Living with people is a funny thing. Whether it be roommates or a husband, you learn a lot about yourself and a lot about them. I always try to prepare college freshman for this unique situation, but it’s just one of those things you have to learn through experience. A life lesson, if you will. Each of my roommates have been a completely different living experience, so there’s just no way to prepare someone for what may or may not happen. Some roommate situations are a beautiful thing, while others are completely disastrous. I think we can all agree on that. Anyway, what got me off on this whole tangent was something that one of my current roommates says that I’ve recently caught on to as well. Because we all know that living with people also means picking up some of their quirks for yourself. I find that actually humorous.
She calls the grocery store, “the grocery.”
For instance, if used in a sentence she says something to the effect of, “Hey y’all, I’m going to the grocery. Anyone need anything?”
The grocery.
For the longest time I gave her the hardest time, but more recently, I’ve been calling it the grocery while simultaneously kicking myself because what in the world? It’s the grocery STORE.
I pick up groceries at the grocery store.
This dawned on me this past Monday when I was about to head home from picking something up at my parent’s house and I said out loud, “Oh, before I go home I’ve got to head to the grocery.”
And then I stopped dead in my tracks. What did I just say?
I even googled it, because you know, the google is the answer to all life’s mysteries, but google was helpless to me in my time of need. Blast.
Although I was left stunned at my own ability to say “grocery store” I decided to make my list of items so I wouldn’t forget anything I needed.
This is what my list consisted of.
1) Apples
2) Peanut Butter
3) Avocados
4) Chocolate Almond Milk
5) Mascara
Otherwise known as my top five HEB (a Texas only grocery store) grocery items. These five littler items keep me frequenting HEB time and time again.
I realize one does not belong with the others, but that was my emergency grocery list.
I’m sure some of you are curious if I buy mascara every time I go to the grocery store, and I’m here to reassure you that no, that is not the case, but I do love me some mascara. Yes, yes I do. Thank you, Loreal.
It got me thinking that I can’t be the only one that frequents the grocery for certain items. We all have our go-to items that are on nearly every grocery list we make. And honestly, it has to say something about us, right?
I am the girl that can’t go a day without eating an apple with peanut butter. And the avocados? Well, why not? An avocado makes life better. As does mascara.
What are your top five grocery items? And because I’m a closure kind of girl, let’s settle the debate here and now: grocery or grocery store?
And yes, I just wrote an entire post about the grocery STORE. Deep thoughts, y’all.
How about, “Going to the Supermarket”. That’s what we do down here in this big ol’ melting pot called Florida. 🙂 Here is my list, in no particular order…
1. Bananas
2. Creamer
3. Salad fixins
4. Cereal (my husband is addicted)
5. Cheese
Usually it’s called “going grocery shopping” or else “going to ____________” around here. Never heard the other before this post.
My top 5 things when I go grocery shopping:
1) whatever kind of fruit is in season (lots of fresh fruit all the time where I live)
2) Pepsi
3) pasta
4) beef/chicken
5) rice
Ok, most important thing first. What kind of mascara do you use? I’ve spent a zillion dollars on mascara over the last few months and can’t find one I like. Grocery? It’s the grocery store! Bless her heart. Is she a northern girl? I’ll bet she presses buttons instead of mashing them.
1. Milk 1 gallon skim
2. Milk 1/2gallon whole
3. Granola
4. Bananas
5. Cottage cheese
What a fun post Lindsee! I really needed this. I’ve been taking myself and everything else way too seriously today. Thanks!
Tina! Loreal Telescopic is where it’s at as far as mascara is concerned. 🙂
This is cute! I’ve always said, “Grocery store” … but rest assured, it will be “grocery” from this day forward. I am easily led astray! Ha ha! But I will always think of you and your sweet friend when I say it. Love it. So, one day my girls will wonder why we call the grocery store the grocery. And I’ll reply, “Momma” … or something goofy.
1. sugar free popsicles
2. diet coke
3. milk
4. shock for the pool
5. Whiskas canned cat food (and that is a whole ‘nother story!)
And I do love me some apple with peanut butter! My dad taught me that. yum!
Grocery Store
Top five include:
milk
bread
fresh fruit
veggies
cheese
Ahaha! I make fun of my friend too, she calls it ‘The Walmart” I usually call everything “The Store”. I know where I’m going (hardware store, grocery store etc) I live in a small town, it’s controversial where you shop here!
Top Five:
Yogurt
Tomato
Avacado
Hummus
Ice cream
Reading through the posts, we’re not that much different after all. It is the ‘store’ as in, “I’m going to the store, do you need anything?” And when we are being funny, we say going to ‘the HEB’ (pronounced heeb, like I said, we’re being funny)!
Top 5, bananas, gluten free anything (hard to find so buy it when we see it), baby food, veggies for salad, corn chips.
Up here in Canada we say “grocery store” or we name which one “Metro or Superstore etc” or I say “I’m going shopping” which means to a grocery store, esp when I ask “is there anything you want?” Never have I heard a Canadian say -the grocery!! Must be a southern thing.
milk, eggs, coffee, apples and cottage cheese
Kathy, I lived in BC for a few months… I miss Superstore!!
Have always said grocery store. Where we live now, the grocery store’s name is The Trading Post, so we say, going to the Trading Post.
1. bananas
2. chips
3. fresh fruit, as available
4. eggs
5. bacon
Lindsee, When I go to the grocery store my must have items are chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets, chicken nuggets and did I say chicken nuggets? Love ya, Lynda
I go to the grocery! Much easier to say! 🙂 (Maybe it’s regional; I grew up in the South).
Now living in the Midwest, the funny thing they say here is “Do you want to go with?” ending sentences with “with” instead of finishing the thought, like “with me”. “Are you coming with?” “Do you want to go with?” Sounded so strange; now I do it!
5 grocery items: milk, cheese, bread, ham, strawberries
Thanks for such a fun post. Can’t really speak on the grocery vs. grocery store issue, I usually just say I’m goin’ to the store or shopping. Plus, believe it or not, I’ve found better deals on groceries at Target! A few items that usually make most of my lists: Coffee, snacks, fruit(sometimes), household items…just to name a few.
Here in the UK, we would say ” I’m nipping out to the grocers OR green grocers”…..and you wouldn’t find mascara or peanut butter there, just fruit and veg!
I don’t really say either one, we say chasing. Like “I’m going chasing” which means errands…weird I know. Lol.
Top five:
Chocolate. (Always)
Coffee or creamer (depending on if I have it at home)
Yogurt
Lean cuisines
Frozen healthy choice yogurt (amazing)
I always say “the grocery store” and it’s usually whichever one I am passing while I’m out. If I’m visiting my dad, I stop at Food Lion. If I’ve been to the library, it’s IGA. And if I’m feeling very very brave, I might take the plunge and shop at Krogers. They closed the smaller one near my house where I shopped for years, replacing it with a super-Krogers at the far end of town. Getting there is such a hassle and if I go at the wrong time, I get caught in school traffic.
No matter where I shop, the same things always top my list.
(1) Cat food and litter.
(2) Bananas
(3) Granola bars.
(4) Diet Pepsi
(5) Frozen eggrolls.
How many of you remember S&H Green Stamps? Growing up, Wednesday was double stamp day at the grocery store. We bought everything we possibly could on that day to get the extra stamps. On Saturday we shopped for anything we might have forgotten on Wednesday because the stores were all closed on Sunday.
After a disastrous roommate experience my freshman year of college, I had a private room thereafter. My parents made me earn the money to pay for it but there was no price on blissful privacy. I never had a roommate again until I married.
Lynn, I loved green stamps! We got a lot of free things early on in our marriage. What a blessing!
I call it both the “grocery” and “the grocery store!” It just depends on my brain function type of the day, I believe.
1. Lunch Meat for the Hubby
2. The HEB artisan French Bread (It has become a favorite for everything from french toast to guac and bacon grilled cheeses 🙂 )
3. Milk
4. Flour
Everything else rotates!
I, too, use the word “market” rather than grocery. My top items are:
tomatoes
tortillas
pineapple
eggs
vegetables
Well, growing up, it was “We are going to the store.” Small town, north Louisiana, not many stores! Ended up marrying a south Louisiana boy and in New Orleans, they don’t “go to the grocery” or the “store,” they “go make groceries.” Don’t know why they do that, but I love it!
Born in Arkansas, raised all but 20 months in LA. Razorback fan. LSU anti-fan.
Love that I actually got a hug from Beth just 2 weeks ago.
Always on the grocery list:
milk (about 7 gallons a week)
meat (15 y/o football player wants protein)
vanilla yogurt (4 y/o eats that with M&Ms for breakfast daily)
ham (for the 13 y/o’s lunch sandwiches)
frozen broccoli (the 5 year old loves it, a lot)
Well, my mom is the opposite of your roommate, because she doesn’t say “grocery store” or “grocery” but just “store.” As in “I’m going to the store. Can I bring you anything?”
Love the top fives! Mine…
1.cheese
2.nuts
3.tomatoes
4.mushrooms
5.pepsi
PS – this has nothing to do with anything, Lindsee, but I thought of Beth today because I think I committed a Mooreder – I bought 32 pairs of various kinds of socks for my husband (thank you, value-size packs!)
I have always said, “I am going to the grocery.” My husband thinks it’s weird and that I made it up, so I went online and found this post. We had a good laugh about it and I am not crazy thank you very much. Have a great night. I am off to the grocery!
1.fat free milk
2.fat free milk
3.fat free milk
4. Fat free milk
5.fat free milk
Costco my home away from home
I could probably contibute a thing or two about living with people!!
I happen to be the community grocery shopper
I go to the grocery store.
(Note: we get a LOT of our stuff delivered in bulk)
howver I ALWAYS I buy at the store:
1. A case of bananas (a CASE – 25 lbs!)
2. Lots of other fresh fruit that’s on sale.
3. Almond milk
4. Cereal
5. Chips or cookies (store brand!)
I love this so much, Sister Lynn. 🙂
Post to smile about!
Smoothies twice a day – so weekly:
Spinach
Plain nonfat greek yogurt
Baby carrots
Fresh pineapple
Other greens and fresh fruit . . .
I just say HEB! I’m a Texas girl that lives in Florida and well still say , “I”m going to HEB”. If you ask grocery or grocery store. I would say just the store. LOL! My 5 items of when I do go home, homemade flour tortillas , HEB coffee whole beans of Austin, San Antonio, Texas Pecan and Hill country. Yummy!!!!!
Vicki says:
I am always going “to the store!” And I am orginally from Ohio, and YES, I got here as quickly as possible.
My top 5 are:
1. Silk vanilla coconut milk
2. Vanilla caramel coffee creamer
3. Apples
4. Greek yougurt
5. Half and half (lemonade and sweet tea)
This is cute! So many very observant topics on here about life i never really consider intimately.
I suppose when i think about it, my go to grocery list looks like this:
Sweet iced tea,
Bagged salad,
Fruit (berries)
Chocolate double stuffed oreos
Conditioner
I have always called it “the grocery store.” In our town of about 12,000 people, there is one grocery store. It is referred to as “Bob’s.” It is a Thriftway chain store, but Bob was the owner for many years. Now his sons run the store, but it is still Bob’s to the whole town.
My teenage son and I most often buy milk, hot Cheetos without lime, cereal, Red Diamond iced tea (sweet for him, unsweet for me), and beef of all types. Most of it is for him…
This was a fun post!
M.J. in Lovington, NM
Grocery store
Pellegrino
Frozen blueberries
Spinach
Canned salmon
Eggs
I say for sure it’s the grocery store!
My must haves would be:
water
yogurt
coffee
nail polish (I can’t help myself, I’m always on the look out for a new color.)
turkey pepperoni’s (odd I know but it’s a great low cal snack)
Hey anyone out there will to help me really quickly? I need some scripture backing up a woman’s right to leave a household (marriage) in a dangerous situation.
It’s definitely the “grocery store!” And while I do buy other things, these make the list almost every trip:
1. Deli Fried Chicken
2. Angel Food Cake
3. Homestyle Mashed Potatoes (refrigerated and almost as good as homemade — lumps and all)
4. Ice Cream (chocolate for hubby & cookie dough for me)
5. Diet Drop Red (Kroger Brand version of the old Diet Mt. Dew Code Red — YUM!)
Groceries are what you purchase there; the place is a store.
That said, there is similar use to justify saying “the Grocery.” For instance, we go to a Bakery, don’t we? We also frequent the Pharmacy. Curiously, we also go to a Drug Store, but not a Drug.
Perhaps the best we can glean from this is that
1. language is dynamic and English is no exception (consider British English, American English, Canadian English, Australian English).
2. Our current use of terms such as “grocery” vs. “grocery store” and “drug store” but not “drug” is inconsistent at best. If it is used in a particular way in the region where one lives, then it is valid. Out of the region, it may no longer be so.
3. So long as we understand each other’s meaning, what difference does it make which term we use. Evidently, either is correct, depending upon where you happen to be at the moment.
That’s my $.02 worth on the subject. I hope it wasn’t a waste of your time to read this. 😉
I usually call the grocery by it’s name – going to Publix or The Pig (The Piggly Wiggly is our local grocery). In college we used to call it going to the groc – rhymes with rock. 🙂
Top 5 items:
Skim Milk
Eggs
Diet Dr Pepper
Spinach
Fresh Fruit
Not exactly what you asked for, but kind of related…
When my husband (who is from Louisiana) needs to call someone he says he “Needs to get a hold to so-and-so” and I say “NO, you need to get a hold OF so-and-so”. Regional dialect differences are fun!
My list:
Bananas
Avocados
Tortilla chips/salsa (counts as one item because I’ll never have one without the other)
Milk
Diet Pepsi
So as a military family we call it the Commissary. Weird, i know, but hey such is the military life! 🙂
Top 5 items
Bananas
milk
Peanut Butter
Yo-kid yogurt for the kiddo’s
tuna fish
1. Potatoes
2. Dr. Pepper
3. Bread
4. Hamburger
5. Garlic
Grocery store
Lindsee, I have a question about the simulcast and wasn’t sure where to send it so I am hoping you will see this….If we purchase an individual “ticket” but can’t view it on Saturday. Will we be able to view it on Sunday? Thanks so much!
Hi Vanessa! That really is a LifeWay question as they are really in charge of the entire event. However, I don’t believe so. But certainly check with them!
Lindsee!..I just found out via twitter from LifeWay that the simulcast is available up to 30 days after the event for viewing. I thought maybe you would want to share this with the other ladies if not at least you know now. 🙂 Have a great day!!
1)Peanut butter; 2) Jelly; 3) Bread (2 different kinds; 1 dense for toast and 1 soft for sandwiches); 4) Diet Mountain Dew; 5) Toilet paper [just stating the obvious!]
And, I used to say grocery store (I grew up in OH/MI), but now I say “grocery” – most of the time, though, I say neither and just say “get groceries”, as in “I hate getting groceries” (I do – it’s one of my least favorite chores)
🙂
My mom and I grew up in southern California, but Mom’s mother was a Midwest farm girl and she always said “I’m going to the MARKET!” And of course my mom did and so do I. I wonder if my teenage daughter will say that – I need to pay attention.(BTW, Mom’s 80 and she still goes marketing every day except Sunday!)
I tend to shop weekly and must always get:
Whole Wheat Bread
Lactose Free Milk (for daughter and me)
2% Milk (for hubby)
Chicken
Coffee – a real must around here!
Blessins’ Y’all!
Oh my this has me cracking up b/c my husband says “the grocery” and when I first met him it was soooo strange to me. He never said grocery store!!! I so get what you are saying!!! He still does it, but after 13 years I’m used to it, but it still does not sound right! it is the grocery STORE!
I love to listen to all of you southerners talk! I’m from the Midwest, and we usually say “the store” or the name of the store (Fareway/Dahl’s). Usually ask my neighbor or daughter if I can pick them up anything, since I work right by “the store”!
bananas, other fruit and veggies, yogurt, and whatever I need to fix dinner.
I love reading how healthy your lists are! This was a fun read!
I’ve had roommates from around the world but the funniest debate is the “roof” vs. “ruff” debate. Love it!
In our town we have a farmer’s market in downtown Nyack. Must haves:
-black russian bread
-organic milk
-scallions (because they are like 2 feet long)
-tomatoes
-fresh mozzarella cheese!
California girl here, I have always says “going to the market” no idea why but it seems to cover any of the grocery stores I frequent 🙂
Top 5 items: cream (1/2 & 1/2) and never fat free!
Bread, almond milk, yogurt, fresh fruits & veggies.
1) non fat milk 2) peanut butter 3) bananas 4) Ezekiel bread 5) seedless boysenberry jam
I could live for a year with these 5 foods!
Fun Lindsee:) My top 5 grocery store items are: 1.milk 2.butter 3.cheese 4.breakfast meats 5.chicken…I didn’t realize my “regulars” included this much dairy:) or meat:)
We go to the grocery.
We go to the store.
We go to the grocery store.
We go grocery shopping.
We just go. 🙂
But… I never say, ‘I’m going to the hospital buidling’, we just go to the hospital.
IDK… we do tease my mother about asking ‘The Google’ questions all the time though.
*Grapes
*lettuce
*apples
*yogurt
*celery
we jokingly say “ask The Google” too (;
Living so close to New Orleans I hear that a lot “Going to the grocery” My mom is from Metairie and that’s the only way she knows how to say it! I don’t mind either way 🙂
Top Five:
Creamer
Strawberries
Apple Juice
Diapers
Milk
We just say “goin to the store” and everyone knows that means food and probably Walmart 🙂
bottled water
bananas
other fruit
chips
string cheese
I’m from East Tennessee and we always say were “stopping by the store.” But I have heard people call it the grocery around here too.
My top 5 list is:
1) Milk
2) Bread
3) Greek Yogurt
4) Diet Coke
5) Kettle Corn (popcorn)
1-coffee
2-creamer
3-parmesan cheese (or havarti or gouda)
4-broccoli
5-Nature Valley protein bars (either ‘dark chocolate almond’ or ‘almond salty sweet’) good stuff ladies!
I just say that I’m headed to Wal-mart (or Wally-world, as we jokingly refer to it), as I do almost all of my grocery/supplies shopping there.
My top five grocery list items are:
1. Apples
2. Supremely Spicy Hummus by Sabra
3. Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges, light Swiss
4. Sun-dried Tomatoes
5. A bottle of water flavoring drops by Dasani; or a bottle of liquid Stevia extract for sweetening my coffee (depending on which one I’m out of at the time).