Tin Can Pepper

Grocery shopping.
One of my jobs in our house is to do our grocery shopping. When assigning who does what that's what I raised my hand for. I knew exactly what I was getting myself into.
I used to really I hate it. The truth is that before Jason, grocery shopping was not something I did much. I never made a list. Never made a budget for it. Never could tell you what was on what isle.
But things have changed. I'm a new person. I am grocery shopper. I'm actually a pretty good grocery shopper.
Like most things I take on, I researched it. I googled coupons that I've never used. I tried to find a list of staple items. Something tangible to make my first grocery list. I found nothing of the sort.
You can't google a grocery list. It's just not how it works.
Apparently its all trial and error. And I really hate trial and error.
You might be asking yourself why if I hated grocery shopping did I raise my hand for it? It's simple.
I'm the bargain hunter and Jason is the package shopper.
If the bargain shopper goes shopping the monthly bill is less than $200.
If the package shopper goes shopping it will be $200++++++ and all they have to show for it is four or five of the best products on the market. Some ribs, and some steaks.
Why?
A bargain hunter = a person who buys the item that is the cheapest on the shelf
A package shopper = a person who looks for the coolest looking product.

I didn't even know there were package shoppers until I met Jason.
There were tell tale signs in the beginning.
A bottle of wine with an extravagant label.
Chips in in a beautifully constructed bag made to look like it had been recycled a hundred and fifty times over.
You could open the cabinets at his apartment and find products with beautiful labels. Cursive letters, bright colors, elaborate packaging. Phrases on them that said, "organic" "100% tastier"
I knew when I saw these things at Jason's place when we were dating that something was up. Confirmed it when we went shopping together.
For every cheap store brand item I picked up. Jason's picked up the most expensive, nicest looking product. "Look," He would say, "Now doesn't this look nice." His eyes would sparkle with excitement. A big smile on his face.
In those days, I let it go. It was his money.
But now. It's ours.
So a few nights ago, when Product Shopper asked me Bargain Huntress if we could have a grocery store date, I should have known what was in store for us....ha "in store"!
He called me at work and offered to ride over to the store with me. Asked me if I had a grocery list.
Nope, cataloged in my head, I say. (I lied.)
There's silence on the other line. (I know he's contemplating staying home because this could take longer than he hopes for.) I need to lasso him back in and fast.
You see as a bargain huntress, I know a great deal when I see it. I see a great deal all wrapped up in one. I see a grocery cart pusher, a grocery bagger, an grocery loader, and best of all a grocery UNloader. I need to keep him interested or I could lose all of the above.
"You know, I know exactly what I need. And it should only take a hour at the most. (more like three hours, really who knows...I forgot to make a list so it could take forever)." I'm trying my best to sound convincing.
A package shopper doesn't shop for three hours like Bargain Hunters do. They wouldn't waste time. They are in and out of the store in less than fifteen minutes. It's not unusual for this breed of shoppers. They can spot a good product in seconds.
Bargain hunters? Not so much.
"Oh okay, I'll go, but an hour, okay?." He says.
"Yep just an hour. :)" And we are set to go.
We get to Wal-Mart----I know---the dreaded Wal-Mart, I don't know why I skipped out on Casey Jones, my market of choice. I immediately remember why I don't bring my husband with me to the store. Why I choose to shop alone. Why I choose not to have someone challenge my Great Value and Equate purchases.
It all starts with pepper and its down hill from there.
Jason's been loading the grocery cart with some things he's been needing for some ribs he plans to cook later this week. Pepper is one of those things he needed.
I wasn't really concerned about any thing he's been throwing in the cart until the pepper.
"Hey, what do you think about this pepper." He says.
(Oh no.)
I glance around my shoulder at the pepper he's holding up for me. I walk over and sure enough its one of those metal container peppers jars. I'm kind of a sucker for those too, so I halfway understand why he's interested in it.
It has a black label over a gold tin can and nice bold lettering. It looks (....very Saints-like) antique and vintage. It screams "hey I'm the old-school" pepper. It looks.....more expensive than regular pepper.
I look at him and say "okay where's the other pepper you had?"
He reaches into the cart and pulls another tin can pepper. Maybe they all come like this...I starting to wonder whether I have I ever bought pepper. Do they even make Equate pepper?
Suddenly I too am fascinated by tin can pepper.
I quickly pop back into reality, "Well I say (thinking about bargains again) what's the price difference?"

"Its a dollar more...BUT it has two more ounces."
This is the problem with the bargain huntress, she can be adamant in her ways, eyes on the prize, ever focused on the bargain, but this can be no match for the package shopper who can become just as convincing as the product he is infatuated with.
I'm too tired to do the math. I'm sold. But wait---
"Okay well where is it made?" Shouldn't that have some factor? I can't let him win. Not over pepper.
We start scanning the fine print.
Minnesota and then the other can - Minnesota.
Both are Minnesota.
Pepper Competitors.
Okay you win, Jason.
But that wasn't the end, it was the beginning. For every Equate brand I went for, there was Jason's fancy brand. I tried losing him in the store but it only worked for a little while.
At one point, I suggested we split up. Go our separate ways. Makes sense, I say. We are shopping for different things.
Truth is I need to get away. And fast. I need to buy my Equate, my Great Value.
Once I'm on my own I pull myself together. I turn down a new isle and I try to remember my mentally cataloged grocery list. Then I scan the isles for the cheap stuff. I make my way down the isles and as I turn, I see him.
Standing beside a display of something jarred. Looking at labels.
I throw the grocery cart in reverse and almost pop a wheely trying to backtrack to the isle I came from. It's too late.
"Look Carrie. It's..."
Nope I'm gone.
By the time we finished I had enough of the cheap stuff and Jason had enough of the fancy products to make us both pretty happy and satisfied with our trip.
And the pepper?
I admit it's some pretty tasty pepper. Much better than Equate and the Great Value stuff. :)