Tips for shopping with kids

When we only had 3 kids, Andre and I would take them all out and the 5 of us would grocery shop on the weekends. We did it a bit, but less often, when we had 4 kids and now with 5, it is pretty rare for us to all go out together. But with me being home during the week, I've decided that I can get at least most of the shopping done in the morning on days when my older kids are at school.

It's not always easy, and it usually results in me buying an extra treat for myself on the way out because I SURVIVED. But I do like to keep certain things in mind when I attempt to take 2-3 kids with me to the grocery store.

Try to pick a less crowded time.
It may not be possible but try to shop around 9-10am. This will mean less crowds and, hopefully, happy kids since you won't be stressed and it isn't close enough to lunchtime that they will ask to put extra food in your cart.

Make sure you can buckle the kids in.
Thankfully a lot more stores have carts that accommodate more than one kid. Aldi has a two seater and Target even has a cart that can securely buckle 3 kids! I will add though, that although the bigger Target cart has three seats, the seat that is at the front of the cart itself is not the safest place for a curious baby/toddler. There is a buckle up there but unless you tighten it so much that your kid can barely move, it is quite easy for them to get out. So for these seats, either put an older kid (3-4 years old) in this seat or invest in a cart seat cover. Those buckle a bit more securely and will help you avoid the panic that can overcome you when you turn away from the cart to grab the box of Golden Grahams only to look back and see your 1 year old standing on the seat about to fall right into the larger part of the cart!

Have a list and stick to it.
Sometimes it's nice to walk around the store just to see what is new. I would not, however, recommend that you try this with small children (save that for date night after dinner when you don't want to go home yet but you're not sure what else to do). Have your list ready (I try my best to organize by aisle if I'm going to a store I know well) and the time for your child to have a meltdown in the middle of the freezer aisle greatly diminishes.

Involve them in the selection - or at least make them think you are.
We always need bananas. They're basically m&ms to my kids, which I ain't mad about, but it does mean that nearly every trip to any store with food will involve getting bananas. Knowing this, I can tell my kids what I'm looking for in our bananas and have them point to which bunch (well, bunches cuz each trip needs at least 2) they think we should take home. I always have veto power (please don't pick the bruised ones or the ones that match the limes) but I don't have to use it much because they know what they like, too.

Be prepared to be the parent walking around with a half empty bag of chips/cookies/crackers/puffs (you get the idea) to bribe them through the store. 
I remember seeing parents with the bag of goldfish opened and in their kid's lap and not realizing why that would be necessary. HA! I totally get it now. With the amount of time it takes to shop, even if you've just given your kids a snack before you left, they could easily need another one before you're all done. Target is great because they always have free mini cookies for kids in the bakery and Hy-Vee lets kids under 12 have a free banana - utilize this FREE FOOD! And also, feel no shame in opening the applesauce pouch while finishing up your list because it could very well save your sanity.

Do you have any tips and tricks for shopping with young kiddos?