I hate grocery shopping. And when I say hate, I don’t just mean I find it annoying or an inconvenient chore. I despise grocery shopping and try to avoid it at all costs.

I only go with my partner because he wants my help planning meals for the next few weeks, and he claims it’s a romantic way to spend time together. For me, I’d rather do anything else together. We could take out the trash or clean the bathrooms together instead. But alas, I go because he wants to do it together.

When there, I pick a few very random items at first glance. Think cucumbers, muffins, and ice cream (nothing that would form an actual, let alone balanced, meal). Then I get overwhelmed, kind of shut down, and mill about, waiting till he is done actually meal planning and shopping. I contribute my half financially at check out, and we get out of there!

As I’ve mentioned, my fiancé is away working at a Scout camp all summer. This presents a challenge because I become solely responsible for feeding myself. Gasp! I know this may sound silly as an adult, but it’s one of those skills I just don’t have. Executive functioning in other areas, like time management, doing laundry, etc.? Soars above average. Grocery shopping and feeding myself? I’m so bad at it, it’s not even funny.

My partner, being the sweetheart that he is, finally got tired of me subsisting on cereal and takeout each summer. This year, he said no more! For the last several months, he has been freezing leftover portions of dinners, for me to then eat over the summer. It’s mostly chicken, or other protein sources that I definitely would not trust myself to cook, let alone even feel confident enough to try cooking.

Then, get this: He made a spreadsheet of everything stored in the freezer and recommended sides for me to make to go with each dish, like rice or couscous, and vegetables or fruit. Actual nutrition! Unlike meat, I can make rice. The problem is more that when I go to make a meal, I get overwhelmed and forget that rice exists. Thus, this spreadsheet is extremely helpful.

Joe also created a grocery shopping list for me, to go every couple of weeks and keep these side dishes and other essentials stocked. Here’s the problem: I still hate grocery shopping. And now I don’t have Joe to convince me to go with him. He’s been gone for two weeks, and I’ve bought toilet paper. I’ve stocked up on pet food. I still haven’t gone grocery shopping for myself.

Finally, I decided to make an accommodation for myself. I put the list Joe gave me into the Aldi’s website, and I ordered pickup. Finally, I would have groceries. It does feel a little silly to not just go in the store and get the items myself. I feel guilty and like I’m splurging on a fancy service, when it’s really not that big of a deal. So many people use grocery pickup or delivery.

Plus, this is an accommodation that helps me feed myself, and that is a worthwhile change. It only cost a few extra dollars, and honestly it saved me a lot of time too, to then go just pick up the ready bags on my way home from work.

Accommodations are okay. Yes, independence is a worthy goal, but that doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help too.

Morgan