when they go shopping. Most people just go shopping when they have a spare moment to, in today's world, not considering whether or not they are hungry at the time. Though, I suppose that if people are on a budget, then they just won't buy extras because they are hungry anyway.
When I'm full I ignore all those scrumptious foods being sold, so that tactic definitely helps. I once went to a convenience store hungry, and even if I only had to wait 60 mins. or less for the food to be served at home, I bought a lot of food. Not a good idea at all.
I think this idea will work for some people. Though other people will buy things not on their lists regardless of a full belly. Have you ever seen people do something like pick up a bag of grapes only to be found munching on it as they shop? That type of thing you might want to avoid doing less you find your self with less food in your cart for eating it the whole time.
It probably is wise. However, if I'm too full, it makes me not want to look at food and get out as soon as possible. It happens pretty often. I prefer shopping hungry-ish, but it probably makes sense to do it the other way. I'm not an expert!
Well that's just the kind of shopper you are, so be happy with it. I like to go shopping when I've time to shop. I like new things and always on the watch out for bargains. I have to get a teeth whitener and I took a considerable amount of time for there are many good choices to make, but a budget to consider. I'll take time and buy what I need and can afford. I do shop with lists, but I'll admit it too I do buy impulse in-store specials buys too even on a full stomach!
When we go to the mall to shop, it is my policy to eat first. It's not because of me but for my husband. When he is hungry, he becomes irritable and would always rush me when I am looking around. So what I do is to eat first before I shop. That way, I would have peace of mind and can spend more time in choosing what to buy.
It is definitely a good idea to have something to eat before you go shopping, because if you go before you have eaten you will be hungry, and everything will look good to you. For that reason, you will want to buy everything in the shop. So going when you've just had a meal will mean that you only buy what you need, and this is likely to save your waistline as well as money, because you certainly won't be worrying about eating foods that you shouldn't.
