What Your Grocer Won't Tell You

* If you hate crowds and lines, shop at dinnertime (5-9 p.m.) or even later. Only 4 percent of shoppers hit the aisles between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. Least crowded day of the week? Wednesday!

* Go ahead and reach way back for the fresh milk. Everybody does.

* Coupons with a bar code are easy to scan. The other ones take an eternity.

* That star fruit has been here a lot longer than the broccoli. Familiar produce turns over more quickly than exotic things.

* The more products you see, the more you are likely to buy. That's why the aisles are so long and the milk is usually in the far corner.

* Like employees with a good attitude? Shop at chains that are employee owned. When employees have a stake in the profits, it shows in their attitude.

* The "grazers" order food at the deli, eat it as they're shopping and get rid of the wrappers before they check out. We also call that stealing.

* I'm not just selling groceries, I'm selling real estate. Look high and low - literally - for good values from smaller manufacturers who can't afford to stock their products in the eye-level sweet spot.

* We're marketing to your kids too. That's why we put the rainbow-colored cereals and other kiddie catnip at their eye level.

* Be wary of "specials". When people see signs with numbers "8 for $10!" "Limit: 5 per customer" - they buy 30 to 100 percent more than they otherwise might have.

* The baby formula is locked up because thieves resell it on the black market. Ditto for the cough medicine, smoking-cessation products, razor blades, and batteries.

* Driving your Ferrari to the Piggly Wiggly and want to avoid shopping-card dents? Park far, far away.

* You'll end up tossing 12 percent of what you buy.

Courtesy of Readers Digest. More things found at: http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/16-more-tips-from-your-grocer/article119347.html?trkid=MAG_FEB09