Grocery Shopping with Elliott

 

Thursday, March 22, 2012 – Grocery Shopping with Elliott

Nowhere is the contrast between Elliott’s and my approach to food more apparent than in the supermarket.  On those occasions when we grocery shop together, it looks like we’re stocking two different households.  For example, today we went to Wegman’s with completely different ideas about what to get.  While I was checking the carbohydrate count on the whole grain bread, he was tossing a bag of marshmallows into the cart.  I grabbed a bottle of low sodium tomato juice, and he hoisted an 8-pack of Coke in my direction.  The only reason he didn't get more cookies is that we had already stocked up on those at Costco.  I could only shake my head in disbelief as I helped him track down a big bag of Milky Way mini-size bars in the candy aisle.  (Note to Elliott:  Halloween is over!)  He couldn’t even wait until we got out of the store.  As soon as they were scanned at the checkout, he tore into the bag.  I’m not criticizing his need for a snack.  After all, I brought along an apple and a slice of yogurt cheese.  But a candy bar right before lunch?  And despite (or because of?) these eating habits, Elliott is soon going to turn 100 years old with relatively minor health problems.  What message is this sending?  Should we all start eating like Elliott?