12 items or more?
it's a pretty well-known fact that the most efficient way to grocery shop is by 1)making up a list before you go and 2)not going when you're hungry.
well, these rules still apply to NYers except when shopping at Trader Joe's in Union Square.
follow by these guidelines and you can be in and out of there in under 30 minutes!
1)make sure to take a partner. that could be your roommate, your husband, girlfriend or just friendly neighbor. this is very important - this rule alone can cut your time by half.
2)as soon as you enter and grab your grocery cart, one of you must go to the end of the line that has snaked all the way around the store. if you're planning on buying 12 items or less, make sure to stand in the express line. there's usually a guy with a big sign post waving it by the cheese section so you don't waste your time by standing in the longer line.
3)once you've grabbed your position in line, take turns to dart off to the different aisles and grab whatever it is that you're looking for. if you and your said neighbor, girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, etc have the same taste, you can also split the foods up later. A lot of the food come in bigger bulk and won't go to waste then.
4)while standing in line, make nice with the williamsburg-type, hipster kids working there to make time go by faster. everyone there is super friendly.
5)get nods from standers-by and workers when you refuse plastic or paper but pull out your own eco-friendly shopping bags.
