Supermarket Checklist: Market Madness or Productive Produce Time?

I'm the shopper in the family. I used to troll the aisles looking for something new and exciting to try out (for example, years ago they made "Croonchy Stars" the Muppet cereal featuring The Swedish Chef...still not sure why they didn't catch on). These days, with two kids and a business to run, I've traded my explorer hat for the ruthless clipboard of an efficiency expert.

So, one day, I walked up and down all the aisles at my local supermarket and jotted down the items I regularly buy and their aisle. This took me about an hour. I went home and in a basic spreadsheet, grouped the items by aisle or section and created a simple checklist (on right). Now, I won't go into the agony I suffered when my supermarket decided to renovate and move almost everything to a new aisle three weeks after I finished this project. I still haven't forgiven them, so let's just move on, shall we?

The checklists live near our fridge, and, hopefully, when we run out of something, it's too easy not to quickly mark the item off as needed. Plus, when I do go out for a shop, I quickly review the list and it prompts me to check if certain kitchen staples are running low (yes, I have eggs, but do I have enough?).

So, here's the rub. When friends come over and see my checklist, their response, isn't "oh, that's cool" or "that's a good time-saver". Instead there's usually some sort of semi-funny line about OCD, having too much free time or that I'm insane.

I don't get it. My list makes it easy for me to tackle the shopping task. I don't wander down aisles that I don't need to. Better, I don't have to back-track when I realize I needed something and forgot that I'd already been in that aisle. It's also remedied (for the most part) people failing to let me know when we run out of something that I don't eat.

So, how much organization is too much? Is there a point at which the pursuit of ruthless efficiency in your everyday life is in itself inefficient? Or, are these little systems the artful way of finessing your day to gain those minutes you desire with your kids, cooking, reading or napping?

Where is today's Popeye?

I had dinner at Whole Foods last night (sort of had dinner, my 3 year old son spent most of the time playing with a bottle of hot sauce while on my lap, so my eating was a bit...distracted) with a fellow who is biking from Key West to somewhere in Canada. It's one of many trips he has undertaken over the years to raise awareness for various health issues including nutrition. He's quite fascinating (so says my wife who managed to have a more elaborate conversation with him) and I think his effort is pretty amazing. (If you're interested http://www.cycleforheart.org/)

He and I had a brief, conversation about engaging young kids (my 8-year old daughter and her friend were also with us) about nutrition without having them topple over from boredom. He tried talking with them about Popeye, but I don't think he, Popeye, has the same impact or following as he did in his heyday.

I mentioned an episode of "Gilligan's Island" where a box of irradiated seeds washed up on the shore. All the castaways planted their favorite item and were granted incredible powers. Mrs. Howell ate spinach and gained strength, super vision for Mary Ann (don't quote me on that) who ate carrots, and so on. That also seems a pretty dated (and misleading) example.

So, today, what or who do we have to give our kids some sort of example that they can relate to so they understand why one should eat more than waffles, cheerios and pancakes for breakfast (today's breakfast for the 8-year old)? I'm not sure if a celebrity or athlete endorsing proper nutrition is ideal. Heck, the Obamas start an organic garden and it somehow gets spun as an elitist act.

I'm all for keeping meals as meals, not teachable moments or nutritional lectures and certainly not becoming some sort of military exercise (eat your peas! hut two hut two!). So, I settle for trotting out new things and convincing my daughter to stop saying "That's DIS-GUST-ING" for the more tolerable "I like it, but I don't want anymore right now."

I'm curious what your solutions are on this topic.

Talk Time - Bonding or Bane?

When I fly solo at night with the kids, they lobby (incessantly) for "talk time" once the story is over. After a negotiation for a time limit, I turn off the lights and leave the two of them to their own devices. From down the hall, it sounds like a mixture of bad karaoke (oxymoron?) and a hyena convention. What the heck are they talking about that's so damn funny? He's 3 and she's 7, I can't even imagine what they're talking about in there. But, am I winding them up or winding them down? Who knows, but I have found that the potential loss of "talk time" seems to carry an incredible amount of importance.