My last stop yesterday was the grocery store. I had several errands to run; the post office, the bank, and by the time I finally got to the grocery store it was after 5 and the lines were long. I stood there waiting, watching people and I started thinking how different it is now from when I was a kid in the 1950's. When Daddy got off work on Fridays, we'd all pile into the car and head off to Brown's Grocery. For Mom it was more than a weekly grocery trip, it was an outing. She and Daddy would push the cart, reading and looking for "something new to eat!" Mom was a list maker, meticulous in her ways...she never wanted to run low on anything so items were jotted down all week long in preparation of Friday night's outing. My brother and I would either tag along behind them or park ourselves in front of the magazines with instructions to "be good." That wasn't a suggestion, it was a direct order given with "that look" from Mom. She had it down pat, she could sear your eyebrows with that look..it meant business!
Brown's Grocery had rows of cans, lined up and stacked in little pyramids to make them look like there was more. Boxes of cereal were 3 or 4 deep and if I try I can name the brands..there were Post Toasties, Rice Krispies, Bran Flakes, Sugar Pops, Sugar Flakes, Malt-o-Meal and oatmeal, and the boxes were so small compared to what we buy now. Loaves of bread were short, sodas were in 10 ounce bottles, orange juice came in those little 3 ounce cans that only made like 3 cups of juice! We'd have 3, maybe 4 bags of groceries, and that was a whole week's worth.
When I got home yesterday, I put away the case of dog food, the 196 oz. Tide, I struggled with the 50 lb. bag of bird seed and I wondered how we got to Super-Town.
The boxes might be bigger but there is less cereal in them! This reminds me of an interesting fact...in older houses the cupboards were made for a 10" plate...now plates are 12" to 14" or bigger.
ReplyDeleteThat's another thing that's got huge, plates and even silverware! My GRANDson remarked last weekend how big our forks are!!!
DeleteI am like your Mom; I make lists too. The minute, I see I am low on something, it goes on the list. I rarely run out of anything.
ReplyDeleteThe thing about the cereal boxes is they could make the darned box half the size and still contain the cereal....then, maybe it would fit on the shelves! In our little local store there is one entire aisle devoted to cereals. And I see Cheerios is adding another one....cherrios with peanut butter! Yegods!
My aunt who is in her mid-80's still considers a trip to her local Walmart as an outing. I think she knows half the people who work there. For me it is a necessary evil.
Big Business, the cereal aisle. If I was guessing, I'd say the two vendors with the most "clout" would be cereal and dog food/pet food. What do you think???
Deletegreat memories! even when i shop for just me, i still make a list. :)
ReplyDeleteMe too, I'd be lost without one. My MIL is nearly 90 and NEVER makes a list, that is amazing to me. I'd go in and just walk around clueless!
DeleteWhen I was young, there was an enclosed, small, theater-like area, much like a huge box, at the front of the store, where kids could watch cartoons while parents shopped. My aunt had a family of 10, 2 adults and 8 kids. (not counting any guests) That woman cooked at least 2 full meals a day and prepared a lunch kit for hubby and sack lunches for the kids in school. She could shop and buy two deep carts full, on about $30, and everyone ate very well.
ReplyDeleteThat was a smart shop owner to provide a place for the kids to be out of their parents hair for a little while. It would never work now, so dangerous to leave our kids alone for a second. Mom used to say her groceries were $10 a bag, back when the bags were paper and held more. Now that's milk, bread and cereal... if you buy the store brand!
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