This is what our "Raw Fruit and Vegetable Juicing" shopping cart looks like, it still amazes me sometimes how easy it is to resist all the processed, refined sugar laden, salty food that used to fill our shopping cart and our pantry. This trip: 25 lbs. Carrots, 3 lbs. Granny Smith Apples, 3 lbs. Red Delicious Apples, Ginger Root, 2 bunches Mustard Greens, 4 bunches Kale, 5 "Pickle size" Cucumbers, 6 Yams, 1.5 lbs. Spinach, 8 lbs. Oranges and a Pineapple.
We live in a small rural town with a poplulation of about 46,000 people, so we seem to be pretty lucky to have access to alot of produce at a reasonable price. Of course, it would be even better if there were more organic items available. If you are having a difficult time finding what you need at your local grocery store, do not underestimate the power of those surveys that the checkout cashier invites you to go online to fill out, I do that all the time and I have seen some great changes in our stores.
Not planning on growing your own garden this year? Another abundant resource for whole food are farmer's markets and even your local craigslist may have postings, from people in your area with big gardens or small farms, for whole foods at pretty reasonable prices.
Another unexpected place we discovered to buy excellent quality (often Organic) produce in large quanities is Costco. it can be pricey but I haven't bought a bad piece of produce there yet.
There are so many reasons to buy Local, just to name a few; Helps out the local economy by supporting local businesses that employ friends and neighbors. It is Greener (fuel consumption and pollution) and more sustainable (supporting local business assures that they will be there when you need them). Increases the diversity of products available to you.
We prioritize buying locally but I must admit that Whatever we cannot find locally, we often purchase online from websites that offer free or very low-cost shipping.
No comments:
Post a Comment