The Grocery List That Never Works 🛒

The Grocery List That Never Works 🛒

We all know the scene.

You sit at the table. Pen in hand. Or maybe your phone.

Putting together a grocery list.

Each item a carefully calculated plan.

This week, you think, I’ll conquer the supermarket.

Then you get to the store.

The plan unravels.

The grocery list becomes an accessory. Not a roadmap.

Gourmet chips? Let’s grab two—just in case.

A cheese sample station? It would be rude not to try one. Or four. Maybe buy a whole pack.

The list is in your pocket. But the cart fills up with things that never made it on there.

It’s not just groceries. It’s how we operate.

We love our plans. Our schedules. Our neat lists.

But confronted with bright colors, seductive branding, and a whiff of nostalgia—

All bets are off.

Marketing knows this well.

Ever notice the milk is always in the back? You have to wade through aisles of goodies you didn’t know you needed.

That's by design.

Our intentions are pure.

But we’re predictably unpredictable once the stimuli hit.

Retailers know impulse beats intention.

The bakery smell when you walk in? No accident.

They tap into something deeper. The idea that we’re a little irrational about desire.

We write lists to feel in control. Knowing full well there’s a part of us that craves the opposite.

Spontaneous indulgence.

And there’s something wonderfully human about that.

Marketers call it anchoring.

Hooking you with that promotional deal.

A psychologist might call it cognitive dissonance.

The urge to stick to the list versus the thrill of tossing in cookies you didn’t need.

But really, it’s just life.

A grocery list is a promise. Breaking it adds spice—sometimes literally.

The grocery list is a metaphor for life.

We plan. We strategize. We aim for essentials.

But where’s the fun in always staying on track?

Sometimes it’s the detours. The snacks, the sweets, the surprises—that make it worthwhile.

Maybe that’s the point.

It’s okay if things don’t go as planned.

Sometimes the unplanned bits are the best parts.

Next time you’re at the store, list in hand, remember—

You’ll probably come back with more than you planned.

And that’s fine.

Our intentions are written in ink. But our impulses color outside the lines.

And that’s where the true art of living lies.