The “Good Intentions” Grocery Haul: 8 Foods We Buy for the Person We Wish We Were

A fresh, vibrant trout rests on a bed of crushed ice inside a metal tray. Buying raw fish with the best intentions of cooking a gourmet seafood dinner often leads to waste when weeknight fatigue sets in and takeout wins instead. Pexels.

Every shopper has experienced the psychological phenomenon known as the aspirational grocery haul. You walk down the supermarket aisles feeling motivated, inspired by wellness culture, and determined to completely overhaul your diet starting Monday morning. Your cart fills up with organic superfoods, complex ingredients, and fresh produce that reflect an idealized version of your daily life. However, once reality sets in and your busy work week resumes, those ambitious purchases sit untouched until they spoil. Buying groceries for the person you wish you were instead of the person you actually are is one of the fastest ways to drain your budget and fill your trash can. I will examine eight common foods that routinely fall victim to this cycle.

1. The Giant Clamshell of Delicate Spring Greens