Grocery Shopping without a list like Alice Waters

One of my favorite things about Wegmans is their website. It allows you to make a shopping list and they organize the items by aisle. It’s an incredible time-saver, especially in a massive store like Wegmans. The print out used to even have a thumbnail of the item, too. This was particularly useful when Tiff would include something that I wouldn’t recognize on the shelf - a facial cleanser or exotic vegetable. The Melia family has a trait we’ve recently coined “label-blind.” This is when, in the rush to grab something off the store’s shelf we don’t read the label to ensure what we are buying is what we actually want to buy. This might happen with milk or yogurt (plain yogurt? YUCK!), cornstarch vs. cornmeal. The mix-ups are always a nuisance. However, I did have to run down to the store in the middle of making dinner this winter when I realized I had coconut cream instead of coconut milk. I tried to sneak out while Tiff was in the shower, hoping she wouldn’t notice my mistake. I was wrong, and she was more panicked when I returned because she thought I had been taken. My brother, sisters, and mom are afflicted with “label blindness,” too. I think they’re doing some heavy research at Moderna.

This past week, we loaded Masterclass on our AppleTV and watched Alice Waters cook things. She’s amazing, and works with no recipes and does hgoler shopping without a list. She wanders the market searching for what looks good, buys it, and then heads home to figure out what she’ll conjure up for the week. Alice inspired me to give this method a try, so when I went to our local grocery store last weekend I had in mind one slow cooker meal I’d make, but otherwise I was going to peruse like Alice and find what looked good.

For the most part, this didn’t change my patterns in the grocery store, but it did have an interesting effect on my experience in the produce section, though. It forced me to stare and look a bit more intentionally. Usually I know what I want because it’s on a list, so I dive right into the greenery, grab my kale or spinach and get the heck out of there. But during this particular visit I stood and looked around. I started to see items that never make it into my cart because I never seen them.

It felt uncomfortable to stand and stare at a wall of food. The produce section is usually busy and built to make people uncomfortable. It’s like a game of pac-man, we’re all weaving in and out of these small aisles like we’re being chased by ghosts. Compare the produce section vibe with the middle aisles next time you’re at a grocery store. The middle aisles, where all the “bad” stuff is, are built to allow for maximum leisure. Stand as long as you want as you choose between Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Looking for chips? Stay awhile, you have all the space you need! Not the produce section though. It’s organized to make people want to rush through it as quickly as possible.

We’ve been programmed, especially this year to get in and get out. There’s no time to look, we’re in the middle of a pandemic! Go, go, go! I fought that urge and we ended up having a few dinners this week that were a tad different than usual and pushed us to dig through the pantry and freezer to find some accompaniments and seasonings.

The best part of this weekend’s process was last night when we enjoyed a stir fry with brussels sprouts and carrots and onion. I dug up some lo mein noodles and added some soy sauce. It was not a dish I had in mind when I grabbed the carrots and sprouts on Sunday at the grocery and it turned out to be one of the better things we had this week.

So, when you’re feeling adventurous, I’d encourage you to go grocery shopping with the staples in mind, but no meals planned. You could find yourself making a few meals that you have never made before or simply forgot you knew how to make. And if you’re like me and afflicted with label-blindness, it might just be the cure.