I’ve said this before and I’ll probably say it in the book I eventually write on this — food shopping can be overwhelming.
But it doesn’t have to be.
We’ve all walked into the grocery store with no plan and walked out $150 poorer and still somehow missing half the food we need for the next couple days. The options are endless. The marketing is clever. And if you’re hungry? Game over.
Here are five ways ADHD folks sabotage themselves without meaning to:
1. Coupons
I don’t use coupons. Most of what’s offered is stuff I wouldn’t normally buy, and I’m not interested in managing a filing system just to save 40 cents on cereal we don’t eat. What I do recommend is finding low-priced retailers like Aldi and Lidl near you. Even if you have to drive further, you’ll save more money and time than clipping coupons or tracking grocery circulars.
**One exception to this rule is bulk retailers like Costco, Sam’s, or BJ’s. These retailers often offer coupons on their app that are very useful for items in bulk. For example, I buy laundry detergent, toothpaste, and allergy meds with these coupons.
2. No list.
You don’t need a complicated spreadsheet. Just something to keep you from grabbing goat cheese you won’t use and another jar of salsa “just in case.” Not to overgeneralize but we with ADHD don’t have great working memory, and by the time we get to the store we cannot remember why we are there. Remembering what we planned to eat a week from now seems unlikely. A grocery list is a necessary accommodation.
I use a simple list app on my phone called ShopShop. Some things stay on the list all the time. Other things I add as I go, usually day-to-day. I order pantry staples every week for pickup, but I always go into the store as well. The app makes it possible to get in and out without getting totally overwhelmed or overspending.
3. Shopping hungry.
Top-tier mistake. I’ve spent entire paychecks on dip, crackers, and cheese because I went in ravenous. Even online shopping is dangerous when you’re starving. My advice is to eat something before you make your list, and before you shop.
4. Taking too long.
I’m in and out. The longer I linger, the more random items end up in my cart. Breakfast aisle? I don’t even look at it unless it’s on the list (or I have a hankering for pop tarts).
I schedule my grocery pickup for the same time every week. I workout right before, and I usually have another obligation later in the day so I only have about a 2 hour window for groceries. Sometimes I get stressed, but I also don’t want to spend any more time than necessary food shopping.
5. Not knowing your store.
If you know where your staples live, you don’t have to wander down the snack aisle and tempt fate.
I remember years ago someone telling me to picture my favorite grocery store in my mind when I’m making a list. Most retailers put produce, dairy, meats and whole food on the outer rim of the store. The more “processed” foods are grouped in the center aisles. I usually start on the right side of the store in produce, and I only go down the aisles where I need something —condiments, oatmeal, tuna, seltzer etc.. There are some aisles I haven’t traversed in years. Not because I’m too cool for ultra processed food, or turning MAHA, I just don’t have time to window shop and I don’t enjoy it.
I’m collecting these small shifts — and the honest mistakes that teach them — and turning them into something bigger. For now, I’m sharing them one by one.
What’s your version of “hungry shopping gone wrong”?