The Grocery Store Is Trying To Trick You

TOP OF MIND

I can't believe Walmart would do this to me
It might be hard to hear this, but your local grocery store is NOT your friend. Experts say they’re constantly brainstorming ways to make you spend more money.

One example of this? They tend to place the worst deals at eye level. Expensive name brands are strategically positioned to be the first thing you see as you walk down the aisle, while store brands and generics are usually placed higher or lower on the shelf.

Even the music they play inside the store is strategic. One study found playing slower music (defined as 72 beats per minute or fewer) in a supermarket resulted in a 38 percent increase in average gross sales.

But wait, there's more!

Bigger shopping cart? Bigger bill. Popular items like eggs, milk and bread are often placed in the back of the store with the intention of making you pass by all the extra goodies you don't actually need.

You can read the rest of the tricks here.

The important bits
So how can you actually save at the grocery store when the entire system is meticulously designed to make you spend more? Blindfold yourself when you walk in.

No, okay... don't do that. Sorry.

You can start by studying all the tricks listed above. Instead of picking out the first thing you see on the shelf, maybe try bending those knees to see what's hanging out at the bottom. It'll probably be a better deal.

Avoid name brand items if you can, and buy in bulk when it comes to the items you use the most.

Look for coupons... they still exist! You can find coupons online via your favorite store's app, or just Google "[your favorite store] coupons”.

Lastly: meal plan before you go! If you go in with a solid plan, you just might get out alive.

What's it all mean?
Every company wants your money. Don't make it easy on them! Check out this Reddit thread of creative grocery saving tips.

DID YOU HEAR

🙏 The most Godly state is...
Mississippi. According to a new study from Pew Research Center, 81% of Mississippian parents support Christian prayer in public schools. Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and South Carolina also have strong support. States that oppose the idea? D.C. (69%), Oregon, Vermont and Connecticut. See where your state stands here.

🌊 Do you know a Noah?
BabyCenter is able to get a live look at the most popular baby names, thanks to parents registering their baby's name on the BabyCenter app. How are the trends looking? Well, very similar to last year. Noah, Liam and Oliver are still the top three boy names, but the trend for girl names has changed slightly. Emma is now out of the top three and has been replaced by Sophia. Olivia and Amelia have the top two positions locked down. View the full list here.

💸 How the BBB might impact your family
Last month, the House passed Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" and not everyone is happy about it. Across four recent polls (Washington Post, Fox News, KFF, and Quinnipiac), the legislation averaged 24 points underwater, with 55% opposing and 31% supporting it. Reasons for the lack of support include potential cuts to health care for kids in poverty, as well as food assistance programs.

📱 The parental controls you need to know about
Apple has released new updates that make it easier to remotely manage your child's screen time, content access and more. Here's how you can make the most of those settings to ensure your kids are protected from the dangers that come with phones and tablets.

💅 This 10-year-old has a $2,000 Sephora beauty routine
We've gone too far.

DOSE OF GOOD

@underrated.simpsons

I was late to work because of this argument 😭 #argument

BITES WITH KIYAH

No sugar ≠ no problems!
You’ve probably reached for a diet soda or a “no sugar” protein bar thinking they were the better, healthier, choices. You may even give them to your kids, thinking the same thing.

But two new studies suggest some of these sweeteners might come with real health risks, including diabetes and stroke. This week, I’m sharing what to watch out for and how to get back to basics with food that actually nourishes.

Read all about it or watch the video here.

TLTR
Michael Pollan said it best: Eat whole (real) foods. Mostly plants. Not too much.

LISTEN UP

The Weekly Parent Podcast
Like our newsletter? You'll love our podcast, hosted by the one and only, Dr. Kiyah Duffey!

The first episode will drop on August 1, and will feature Kiyah sitting down with Erin Walsh, founder of Spark & Stitch and author of It’s Their World: Teens, Screens, and the Science of Adolescence, to discuss parenting in the digital age and the science behind adolescent development.

Watch the trailer below!

We'll be covering topics from baby-led weaning and potty training, to questioning your purpose as a parent and rethinking modern parenting.

More info to come!

HERE’S A QUESTION

A pediatrician on TikTok sparked a major debate when she addressed the topic of disciplining other people's children.

Last week, we asked you how you loaded utensils into the dishwasher and, believe it or not, the vote was split 50-50 between handles up and handles down... so we learned nothing!

RECALLS

Little Remedies, big problems
Popular children's cough medicine Little Remedies is recalling five lots of its Honey Cough Syrup due to the “presence of Bacillus cereus and loss of shelf-stability."

Bacillus cereus is a bacteria that can cause two kinds of foodborne illnesses, both related to unpleasant gastrointestinal issues. The recalled product was distributed nationwide between Dec. 14, 2022 and June 4, 2025.

Get all the important details here.