I always look! Occasionally I am even bold enough to ask if someone has already tried a particular product or not to see if it is any good. This is in stores like Whole Foods, trader Joe's and stores within Pittsburgh's Strip District where they are all kinds of interesting things to peruse - I wouldn't in typical supermarkets though. I think that people that shop in the above places most likely already enjoy food and don't mind a question compared to your get in get out places.

and I am perfectly willing to admit that I DO judge the contents of a cart!

Yes---and I find it really disturbing in most cases. 10 cases of pop and 3 bags of apples, yeah maybe they were on sale but still...

An entire cart filled with lean cuisine--- nothing else

Anyway if I see actual ingredients I give that person a little gold star (mentally of course)

I am definitely a cart-peeker. I find myself making all sorts of guesses about what their purchases say about their life, family, etc... It's really just another facet of people-watching, and I do believe you can learn a lot about someone based on what they buy. Although, I do hope people aren't too judgmental... I wouldn't want someone to judge me for those holiday themed, store-brand sugar cookies that are just so delicious - you know, the really soft ones with that fluffy, dyed frosting on top...anybody???

I LOVE looking in people's carts. I mostly shop at Whole Foods and the cashiers are always commenting on items in people's carts too. You can get great product recommendations from it. Also, people have commented on the artistic way my non-artist husband sets up our groceries.

No! I hate it when people peek at my cart, and that's why I never do it. I find it intrusive and extremely rude.

I remember seeing a $50 package of meat in a cart at Whole Foods one day. It was some type of beef. It wasn't a very big package. I couldn't believe it.

Yes, I always look. Usually when I look it's a cart full of junk food, soda pop and a few kids hanging off of it.

It's almost hard not to peek in people's carts. It's not being nosy, it is just normal ol'people watching. More times than not, however, I am trying to distract my daughter and keep her occupied. I miss the days of reading the gossip magazines.....

guilty cart peeper.

I chalk it up to research. It's interesting to see how much money some people spend on groceries. The prepared foods tally up really quickly.

I also like to pay attention to peak crowd times at the grocery store. One time that is particularly interesting to me is "dinner time." The lines are typically at maximum length but move quickly because most people have two or three items like: a couple of things from the prepared foods area and a beverage. I think more and more people in urban areas are looking at the grocery store as they would a restaurant.

Late nights at grocery stores are a lot of fun if you can get past the type of union busting cashier lines that exist in some of the grocery stores around where I live. You may have to wait in line for a very long time but there's lots to take in all around you.

One thing that has always been intriguing to me in grocery stores is when people buy the big ticket non-grocery items that are so obviously marked up that it's ridiculous, like lawn chairs or christmas trees.

Let's go shopping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

I always look. I don't just look, I secretly judge people based on the contents of their cart. I then attempt to make witty, mean or humorous comments to the checkout person based on what the person before me purchased.

I hope other people look at my cart, I feel that they may be perplexed by the strange combination of things I purchase.

I agree that it's creepy and rude and try to avoid it. I also have a tendency to grab a basket not a cart and proceed to fill it with two bottles of wine, three nights' dinners, canned pantry staples, and a six pack of beer. At that point, the entirety of my energy is devoted to lifting that basket.

I will sometimes notice the person in front of me in line, as everything's laid out being rung up. I'm sure my shopping habits say something even more bizarre about me than other people's do about them, though.

I'm a habitual cart peeker (and judger) - I can't help myself!!

i look all the time. i also judge - makes me feel better that im buying food in most cases rather than boxed stuff and frozen meals. its the best part of going to the grocery store. especially when my fiance and i hit stores in different parts of town - how wildly the contents change. we recently moved and realized our new major chain grocery store carries almost no vegetarian convenience foods (morningstar, boca, amys) and its is always out of skim milk (when they do have it it is about 1/10 of the case) but if we decide to switch to whole - were set

Not really. I was a grocery store cashier for so long that it doesn't really interest me all that much anymore. I've seen everything, and I have unfortunately become one of the people I most hated as a cashier (a super coupon shopper). Just the other day I spent $30.00 in the grocery store and saved $90.00. I have no idea what the lady behind me thought of my cart full of groceries, I just know she was annoyed since she started putting all her stuff on the belt before I was through putting my items on.

I've never really thought about it. I guess I've glanced at peoples carts, but I've never committed the contents to memory. I used to be a cashier at a small town grocery store, so the contents of peoples carts isn't really exciting to me.

I am about to go to Whole Foods; I wonder what people will think of vegetable stock, parmigiano-reggiano, and grade B maple syrup.

Wow, some of the people commenting here are so judgmental and mean! I had no idea my buying habits were being frowned upon so much by my fellow shoppers.

I have a share in a local CSA that delivers a huge pile of fruits and veggies each week, and we buy local grass-fed sides of beef and pork for the freezer each fall. So, most of our food comes from local sources not the grocery. Which means, I AM THAT PERSON in the line in front of you, buying a little junk food, some lean cuisines for occasional lunches, a case of soda, and some camp stove fuel. Am I a bad person?

I look, but usually only in the checkout line.

Also... I hide the bad stuff under the good stuff. If anyone is looking in my cart, they see beets and spinach, the Butterfinger is hidden underneath. ;)

looker, judger. we all do it, and i couldn't even tell you how often people comment on my cart items -- usually when my cart is loaded with veggies ("look at all the different kinds of vegetables you have!" huh?) or baking supplies ("baking from sctatch! what are you making?"). i think it might have something to do with the fact that most people who shop at my local grocery store are buying prepared food and/or alcohol.

Not only do I peek, but sometimes fear of other people's peeking/judging keeps me from buying stuff I really shouldn't. I have a few childhood comfort foods (Cheez whiz, Froot Loops) that I fortunately buy very rarely, because I think they'll mess up my cooking-from-scratch-all-organic aesthetic I have going on in my cart.

Haha. This is so funny. I definitely look, I definitely judge, but it's human nature and I don't get worked up about it, and neither would I if someone thought my buying habits are funny. I mean come on, slightly eavesdropping at the coffee shop, looking for fun outfits on the street, creating pretend meals out of people's carts at the grocery--these are life's pleasures no :)

I don't peek at carts, but I definitely look at the check-out.

i do wonder what people think when i buy multiple packets of coathangers at the supermarket at 1am - coathanger emergency?

I look, but not too closely, just to see how much stuff the person has in front of me. I'm more afraid of people looking and judging what I'm buying, especially at the regular supermarket, where I mainly go for ice cream and various snacks.

Then I try to console myself with the thought that people don't judge or care what I'm getting. Guess I was wrong about that, though.

It's funny, but I've always been too concerned with people peeking and judging me to do it myself. I assume that if I have chips or cookies in my cart people are looking at me and shaking their heads in disgust. So now the only things I buy at the grocery store are rice milk and bulk beans and grains; I even feel guilty buying produce because why didn't I get to the farmers' market?

It does make things pretty cheap; I spend about $11 per week at Whole Foods.

I feel pleased with myself when I realize that everything in my basket is a meat or a vegetable or a grain or an herb, etc., because I'm trying to keep myself healthy and (imo) a great start toward that is to buy actual food.

I feel sad when I see a whole cart overloaded with Capri Sun, Wonder Bread, frozen dinners, chips, soda, powdered mashed potatoes, canned biscuits, Lunchables, spray bottles of I
Can't Believe It's Not Butter and cheese food. Although I suppose next time I'll consider that perhaps they have a side of grass-fed beef at home in their Manhattan freezer.

I look, and judge. The groceries, not the person. I think it's pretty human.

I check out the headlines and photos on the magazine covers, but won't open one.

I try not to, but I'm definitely guilty of peeking sometimes. I'm a little ashamed to admit that it usually makes me feel a little better about myself when I have more fruits and vegetables than they do. It's also a way to get new ideas when I'm in a rut, and it IS fun trying to guess what they're planning to make.

P.S. Like some other people mentioned, I too feel a bit guilty when I buy things like Velveeta Shells and Cheese. I want to put a note in my basket that says "It's ok, I really can make awesome mac & cheese from scratch. I just had a very long day today."

I know people are judging me when all I'm buying is vodka and condoms.

I do peek at the checkout but because I do I occasionally have anxiety about what I buy. What will someone think about me when I need crackers for something and just happen to run out of cat food at the same time?

Oh heck yeah, look and judge! I think everyone has a little bit of an urge to peek into other people's lives in small ways. It's the same thing that makes me look into people's windows if they're open as I walk down streets. It's fascinating.

Anyone ever read Hungry Planet? It's such a cool book- photos of families from around the world pictured with a week's worth of groceries. So interesting to see how people eat.

And I definitely don't care if people look at mine. It's probably funny for those that do, as I tend to have a basket with something like 2 pounds of butter, an 18 pack of eggs, beer, maybe a pepper and some herbs, and like 3 kinds of cheese. Never anything that looks like it could ever morph into any kind of actual meal.

I'm so guilty of this! And my favorites are the carts that seem to point to some weird eccentricity. Real or imagined.

I rarely look at the check out (there's rarely a wait - I suppose my grocery stores are extraordinarily well-staffed), but I'll definitely look at carts in the aisles... but only the ones of others who look like they're in my demographic (20s, single or dating, no kids). The overflowing carts of "kid-friendly" food are too depressing. Not saying the other 20somethings are doing a great job of buying real food, but at least you have a better view because there's less of it in the cart. There's certainly some element of judging based on what I see, but I'm sure anyone looking at my cart is going to have plenty to think about (baking staples, tons of vegetables... and frozen pizza?)

i don't usually remember to peek, but I get so embarrassed when I have to dot he "Cat Lady" Run

Too keep myself out of the money pit that are Target and Costco, I let my cat food get down to a 1 or 2 day supply before I go to these stores. Then I buy my 30 lb bag of Iams and 2 40 lb tubs of kitty litter and 2 cases of 38 count wet food, and sanitary napkins, because i never seem to have any when that time comes. SO EMBARRASSING! It's even worse when I'm buying double the amount because my sister ran out of food and litter. (she has 2 cats, I have 3)

I feel the need to explain loudly and several times that I only come in once every month or 2 to stock up and that although it looks it, I do have a life outside of my cats and menstruating.

I was also a small-town grocery store cashier, but that just makes me peek more, and feel probably a little too free to comment (nonjudgementally). When you work in a small-town grocery, you see what everybody buys from every social class your town has. It's like everybody poops. So observing that somebody is having a barbecue or making pizza or pickles or whatever is probably far less creepy to me than it is to the other people in line.

My all-time favorite combination of items observed, though, was a dozen eggs, a turkey baster, KY Jelly, and the big box of Trojans. This was at something like 2 a.m. I could see the logical connection of everything but the turkey baster. That was one time I chose not to comment.

I don't look at their carts but I do look at the person ahead of me when they put their food on the conveyer belt. Sad to say but usually the food matches the person. If you're buying bags of chips, a box of dough nuts, microwavable meals, and a 2 liter of diet coke, (I've really seen that combo) it's easy to see the problem.

People look at my cart sometimes and I've even had some questions as to what you make with tofu. I just smile and say, "quiche".

I like you, bakedatthebeach.

I'm in college and I go to a college Publix, so yeah, I tend to feel a little smug when I'm in line behind frat guys with Natty Lite, five bags of chips and Tyson buffalo wings. Not that my cart doesn't have four blue boxes of mac and cheese, but I have produce and milk and chicken thighs.

Chusmabilly cracked me up.

I was once in line behind someone at Costco who had a monster size case of toilet paper, gallons of water...and several family size bags of prunes. And that's all.

The other night I made a rare appearance at Whole Foods and the guy in front of me asked me if I was "raw." I started to tell him about how I went raw for a few weeks some years ago but it made me gassy and the cashier started laughing and the guy went away...and I belatedly realized he was simply wondering what I was planning to do with wheatgrass (it was on sale and we were just given a juicer).

Wow. What fun.

I'll add that I and my wife have been the victims of peepings too. Sometimes I forget, and Chelsea forgot last week, that in IL you can't purchase alcohol before 11 am.

Apparently everybody else never forgets this, that's why they and the cashiers give us dirty looks when we try to buy booze in the morning.

Last week was especially funny (for me, not my wife) when she told me her adventure at the grocery store trying to buy a bottle of vodka on a Saturday morning.

It went something like this:

wait in line for ten minutes with a bottle of vodka.

get to the cashier who takes the bottle and says, "I can't give this to you."

wife says something like, "oh really, there was a sign saying that it's on sale?"

"I still can't give it to you."

"What? the sale price? That's ok, I just want to get out of here, give it to me for the full price."

"I can't."

Customer in line says "What she's trying to tell you is that it is illegal to sell alcohol in the state of IL before 11 am!"

I'm not quite sure what happened after that but I'm glad I wasn't there.

(The vodka was for an empanada test recipe for America's Test Kitchen)

I'm like BrooklynBaker... I go to the grocery to pick up what I need for meals before I make them, but a lot of times I already have ingredients at home, so you get a big mishmash. Also, my boyfriend and I split the groceries into two baskets, so any coherancy there might have been is usually destroyed.

When I have only a few things I'm always amused by what other shoppers must think of me, like the milk and condoms run I once made.

Not so much. Grocery stores get me excited; I'm generally too awe-struck to notice anything but what's on the shelves. I'm definitely conscientious of what's in MY cart, though. This is half worry about being judged, and half keeping myself in line. I like a balanced cart -- produce (if it wasn't purchased at the farmer's market), protein sources, canned goods, junk food, etc. If I didn't do this, my boyfriend and I would be walking out of the store every week with $10 worth of potato chips, a couple bags of candy, and ice cream -- definitely not things we need.

I'm another looker - I try not to judge though, because I'm also one of those people who might have 2 pounds of butter, chocolate chips, a dozen eggs, and a package of spinach in my basket. It's just interesting to see what other people are buying, and this thread makes it pretty obvious that that's something nearly all of us do.

All time favourite sighting: an elderly man at our local No Frills with a full-size shopping cart literally filled to the brim with packages of fetuccine and canned vienna sausages and nothing else. (All loose, and there were probably 50 cans in that cart!)

Once a drunk trying to trade in cans at the register took a glance at my cart and declared (loudly) "You a vegetarian!" I'm still flabbergasted at the lucidity of that observation compared to his really woeful state (the kind of drunk you can tell was literally face down on the pavement 15 minutes ago). So yeah--EVERYBODY looks.

I call it "The Grocery Store Game" and I used to play it all the time until one time, the guy behind me checked out with about 6 power bars and a container of hand lotion.

That's when I stopped.

I'm only an occasional peeker, and not really into judging. I do really get a laugh out of the idea that some people are out at the store trying to make heads or tails of the hodgepodge of items in my cart! I usually have a pretty perplexing mix of items in my cart, ranging from healthy and pricey to ramen noodles, with a few random things like men's deoderant. I always buy the biggest package of eggs and several bags of frozen broccoli.

Of course, there was also last night's trip for ice cream and cheap wine...

Wow... I can't believe the number of judgers. It makes me wonder what people are thinking about my shopping habits. Jalapeno chips, Excedrin, o.j., and a bag of spinach. Four bottles of blanc de blanc, some brussel sprouts, sausages, and a turkey. A cart full of beer and a bottle of Lillet. Munchies, Thanksgiving, and a boozer? Hardly, nope, and well... maybe.

I'm generally the type that just stares into space or at the magazine headlines while waiting to be rung up, but a few days ago I'm sure my eyes were as wide as saucers looking at the people in front of me. They bought 3 cartfuls of food (packed, to the top and over). The funny thing is, I didn't notice anything that they were buying, I was just amazed by the sheer amount of food. And that it only cost them $450 when my 2-3 bags generally runs around $70-100. Crazy.

@art - The "no liquor before 11am" isn't an Illinois state law, but I know of many towns that have that ordinance. For those of you who don't live there, liquor laws go by municipality, not county, so it can be kind of an odd hodgepodge.

Back to the question! I've had numerous pleasant conversations about products with curious people in grocery lines. I always peek.

@maddhatter: I've been that person so many times - not normal household shopping of course, but catering for events on a tight budget! Always feel self-conscious buying such crazy quantities (a dozen loaves of bread? Eighty sausages? Etc etc... Everyone must think I'm a right weirdo...)

(personally, I stare at the floor and just hope no one speaks to me. If they do, I wind up going home freaking out about the world watching my every move to spot when I start doing life wrong, so..)

Oh heck yeah! And then I pass harsh, silent judgement.

I'm more concerned that this shopping cart actually has a warning label in it. Seriously? People need these sorts of things nowadays?

where i live there are a lot of people on welfare and food stamps for the twenty thousand kids they have. the kids they also take w/ them to the groceries. their carts are filled with cases of soda, cases of ramen, 5 boxes of different sugared cereal, cookies, chips. that's about it. its only when I go to wild oats that I see variety of things that might make a yummy meal.

I don't look in other people's carts because I think it's rude. Most people only look in others carts so that they can judge their purchases and decide if they're buying the food they think people should buy. More often than not, it's not an impulse that is driven by curiosity, but by insecurity and a need to feel superior.

The world would be a lot better off if people minded their own business and squelched their need to judge. How small must your mind be to judge people by the chips, soda, or junk food in their carts? What other people eat is really not the concern of others. Live your own life as you please and let others live theirs, and stay off the high nutritional horses.

While shopping, I generally don't notice other people's carts unless they're overflowing with stuff or they have a cute kid or little dog sitting in 'em. I am generally too focused on my own groceries to look. Though you can't really avoid looking at people's stuff when you're in line, especially if the tabloids aren't very interesting. In that case, I do (silently) judge the people buying loads of junk food and prepackaged meals.

@ witchbaby: I think your generalizations are a bit harsh. I have seen plenty of folks using food stamps/state assistance to buy healthy stuff. You can even use them at the farmer's markets here.

That said, I love to check out what is on other people's carts. It's just another form of people watching.

i usually just read the gossip magazines but i've often wondered if people are looking in my cart and judging it..or i wonder what the cashier and bagger are thinking about my food selections...

I imagine there is an enormous amount of confirmation bias going on in those who comment about food stamps = ramen and the "the food matches the person".

Would your brain explode to see my chubby self checking out with a cart full of fresh produce, beans, whole raw grains, and a bit of lean meat?

If alone, I always wear my iPod and listen to music.

i belong to a bulk food buying club, and i look in people's virtual carts. we place all of our orders online, and then distribute one night a month. that's how i usually notice what's on sale, or new items i've been wanting to try. we also talk about things like which is the best eco-dish soap and why. i think others do the same. one person noticed i bought bulk mustard seeds and asked me what i planned to do with 5 lbs. every year i make it into delicious holiday gifts. then she added some to her cart to do the same.

I peek, and tend not to judge. I just find it interesting- seeing what are other peoples 'staples', its like going over to someone's house, looking in their fridge and being amazed that they have entirely different contents- people use other types of butter? Not everyone has honey yoghurt or a large packet of bacon?

If people judge me I wouldn't come out looking very good. We buy packaged things a supermarkets- meat and fresh vegetables are saved for the butcher and the fruit market. So our cart is full of lollies, chocolate, soft drink, yoghurt, pasta, chips, juice and toilet paper..

I always look and I always think of what other people will think about my cart. Like this one time when we had tacks, duct tape, heavy cream and cooking oil. Oh god. What would they think?

I peek sometimes. I don't really judge, though sometimes I store away funnier ones. My fiance and I cook healthy meals almost every day of the week, but we get our produce from farmers market and most of our meat at the local co-op. The grocery store is where we get frozen meals, soda, and the occasional chocolate bar. I know we get judged, but I don't really care. I know I eat healthy, and I don't know these people!

I've only been embarrassed twice- the time I bought tampons and chocolate (and nothing else), and the time I forgot my ID for alcohol. My fiance had his ID, but we'd just moved to a state that did IDed everyone in your party, when the state we lived in previously only IDed the buyer. Also, I am 21, and I look young for my age. So, I got dirty looks while I fumbled for my ID, realized I'd forgotten it, and meanwhile cashier lady has called over her manager. That was one of the more embarrassing I've been in, actually.

acbuiten--
no, no, when you see the lady with the tampons and chocolate, with nothing else, that's when you definitely DON'T judge. you sympathize. ditto people who buy five boxes of tissues, tylenol, soup, and three pints of ice cream.

i don't really peek or judge, but i think how you carry yourself makes a huge difference on whether you are judged, or even noticed. i've heard such horror stories about people treating cashiers (and other people in the service industry) badly that i make sure i'm really nice, say hello, wish them a good day/morning/evening, etc. if you're too busy having a nice conversation with someone, they're usually too distracted to judge you. at that point, the person behind you is usually eavesdropping, so they're not judging you either.

i only judge if that person is being a dick. talk on your cell phone, throw things around, don't say "please" or "thank you", completely oblivious to everyone around you and/or their personal space...you're fair game.