Don’t Go Grocery Shopping Hungry and Don’t Go Grocery Shopping Without Talking!

Do you ever go grocery shopping hungry and find bags full of junk food when you arrive home? The first rule of thumb is to make sure you’ve eaten before you grocery shop. Even more important than not making a trip to the grocery store while starving, is remembering to make grocery shopping a language experience if you bring your child along with you. Do you find it hard to spend quality time with your child with having to work, do the laundry, grocery shop, cook, and keep a clean house? Take your child with you as you run errands.  As you select items, label them. Tell your child, “We’re going to have cereal for breakfast this week. This is Raisin Bran. It is crunchy and has soft raisins.” Ask him if he knows what you pour on cereal. Talk about the variety of fruits and vegetables that you buy. Describe the color and shape, whether it’s heavy or light. Let your child smell the produce. When you select items such as lettuce or tomato, tell your child you can use them for salads, cut them up and put them on hamburgers, or even use them for tacos. If you make this language enriching experience a routine, your child will one day be reaching for items, labeling them, and using phrases and sentences to tell you what he likes and what he wants you to buy.

Include your child when putting away the groceries at home. Ask your child where the cereal goes and expand on their utterances. If your child points to the cabinet, say, “Yes, the cereal goes in the cabinet. Do you know what we need to eat cereal? Do we use a spoon or a fork?” Discuss what needs to be put in the refrigerator because it is “cold” versus can go in a cabinet or pantry.

Finally, reward yourself and your child with a healthy snack. Talk about how healthy foods make you big and strong and explain that they are good for your bodies and brains. Allow your child to request more or have an opinion about whether they do or don’t like the snack. Here's a cute activity that breaks foods down into Go, Slow, and Whoa foods. There are printable cards that you can use however you like. Take advantage of this free resource and make a fun language experience for your child.

Happy shopping, happy talking!

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