If you’re thinking about going grocery shopping when you’re hungry, you might want to think twice.
Several things happen when you decide to buy food when your stomach’s growling, and it’s not in your favor.
I’ve done it, and I’m sure many of you have.
I’m already not the biggest fan of grocery shopping, although I’m constantly finding ways to be a smarter shopper and save more money.
But, hey, someone’s gotta do it, right?
So, let’s talk about what happens when we decide to shop for groceries without eating anything.
1. Empty Belly While Shopping = Empty Wallet
Have you ever seen a commercial or some ad that made you say, “Man, I want that”?
That’s completely normal, and that’s why such a thing called advertising exists.
They spark emotion and make you do things you normally wouldn’t do.
Imagine being in a store with all kinds of food right in front of you.
The smell of the rotisserie chicken roasting in the supermarket’s deli section.
The freshly baked whatever they have for that day.
And, even the pictures of cooked chicken on the bags of frozen chicken.
All these things make for many wants and will ultimately have you throwing things in the cart you never planned on buying.
Yup, shopping on an empty stomach will do that to ya and you will not save more money each month in the process.
2. You Will Buy Junk
Okay, I’m sure not all of you eat as unhealthy as people like me that are still trying to get that body I had when I was 30, so this might not apply to you.
This is definitely for you if you eat Hotpockets and other microwavable unhealthiness.
If you plan on shopping without putting something in your stomach, don’t expect NOT to get any unhealthy food.
Again, you are hungry, and you are shopping for things that will spark some kind of emotion.
3. You Will Buy More Than Food
I know this sounds crazy, but a study on Pubmed has found that…
hunger increases the accessibility of acquisition-related concepts and the intention to acquire not only food but nonfood objects.
PubMD
If your wallet can afford it, be ready to add non-edible junk to your cart.
I’m talking about those random items that you don’t even need.
Like those food storage containers and weird-smelling garbage bags that actually stink.
If you plan to go grocery shopping hungry, expect to have some weird thing in your cart, that will probably make you broke.
4. Shopping Hungry Makes You Impatient
There aren’t any studies I’ve learned this from, but I know this is how I shop on an empty stomach.
As an impatient, somewhat irritated shopper, you aren’t thinking right.
You don’t look for sales and start throwing things in your cart.
You don’t think about grabbing the coupons that are already in front of you, and you don’t think about price matching.
That overspending could be going to your water bill or even a new pair of shoes.
5. It Makes You Hangry
Being hangry is not cool.
You act like a two-year-old, and nothing good comes out of it.
You irritate others, you make bad decisions, and you buy things you don’t need.
Hangry people need to be fed, whether you are shopping or not.
However, this is one reason you should never go shopping when hungry.
And, yes, hangry is a word.
Conclusion – Don’t Go Shopping When You’re Hungry
We all need groceries, and we all need to eat.
At the end of the day, it’s not a good combination and one you should avoid.
You don’t want to waste money, you don’t want to be an unhealthy bag of bones, and you don’t want to be irritating to people.
Those three things alone are enough to conclude that shopping on an empty stomach is not the way to go.
At the very least, grab a snack, and drink some water, and you should be good to go.
Shop away!
