Modern Mom. Modern Shopper.

KIMBERLY RAE MILLER WRITER

When it comes to shopping, I will admit to being a polyamorist. No one market could ever fulfill all my needs. Some places I shop provide me with variety, others specificity. Some I visit—and I’m slightly embarrassed to put this in writing—solely for the bougie environment because just walking through the aisles feels like a luxury. Some places I visit at the end of the pay period when my wallet is leaner, and some I never step foot in and food magically appears on my doorstep on weeks I’m too busy to manage all the everyday responsibilities of grown-up life. But regardless of my many loves, shopping for food has become less of a simple requirement over the last few years and more of an experience.

The places I shop fill specific needs for me, but they also regularly remind me of how the world is changing, and so is how we shop. Some of the general trends I’ve seen in the markets I prefer to frequent include:

Child-Friendly Amenities. More and more markets are creating a child-friendly shopping environment, with amenities like clean and spacious restrooms, baby-changing stations, and shopping carts with built-in car seat attachments or spots for more than one child to sit.

Healthy and Organic Options.

My kids have never seen a commercial for sugary cereal or Lunchables, but they know that brown bread is better for them and that apples are best in the fall. It’s a new generation of shoppers with new priorities regarding food. I have noticed that markets make organic and natural products less of a specialty item and more of a stock staple, even having cheaper store-brand options for healthier foods.

Meal Solutions and Recipes.

I wish I could cook everything from scratch every day, but like most modern families, my husband and I juggle multiple jobs while our kids juggle multiple activities. I appreciate when markets offer pre-packaged meal solutions, recipe cards, or ready-to-cook ingredients that cater to busy parents who are short on time but still want to prepare healthy meals for their families.

Online Ordering and Delivery.

We live in a hybrid world, and just like I switch up my days in the office, I switch up my weeks at the market based on my more pressing responsibilities. Ordering food from local markets from my phone to either pick up on my way home from work or have delivered to my doorstep, allows me to continue to support my community and get all the benefits of online shopping.

Sustainability Efforts.

I care about my community, and I care about my impact on it. When I see stores implement environmentally friendly practices such as reducing plastic waste, offering reusable shopping bags, promoting recycling, and supporting local farmers and suppliers, it makes a difference in the regularity of my visits. ■