At the local Giant, the store has a bin of bananas and tangerines for the kids, free. Maybe your store does, too.

They don’t have that. They do have cookies at the bakery part for the kids though.

My local Albertson's also has a basket of fruit for the kids, free. Cleaning up the cart, though, is her responsibility. They usually have those sanitizing wipes at the front door, and hopefully she used them.

My store has free ( washed) fruit for kids with napkins provided and a mention that there are several waste baskets in the store.

I always thought it was acceptable to sample a small bit of fruit, within reason, that wouldn't cause waste or other customers to be short-term changed. I guess it would depend on store policy.

I see kids eat food all the time and have the packages scanned. I don't know how they would do fruit!

Yes several stores arou NN d here have a free banana for kids bin.

That woman should have ask for a manager, gave him her drivers license to hold while she took the car cart to a car wash.

Sure it was a banana and could have been peanut butter but hopefully if a child has a life threatening allergy to peanut butter the mother is not placing her child in danger.

How do you weigh one grape lol. I have ended up with nasty grapes too many times. I taste one now before buying. No I wouldn't taste the apples, oranges ect. Sometimes one of the grocery stores here has different fruits/veggies cut up with a clear dome lid over them, Help yourself. I don't because I see kids picking thru them touching them all.

This store doesn’t have free fruit. Occasionally on Friday or weekend there might be somebody with a tray (usually cheese). There are plenty of adults opening a carton of strawberries for example and just tasting them.

Strawberries are a harder issue. On one hand, they are expensive and it's disappointing when they taste bad. On the other, people pay by the container and I think it's wrong to eat one if you don't purchase that one. I see people sample them then pick another full container!

This seems the way of the world now. I see adults and kids routinely opening packages, taking fruit eating the contents before paying for them if they pay for them. Parents showing this behavior as normal and ok to their children. I have asked some parents why this they think this is ok one response was what am I supposed to do let my kid have a melt down in the store. I said why not leave the store and teach your child melting down in the store is not good behaviour. They scoffed at me as though I said the most idiotic thing. Another person thought because super markets/ walmart type stores are big cooperation s so taking a bandanna or such is fine. As for not cleaning up after their kid, not surprised if no one says anything most people I see will just leave their mess they just do not care or have any concern for anyone but themselves. Just look at the garbage and litter left in any parking lot, ditch, roadside, park, etc etc etc.

The fact she was allowing him to smear banana all over someone else's property makes me suspicious that she would clean the mess up.

I would try a grape to determine if I wanted to buy them if I were sure that they were properly washed. A strawberry in a container, no.

Unless someone was being hurt or abused, I would never confront a parent on how they raise their children. They aren't suddenly going to have a lightbulb moment and change their parenting techniques. And it puts you at risk for being punched out... or shot!

I guess with my kids grown up I forgot how much of a mess a banana can make. Not that they ever had one while shopping. I also always had a ziplock bag in my purse to put messes in if there was no trash can. Never occurred to me to put a banana peel in my purse like that. Not much else to do but wondering about people’s habits while waiting in line. So do you all agree a grape that is sold by the pound is ok, but don’t take a raspberry out of the tiny package? They were 3.33 on sale. Different topic, I suppose.

Oh, and I don’t interfere with parenting. I might comment on someone doing a remarkable job though.

Iris, i doubt everyone would agree that a grape is ok but i do. Theres been too many times that ive thrown out more than half the grapes because they werent any good. I dont taste them because i imagine e coli and chemicals.

I wasn't thinking of you with my parenting comments. To me froggy took a risk speaking up to parents.

40ish years ago I was in a Vons grocery store in CA. When I rounded an aisle I saw a woman stick meat in her purse. As I passed her I said that I saw what she did. A few minutes later when we met again on another aisle, she threw a can at me. I had a huge boob bruise. Of course she was no where in sight when the cops got there. I learned to mind my own business. And when it comes to someone else's children...nope! Emotions can run very high.

I have sometimes seen people unwrapping and eating a candy bar in stores. I hope they pay for it. And cameras are in stores. But who is looking at them constantly I wonder.

Moonie, not long ago I saw a guy with three little kids. He wiped down the cart before piling them in. Later on in the cereal isle I overheard him telling the two older ones that the little one had a full diaper and they could not stink up the store. The two older ones didn’t seem happy he wanted to tell an employee to not clean up the stuff from his cart while he went to his car and take care of business. He stayed so calm, I just had to give him props. I might try to cheer up a screaming toddler in the check out lane, but no complains.

Well there is the possibility that she brought his banana treat in the store with her in her purse. And she was buying more because he likes them.

I carry special candy in my purse for my blood sugar, so I might be accused of eating a candy from the store when I actually brought it with me.

I don't smear banana on my cart though lol. If I was a mom I would have plenty of sanitizer and wipes in my purse!

I also carry glucose tablets and graham crackers for the rare times I have low blood sugar. It just seems odd that one does not eat in a place that sells food.

Ha! I don't ever interfere with parenting. I don't want knocked on my butt by some MOM. No thank you. :)

Kroger offers fruit to kids.

I wouldn't patronize a store that offers kids a cookie snack. A cookie is the last food they need while shopping!

A grape question here....why are they always in 2/3 pound amounts? I always take an empty produce bag and take some out of the big amounts and put them in the little bag, to purchase. And, no,I don't handle all of the grapes....just the ones I am buying. I was in Aldis the other day and a woman was really sampling them and complaining about the big bags, etc. She was rather surprised when I told her about just taking some out for her own purchase. How do you handle the grape purchases?

Second question was how to pay for the banana. She had a bunch in the cart, so I guess she could take one off and have the cashier put that on the scale and pay after paying for the other ones?

My son gave my grand daughter a banana in a store one time and we insisted on doing this to pay. Yes, he should have brought a snack but for some reason we were in a hurry that day.

Some people need to be told how to parent. It's sad that instead of accepting helpful advice from our elders people resort to violence or nastiness. It should be done in a nice helpful way of course. Not hey your kid is a brat. lol

I have a friend that said she corrects people's children at church all the time. She doesn't put up with bad behavior from her kids or anyone else's. Her children are better behaved than most adults. I tell her all the time she should write a book.

As for the original story hopefully she brought the banana from home and cleaned up the cart. I can't imagine grabbing a cart smeared with banana. What if you couldn't tell that's what it was. Ew haha

I'm not sure how the store would charge for a banana that was eaten while the parent was shopping. They are usually sold by the pound, but weighing a banana peel wouldn't give an accurate weight. I doubt they'd want to guess what the banana weighed. Bringing a snack from home would be the right thing to do, but when that's not possible it would be better to give the kid a snack that comes in a wrapper that can be scanned and not eat the banana until it has been weighed and paid for.

I don't have a problem with kids eating a snack while their parent is shopping, but if they make a mess of the cart, the parent needs to clean that up. Unfortunately, there is really no way to make them do that, so if they don't for whatever reason, it's going to fall on the store employees to do the clean up.

Stores are usually willing to weigh a single banana twice so you can pay. Stores around here have fruit for a quarter or free for the kids.

If you got to HEB or Costco at the right time, they are filled with samples and you almost get a mini meal.

I've asked about how the grapes were and have been told to try one. I don't usually eat them because I think of them as dirty. A single grape is usually insignificant in the cost. The store probably doesn't care about a single grape.

it would be better to give the kid a snack that comes in a wrapper that can be scanned and not eat the banana until it has been weighed and paid for.

The toddler was starting to get upset from being hungry. She ate the banana neatly and calmed right down. We double weighed a banana at checkout so the store lost no money.

I always split grapes because they're bagged in enormous quantities which I don't want. I put the ones I don't want in another bag. I might sound prissy but I have never eaten in a grocery store and have never fed my kids anything in the store. It's not a restaurant. If someone hands me a sample food as I pass by on a toothpick, I'll try it in one bite and throw the toothpick in the trash.

I suppose weighing another banana would work. I was thinking that not all bananas weigh the exact same amount, but you all are right. The weight difference from one banana to another would be so minor that it wouldn't matter in the big picture.

Are you folks who are tasting a grape here or there the same people who are washing the heck out of pre-washed ready-to-eat produce?

(that's a thread in the Cooking forum.)

I don't understand the need to feed kids during shopping. My kids knew what happened during which activity. Why can't kids make it through a shopping trip without eating?

All kids are different. Different ages, different medical needs or special needs. I could think of a few reasons why a child might need an urgent snack and it's not all behavioral. Ideally parents would be prepared for health needs but we are all human and sometimes things happen.

So many parents (not all of course) want a quick solution instead of actually putting in the time and effort to teach kids good habits and good behaviors. Junk food, tv and cell phones are raising kids these days. I understand sometimes things come up or children throw a fit. Take them out and teach them that behavior in public won't be tolerated. It's those kids that grow up and throw a fit in restaurants and stores to get free or discounted stuff. If I make a scene I get stuff.

I all ways try one grape before I buy. Haven’t died yet.

Yes, I have eaten something while shopping, but pay for it for sure!

I'm allowed to discipline my grandkids, as long as it's the same style my daughter uses, with love, patience and kindness.

In their house, there's no such thing as, if you don't stop, you won't....that's a threat. Just do it! Take away, time out, whatever.

At our Fry’s Food, they have a stand that has bananas and clementines on it. I don’t feel great about eating unwashed fruit though and my kids agree. There could be fruit flies, or chemicals on the outside of the fruit.

if I eat grapes in general, I don’t feel good. Except if I grow them here in my garden. There could be some things on the grapes when unwashed so I don’t eat unwashed fruit.

I give the boys an occasional treat from the store while shopping. Goldfish crackers was the last thing. We do put the package, not empty up with everything else to pay for. The boys know and understand the importance of paying for the treat. I made sure that I always made a production of how important it is to pay so they would understand not paying is stealing. I don't do it for medical reasons or any urgent reasons although I know those reasons exist and are valid. I do it because I'm just a nice grandma and enjoy giving the boys a treat if I can. No other excuse. LOL

I don't understand

It does seem that there are those who think their way is the right way and don't understand if someone does something different.

A child could be diabetic or hypoglycemic and need an urgent snack if the parents forgot to being one. They could have special needs and don't really understand the concept of proper snack time. Perhaps it was to avoid a huge meltdown. Maybe the parents had enough that day and just needed to get through the errand. Maybe it was an aunt or family friend who doesn't have the same strictness as a parent. It could be a million things other than bratty kids and parents who can't say no.

One's experience with their own children can't be applied to all children.

I'm one of those guilty of allowing my children to have something to eat while we were in the store. One of my now grown children has hypoglycemia and had to eat constantly, as do I, which is why I would be in the store a lot. All I did was keep the packages and pay for them when I purchased my groceries. I never gave bananas because that seemed a bit messy. And my kids had to be polite and ask politely if they wanted something.

I just want to say I am not judging anybody giving kids a snack while shopping. Medical issues or not. I actually don’t think this boy ate any of the banana in the first place. The banana all over the place just reminded me of the peanut butter threat. Like if this would have been peanut butter and a highly allergic kid goes in this cart next. Since there were replies to wipe the cart down before putting the child in it. Would you take the time to fold one of these wipes and kind of floss behind the steering wheel? And I was curious about the paying of course. Actually I think I will ask the produce guy if I am able to catch him on Friday to ask about their “grape policy”.

I've got 4 kids, the oldest is 10. The only times they have eaten in a store while I was shopping has been in the last few years when my local grocery store started offering a free snack size piece of fruit (apple, banana or orange) to kids.

Prior to that; as babies in carriers to toddlers sitting in the basket to preschoolers walking along side; I never brought food for them and I didn't give them anything in the store either.

If I knew I was going to be shopping and they would be hungry, I would feed them before hand or give them a snack in the car afterwards but not in a store.

None of my kids have any medical conditions that necessitate an immediate dietary requirement that can't wait until we leave the store. Maybe I would feel differently if one if them did.

If the banana was peanut butter...well IMO a parent of a child with a life threatening allergy to peanut butter should never be putting her child into a community cart without first wiping it down herself.