I’m not quite as organised or perfect with my grocery shopping as I’d like to be, however I am moving more and more towards buying local food. Animal,Vegetable, Miracle was very educational about the local versus organic debate and although it was US based, a lot of the principles apply wherever you live.
So with that in mind I’ve been tracking down all the local farm shops and places to buy food in my area of the country and trying them out.
Today I went to a farm shop, less than two miles away from me, that sells homegrown organic produce, as well as raising their own beef etc using traditional methods (And as you can see it was lovely place to visit). I didn’t buy any meat as my freezer is full, but I did buy eggs (and some jam!). The eggs are £2.40 a dozen, lots cheaper than the supermarket price of £1.80-£2.40 for six, so I will be going back.
I think I’m finally realising that if I want to change the way that my family eats, or change how I grocery shop, then I need to make it a gradual process; in the past I’ve tried too hard and failed. Now I’m making small changes and not blowing my budget.
Stay up-to-date with all the posts from this site. Subscribe using your email account or your RSS feed reader.
You can also follow me on Twitter @lauramtportugal here.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ve just started getting my free range eggs from a farm shop too and, like you, have found them to be loads cheaper! I totally agree that you have to make a series of small changes over a period of time for it to have long lasting effects. I find myself making little changes that are tiny, tiny steps forward. For example, I started making my own casseroles a couple of years ago, when I wasn’t used to spending much time in the kitchen, but still used a dumpling mix (learning to get the casserole right was more important). Now I make my own herby dumplings too and I find it all so easy I can’t believe I would have stressed out by trying to do it before. But if I’d tried to learn it all at once I would have failed and given up. Do you know what I mean?!
[Reply]
Laura Reply:
May 20th, 2011 at 11:50 am
Yes Shoestring do….it’s too overwhelming to do it all at once, which I found out the hard way!
[Reply]
I have a food post up today too!
I gotta say, your egg cartons are so cute!! lol! I’ve never seen them like that! I think small steps eventually lead to big changes! 
[Reply]
Ps – That little farm shop looks so quaint! I love it!!
[Reply]
Gradual is key. I’ve been trying to switch my family over to local milk for a while now. My husband thought the “real” milk tasted funny. It actually has flavor and he’s been drinking the crap so long, he forgot what real milk tasted like. SO I’ve been buying a gallon of the crap and a 1/2 gallon of the good. We go through that much anyway. I’m hoping in another month or two I can just get rid of the crap milk altogether.
I’m also buying better flour. My approach is to start with the staples..milk, bread, eggs, flour, cheese, veggies. I haven’t done a lot with the meat yet as the meat farms are about 1/2 hour drive.
I took a class with “the cheese queen” who is featured in animal vegetable mineral. The stuff she told me about the big milk companies is so disgusting and it makes sense why you can’t make cheese at all from most of the stuff you get in the grocery store.
[Reply]
Gradual changes are always better. We have been doing the same thing. Our current change is buying yard eggs from a local person.
Bernice
[Reply]
I loved that book too. It took me a while to completely change our shoppping habits around, and it definitely works better when I do it slowly, far less overwhelming for me. It takes a while to work out what works for you and the family.
I love the looks of this little farm shop.
[Reply]
Laura Reply:
May 24th, 2011 at 6:33 am
@ city hippy famr girl: Hi! Small changes is the right way to go. I found it so overwhelming at first becaus eI tried to do too much.
[Reply]
What a charming spot! Makes it more fun to shop…..lovin’ the old signs and gas pumps. Gradually, yes, it’s too overwhelming for everyone to make a big switch. We used to have our own laying hens, sure miss it. Our boys who are now 21 and 22 used to have a little egg business and sell to the neighbours. It was wonderful, the neighbours appreciated fresh eggs and we had all the eggs we needed (sometimes more than enough, had to put the thinking cap on for “another” egg recipe at times!) Our daughter is 14 and would love to have half a dozen hens so maybe it’s in the near future. Have a beautiful day! Heather
[Reply]
Laura Reply:
May 26th, 2011 at 6:51 am
Heather: I was so overwhelmed with trying to do too much all at once and it had a negative effect…..now just knowing where my eggs came from, makes me feel like I’m making progress! My mum has hens but unfortunately lives too far away for me to have them on a regular basis..what a shame that is!
[Reply]