Helping Kids Grasp Budgets in the Supermarket

Imagine heading to the supermarket with the children for your weekly shop, and getting to the check-out without any tantrums (not even from the kids!)

The rising cost of living can fill parents with even more dread about grocery shopping. In 2023, 21% of households in New Zealand said they were spending more than $300 a week on groceries - a big rise from 2022.

Sticking to a budget is more important than ever, but it’s not easy with toddlers in tow.

The good news is you could avoid tantrums over their favourite sweet treats and guide them through the importance of budgeting all at the same time.


What to do before you head outWeekly meal planning prevents you from overspending and buying items that expire before you get a chance to eat them.

So, before you head out the door, make a shopping list and invite children into this process.

This helps provide structure and guidelines to kids. They’ll know what to expect and may be less motivated to try and take control of the shopping basket. 

Experiment with asking children what they’d like to eat and accommodate some of their wishes - as long as they’re healthy and affordable enough! For some extra developmental work, they can help you figure out the ingredients to make their favourite dish. You could also try giving kids an imaginary budget and seeing what they come up with.

Just avoid opening up too many options. Make it clear that it’s ultimately up to the grown-ups to decide what’s on the menu.

Talking about the shopping list and the budgetWe know shopping lists aren’t the most exciting chore, but aim to write a full list before you go shopping. It’s tempting to give up halfway, but this often leads to winging it and blowing the budget once you arrive at the supermarket.

Involve the little ones by going through the list with them. Be open when talking about money and budgets, but be careful not to overload them with worries about finances - this can be a lot for kids to take on.

Instead, use the exercise as an opportunity to teach kids about the differences between things they need and things they want. This can be a great way to begin instilling some responsible practices around finances. 


At the supermarketWe all know how tempting it is to overstock the trolly when our tummies are rumbling - and that rings even truer for kids! So, one of our top pieces of advice to help you stick to a budget is this: Don’t show up hungry to the shops!

Keep children occupied by giving them a job to do. This could include ticking off the shopping list, checking prices, or looking for items on the shelves.

You can bring them into the conversation and decision-making process by giving them options, but not too many options.

For example, the following questions let children explore their choices within set boundaries:

• Would you prefer strawberry or chocolate yoghurts?
  
• Shall we buy apples or pears this week?
  
• Do you want long spaghetti or macaroni?
  
  
  

What about those irresistible treats?Even with plenty of preparation, it’s rare to make it through a supermarket trip without hearing some sugary requests from our children.

To help overcome any potential disagreements, it’s important they understand that treats won’t be involved with every shopping trip.

When a request does pop up, the best approach is to clearly acknowledge your child’s wants before calmly letting them know they can’t get the item(s) on this occasion.

Some handy phrases to use include:

• “That looks tasty. Let’s buy that next week.”
  
• “That’s not on the list, but maybe we can add it to the shopping list next time.”
  
• “You’ve already chosen a treat for today, so there’s no more room for another one.”
  
• “We’re just buying things we need today. Maybe we can put that on the list another time.”
  
• “Thanks for being so helpful on our shopping trip today. Shall we play at the park on the way home?”
  

Sometimes, meltdowns can’t be helped. Most of us have experienced a supermarket screaming session at some point and it’s in no way a reflection of your parenting skills. If it does happen, try to stay calm. If necessary, leave your trolly and take your little one outside to get fresh air and catch their breath.

Whatever you do, don’t let tantrums lead to you giving in and buying unnecessary treats! We don’t want to reward bad behaviour and set the tone for future shopping trips.

Taking the time to prepare for the supermarket and getting children involved can help make things run more smoothly, keep your budget in check, and teach the foundations of finances to children.

We’re not saying the event is guaranteed to be meltdown-free, but it’s a start! 

Blog written with inspiration from https://parentingplace.nz/.