The nice folks at our local Trader Joe's store know my crew of 4 kids by sight, and some by name.   That's because they frequently come grocery shopping with me, and have been doing so practically since they were born.  

These trips to the grocery store certainly weren't relaxing, but they did start to teach my kids about food from a pretty young age.  They learned that food doesn't just appear in the kitchen, that there are lots and lots of choices to make, and they became actively involved in a discussion of why I might buy this and not that.  Here are the top 4 reasons why (I think) grocery shopping is good for your kids: