For anyone who has ever gone to the store with kids in tow, you know how difficult it can be. I remember having a four year old and a newborn and wondering how to make it work. Trying to coordinate nap times, care for my baby while shopping, and keep my preschooler from putting more cookies in the cart was HARD WORK.

Not to mention, the extra effort you put in if you have a little explorer. Chasing a little one who is weaving in and out of the aisles at lightning speed is not my idea of a good time. My toddlers never enjoyed sitting in the cart, they preferred to walk (or run) like big boys! There would be times that I would go to the store with a long list of groceries and only come home with a fraction of the items. By the end of the trip I would be so exhausted that I wouldn't feel like making lunch or dinner. Pizza was often ordered on the way home from the grocery store (it still is!). 

As my children got older and I could leave them at home more often, I would often take trips to the store by myself. "Me time" is important... even if it's just a trip to the grocery store! It was a lot more relaxing for sure but still very time consuming. 

Then I heard about Giant Eagle's new Curbside Express Service from my friend Samantha, and let me tell you, this is a game changer for parents with little ones!

Ordering online with Curbside Express can save you hours every week. Part of the exhaustion of grocery shopping with little ones is getting them in and out of their car seats, pushing the heavy cart, and loading all the groceries into your car at the end. Another positive is that you save money by avoiding impulse buys. You can see your total as you are adding items, so you don't have to worry about keeping track in your head as you go.

No more bribing your kids with treats at the checkout (I've done this more times than I would like to admit). Review your cart before checking out to make sure you stayed on budget and adjust accordingly.

Your first 3 orders are free and it's a mere $4.95 per order after that. Arguably, that's well worth the time and energy you will save!

How does it work?

1. Order online.
2. Pick your store. Locally, Curbside Express is offered at the Giant Eagle on Interchange Rd. in Erie.
3. Choose your groceries. View sale items and specials. Everything is hand selected to your liking. For example, if you like your bananas to be a little green, you can request that! You'll be pleased to know that cold items are safely stored in insulated coolers with proper temperatures maintained by ice packs. Online payment is available and you can save your shopping list for future use!
4. Schedule a pickup time — they’re available every day: 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Pull into the curbside express pickup area and your designated shopper will load everything into your car for you.
5. Happily pull away knowing how much time, effort, and potential frustration & tears you saved! There's no need to dread shopping day any longer!

As a parent, your time and sanity is precious! Think of how much more you can accomplish and how much less stressed you would be with a couple extra hours every week! Hooray for Curbside Express!