Is There An Ideal Time Of Day To Go Grocery Shopping?

When we were children, grocery shopping might have felt exciting and invigorating. It was that time of the week to convince our parents that Oreos were actually more nutritious than broccoli, and, no, we shouldn't pick up more avocados. Instead, let's go down the snack aisle again. You get the picture. There used to be magic trapped in the aisles of the grocery store that many of us have lost the ability to see since becoming adults.

Today, going grocery shopping is viewed as a burdensome chore that gets in the way of our everyday routine. Shop Food lists that, among other things like there being never enough checkout stands, long lines, no parking, and the hassle of bagging up your stuff, one of the most disliked things about the grocery store is that it always seems to be overcrowded. Even when you try to switch what time of day you visit, it seems like the store is busy. Is there ever an ideal time of day to go grocery shopping?

Let's face it: Trying to predict human behavior can be a pain. We almost always do the most unexpected and often illogical things at the oddest times. You may plan to get to the store early or late, and suddenly the whole neighborhood has the same idea. The Kitchn claims that the best way to avoid hitting an unexpected rush hour is to use Google Maps.

Google Maps uses actual data to track how busy your grocery store is at various hours and can help you pick the best time during the week to boogie on over without the hassle. Today explains that based on the data collected by Google Maps, generally speaking, the least busy time of the week to hit up the store is 8 a.m. on Mondays. It makes sense that no one wants to get up to grocery shop early on a Monday. But if you're looking at that 8 a.m. time stamp with dread, feel free to pick a different time. Just make sure it just isn't 12-3 p.m. on Saturdays, which tends to be the busiest time of the week to shop.