HOW TO: Kids in the grocery store: How to teach valuable life lessons at an early age

Learn the basics

Depending on the child’s age, start by generally explaining which foods cost more or less than others, Antle said. Then show how many servings you would have of each product.

That alone would teach them the basics, she noted.

As children’s math and rational skills develop, more detail can be included by demonstrating the actual cost or price of each item and teaching them how to calculate the unit price and compare that to other items, Antle added added.

To make things even easier, many grocery stores now list the price per unit on the shelf label.

For example, do you ask your kids what would be the better buy? A bag of granola bars that costs $3.99 for five individual bars versus a bag of apples that costs $4.99 for 10 apples?

If we calculate the unit cost of the granola bars, they would be about 80 cents each, with only five snacks per box. Although the apples cost a little more, they’re about 50 cents each, which allows for 10 snacks per bag. This is a better deal, both for our wallets and for our health, Antle explained.

Check out the flyers

Flyers are a great way to introduce kids to the concept of shopping at different stores based on sales for that week, Antle said.

Even young children can help make a grocery list of which groceries to buy from which stores. For younger kids, cutting out the food pictures from each flyer and pasting them into the list for each store is a great way to turn making a grocery list into an activity, she suggested.

Once kids know how to spell and print, they can help create a grocery list for each store, Antle said.

Explain which groceries cost less based on the information in the flyer, as this will help them determine the store’s shopping list to add the item to.

Learn how to avoid food waste

To avoid food spoilage, once the lists are complete, pick a grocery store or two to go to on the first day of the flyer sale, and then go to the other stores towards the end of the flyer sale week, Antle suggested.

This will help spread out shopping sprees and is a bonus for ensuring fresh groceries stay fresher for longer.

“Comparing the cost of home-cooked meals versus the equivalent fast-food option is a great way to demonstrate just how much money cooking at home can save,” noted Antle. “After all, healthy eating begins in our kitchen and is a great investment in our health!”

teach meal planning

“Once kids are young enough to recognize certain foods and ingredients in a meal, they’re old enough to learn meal planning and grocery shopping,” Antle said.

Start by showing them their favorite snacks, like berries and yogurt, and cut out pictures of them to put on a shopping list. Finally, break down the ingredients in their meals and add them to the list.

For example, if your child likes spaghetti, show them the foods they contain, such as ground beef, peppers, spices, and pasta, and encourage them to add those foods to the list. Then break your shopping list into sections, e.g. B. fruit, vegetables, protein, dairy, starch and others. This will help create visual separation between different food categories while also creating order and flow throughout the shopping experience, Antle said.

Learn while playing

Another way to help kids learn is through play, Antle said. For example, one of her favorite toys that she recommends that encompasses the full shopping experience for young children is from Melissa & Doug, which is the Fresh Mart Grocery Store Companion Collection.

Activity books are also a great way for kids to introduce themselves to creativity.

Armed with all these skills, children are ready to start their own business in no time.