Grocery Shopping

Two of us girls from the Three Strands class met up with the family on Saturday morning to have a girls shopping trip.  The point of the shopping trip was to show them how to go shopping in America. 

We met at the apartment around 9:30 AM and discussed a few items they needed.  The girls were so excited for visitors that they opened the door jumping and screaming, telling us to come in.  They showed us some decorations they brought from home, and it made the apartment feel even more “homey”, including a picture of the grandparents.  They offered us water and told us to sit - sit and relax, so we enjoyed a cup of cold water together while we discussed the items we needed to find at the store.  They needed aluminum foil to be able to cover leftovers in the refrigerator, vacuum bags, instant coffee, and fruits and vegetables.  She said they had plenty of meat, pasta/rice and beans from what was already provided upon their arrival.    

We decided to go to one of the most American stores there is, Wal-Mart, because of the low prices.  The family is going to be on a strict budget so we want them to be able to get the most bang for their buck.  When we walked into the store, the family was walking through the exit, so we explained that we enter on the right side and try to always walk on the right side. 

We showed them many things, but we also feel that it may have been a bit overwhelming (totally understandable).  Some of the things we explained included:

·         The price on the shelf may not always be the price… sometimes it is the price per pound so you have to weigh the item to figure out the total price.

·         Fresh fruits and vegetables are more expensive than canned fruits and vegetables. This was a foreign concept because she said fresh fruits and vegetables were almost free where they were from.

·         You can get more bang for your buck by buying more grapes, than a few blackberries, depending on what is in-season at the time.

·         Look at the expiration date on the milk, and try to get the date furthest away from today’s date.

·         There are multiple brands that sell the same thing, so look for the lowest price.

As we walked past the bicycles, the girls were very interested and wanted to buy bikes.  We did not buy them bikes though because we were trying to stay within a reasonable budget so the family can learn how to budget with the limited amount of money given. 

When we started to check out, we showed them that you have to put the stick between your items and the person in front of you.  We also showed her how to make a payment with the credit card machine, because she should be receiving her own card to purchase food soon.

We drove back to the apartment and helped them put away the groceries and said our goodbyes for now.  The family was really excited though, because another Three Strands family was planning to come over later in the afternoon to take them to the park.  

- Sara Fix