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HOLIDAY GROCERY SHOPPING MADNESS - WITH SENTINEL FINE FOODS EDITOR COURTNEY TOWNSEND

BY COURTNEY TOWNSEND
Sentinel Fine Foods Editor
Courtney Townsend © 2009

Many people ask me about shopping, I guess, since I’m a chef. They always seemed surprised that I do not enjoy daily grocery shopping. I am as easily puzzled that it is a source of fun for them as well. I can do that ethereal Farmers market thing, aimlessly wandering feeling the weather, feeling local grown supportive, feeling beautiful, interacting with the growers – Ah yes, life is good! Up, Up and Away in my beautiful, my beautiful ballooonnn. Yet when Johnny or Jane need canned tuna for lunches, or a recipe requires a specific XYZ – For me, as I enter the market doors the Gerber daisies at my side begin to wilt as the heavy fog stealthily covers the floor and the music gets a bit heavier. My Marilyn McCoo-esque self shape-shifts into that certain James Earl Jones character that dons the big black helmet with the spit grate smile.

Why be so jaded, Courtney?

As you know parents, taking the children on such an essential mission as grocery shopping has nothing to do with Dora or Elmo. I don’t wanna be chicken, I don’t wanna be a duck -quack, quack, quack, quack. This can be a sobering event for many. Unprepared, I remember often leaving the store feeling like a quartered piece of poultry.

I can spot a waning shopping trouper because the children with their bribery chocolate bounty covered fingers are unsteadily holding on those metal checkerboard rails as the cart speeds along and their mouths are wide open like Charlie Brown. Urghh- Mommy. Daddy… waittt…I want the bear grahams.

When the holiday season shopping comes around, the stakes are higher and there is no time to dawdle. You must have a strategy and it begins at home with THE LIST. With THE LIST, your entire family will instinctually “vibe” your new attitude. Now smooth out those sexy skin-tight white pants with accompanying chest forming fire retardant (I assume) cobalt blue shirt. With hands on your hip and legs apart forming a strong letter A, straighten out your cherry red neckerchief and get ready to win. (By the way, in those aisles super-fine Racer X couldn’t catch you if he wanted to).

THE LIST is quite simple but it does take a bit of prep work. 5 easy categories laid out with sections on a standard 8.5X11 page.

A) Produce B) Dry ingredients C) Meats D) Dairy E)Household Needs

There are two key points to holiday shopping success.

1) Taking 30 minutes to check your cupboards and refrigerator for (in date) items you already have on hand.

2) The most difficult one- organizing all of the recipes, writing down all the ingredients on THE LIST and then condensing the correct amounts needed. If you are wondering why, in some other season, I often find myself in someone’s pantry that has an array of canned pumpkin, or a myriad of containers of ground nutmeg and poultry seasoning.

Please remember that many American holiday meal sides and desserts have similar basic ingredients like aromatics and dairy. For example, you might need onions for the green beans, potatoes, stuffing, soup, and gravy. We will talk in weeks to come about tackling what to do with all that darn half & half that miraculously appeared in the refrigerator taking up valuable champagne space.

With THE LIST, it is even more strategic to think about how your favorite grocery store is logistically arranged. We know those crafty marketers try to dupe us by putting all of those basics as far away from each other as possible to try to entice you to buy a new mop head or a rag mag. Not you!

Go Speed Racer

When you look at the crowds, you can careen around them knowing exactly what you have left to get. Your cart is moving so fast that your stunned children won’t dare to ask for anything until you get to the car. Here (s)he comes, here comes Speed Racer – (s)he’s a demon on wheels.
…
Go Speed Racer

Veteran Shopper - With bags in the trunk, children strapped in seats- you can arrogantly drop your Mach 5 headgear in with your lot of reusable shopping bags, ready for next time. (S)he’s gainin’ on you so you better look alive…..

And there’s dangerous work to do…..You bet your life Speed Racer will see it through……

Other key shopping tips

*If you’re buying a frozen turkey, remember it takes several days to defrost in the refrigerator. Two separate grocery trips might be wise.

*On big trips, photo copy the list. Get the children to assist by looking for the items as well and have them scratch off the items gotten.

* If you’re going to multiple shopping locales, take a large neoprene bag with cold packs inside. On certain large numbered occasions, I’ve gone so far as put a larger cooler in the back of the car.

* Ultimate smart move is to leave work early, and go before you pick up the children. Sacrificing two hours of pay is worth the solace.

* If you’re super-fabulous, meet your friends for lunch first, and shop later while still riding the effervescence of those kir royales. (Clearly the store must be in the same complex as the market J).

Go Speed Racer, Go!

Until next time,
Happy Holidays from Courtney

See Related: FINE FOODS WITH COURNEY TOWNSEND