Men supermarket shopping

DH is good at shopping. He organises the fortnightly online shop, with extra input from me. He has his own list for the local independent shops once a week, whilst I have my own list at a different small supermarket. He is very decisive, but slow because he can’t walk fast. We shop separately, but co- ordinate our lists.
Probably his best contribution to household tasks.

What does slightly irritate me is the fact that as soon as he gets back I have to be there as he unpacks to admire everything he has chosen and there is only so much you say about a six pack of toilet rolls really!
DanniRae?

Mr R is perfectly happy to do the weekly shopping - he is going to do it today. I write the list and add a few comments to make sure he gets the right thing - Shreddies/Blue box for example. What does slightly irritate me is the fact that as soon as he gets back I have to be there as he unpacks to admire everything he has chosen and there is only so much you say about a six pack of toilet rolls really!
I would like to add as far as cleaning is concerned he is always happy to get involved and is much more thorough at hoovering than I am and when he cleans the kitchen sink it is a joy to behold (but I do, of course, have to admire it after it's done!)

Greyduster

My DH was a seasoned shopper; he loved it. He knew just what we had run out of and what brand to buy. I tend to forget things like floor cleaner, pan scourers and bleach, and never ponder whether one sized pack of something is better value than another. He did tend to linger longer than necessary in the sweetie and biscuit aisle, and couldn’t resist a bottle of scotch if it was on offer. I miss him now I have to do it on my own but always feel he’s looking over my shoulder saying “watch the sell by date on that one” or “the twin pack is better value”!?. I’m more your “grab it and run” sort of shopper!

A lovely post Grey duster.
Best wishes.

My DH was a seasoned shopper; he loved it. He knew just what we had run out of and what brand to buy. I tend to forget things like floor cleaner, pan scourers and bleach, and never ponder whether one sized pack of something is better value than another. He did tend to linger longer than necessary in the sweetie and biscuit aisle, and couldn’t resist a bottle of scotch if it was on offer. I miss him now I have to do it on my own but always feel he’s looking over my shoulder saying “watch the sell by date on that one” or “the twin pack is better value”!?. I’m more your “grab it and run” sort of shopper!

My dh once went shopping to a huge Asda and came back telling me they had no loo cleaner, no Harpic or anything else. No, none. Nothing! Yes, he did look. Properly!

(Needless to say he has form for the sort of ‘looking’ that consists of opening a cupboard or drawer and expecting whatever it is to appear instantly.)

After that little incident (incredulous disbelief/laughter from me) he’s learnt to ASK if he can’t find something. He does like shopping - it wasn’t a case of purposeful uselessness in the hope of not being expected to it again.

How come if I need, say, a hammer or a screwdriver from HIS(!) workshop I can put my hands on it immediately, but if he needed, say, a lemon squeezer, he'd have to open all the drawers and cupboards in the kitchen to locate it?

Mine can shop and indeed is probably better than me at most domestic tasks apart from cooking. I think it is the lack of common sense which is annoying. I,e they haven’t got x,y,z so would instead rather than choosing a,b,c, will phone me to make sure a,b,c are ok rather than using his initiative.

Yes I agree pandapatch each to their own and share the tasks we both dislike .

My husband is perfectly capable of doing a shop, but hates it so I usually do it. I am perfectly capable of watering the garden but I hate it so he usually does it - division of labour - everyone is happy!!

No complaints here: I dislike shopping and am more than happy to let The Wonderful Man traipse up and down the supermarket aisles. He often cooks and does laundry too! He’s a ?

My mother was born in 1907. She was determined that my brother and I would be treated equally when it came to chores. In fact, neither of us did very much, but it certainly wasn’t assumed that because he was a boy he needn’t do his share. He cooked for himself when he left home, but when he got married (late, at 39) I was shocked to find his wife did everything!

My father, also born 1907, did a certain amount - I believe he changed nappies. He always laid the fires and did the gardening. He didn’t really cook, until my mother became disabled when they were in their 70s. Then she told him what to do and he did it. When she died, he continued to shop and cook for himself until he died at 94.

JackyB very funny YouTube clip.

My husband can shop very well but doesn't really like doing it.
But he generally shares tasks.

Of course men can shop some are better than women ….huge generalisations made here
He’s probably scared of getting it wrong
I ve no idea what the difference is between Gala and Royal Gala so maybe he didn’t want to incur your wrath if he chose wrongly ?
You clue is in your original post if you’d have gone away he would have done whatever he had to, but because you’re here he’s got to do it ‘your way’ and doesn’t want to get it wrong
I agree with the poster that said do an online shop and let him collect it then its all done your way

Anyway get well soon

toscalily

I was only having a moan because I am stuck in bed not feeling well and I don't pander to him, and I don't appreciate the sarky comments.

I think it was a general comment rather than directed at you.
Many women do pander to their OH.
My sister's husband never lifted a finger. He wouldn't have known where the shops where, other than the corner shop.
My sister was ill once and he asked her what number he usually ordered from the Chinese takeaway!

If someone does a task regularly it becomes second nature, done almost without thinking in a way. When we have to tackle something that we are unfamiliar with its natural to flounder a bit isn't it?

Some of the comments on this thread are downright vicious.....some GNetters would dearly love to have their husbands there to go shopping for them. Have a thought when responding and give thanks that your man, despite his faults, is there with you.
Be kind

My OH can shop. He does however buy far more than required and sometimes forgets the primary item he went out for.

I agree there can be difficulty with sizes and types of things in the supermarket (bin liners were a good example). When you consider the range of goods we have to choose from it can be overwhelming, especially in a large supermarket which has even more selection. When faced with a choice of six items it's no wonder men can struggle, especially if they know the wrong item will get complaints back home.

recovering from a serious illness a few years back my son came over to do my shopping, supermarket is only 5 mins away, he phoned me 5 times for details on where items are , 2 items i asked for ..tomatos and iceberg lettuce, as this supermarket is the same as any other fruit/veg at the front, after 10 mins in the store he gave up, back in the house he was fiddling with his phone, then said, i have put money in your bank, do a large online shop..lol now i know why my DIL does all the shopping.

So many facts, so little time ??? I expect there are still people who think the earth is flat.

One of the reasons there are some men who are useless at doing anything in the house is because their mothers made sure they never did anything and then their wives carried on doing everything for them. The first time my in-laws came to stay my mil was furious when she came home to find Mr A ironing his shirts for work. She insisted on doing it for him, 'a man shouldn't have to do ironing'. We left her to it rather than row about it and had a good laugh later. She went home and told all the family and her cronies about how her son wasn't being looked after. Mr A's sister was killing herself when she told us. My mother was another one who didn't think boys should have to do housework, although my brother's soon learnt when they had to.

My DP does all the cooking and virtually all of the shopping- he goes to the gym a few times a week and his gym is next to the big supermarket so he goes in on his way home.
I am eternally grateful to his mum, my DMiL, who brought up her “boys” to be excellent home makers and cooks. They can all cook, clean, do laundry and housework, look after their offspring and understand home management as well as holding down demanding jobs - in fact they are all as capable as most women!

Our SIL is lovely but hopeless, when my daughter had had their first child she sent him off to the their local market on a Saturday morning with a list for the veg and fruit and an instruction to buy whatever fresh fish he fancied from the fishmonger.
He came back moaning that fish was very expensive, he’d spent £80 on halibut, prawns and sole.
He had no idea of quantity and thought that was two meals worth.

Well said! I rarely go shopping with DH we ran a family retail business so because of that he actually hates shopping.
On the odd occasion I have asked DH to pick something up giving simple instruction even a pic of item required.

He never gets it’s right even though I have said exactly where in the shop the product will be.

Different wavelengths altogether so I prefer to shop alone.

My mother in law was born in 1922. Her sons born in 1950 and 1955. Mr i was 29 when we met, we married a few years later. Mum I’m law reassured me that both her boys could clean, cook, shop and iron. ‘Their father was hopeless dear, I was determined my boys wouldn’t be’

My Dh is a brilliant shopper, he certainly knows his way round our local supermarket. No worries on that score. So do my sons!