Grocery shopping while hungry
If you go grocery shopping while hungry, do you end up buying more? I’ve read articles that argue both for and against that theory.
This was a meal we shared before grocery shopping recently: a teriyaki chicken bento set from Nagano Sushi at the food court in Carousel Shopping Centre. You get teriyaki chicken and rice, salad, California roll and prawn sushi and a whole lot of tempura: prawn, eggplant, broccoli and a craggy sweet potato and onion tempura, which is my favourite. In the corner of the plastic serving dish is dipping sauce. Between the freshly panfried teriyaki chicken and the hot steamed rice is a layer of cabbage. You get a cup of piping hot miso soup too. I was a little over-enthusiastic – or perhaps I should just say greedy! – and burned my mouth on the soup.
Chicken teriyaki bento from Nagano Sushi, Carousel Shopping Centre
It’s a good feed for around AU$15. When I’m really hungry I can eat one of these on my own, but it’s nice to share one with Jac for brunch on a Saturday morning.
Another favourite meal we sometimes share when we’re at the shops is nachos (AU$9.50) from the Spudbar. I’ve mentioned before how I get grossed out sharing mushy foods with other people – nachos always end up a gooey sloppy mess, as do ice cream sundaes. After 14 years with Jac, we’ve had plenty of “gross” moments… sharing nachos with my sweetheart is not so gross after all :D.
Nachos
Spudbar’s nachos are vegetarian: corn chips, chili beans, cheese, jalapenos, light sour cream and guacamole – simple, tasty and wonderfully colourful.
I don’t know if it’s a myth or not, but I definitely try to avoid going grocery shopping when I’m hungry. It doesn’t matter that we have a shopping list – everything looks unbelievably good to me when I’m hungry. I reckon I’m more likely to throw snacks and junk food into the trolley if I shop hungry. Pringles! Chocolate! Salami Slims! I’m probably a slightly more cranky shopping companion when I’m hungry too.
So what do you reckon? Do you buy more if you go grocery shopping when hungry? Take my un-scientific opinion poll and answer based on your own experience!
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