Grandma's Dilemma: Should I Admit I've Been Stealing Peppermints from the Pharmacy?

Oh my gosh, how do you even begin to tell someone that what they suspect is true? Well, let me back up a bit. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had this thing for peppermints, especially the ones with little stars and moons on them at our local pharmacy counter. They just look so cheerful, don’t they? And oh my word, when you first unwrap one and taste it, it’s like instant magic in your mouth! But those things aren’t cheap anymore, what with inflation these days. So I started coming up with little excuses to go into the store, even for a single thing. 'Oh, I need some band-aids!' or sometimes just 'Could I look at some of that candy over there?' and after doing it enough times, I thought no one would mind. Maybe they’d think I was an eccentric old lady who really loves peppermints. But last week, the clerk behind the counter stopped me with a curious expression on her face as if she had something to say but didn’t know how. She finally asked me quietly in the middle of my latest candy run, 'Do you... always get those same ones?' I was so flustered! I stammered out that yes, indeed, they were lovely. She gave a little sigh and said she appreciated my love for them but wondered if there might be an easier way to enjoy them without putting the pharmacy in an awkward spot. I felt awful after that. So much for being discreet, huh? Now I’ve been going through some old mints at home to make up for it, but... what should I do next time I want peppermints? It’s not as if they ever really hurt anyone, just my wallet and possibly this dear clerk's nerves! Is there something more responsible I can do that doesn’t involve feeling like a criminal?