My husband likes to quote Michael Pollan and say that cheap food is an illusion, and I couldn't agree more. About a year ago, we decided to be intentional about buying better quality food to the extent that we could afford it. This has meant that our food bill is higher (it doesn't help that our boys out-eat us most days), but we have chosen good food over other "luxuries", such as handheld devices, data plans, and cable TV. So far, it's working out pretty well. I feel like we are making choices that are better for us, the people who grow the food, and the environment. My boys are both off off allergy and asthma medications for the first time in 4 years. I am healthier and fitter than I've ever been, so overall, it seems like a win-win.
In my ideal world, I would have a biodynamic minifarm in my backyard - pastured chickens and cows nibbling peacefully at grass, bugs, and worms; a steady crop of heirloom vegetables and flowers; a healthy compost pile; maybe some wildberries and a thriving herb garden. Butterflies and honey bees would flit around, happily pollinating. We would have rich and meaningful daily object lessons on the amazing world of plants and animals, where food comes from, and the importance of good nutrition. (There would be nothing smelly or difficult about it, of course, and it would never be hot and humid on my ideal farm.) Unfortunately, I am trapped in suburbia for now, and until I start a little homestead of my own, I have to find other ways to get the quality of food that I want. I have found local supplies of raw milk, pastured meats and eggs, and occasional organic produce, but have not found a dependable supply yet. This means, sadly, I am forced to do most of my hunting/gathering/foraging/harvesting at the good old grocery store. I find grocery stores to be nearly seizure-inducing. The lights, the colors, the signage, the displays... it always make me feel a bit surreal, like I'm on an experimental psychodynamic drug. I notice a similar glazed over appearance in the eyes of many of my fellow shoppers, so I don't think this is a problem unique to me. How to make good, informed, research-based, sound economic decisions given this feeling? It's taken me the last 6 months to figure that out. Here are some tricks I've learned. 1. You already know the tricks for grocery shopping like making lists, unit pricing, taking advantage of sales, etc. Keep doing that. It all makes sense. 2. Stick to the perimeter of the store as much as possible, meaning: produce, meats, and dairy. Don't buy things with labels that have more than 5 ingredients or words you can't pronounce. I venture down aisles for canned tomatoes, coconut milk, gluten-free flours, and an occasional tea or coffee run. Other than that, everything is from the outside of the store. 3. Organic produce tastes better and is better for the environment. Buy it whenever you can afford it, or find a way to afford it. The EWG Dirty Dozen list is an intelligent and helpful strategy for buying only the foods most likely to be highly contaminated, but we try to buy everything organic in an effort to voice the opinion that it's important to us. I have a sort of hierarchy for buying organic produce that goes like this: Best: Locally grown, fresh, organic (very hard to find in the town I live in, even at the farmer's market in the summer time) Next best: Industrial grown, fresh or frozen organic (Olivia's salad mixes, for instance). Next: Locally grown fresh (talk to the farmer about chemical use) If all else fails: Industrial fresh or frozen 4. Meat that is raised well is expensive. I buy better quality meat, and eat less of it, supplementing a few nights a week with vegetable or bone-broth based meals. If you can't get locally pastured meats through a farm share or someone you know, you can get "naturally raised" meats at most supermarkets. Look for those raised without antibiotics or hormones, fed organically, ideally pastured. Bison and Australian lamb are both available at our local grocery store. You can also order meats online from a number of companies. Check out eatwild.org to find farms near you. Or ask your friends who are hunters if you can share some venison or other wild game that they might have caught. 5. I usually go for the free-range eggs, rather than the "cage free". Companies can put cage free on the carton if they leave a door open to the chicken coop, but they raise the chickens in such a way that they would never think to venture out into the sun. Raw milk is fantastic if you can find it, but when not available, I buy whole organic milk. There are a few companies that use pastured cows, but you'll need to do some research to find the best one. 6. Ignore marketing as much as possible. Many organic products are still highly processed and contains loads of industrialized oils and highly processed soy, wheat, and corn. Avoid the bread aisle, if you can find time to make your own. Or quit eating bread altogether - replace with nuts, veggies, and full-fat dairy. 7. Find bulk solutions, either through a food coop or a website. For instance, I recently got a 1-gallon jug of organic extra virgin olive oil at a cost of 18 cents/ounce, much cheaper than it would have been at the grocery store. I ordered it from a company that I found through an online search (Jedward's International). Even with paying shipping, it was much cheaper than anything else I found online. It's dark green and delicious! I have found that as I vote with my dollars at the local supermarket, more organic items have become available, and the prices have come down on some things. I also ask from time to time for particular products, and they usually come through on my requests. I find that the selection of organics at my local supermarket is adequate for our weekly menu, and the prices are much better than certain chains that market themselves as health food stores. Happy Hunting! |
AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
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June 2019
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