Today, I had one of those sweet, unexpected moments with my son Darius that turned into something deeper than I ever imagined. What started off as a casual chat ended up teaching me a lot—not just about grocery stores, but about the joy of curiosity and how much our kids absorb from the world around them.
We were just relaxing when Darius asked, "Mom, do you know what the largest grocery store in the U.S. is?" I raised my eyebrows, curious to hear where this was going. Without skipping a beat, he told me it was Jungle Jim’s—the very same place we’ve visited in Ohio so many times. I was shocked. I always knew it was big, but I didn’t know it was that big.
( If you enjoyed this post and want to try the ingredients and tools that helped shape the Bloveslife brand, feel free to check them out below! Every view or purchase you make is a way of supporting Blove’s passion and dedication to the community.
- 7.5 Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven: https://amzn.to/4dcUqms
- Lodge Pre-seasoned Cast Iron Skillet: https://amzn.to/3TyyMSA
- Bamboo Seasonings Box with Mini Spoon: https://amzn.to/4dfHzA6 )
“Jungle Jim’s is over 200,000 square feet, Mom!” he said with the kind of excitement only a kid with a newfound fun fact could have.
Then he brought up Woodman’s in Wisconsin—another massive supermarket we’ve been to. It hit me then: we’ve actually been walking through history in a way, visiting some of the largest grocery stores in the entire country... and didn’t even realize it at the time.
"Isn’t that iconic, Mom? Like, we literally have access to some of the biggest grocery stores in the U.S.!" he said with such pride.
The conversation didn’t stop there. He recalled a giant supermarket in Utah, though the name slipped his mind. That led us into a deeper chat about the state itself, and how around 60% of Utah’s population is Mormon—or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). We looked it up together, and it sparked a beautiful side discussion about culture, faith, and how geography shapes people’s lifestyles and businesses.
What amazed me most was not the facts themselves—but the heart behind them. Darius wasn’t just listing trivia; he was connecting dots, exploring how something as ordinary as a supermarket can be tied to our travels, our history, and even our understanding of different communities.
It reminded me that the best conversations don’t always start with deep topics. Sometimes, they begin with a simple question—"What’s the biggest grocery store?"—and unfold into a learning moment neither of you planned for.
And that’s the beauty of parenting. 💛
“We didn’t just talk about food stores, Mom. We talked about America.”
— Darius, 12 years old.
If you’ve ever had a random little moment with your child turn into something surprisingly profound, drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear.
