Most of us write shopping lists to ensure we don't forget the essentials, but very few of us stick to what's written down.
Now, our most common impulse buys have been revealed in a new survey.
The relatively small but insightful study compared the shopping lists of 250 customers with what they actually bought as they were leaving six Tesco stores in and around London.
The survey, conducted by Tesco data analysts Dunnhumby, found that bananas were the most common impulse buy among shoppers.
The survey revealed that the top 10 items people write on their shopping lists are:
Milk
Bread
Eggs
Potatoes
Bananas
Fruit
Bacon
Butter
Juice
Biscuits
But the top five unlisted items that are most bought are:
Bananas
Strawberries
The Sun
Carrots
On the vine tomatoes
Bananas may be a healthy impulse buy, but straying from your shopping list means you run the risk of filling your trolly with unhealthy food.
HuffPost Healthy Living previously asked nutrition experts for their tips on how to complete the weekly shop in a healthier way.
"Know your grocery store and go with a list of healthy foods in the order they are laid out," Elizabeth Ward recommended.
"That will help you resist temptation, and it speeds up shopping because you're not wasting time cruising the aisles for what you need."
Vandana Sheth, another expert, suggested you should always do the weekly shop just after you've eaten.
She said: "Do not attempt to grocery shop when you are hungry, as you will be surprised at the significant number of impulse buys in your cart."
A previous study from Cornell University also suggested eating an apple before hitting the supermarket may help us resist the lure of crisps and chocolate.
The researchers found that after eating an apple, shoppers bought 25% more fruit and vegetables than they would have otherwise.
SEE ALSO:
Healthy Eating Tips: 14 Foods You Should Put In Your Shopping Basket Every Week
Diet Tips: 4 Healthy Eating Myths Busted Including 'Does Bread Make You Bloated'
Healthy Foods You Should Be Eating
H/T: The Guardian