I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things. I find that im buying soooo much less now. Its weird. But anyways i purchased 3 kinds of cheese because that store has great cheese prices.
So i check out and the cashier says something to the effect of ‘you eat awful!!!’
I wanted to be like have you seen me??? Im the thinnest person in line!!
The cashiers at Trader Joe’s often ask me when they see my cheese haul “oh having a party?” I reply, “yup, me and my cats.”
“You eat awful”. Geez. Lack of knowledge and tact.
It was an interesting experience to notice grocery buying habits change. I almost never go down the center aisles. Have a little bit of a panic when they’re out of jumbo eggs or heavy cream. Everyone take note - buy extra cream early before the holidays! Mostly though I notice the people buying the things I used to buy. I see the slightly overweight lady wearing her workout gear like she’s stopped on the way home from the gym. Her cart is filled with non-fat fruit yogurt and wheat bread and “healthy” cereal with skim milk. It’s sad cause she’s really trying but probably seeing small results and mostly feeling hungry. Meanwhile my cart is full of all the things she is avoiding. Our favorite check-out lady actually told me I was getting too skinny.
Many, many years ago, I did a stint as a cashier, and in training, they told us to NEVER comment on a customer’s purchases, not even a positive comment, because people kind of need to pretend that the cashier doesn’t notice what they get; groceries are so personal. It might seem harmless for the cashier to say, “Oh, this looks good. Have you tried it before?” But the person next in line could hear that interest and have hemorrhoid cream or condoms in his basket.
And, of course, making a negative and judgmental comment is so wrong for so many reasons. If a cashier made a comment like that to me, I would definitely complain. And if I were the manager and overheard a remark like that, I’d fire the cashier on the spot.
I actually had a cashier once read a greeting card that I was buying!!!
Ya, everything you said you were told in training is just common sense. Hard to teach that but we gotta try.
@OldDoug Well, more cheese for the rest of us! With Keto catching on though I’m starting to wonder about stocking up.
Funny, Trader Joe’s apparently tells their employees to engage the customer which usually means lots of food comments.
I do personal shopping through Instacart as a second job to help bring in a little extra money. It gives me a very interesting glimpse into other people’s grocery shopping habits. While I would never say anything to a customer, it is impossible not to make a few personal judgments.
I constantly see the people who seem to be trying so hard, buying all the “healthy” items that are marketed to them so well. I know they are being led down a false path, but the last thing these people want is their personal shopper to give them dietary advise. Especially from a guy who still needs to lose 50 pounds or so himself!
On other orders I’ve felt the need to explain to the cashier that I am shopping for someone else because I am embarrassed by the massive quantities of empty processed foods I am being forced to buy and feel like I am being judged.
My favorites, though, are the customers who insist on all organic produce, grass-fed beef, free range chicken and eggs, but then fill the rest of the cart with Spaghetti-O’s, boxes of Lucky Charms and Coco Puffs, and 14 bags of Doritos.
Made me laugh. Like two cheeseburgers, supersize fries and a diet coke thanks.
That’s the benefit of proper nutrition, right? Get more nutrient density in what you’re eating = eat less food by volume. Lately I’ve been thinking about how the ketogenic diet is probably one of the most environmentally responsible diets that there are, even WITH the meat products!
I’d have probably said something like, “I only buy what I don’t make or grow.” I did used to make some cheese but it’s been a long time since I’ve had access to good fresh milk. I might go down that road if I wanted to see their eyes gloss over.
Actually, I don’t even have a garden right now but would really like to have one again, and not a little one. (sigh) But I might not tell them that. 
