Dear grocery stores...

I'm sure we've all heard the phrase 'Don't go grocery shopping when you're hungry.' Normally I try to abide by this rule, just like Mom taught me. Unfortunately, today was one of the rare days that I don't follow that rule. I got off of work today and immediately went to our in-office gym. Not only was I drastically below my intended calorie count today, but I also upped my weight amount. So after working out for about 45 minutes (I just lifted today), I remembered that I needed to run by the grocery store on my way back to the apartment. I promise this story is going somewhere...

So I get to the grocery store and I am starving. I planned on picking up just enough items to get me through the week since the boy and I planned on making a grocery trip together this weekend. As I'm walking through the store, I'm reminding myself that I do not need Pop-Tarts, chocolate, or anything with extra calories or sugar, which of course is everything that is on the end-caps of the aisles. This got me thinking about something that I know is a very big issue in society today. Obesity.

Since obesity has become such a problem in our society today, why is the grocery store advertising high-calorie and high-sugar foods on the end-caps? I understand that people are lazy and that by having easy access to items means they are more likely to just pick from the end-caps than take the time to walk down the aisle, but still. Doesn't it make more sense, both to profits as well as to the growing need for healthier food in our society to place healthier foods on the end-caps? Healthier foods are usually more expensive than junk food, making the potential profits higher. Promoting healthier foods are also a good source of PR for the grocery stores because they can make the push that they are promoting healthier alternatives in an effort to combat the growing level of obesity in todays society.

So where is the downside? One of the reasons that there is a growing epidemic of obesity in my opinion is that grocery stores place high-sugar items on end-caps and in the easy reach of children. Children then are able to grab these items, throw them into the cart, and then beg and plead their parents  to let them keep the items. Considering that most parents are also contributing to the problem, this just compounds onto already poorly made decisions made on the parents part.

So where does that leave us? Why are stores making it easier for us to make poor dietary decisions? Sound off your opinions in the comments!

For the record, by the way, I purchased fiber bars, light yogurt, wraps for peanut butter and apple wraps for my lunches, brown rice, black beans, and peanut butter.