Interview Transcripts Interview with Mom
Suburban Housewife, Cooking for Herself and Husband Anne: Thanks for taking the time to talk with me, Mama! Let’s start with just some basic questions about grocery shopping. How often do you shop for groceries? Where do you typically shop for them? Do you plan ahead before a shopping trip? How much do you usually spend on groceries? Mom: This depends on what you mean by “groceries”. If it’s something that your Daddy and I regularly eat, then we’d buy it typically on the weekend, which we dedicate to more ‘bulk’ grocery shopping at places like Costo and A&P, where there’s big discounts and card memberships. Since we know what we like to eat and our daily meal routines, we buy food which we eat the most frequently during such trips. But sometimes, I may need to take special a special grocery shopping trip - such as when I know I’m going to try a new dish that requires specific ingredients which we don’t typically eat, or when the food we have at home is going bad. In the former case, I tend to go to more special, local grocers - such as Dearborn - because I know that they’re produce is fresh and sometimes chain retailers don’t have the special ingredient I need; in the latter situation, I just go to what’s nearby - such as 7-Eleven - for convenience sake. As for planning ahead before a trip, I don’t really feel I need to do this - I guess I’m so used to grocery shopping by now that I just know what I need when I’m in the store. Your Dad and I typically spend $80 to $100 on groceries a week. Anne: Do you think how hungry you are affects your grocery shopping behavior? Mom: Sometimes, if I shop on an empty stomach. I thus try to avoid going grocery shopping when I am hungry. Anne: When it comes to buying fresh produce - i.e. vegetables and fruit - how long does it take you select items? What variables factor into your decision (i.e. color, size, shape, etc.) Mom: Usually, I go by color and shape. There are just some tricks I’ve learned over time when it comes to picking produce - i.e. smelling a honey dew melon, gently squeezing a mango, etc. Anne: Now let’s talk about eating out. How often do you and Daddy eat out, and where do you guys go when you do? Does this depend on the meal, the occasion, etc.? Mom: We typically eat out once a month, and we go to near-by restaurants which have dishes we like. However, sometimes we’ll take special trips into the city, such as on days your Dad doesn’t have work and/or when we learn about a new restaurant we want to try out. We usually eat lunch at restaurants. Their menu is the most important thing we consider.
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