I'm sure we all make them. Some on old scraps of paper or backs of an envelope, some on a pad specifically entitled 'Shopping List' that is attached to the fridge by a magnet. What clues about you and your lifestyle are given away by an innocent little list?
This was something that intrigued one of my ex work colleagues when she found random shopping lists left behind in shopping trollies or dropped by the exit of a supermarket. She started collecting them and wondered about the people who had written them. Lucy now has an exhibition of over 200 shopping lists at The Museum of Brands, based in Notting Hill, London. She has been interviewed in The Guardian, where they noticed that we all have trouble remembering the correct spelling of avocado!
How do you write yours? Mine evolve in two stages. There's the pad hanging on the side of the fridge where Paul and I write things down as we run out of things or if we notice something is running low. Then once a week I make a second list and I rewrite things in the order of the aisles in the shop. This obviously changes depending on which shop I choose for my weekly shop because the pasta aisle in Waitrose and Tesco is right at the beginning of the shop, but is much further down in Sainsbury's! Obviously this second list is in much neater handwriting than the first one. Sometimes even I struggle with working out what has been scribbled on the first one. I try and think ahead to the next few days and what we are planning to cook and add the ingredients. So those things that I know I won't be cooking straight away will often have a date by the side of them, to let me know what 'use by' date I should be looking for.
When we used to do shopping for Paul's mum she was absolutely specific about the brands that she wanted. Or more to the point, the ones she didn't want! Mr Kipling's cakes were a favourite and woe betide you if they didn't have cherry bakewells on the shelves that week and you buy an alternative. Once I did buy her Tesco own brand and she was not happy. I didn't make that mistake again! Sometimes she would just ask for a particular brand. No clue to what product she wanted, but if her list said 'Sarsons' we knew it meant vinegar!
I bet my mum's shopping lists were very different to those that I make nowadays. Some ingredients that I use regularly would never have been bought when I was a child. Aubergines? Sweet potato? Avocado? We had a wonderful fruit and veg shop locally but I don't ever remember seeing anything like that for sale then.
It starts to make you think about things that would have been regularly bought when you were a child that aren't on your shopping lists now. I bet Lucy's exhibition is quite an eye opener!
4 comments:
An entire exhibit based on discarded shopping lists!! I'm not sure if that is the most clever idea or just the craziest!?! Truth be told, I am stubborn (or is it prideful) and am convinced that I can keep a running list in my head. Of course, it rarely works and I'm always needing to make a return trip but I rarely write grocery needs down. I do have an app on my phone for doing just that.....if only I would use it! And you write yours twice!! You receive the "most organized shopper" award for re-writing your list!!:)
I would like to see this exhibit - how fascinating it would be if you found your own list as part of the exhibit. I don't think an avocado has ever been on my shopping list (col).
Long ago I did a scrap page about my grocery shopping, which included my hand written list, my receipt & then some photos of the store front, my full shopping trolley. I should re-visit that idea!
I love the idea of an exhibition of shopping lists ... and the Museum of Brands is great fun!
I use a Post It note usually and my list always seems to include milk, seeded bread and yoghurts ... which is more than a bit boring, I must say!
Did you know British retailers originally introduced avocados as "avocado pears" to housewives in an attempt to get them to buy them, the idea being that the British knew what a pear was! And now they are everywhere, particularly on toast!
My shopping list has evolved over the years too! I have a list going for when I'm runnig low or out of something. I, too, take that list and arrange it according to the supermarket aisles (I think this is the first time I've ever used or written the word "supermarket." Here we say "grocery store" or just "store!") I tried the grocery list on my phone where it automatically tells you which aisle to find something. That was handy for items I might have trouble locating. But, it actually took me much longer to make my list--so I went back to just writing it down. Sometimes, I'll do it on my computer--like what I need for the holidays or a party. I'll arrange it by where things are located and then print it out. Works for me. I do hope I can see that exhibit of lists--what a fun collection. I'll be coming in September 2023!
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