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| Organic bread and last of my cheese |
See the walnuts in the free, organic bread? The cheese was eaten in organic (my backyard) scrambled eggs just now. Ha! I found that cheese in the refrigerator, hiding! Yes, this has something to do with groceries.
A family of three on a tiny lot managed not to shop for a year. The news article links to their blog. Their year is inspiring since they saved money and she lost weight. The second consequence really interests me.
I am going to try this, especially since the family did not just stop shopping cold turkey. It will take time to find the resources. I must have chicken! So, I will buy it where I can until I find a better way to obtain it I already have many cans of food, many cans of tuna. However, that is not going to be the point. For instance, I found the pork belly, grown and processed locally, plus there were no additives. I easily stopped eating much bacon long ago, not that I buy over three pounds each year, anyway. I now use the pork fat from frying the pork belly (no nitrite or taste bacon) to scramble my eggs instead of butter or margarine. Since I use less than a teaspoon of either, I don't feel there is any harm.
There will be no goat or garden. But, I can see what I can do. I will not be drinking raw milk. I will not do as well as they did with the not buying processed food. However, I buy little processed food right now. But, if I can do a tenth of what they did and more than I am doing now to reduce my reliance on the grocery store, I will be pleased.
Tonight, before I even read this article, I went to the grocery store for milk. I needed cheese. Well, I am out of cheese. maybe I don't need it. However, I decided to fore go cheese to lose weight and not spend money. No cheese buying means I did not spend that money. I really wanted cheese for my scrambled eggs. sob....
This venture may include food that is free and not necessarily local or organic. We will see. Today, I actually had an adventure in free food. That will be another post.
The family bought from food buying clubs and local persons. They did not produce all they ate. Read the article and the one post from the blog, at least.
My goal is to spend $56 each month on food, exactly what I get in food stamps. Surprised? I got that letter today. This is what can happen to a person with a graduate degree who cannot stand or sit to do any job and has no financial means or a social safety net. Maybe I should have married one of those jerks who proposed? Nah....
Right now, I am lying in a chair with feet on an ottoman and laptop on stomach and thighs. Find me a job I can do in this position then I can afford organic. No, not that job.
Oh, I will not give up bananas, apples, or oranges/OJ, or garlic for this venture. My exceptions! I will use store-bought canned food that I already have, home-canned, and free food, no matter how I obtain the free food.
Too often, I buy ice cream. Now, a little blended fruit and milk, frozen, or homemade yogurt, frozen, will be my ice cream treat. Update: twice since I started this post, I have come home without ice cream. Another update: Again, I came home without cheese even though my intent was to buy cheese, a staple of mine.
Update
Another Year Without Groceries posted yesterday, clearing up several points in the article that are not exactly true. Her explanations make it soooo much easier to try and do a bit of what she does.
Your turn
Do you ever have the desire not to spend money at the grocery store ever again? Do you want to eat more food you produce or organically produced food? Do you produce enough to keep you from the grocery store? Would not buying at the grocery help you to lose weight? Do you think you can gradually stop grocery shopping? What are you thoughts?
