Hello all.
At our second meeting we decided to have as a second challenge avoiding supermarkets to add some support to Heather's New Year's Resolution.
We didn't lay down any rules. Heather isn't counting the Coop, the one supermarket company that she is happy to shop from. I'm trying to count all supermarkets, and even avoiding chain shops if I can help it.
So, after nearly two weeks, how is everyone getting on?
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How have I done?
Pretty well, and Mac is a HUGE help. He works in Shirley, so he's able to pop out during lunch or just after work to get things.
We got bread and eggs from a little independent bakery on St James Rd (it's awfully cute! If I ever need to buy a cake, I know where I'm placing my order),
Our veg is from Riverford (can I stress the whole 75p per person per day thing?!?!?),
We just placed our food coop order for £53.55 (includes a LOT of things that will last longer than the 6 weeks)
AND I've signed up for a milkman delivery (although I've yet to have that confirmed).
We've explored the World Food shop near us (turns out they have some semi-local yogurt!),
Mac is going to the green grocers tomorrow.
I am loving this challenge, apart from the fact that local shops often don't sell organic items.... should I buy them from the supermarket to support the organic market there? Is local better?
Also, I don't know how well I would have done if it was just me, or if either of us had to commute--it's much more convenient to go to one place.
I'm finding it hard to find any decent bread - I don't get home from work early enough to go to the bakers in Portswood, and the only offerings if I pop out of work at lunchtimes seems to be supermarkets. As much as i'd love to, i don't really see myself being organised enough to make all our bread (but i'm going to give a loaf a go over the weekend).
Bananas are also an issue. I usually get them from Waitrose, as the ones from the local greengrocer at work (Eastleigh) never seem to last as long, and are more expensive. I'll try the greengrocer in portswood at the weekend, though.
Other than that, i'm fairly happy with the whole idea, and there's enough in the cupboards to keep us going for a while, so I can figure out alternative sources. My challenge before the next meeting is to look into a local milkman service, and to plan what veg we're going to be growing this season... and then buy the relevant seeds at the Seed Swap!
We got our first bottle of milk.... which was a BIG surprise considering that it was a week early and we haven't paid yet!
But, seeing that glass bottle of organic milk with a foil top really brought me back to my childhood. I loved getting our milk delivered when I was little.
Mac was busy planning our week's worth of meals, and he was considering local sources of food the whole time. He is my food saviour at the moment.
I also was a bit ambitious and signed up for Crunchy Chicken's No Food Waste challenge.... I've stopped peeling most vegetables, and the only thing I've thrown out over the last week has been half a thing of hummus--it was pink ewwww..... I think I'm doing okay.
I was hoping to have a go at making bread over the weekend, but didn't have time in the end. However, I did make some flapjacks, which is easy peasy, and they taste great. It only took 20 minutes, and will give me something healthy to munch on at work instead of chocolate. I need to work on the consistency a bit as they came out a bit more like fruit and oat crumble than bars, but that's just a detail!
Colin (my husband) and I are doing well at using up the items that are in our cupboards. We're making more meals from scratch, and are being more inventive with recepies. I think we'll have to work out where we can top up our supplies from. A list might be making it's way to Megan or Ziggy to place an order at their foo co-op!
I'm visiting some friends this week who have chickens, so i'll be able to come home with some local, free range, organic and totally fresh eggs. If I cycle there and back it'll be good on the food miles/ carbon footprint too.
Oh, and I went into the pet shop in Eastleigh to get some cat biscuits (for our cat!) and although they only offer a big bag, it actually works out cheaper than the same volume of the usual boxes we get from Waitrose. I'll have to investigate cat food tins - prices and logistics... I cycle to work and back, and don't fancy carrying 12 cans of cat food home in my backpac! Might have to leave some in the office and take them home a few at a time.
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