Grocery Stores Are Too Exhausting, So I Order Online 98% Of The Time (Autistic Grocery Store Costs)

Lots of loud talking and conversations. Loud intercom speakers. Trying to navigate around people. Workers encouraging small talk.

The sensory overload from all of this happening simultaneously is overwhelming. Fluorescent lights, beeping registers, cart wheels screeching, people brushing past me in narrow aisles—my nervous system is maxed out within minutes.

A grocery store trip costs me around most of my energy. So I use Instacart 98% of the time instead.

When I'm done shop in person, I need recovery time. When I use Instacart, I can still cook and function the same day without being tapped out of most of my energy completely.

Why Waiting Until The Next Day Is Worth It

Having an exact time to get my groceries helps with predictability.

I wake up at 4:30 AM. I can schedule my groceries to be delivered as early as 8 AM the next day. Free shipping if I choose next-day delivery. Also less people are likely to get their groceries delivered on that time due to work from what I've noticed (Still varies) so it helps to allow get my order delivered roughly on time (Even if it not on time all the time)

The catch? If I don't order a lot of groceries, my delivery time is often delayed several hours. It doesn’t happen every time, but it happens enough that I plan for it.

Still worth it. Delayed groceries cost fewer energy than going to the store and dealing with Navigating through aisle, light sensitivity from inside the store, and expectations periods of small talk, even during self-checkout some times.

The 2% of Times I Go In Person

When I go in person (rare):

• bread
• eggs
• urgent small items

Food Lion in my location opens at 7 AM. I walk in as soon as it opens, pick up my items, and leave immediately. No small talk, no additional shopping. Just grab and go.

Theraspecs and noise-canceling headphones the entire time as well for light and noise sensitivity defense points. No exceptions.

If I forget them, I simply don't go and either wait tomorrow or place an order on my phone to get delivered to my house later that day.

Even With Protection, It Still Costs

With Theraspecs and headphones at 8 AM ->  There are still workers trying to make small talk with me, which means masking—pretending I'm not overwhelmed, forcing a smile, responding politely when I just want to grab my items and leave.

Navigating through aisles is still problematic—just not as chaotic as it would be if I walked in an hour later.

Navigating aisles demands executive function I don't have when I'm already sensorily overwhelmed—deciding which route to take, remembering my list, locating items in unfamiliar sections. It's cognitively exhausting on top of the sensory assault.

"It's Easier to Shop In Person"

My family says this. Especially my sister. This is obviously NOT true for majority of us. (But not all of us)

Even with my accommodations, I can't stand to be inside for more than a few minutes due to sensory overload.

They said it to me so many times despite me clearly being overwhelmed to go that I simply 98% of my order on Instacart most of time and don't even think about it.

"Easier" ignores the sensory cost entirely do just "do more". I'm still getting my groceries delivered and paid for, just without the major energy tax.

Also for the days that I do shop in person, even for just a couple of items, I still prefer to track my energy to still know the impact of my energy while I'm in the store, even with my Sony XM6 and theraspec light sensitivity glasses equipped. Since if I'm operating on low energy (Such as a 2 or 3) after my shopping is over, I can move whatever I planned to work on (Such as sending an email or something else to do several days later rather in that moment since I'm already exhausted)

I built Spoons to help track this, so I can use it a reference point to ensure I'm doing less instead of more, especially on the days where I'm already quite low on cognitive energy preserves.

Launching April 2026. getspoons.app - One email when it's ready. No spam.

— Omari

Note: I'm sharing my personal experience as an autistic adult, not medical advice. If you're experiencing severe burnout or crisis, please consult a healthcare provider familiar with autism.

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