A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from January 21, 2011
“Never go shopping when you’re hungry”

“Never go shopping (for food) when you’re hungry” is a modern adage, cited in print since at least 1971. Studies showed that a hungry shopper spent more and a well-fed shopper spent less at the supermarket. The advice to not shop on an empty stomach has appeared in many newspaper articles and books.
 
“They say never go food shopping when you’re hungry, but it’s been over a week now and every day I just get hungrier” is a humorous variation that was posted on Reddit—Jokes on December 6, 2016.
 
“Three Rules to Live By: Don’t shop when hungry, don’t date when horny and don’t update your status when drunk” became popular in 2012.
 
“Accidentally went grocery shopping on an empty stomach and now I’m the proud owner of aisle 7” is a related joke.
       
   
17 June 1971, Robesonian (Lumberton, NC), pg. 15, col. 8:
SUPERMARKET SAVING—Never go shopping for food when hungry. The shopper buys less on a full stomach.
 
13 August 1972, Great Bend (KS) Daily Tribune, pg. 13, col. 6:
HUNGER AND FOOD SHOPPING
If you go food shopping when you’re hungry, chances are you’ll spend more money in the supermarket.
 
One survey indicates that women who had not eaten for five hours prior to their weekly shopping trip spent an average of $5.76 more than usual. Those who had eaten something within two hours of shopping spent an average of $7.48 less than usual. So never go shopping on an empty stomach if you’re trying to stretch your food dollars.
     
11 September 1972, Aberdeen (SD) Daily News, “Your Money’s Worth” by Sylvia Porter, pg. 4, col. 2:
NEW YORK—Don’t let your husband come along on the weekly supermarket shopping trip, if you can possibly avoid it.
 
Never go shopping for food on an empty stomach.
(...)
. Avoid going shopping when you’re hungry because this is another sure way to increase your impulse buying. Surveys reveal that those who shop after meals spend up to 17 per cent LESS than those who shop before eating.
 
Google Books
Economic Issues for Consumers
By Roger LeRoy Miller
St. Paul, MN: West Pub. Co.
1975
Pg. 182:
Two cardinal rules should be followed to avoid overspending in the supermarket: (a) never go shopping when you are hungry, and (b) never take children or a spouse with you.
     
Google Books
The Total Man
By Dan Benson
Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers
1977
Pg. 70:
Never go shopping on an empty stomach. Shopping while hungry will make the bakery or ice cream shop only more tempting, and if you’re in a grocery store you’ll be apt to pick up several “impulse” items you don’t really need.
 
Google Books
The Easy, Low-Cost Way to Total Beauty
By Lelord Kordel
New York, NY: Putnam
1979
Pg. ?:
Never go shopping for food when you’re hungry.
 
Google Books
11 April 1983, Jet magazine, “How Full-Figured Women Can handle Their Weight Problem,” pg. 24, col. 2:
Never go shopping while you’re hungry.
 
Google Books
Jackie Zeman’s Beauty on the Go
By Jacklyn Zeman with Dianna Whitley
New York, NY: Simon and Schuster
1986
Pg. 83:
Never go shopping on an empty stomach. Hungry shoppers buy unnecessary items. It’s all too easy to buy that bag of cookies and start in on it right in the store.
 
Google Books
Cooking with Joy:
The 90/10 cookbook

By Joy Bauer with Rosemary Black
New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press
2004
Pg. 14:
Rule #2: Never go shopping hungry.
Shopping on an empty stomach causes you to overbuy—amd often overeat, when store employees are handing out free food items to tempt you.
 
Google Books
$3 Meals in Minutes:
Delicious, Low-Cost Dishes for Your Family That Can Be Prepared in No Time!

By Ellen Brown
Guilford, CT: Lyons Press
2009
Pg. 3:
Here’s the first rule: stick to that list. Never go shopping when you’re hungry; that’s when non-essential treats wind up in your basket.

Posted by Barry Popik
New York CityFood/Drink • Friday, January 21, 2011 • Permalink


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