Once in a while, when the children were young, my husband would venture out, be helpful and buy some groceries. Such a sweet and welcome treat for me, saving me from my usual tedious grocery store run.
This errand of his was a favorite in the annals of our children’s memories. It didn’t matter that shopping for groceries was a task that I managed several times a week, every week, every month, and onward through the years. My version of food shopping was no treat for the children and there was no joy in my returning home with bags of groceries. All I bought was assumedly boring and healthy stuff to eat.
But when Dad went shopping it was an occasion that was memorable. His grocery bags were filled with curious boxes, jars, shapes and smells. And surprises like chocolate covered Cheerios and Honey Glazed breakfast cereals.
“When does Mom ever buy us those yummy cinnamon sugar buns for breakfast?” Says my son.
“When do we get to eat stuff in the little plastic boxes filled with fresh figs, or other weird fruits?” Adds his sister.
“How do you eat a star fruit?” Asks youngest daughter.
We have no idea how to eat it, but those star fruits are surely pretty. Dad doesn’t know what to do with them either, but he bought some for us. And those Israeli fruits; persimmons called the Sharon fruit; they are usually too hard and unripe or the other extreme, mushy and soft; neither form that is palatable. But they are unusual and Dad scoops some up to bring home to us.
Dad fills his cart with yummy, crunchy salty things like crisps and chips and all kinds of munchies. We are in heaven!
The sweet things Dad brings us are just as amazing. Those terrific round chocolate cookies with the marshmallow insides and cookie bottoms; are bliss inducing. And they’re never available in summer time because the chocolate would melt and nobody would want to buy a box of goopy, melty cookies that leave messes everywhere.
So we rejoice when Dad brings groceries home. And not until all the bags are unloaded do we wonder what’s for dinner.
Although Dad just went shopping, we discover that there is not one single thing he brought home from the grocery store that has any relation to something that could appear on a dinner plate.
But we all agree that a regular, normal dinner is not so great, as long as skipping it happens only once in a while.
We all still love it when Dad goes shopping.
MorristownMemos 
Comments on: "WHEN DAD GOES SHOPPING" (27)
I am very, very guilty of this… good post.
When my teens were old enough to drive, I sent them off to do the weekly groceries. I gave them a list, cash and only one rule. They had to buy everything on the list. If there was any money left over, they could buy anything they wanted from the grocery store.
It was interesting to see how quickly they figured out the cost savings of coupons and store brand products!
How clever of you, Margy. I wish I had thought of that!
A bit like Mum doing all the boring everyday cooking and Dad occasionally having a go with something exotic. My Dad’s specialism was bread pudding which could have ingredients you’d never think of, e.g. cough mixture.
Your Dad’s bread pudding recipe might have been endorsed by a pharmaceutical company. Did eating it keep you all free from winter colds?
🙂 Mum made him draw the line at brown boot polish.
That sounds reasonable…
🙂
I miss the days when my husband used to do the grocery shopping. While I was often left scratching my head at some of his choices, it was always interesting 😉
“Interesting” is the perfect word to describe results of those shopping errands. Men’s results are more of the “wish list” kind of foods while women’s results might actually lead to a meal.
What a delightful ‘memory’ story!
My husband often does the shopping for both of us now — it’s always a mystery what’s in the bags and a miracle if there’s something for dinner! 🙂
There really is a difference between the male and female minds! I find men’s shopping ideas very sweet but not very practical.
Lol. Dad is the greatest guy to shop……chocs, etc – yummmm!! 😂
Have you been peeking into his shopping cart? You are exactly right! We all need treats now and then, don’t we?
The older I get, the more I shop like the dad in the story. All those tasty treats are so important when I eat out with friends at least once a day.
Bev, so you have finally learned the joy of doing whatever appeals to you. Good for you; great fun!
I’ve learned I just need to be extremely specific. One time asking for half a dozen cartons of yoghurt, thinking 6 oz. size, my dear husband came home with 6 quarts. But it was the thought??? Your story is delightful. It sounds like dad’s trips to the grocery will be a strong and love-filled memory for the children. Nutrition isn’t more important than those memories sometimes. 🙂
We all seem to reach adulthood with or without all the sugary treats that fill so many childhoods.
Lovely story. Is it based on fact or fiction???
I cannot answer on the grounds it may incriminate me.
I think the punishment is a bit harsh. On the other hand, what a gift to not have to go into another grocery store. Lucky you!
Guilty as charged, but how did you know?
Sometimes you just get a sense of a person after reading their posts a while.
Good one Ronnie. I have been banned for life from entering a grocery store. The last straw was forgetting to turn the carefully clipped and bundled coupons.
I think the punishment is a bit harsh. On then other hand maybe this was a reward and not a punishment…
I’ve also been banned from washing clothes. There was an incident involving a red shirt and white towels a while ago. Maybe this is a subconscious kind of avoidence.
That is SO funny, John!