s/o - do you let your kids eat in the grocery store before you pay?

[Anonymous]

FWIW, I was a grocery store cashier in college and people did this all the time (kids or no kids). As long as it is something with a barcode that is not based on weight (or something like a donut that is charged per piece), I never cared. The store doesn't really care as long as you pay for it at the register, trust me .

I too was a cashier in college and the store did care, trust me. Be careful with generalizations.

[Anonymous]

I sure have given my kids a snack - like crackers or a single granola bar from a multibar box - before paying. I am acutally shocked to realize that so many people think this is such bad form. I actually have left snacks from home in the car because I was worried about being perceived as a shoplifter ("no, I swear that we brought this granola bar from home even though it's exactly the same kind as you sell here"). I guess I'll have to rethink my ways - and will be watching this thread for more views!

As far as the person who said that they don't want to use my icky, sticky cart. I have always been careful to clean out a cart before returning it to the store, and do a way better job that the folks who leave half-eaten samples in their costco (etc) carts.

[Anonymous]

I think it's tacky. I never do this, barring an extenuating circumstance of some kind.

[Anonymous]

Like many things in life every situation is different. I tend to shop at the same Safeway every week and have gotten to know the employees. They know my children's names and who is in what grade. They even know when we have been on a trip if we have missed a week. I used to stand in line and pay for an apple/muffin/insert item of the week at the begining of the shopping trip so my kids could eat the item AFTER we had paid for it. About the 3rd time I did this the store manager came up to me and said it wasn't necessary, "just let us know at check out". So, if we are shopping here my answer is yes I will let my kids eat something and then pay for it. If we are at a different store then No we go pay for an item first. Although the many times I have paid for just the single item, midway through shopping, the clerk has been perplexed and asked why I didn't just let the kids eat it and then pay for it.

[Anonymous]

I just always thought it would be a slippery slope if I let my kid open anything before we paid for it. I didn't want to argue with him every time we went shopping and he wanted to open a snack, so I have just always told him we can't open anything until we pay for it.

[Anonymous]

In a situation where there is an impending hunger-related meltdown, usually I'll open something that has multiples (like string cheese or crackers) and make sure the rest of the package goes on the belt so the cashier can ring it up. Very occasionally I'll give something (like a bun) that is a single item, but I always pay for it. I'm paranoid, so I assume that someone in store security is watching on a camera.

[Anonymous]

I do it all of the time. Don't see the issue with it.

[Anonymous]

I probably wouldn't let my kid do it, but I do it all the time. Probably the majority of time I eat or drink something while waiting in line.

[Anonymous]

No, not bc I think its stealing but bc I think it a bad message for the kids, assuming they were not hungry when they left home they should be able to wait an hour.

[Anonymous]

It seems like many folks here had easy kids. I always pack multiple snacks for DS, yet without fail he'll spot the one item I don't have and throw a fit. We just hit the terrible twos so I'm hoping it's just a phase. But what can I do? I can't really teach him a lesson that he can't always have immediate gratification without subjecting the entire store to him hysterically screaming "FRUIT STRIP!" or "PRETZELS!" So I take one out of the box or bag & let him have it. I've got the majority of the bag/box in my cart so there's no chance of forgetting to pay when we check out. Sorry to those who find this "tacky".

[Anonymous]

I tell me son we have to pay for it first. We can't open it until it's paid for. I believe it helps to teach him patience too.

[Anonymous]

I can't remember doing it with food but I have done it with drinks. Especially if we're running in for milk, bread and bananas and I've just picked up someone from practice or game, etc. I do my best not to do big food shopping with kids -- (which means I am often seen at Giant at 9 pm!).

On a similar note -- have you ever let your kids wear their new shoes as you're paying for them and then out the door? Isn't that similar? We just did that this weekend at Sports Authority -- nobody questioned us and I didn't think 2x about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nope, never. I always have some snacks with me. And even if I don't I have already told my kids that we can't eat it until we pay for it. We have even gone as far as to just buy the snacks then go back and do the rest of the shopping.

teaching your kids how to be inefficient, i see. you don't pay for your food ina restuarant before you eat it. it's the same concept. as long as you plan on paying for it- there is really nothing wrong with this.

[Anonymous]

I have a 14 month old and a 3 year old, and I do this ALL the time. Probably 50% of the time. I try to bring my own snack but sometimes I forget. I really don't care what anyone thinks, I do what I can to survive and get through the day. I consider myself pretty awesome in the mom department. 99% of the time I do not take the easy way out when it comes to parenting decisions. But letting my kid drink a Horizon milk or a few crackers so I can get through the store with ease? Easy decision. I live in a nice area with lots of kids and moms that shop throughout the day. Nobody gives a shit. Really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 14 month old and a 3 year old, and I do this ALL the time. Probably 50% of the time. I try to bring my own snack but sometimes I forget. I really don't care what anyone thinks, I do what I can to survive and get through the day. I consider myself pretty awesome in the mom department. 99% of the time I do not take the easy way out when it comes to parenting decisions. But letting my kid drink a Horizon milk or a few crackers so I can get through the store with ease? Easy decision. I live in a nice area with lots of kids and moms that shop throughout the day. Nobody gives a shit. Really.

I normally am not this lady, but listen to yourself. You consider yourself to be awesome in the mom department even though you do not care that you are doing something that is illegal for your own convenience. And you think it's okay why? Because you live in a nice area where lots of moms shop?

If you realize that you have forgotten to bring a snack, grab the snack, go to the front of the store and pay for that snack. Do not eat food you have not paid for. Contrary to what the PP says, it's not the same thing as a restaurant at all.