Paper or plastic?

So I've taken over the grocery shopping duties for our household. I have no excuse and don't mind all that much. I'm a stereotypical male when it comes to shopping but I feel like I am contributing to the "effort" if I can eliminate this from my wife's to-do list.. I just need to be told what to buy. I also need to start looking at prices now that I don't have a job. Yikes, some things are very expensive.

Some of the worst teen years of my earlier life were spent working in a grocery store and I knew all the prices. Our store was used more than once in the original "Supermarket Sweep" TV show. We had to get the store ready before the show and clean up the mess after the show. Plus our regular customers couldn't shop while we were in TV mode. I think about those days now as I stroll the aisles of our store. That era was such a crummy experience that I opted to join the military to escape - it paid off.

This current store is right next to the health club I'm using so I can actually do TWO things with one trip out of the house - woo hoo. One important criteria with shopping (or any other activity in life for me) is the crowd. I guess I inherited from my mother this aversion to crowds. I spend a fair amount of time calculating the optimum low crowd time. Ever go to a movie on a Sunday at 1 0:30 am?? Ahhhhhh, nobody walking in 20 minutes late and empty seats all around..

Besides learning the layout of the store, I also am seeing products that interest me or entice me. Never shop hungry or you wind up using that damn Dunkin Donuts counter which is strategically located right near the check-out area. Donuts are so easy to eat while driving.

I have tried some new products now that I know they exist and I know where to find them. When I first started I noticed all sorts of sales pitches. Low salt, low sugar, low carbs, high fiber.. speaking of high fiber, I am now in day 26 of the Bran Flakes 10-day challenge.. Ooops, gotta run!!!