hab·it/ˈhabit/

n. A recurrent, often unconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition.

Yes it is true, I have a habit. One could almost go as far as to say bad? Not sure. but here it is....while food shopping one -meaning me/I- often becomes hungry. Why would one/I go through the whole store hungry when one/I is surrounded by food? So here is the "habit", I eat while I food shop. I will for instance, get a bag of carrots and while I shop I will eat them. (I should note I put that in there to sound healthy, lets get real when I shop I pound an entire package of Little Debbie Fancy Cakes not carrots). There is not a specific food, there is no rhyme or reason. I eat while I shop and I always pay for the food I have eaten which usually turns out to be an empty box/bag. I don't try to hide it either. Those accompanying me are often embarrassed and/or at times angered by this seemingly rash behavior!

Today I was at Costco and I grabbed and paid for a salad from the little Costco cafe up front. I ate my salad while I shopped. It was great. And during my balance-the-salad-in-the-front-baby-seat-part-of-the-cart-while-pushing-and-eating-without-spilling escapade I had brief "breaks" that included: lentils, crab dip, protein bar, mango salsa, frozen cream puff,zip fizz, apple turn over, David's Cookies pie, and ravioli all on a Tuesday. Costco, bless you! Not only can I buy food to eat before I even start shopping but you actually condone the idea of eating while shopping. At Safeway, Giant, Trader Joe's, and Shoppers (which scares me a little), people stare at me like I'm crazy cause I'm eating in a food store, but not chez Costco, here I am family.