Remember me writing about the supermarket challenge I set myself?
The aim was to reduce the supermarket visit to once a month, it actually worked! And has continued to work for me in the last couple of months.
The garden supplies with a lot of our veggies, not enough but then there is the weekly farmers markets. Meat comes from the local butcher using local meat, flour and dry good are stocked once every 6 weeks through the local health store, where they can put in a bulk order for me.
I notice my pantry has undergone many changes in the last couple of months, in a good way, all food gets cooked from scratch, with the exception of crackers and puff pastry. Once you get the hang of it and becomes part of a routine it is pretty effortless. Most meals are made within 30 minutes, I very much like cooking, but it's still pretty crazy at that time of the day when the kids get tired and hungry.
Some days, time permitting, I do some "grouped" cooking. Having a couple things going at the same time, making yoghurt, bread, tomato soup, quince paste, apple sauce, sausage rolls, cookies, granola, ice-cream mixture, curry,... Most only have a short prep time, then it's a matter of time for baking, simmering,... After putting one thing in the oven you can prep the next one, while you stir the soup and the jam. In an hour or two you can have the pantry and freezer supplied with shortcuts through a busy week.
I'm starting to get to the point I could do with a visit once every two months, with only a quick monthly stock-up of milk and cream. I would love to be able to go without the supermarket completely, I don't see that work for a while and how far do we want to push this? But cutting out unhealthy convenience foods and taking away the temptations out of the pantry sure helps to feel healthy and energetic.
What would you like to change in your grocery shopping habits?
You are doing well! Crackers are one thing I still buy too. i'm looking forward to the day I find a gluten free rice cracker recipe.
ReplyDeleteHomemade crackers can be simple and delicious, either in the dehydrator or in a v.low oven???? Linseeds, water and salt is one that springs to mind - or sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and salt is another (you grind the sunflower seeds into a flour). But like you say, how far do you want to take this really??? Also - can you get raw milk from one of the local farms??? Then you can avoid the supermarket completely!! ... Maybe...
ReplyDeleteOooh - that was from me btw - Sadie :)
DeleteHi Sadie! Okaaayyy.. It took me a while to work out how in turn can reply on a comment....
DeleteRaw milk is a sensitive issue I've found, I don't know of local farmers that want or can sell to the public. I'm still compiling info on getting our own milking cow, but it looks like our paddocks produce enough good tucker for a lady with calf. The buy-in feeding would become very costly. But a milking goat wouldn't be as demanding. Fresh goat cheese, jummo!
I'll sure give the cracker recipe a go, we only go through one package a month which is why it hasn't had my priority so far.