You just had surgery. The grocery run is the last thing you should be doing.
A real Twin Cities shopper goes to Cub, Costco, Target, or anywhere you need — on a live video call with you sitting on the couch. You point. They pick. We deliver. Free local delivery in Minneapolis & St. Paul.
Who this is for
If your surgeon told you "no driving for 6 weeks," "no lifting more than 10 pounds," "rest and stay off it," or "don't go out in crowds while your immune system recovers" — Selectido is built exactly for the gap that creates.
🦵 Knee or hip replacement
6 weeks no driving. Walking is therapy, not grocery-store endurance. Get the food in without burning a recovery week on errands.
👶 C-section recovery
Lifting limits + a newborn = no realistic way to grocery shop. We deliver diapers, formula, snacks, and easy meals so you can recover.
💊 Active chemo
Crowds are dangerous. Energy is finite. We pick up the prescription too — same session, same delivery.
🩺 Abdominal or back surgery
No bending, no twisting, no carrying. Sit on the couch. Direct the shopping. Stay healing.
❤️ Cardiac procedure recovery
Cardiac rehab schedule is enough. Get the low-sodium, heart-healthy items without a Cub trip you don't have stamina for.
👁️ Eye surgery / no driving
Cataract, LASIK, retinal procedures often mean no driving for days or weeks. We come to you instead.
How it works
Book before discharge
Most patients book the day before they go home from the hospital, with delivery the day they're discharged. Set up a recurring weekly slot for the recovery window.
Tap the link from your couch
At your scheduled time, open the text or email and tap the link. The video opens in your browser. No app, no install. Sit, lie down, whatever feels OK.
Direct the shop in your pajamas
Your shopper walks the aisles. You see what they see. Read labels. Compare brands. Approve every item. Sessions are typically 45-75 minutes — low energy.
Free delivery to your door
Items get dropped at your door so you don't have to. We can leave bags right inside the entryway if you ask. No carry, no stairs, no stress.
A pre-surgery checklist that uses Selectido
If you're pre-surgery and reading this for planning purposes, here's a sequence that works for most procedures:
- 2 weeks before surgery: create your Selectido account, pre-load the wallet ($300-500 covers most 6-week recoveries), do a 5-minute test video call so you know your device works.
- 3 days before surgery: book your first post-op session for the day after discharge. Pick the store you usually shop. Decide if you want a recurring weekly slot.
- Discharge day: a Twin Cities shopper does your first run. Receipts and groceries arrive at your door — usually within 2 hours of the session ending.
- Weeks 2-6 of recovery: recurring weekly session — preferences saved on file so whoever picks up the booking has the context. Your job is to recover.
- Back to baseline: downshift to occasional sessions for big Costco runs or pause entirely. No subscription to cancel.
Specialty diets we handle constantly
Post-op dietary restrictions are the single biggest reason people switch from Instacart to Selectido. Static shopping lists + gig-worker swap-outs = wrong items. Live video + real-time approval = right items.
- Low-sodium (cardiac, hypertension, kidney): shopper reads sodium content out loud, you confirm.
- Low-sugar / diabetic-friendly: same — labels checked on video.
- Soft foods / post-dental / post-bariatric: shopper helps pick textures and consistencies that work for week 1, week 2, week 3.
- Low-residue / pre-colonoscopy prep: very specific list of allowed and forbidden items — easy to mess up with a static list, easy to get right on video.
- Anti-inflammatory / autoimmune diets: AIP, Whole30, gluten-free, dairy-free — read every label.
- Chemo days: bland, easy-on-stomach options — popsicles, broth, ginger candies, electrolyte drinks.
- Halal, kosher, vegan: shopper confirms certifications on packaging.
Selectido vs. Instacart for surgical recovery
Instacart is fine for "I need 5 things, send anyone." Selectido is built for the actual realities of recovery: dietary changes, dietary restrictions, low energy, no driving, no walking, and the need to feel like you have control over something while a lot of other things are out of your control.
- Instacart: static list. Gig worker. Substitutions you didn't approve. Markup on items. Service fee + delivery fee + tip. Works for "send 8 items." Less so for a real weekly run when you're recovering.
- Selectido: 1-hour live video. You see the shelves. Recurring weekly slots with preferences saved on file. No item markup. Free local delivery. $75/hr flat. Works for the real "I need to do all my groceries this week" run.
For surgeons, hospitalists, discharge planners
If you're a Twin Cities clinician and you're tired of patients telling you "I can't get to the store" as a reason they're skipping post-op nutrition or filling prescriptions late — Selectido may be a referable resource. We're happy to provide:
- Printable patient handout for discharge folders.
- A direct number for your front desk to use when scheduling discharge resources.
- Continuity-of-care notes (we can confirm a delivery happened, if useful).
Email SelectidoShopping@gmail.com with subject line "Clinician referral inquiry."
What it costs
- $75 per hour for the live shopping session (most weekly runs fit in 1 hour).
- 15% off if you book 2+ hours.
- Items at store price — no markup.
- Free local delivery within Minneapolis, St. Paul, and close-in suburbs for compact-car-sized orders.
- No subscription. No service fee. No suggested tip.
Frequently asked questions
As soon as you're awake and oriented enough to direct a video call — typically the day you get home from the hospital, or the next morning. Many patients book pre-surgery so groceries arrive the day of discharge. Sessions are seated, low-energy, and last about an hour. You can do them in pajamas from your couch or bed.
Perfect fit. We replace the entire grocery-store trip — driving, parking, walking, carrying. You sit on your couch, video-call your shopper at the Twin Cities store of your choice, point at items, and we deliver. Most 6-week recoveries use a recurring weekly slot.
Yes. Your spouse, adult child, or friend creates the account and pre-loads the wallet. You join the video call from your bed or couch. They handle logistics; you handle the shopping. Receipts go to whoever you want.
Yes. Pharmacy pickup (CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Costco Pharmacy) is part of the same session at no extra charge. Shopper goes to the pharmacy counter, shows your name and date of birth (you confirm on video), pays from your wallet, brings it with the rest of the order.
Absolutely yes. C-section recovery has lifting restrictions that make a grocery run impractical for the first 2-6 weeks. We bring everything to your door — diapers, formula, easy-to-prepare meals — so you can focus on the baby and recovery. See /for-new-parents too.
Tell your shopper at the start of the session — low-sodium, low-sugar, soft foods, post-bariatric, low-residue, kosher, halal, gluten-free. They read labels with you on the call to confirm each item meets your restrictions. This is the biggest single advantage over Instacart, where dietary swaps go wrong constantly.
No. The video works in any browser by tapping a single link we text or email. No app, no install. If you can answer a FaceTime call, you can do this. Free 5-minute test call before your first real session, especially useful pre-surgery.
$75 per hour for the live session. Plus the cost of items at store price (no markup). Free local delivery in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and our service-area suburbs. No subscription, no service fee, no required tip.
Yes — we've worked with hospital discharge planners, occupational therapists, and home-health agencies in the Twin Cities. If you're a clinician reading this, email SelectidoShopping@gmail.com and we'll send a printable handout for your patients.
Pay-as-you-go. No subscription. Book the sessions you need during recovery, stop when you're back on your feet. Most surgical-recovery customers use Selectido for 3-8 weeks then either stop or shift to occasional bigger Costco runs.
Yes — just tell us at the time of booking. For mobility-restricted recovery, we'll set bags right inside the door (won't enter further without you signing off). If you'd prefer a contact-free porch drop, we'll do that too.