How can I make grocery shopping easier if I have arthritis?

Shop when the store is least busy. Not only is it easier to shop when you do not have to cope with aisles full of shoppers, but often you can get special services not available during busier times of the day. For example, the person at the deli counter might dice your onions and place them in a plastic bag, or the cashier might break the seals of hard-to-open jars.

According to a survey by a national grocery association, Tuesday is the least busy day of the week. However, call your favorite store to find out the days and times that are quietest. Inquire about special services to make your life easier.

Some grocery stores offer special services to help shoppers select and pick up the items they need. Smaller neighborhood stores may provide home delivery -- simply call in your “order” and, for a fee, they will deliver groceries to your home. Larger chain stores may not deliver, but they sometimes maintain a list of companies that offer pick-up and delivery service from their store.

If stores near you do not deliver, you may be able to call ahead and request that the store assemble a few items that you need and have them ready for you to pick up at a specified time. If you would like assistance in getting to and from your car, ask about having a store employee meet you at your car. Call stores in your area to ask about the services you would find most helpful, then patronize those that provide these services.

Consider grocery shopping online. Online grocers offer delivery to your door of basics, organics and hard-to-find items. Many stores offer motorized shopping scooters or wheelchairs as a convenience for their customers.

Do not be embarrassed to use them if it makes your shopping trip easier. You can collect items in the basket that’s attached to the front of the scooter.

If you have Parkinson's disease, these tips may help make grocery shopping easier:Choose a grocery store that will not defeat you before you begin. When deciding on a store, take into account not only prices and location but also layout and facilities, including restrooms. Is the store accessible?

Are the doors easy to manage? Are the floors clear of debris and obstacles? Ask if your neighborhood grocery store has a home delivery service.

Some stores will charge a flat fee, while others will require a minimum order. Delivery areas vary, and so does how far in advance you must call to place your order. Large chain stores or warehouse-type grocery stores rarely deliver, but they often have the names and phone numbers of delivery services that do.

Online grocery stores are a convenient way to shop. To avoid going out in inclement weather, you can periodically place your order over the Internet or schedule the regular delivery of your favorite foods. Unfortunately, this type of service only covers certain areas of the country.

Continue to check these web sites for changes in their delivery areas. If you don’t want to walk unassisted through a slippery parking lot, some grocery stores will send a bagger or stock person to help you get from your car to the store and back again. Other stores may allow you to pull up to the front door and have an employee park your car.

These services usually are available to regular customers who have made arrangements in advance. Ask the bagger not to fill your bags too full. Spread out the items into more, but lighter-weight, bags.

Ask that all frozen or perishable foods be put into one bag. Then, when you arrive home, you only need to empty one bag immediately; the others can wait.To make grocery shopping faster and more efficient, create a diagram of the store and list the food categories for each aisle. Then, make a master list on your computer of items you buy.

Before you go to the store, print out a list and circle each item you need. This method is especially helpful if you send a friend to do your grocery shopping—there is no question about what brand and what size of a particular item you want. Use a wagon (like a Radio Flyer) or a wheeled wire cart to move groceries from the car to the house.

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