While many couples may get into a debate over whose turn it is to have control of the remote, go out on a Friday night or sleep in on a Sunday morning, it is more unusual for a couple to argue over who gets to do the supermarket shop. Yet, this is the predicament I have recently found myself in.
When the Greek God(zilla) and I were both working full-time, the weekly food shop was something that we did online and it was delivered on Saturday mornings. When I left my office job and started working from home, I suddenly had much more time to wander the supermarket aisles in search of good deals. This was usually on a Wednesday when I wanted to avoid our cleaner so that she wouldn’t judge me for being at home all day while she scrubbed my toilet.
I got into a routine and it worked really well for us. I would menu plan in advance and add ingredients to a running shopping list. When we were close to running out of something I would add said item to the list so that I’d remember to buy it on my next visit and we would never be caught short without loo roll, kitchen foil, or wine.
I really enjoyed choosing my own fruit and vegetables and selecting meats with the longest use-by date so that I wouldn’t need to put them straight into the freezer. I also started buying kitchen essentials at the supermarket such as measuring jugs, Tupperware, tea towels and stemless wine glasses. I would run my hands over cushions and throws as I passed them in the homeware aisles and they would sometimes find their way into my shopping trolley too. After a while, the weekly supermarket visit was something I looked forward to. My Wednesdays were sorted!
But then work got busier – much busier – and I no longer had as much time to devote to my favourite pastime. The Greek God(zilla) was also adamant that he could do the food shop for less.
This is absolute rubbish by the way. On the occasions he did do the shop, he returned with tubs of houmous (hello, I think you might know someone in the HOMEMADE houmous business?!), nuts, crisps, beer, wine and several packets of pork chops (for the freezer) and spent about £40 more than I ever did. There was also not a complete meal to be found.
He reluctantly handed the trolley reins back to me, but recently when another big supermarket started sending him money off vouchers for £20-£30 a shop, it made sense for us to use them – on the strict proviso that he stuck to the shopping list and didn’t go rogue in the dips aisle.
Well, it has been an interesting experiment, to say the least. He takes the shopping list out with him, but casually edits it on his way round depending on what his taste buds are calling out for. So, nuts and crisps (not on the list) still make it home, but things like avocados and mushrooms don’t because he doesn’t like them. Just last week, we had a row over a courgette. Yep, A COURGETTE. A fine vegetable for bulking out a ratatouille and spiralizing to have instead of spaghetti.
It all started because the week before I had thrown half a courgette away. I can’t remember why we didn’t eat as much courgette that particular week, but the Greek God(zilla) refused to buy another because “you never eat them, love”.
I argued my case for the courgette for 10-minutes. I described the delicious meals I planned to make with it. I explained how versatile a vegetable it was and how it went with everything. I pleaded with him not to leave me courgetteless for a whole week, but it fell on deaf ears.
He didn’t buy the courgette.
I am a great believer in picking your battles so we are still on speaking terms, but IT’S A COURGETTE. A COURGETTE!
I bought my own courgette in the end and made a very tasty briam (Greek roasted vegetables) while he was away. However, this week I suspect I will mostly be making healthy fruit salads before he takes umbrage with the humble banana.
Haha I know this scenario only too well! Great post 🙂 xx
This struck so many chords with me Sarah. Jason always spends more than me, mostly down to the bogof deals on steak. My freezer can be full of it! And we all know steak and wine cost way more than a supermarket cushion don’t we? 😉