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Even the way men and women shop for groceries has become the subject of scientific study. A team of researchers from Yale University and the University of California at Santa Barbara discovered that men and women shop differently.
When it comes to grocery stores, women are just as skilled as men at navigating aisles. Men scored slightly lower than women when it came to navigating grocery store aisles to find foods they had previously purchased. Alas, women were more adept at finding high-calorie foods such as doughnuts than the male subjects.
There's an art and profit motive to stocking grocery store shelves that can work against the shopper who is looking for healthier foods at competitive prices. For example, "island displays" in the middle of the store often promote higher-priced, usually higher-calorie foods. Ditto for end-of-the-aisle displays.
A handy rule of thumb is this: fresh staples such as milk, fruits, vegetables and meats are usually located at the back or sides of the store. Junk foods and non-staples usually are in the middle. The moral is: shop from the perimeters.
10 Tips to Shop Smart at the Grocery Store
1. Do your homework. Check your supplies before you go to the store. Make a list of what you need, and stick to it.
2. Eat before you go. Hungry shoppers will be more inclined to stock up on fresh-baked breads and other items they might not need. Never shop hungry.
3. Buy locally grown foods. They're fresher, usually less chemical-laden, and you're doing your part to grow your local economy and save the environment.
4. Have a little fun. Set aside $1 or $3 for an impulse buy, but don't exceed your limit.
5. Comparison shop. If the store-brand item has the same ingredients as the brand name item, try the generic version.
6. Use coupons. With the Internet, many companies now allow you to download coupons for some items. Go to www.coupons.com for a head start!
7. Avoid trips to the convenience store. Because they are convenient, they charge higher prices, especially for staples.
8. Shop alone. You're on a mission, not a family cruise. Have your family help you unload; not load up while you shop.
9. Buy "on sale" staples. You'll save money. If the price is cheaper per ounce, you can carefully wrap and store portions for use over time.
10. Avoid "eye-level" shopping. Manufacturers essentially pay for shelf space, and the most enviable is at eye-level. Look at the shelf at eye-level. Now look upwards and below for better bargains. Now, when you go grocery shopping, you'll do well to shop the perimeters first, fill your cart with the more nutritional items first, and save just a small amount of room for the higher-priced, lower-nutritional-value processed foods.
Ruth Klein, America's De-Stress Diva™, is owner of the award-winning firm The Marketing/Time Source. With a master's degree in clinical psychology, Klein, is the author of the best-selling Time Management Secrets for Working Women and five other books on business and lifestyle topics. Sign up to receive Ruth's 7 Part Mini-Course on Branding and Productivity. http://tinyurl.com/25tqo5
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