Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping is a problem for a lot of people, whether they have limited mobility, a visual impairment, or just lack transportation.

If you can get to the grocery store and don't have your own wheels, shop at a grocery store that loans out motorized carts with a seat and large shopping basket. You may also request a store employee to walk around with you to reach items, and persons who are blind or visually impaired may get assistance locating their groceries.

If going grocery shopping for yourself is not an option, check into services at your local grocery store. Some Mom & Pop stores still shop and deliver to folks who are elderly or disabled. Find out what your store offers. Another great option is recruiting someone from your neighborhood. Call a high school or college employment office to place an ad. This is easy money for a responsible kid and the two of you will get better acquainted so he or she will learn your preferences thoroughly. Shopping services in your local phone directory are another option, but professional services can be expensive and groceries are expensive enough.

One of the best ideas ever thought of is online grocery shopping! One company getting high marks from everyone we speak to is Peapod. For one thing, it doesn’t cost a fortune: the company has different plans to fit frequent shoppers or the occasional, once-a-month, stock up shopper. Food arrives fresh (including produce) from a local distributor and Peapod uses quality brands, but not necessarily the most expensive. Visit Peapod online to get rates and all other information: http://www.peapod.com.

Another online grocer is http://netrocer.com. Netgrocer carries all categories of food, including organic, pet food, diary, and kosher, but we didn’t see a category for fresh produce. A visit to the Netgrocer site has current rates, information, and a customer service phone number.