I started walking to the grocery store instead of driving and I don't think I can go back

anything under an hour, i dont even consider not walking

Sounds fun. okay let me try it too. 

If it's, I enjoy walking to our local grocery store, for little things. I've walked about the same distance to buy a single lemon before 😂 But often times, it's not feasible for to time constraints, weather, and what I need to buy. I can put a single lemon in my pocket and walk home. But a 20, 50+ lb of cat litter? Or food for a family of 4?

I’ve been car-free for more than 10 years now, and it’s the smartest move I ever made. I’m 63, and instead of worrying about the gym, I just make my daily errands work for me. Walking to the grocery store, the post office, and the bank keeps me moving so I can still eat what I want without "the gut" taking over. It’s a sustainable way to live, and honestly, carrying those bags home feels like a win every single time.

It really is! I will often walk back after taking the bus to my physio appointment which is about a 25min walk from my place. It’s so nice!  For the days you cbf walking I recommend a bicycle with panniers or using PT :) it’s crazy how ingrained it has become to jump in a car for such short trips!

It gives your mind a chance to relax.

I find walking clears my head. I like to walk. 

I had this childhood fantasy about getting very old and living near a grocery store. I live near one now, but with the traffic going 50-70 mph, it’s probably not gonna happen.

My favorite part of this. "Medieval villager." 🤣

Everything is better when you live in a walkable neighborhood. It’s why people miss college so much and also why people love taking vacations to resorts, but we live in such a car-centric society, I wish we did more to make things walkable (or public transitable) for everyone who could benefit from it.

I wish my grocery store was on a walkable route, but I have to take a busy highway to get there, and it's over 5 miles away.

About a year ago, I decided that I would walk to do any errand I could get to in 30 minutes or less on foot. The only one I couldn't manage was the supermarket because it's just a little too far. That's about to change, though. The grocery store we go to is moving into my neighborhood--just 1.1 miles away--later this spring and I'm thrilled! I also have an ebike, and I plan to ride that for errands more as soon as I conquer my fear of traffic.

I've started doing this as well and I have noticed that it has had a positive effect on my home finances. Because when you walk to the store with only a backpack and a couple of hand held tote bags, you have limited space. You only buy the groceries that you really need to buy and you don't impulse buy other stuff as often as you'd do when you have a car and an opportunity to have multiple shopping bags full of stuff.

The next step is to visit small local shops instead of the supermarket and buying all your various things from the bakery, deli, fruit shop, butcher etc. That’s how you get the true villager feel. The supermarket is still needed for certain things, but it’s not needed for everything, esp food.

I love the way you describe the medieval villager part haha! Yeah it’s totally better to walk and get some good steps in there as well :)

If I have to walk to the grocery store and back, that'll significantly limit what I buy that day because I don't like carrying anything heavy or bulky. In our city, we have a supermarket across the street. The traffic's always heavy and the pedestrian Walk signal's very short so I drive there and back.

They're building a grocery store in walking distance. When they're done, I'm going to start doing this.

Yeah, it’s quite normal where I live to walk rather than drive (a very walkable town in Wales). That said, my usual walk into town takes me through a nature reserve where there was a pretty gruesome murder recently so… less keen on walking through there when it’s quiet or dark now

This sounds fun🤔

Just hearing about it makes me feel so relaxed, buddy! It's true that sometimes we're so caught up in racing against time that we forget about these simple joys. The feeling of leisurely walking home with a bag of groceries is both invigorating and incredibly "healing" for the soul. I swear, the "medieval villager" feeling you mentioned is spot on! It's like truly connecting with the community and the space around you, not being trapped in a metal box and speeding past everything. Keep this habit going, buddy! It saves gas, gives you toned calves, and keeps your spirits high – what more could you ask for? Wishing you many more wonderful grocery trips!

Lowkey~ It feels so amazing, not gonna lie.  Just hitting up the store and soaking in the sights on the way. Especially when the view and the timing hit just right. Totally pure bliss.  It’s like you’ve actually accomplished something, and it just clears your head.  Seriously, it's so refreshing.

It’s about an hour walk for us but we also walk. We have a collapsible wagon to haul the groceries back in.

You've accidentally discovered that the real grocery store was the walk you took along the way.

Walking four blocks to the library and postoffice. I can see the flowers and birds and get a backpack full of books while sending out mail if I need to.

I can relate. Walking is my hobby and I can carry things as long as the handle is comfortable (not the plastic that hurts the palm) or if I have to go grocery shopping, I bring backpack

I lived in Argentina for 4 years and didn’t have a car. I walked everywhere. I made friends with the shop-keepers. Like my best friend was the keeper of a small health-food store I’d saunter into now and then. My legs were in great shape. I miss those days.

I walk enough at work, 10,000 steps a day. And I have cvi so it’s very painful to work more then I need. But I get it

I did this once and without thinking, bought a huge watermelon that was on sale. That was not a fun walk home! I do it now but I am mindful of what I pick up and, if I’m wanting something large/heavy, I drive.

Same. This is why my first priority after college is to live in a walkable city. I am tired of suburbia hell

I want to try this😭I’m in the Midwest though so I gotta wait for things to heat up

We take the car for large groceries, like water bottles in bulk. Diaper boxes etc. Else we walk min.

I walk everywhere I go donating plasma. Going to the store. Going to eat

I walk when I'm getting a couple of bags of stuff. I bought a bike trailer for anytime I need to get heavy stuff or a lot of groceries. The drive is only 3 or 4 minutes but I abhor it.

The closest grocery to us is so expensive that it just couldn’t happen. The local paper did a cost comparison between it, another local (but farther from my house chain) Aldi and Walmart- which are both two highway exits away from me. The closest to me store is double the price of Aldi. We’re also a family of 5 so, I’m not hauling a gallon of milk up the road near daily hahaha! Boys drink a lot of that it seems. I’d love to be able to do that though. I did in the old town we lived in when Walmart was very close and we had sidewalks to use. We don’t have very many where we are now either. It’s a shame.

Wish i could do so, I lived in China, I used to take subway, now I drive on my e-bike to everywhere. Thinking about how to get there faster and faster

I used to do this when the grocery store was two buildings over (one of my first professional jobs, I lived in a hotel; supermarket was two parking lots over). I walked with my reusable bag, and thankfully the store had those self price checkers where you could essentially tag everything as you put it into your bag and then just use the scanner to pay when you left. It was super nice. Unfortunately, while the supermarket near me now is probably same walking distance as yours, it's not as walkable.

Didn't do it a lot, but occasionally I would take the city bus to the grocery store. It was fun.

started doing this a year ago and now driving to the store feels wrong. plus my collie thinks it's a walk so she gets excited every time i grab the reusable bags

I miss that! I have a good grocery store only a mile away, but it's an unwalkable mile. Great for car exhaust and a seriously risky game of Frogger crossing the road. I would happily go back to your method, but in a less congested area, or with better crosswalks.

We cycle to anything nearby.

Walking is great Such an underrated means of getting places

Unless you're making micro-trips and only buying stuff for a day or two, I imagine most people would not be able to carry their grocery hauls home....I usually buy 1-2 weeks worth of stuff at a time, I can't imagine trying to carry that by hand lol. The nearest supermarket to my house is also about 10 miles/20 minutes away on winding country roads with no viable shoulder to walk on, so that's an obstacle too...

Life is better on foot.

I should start doing this. My closest grocery store is less than a 5 minute drive.

I walked to the store near me one time. I started doing real grocery shopping instead of “I’m walking so just get what you need right now” shopping. Started walking home carrying 2 bags probably near 20-25 lbs. Felt easy at first but I had to set my stuff down and rest under a tree for shade lol