So how do you do it? Do you like the one hit of the big supermarket? Or do you favour buying a little, fresh each day? Do you prefer individual specialty stores, or maybe a market? Here's a recent haul of mine from our local farmers' market - most of it grown very close to here.
I enjoy buying from local producers, because I like to support local industry and I like fresh food! It always seems to taste better. Though at this time of year there's nothing quite as good as home grown produce. Our cherry tomatoes are delicious right now! But I still shop at a mix of the supermarket and specialty stores, depending on what I need.
Are you a fan of the slow food movement? Do you worry about food miles and how far the produce has come to reach your plate? Do you shop organic or aren't you concerned about pesticides? Or is cost your number one priority when deciding how you shop? I'd be fascinated to hear if your grocery shopping habits are changing and how!
Hey Annie!
ReplyDeleteI despise grocery shopping so I just want to go to one place, get everything I need there and leave again. I hate having to go to 3 or 4 different places to complete a weeks shop...
Of course, fresh is best etc and I love the idea of going to specilaty outlets/markets but sadly convenience always wins with me :-)
Oh, I understand, Amy. I came back from a trip to Sydney airport yesterday in 44 degree heat and had to buy groceries. On a day like that it absolutely had to be one stop shopping.
DeleteI honestly couldn't care less how far my food has travelled or whether it's organic. I do try to be conscious of what is in season simply because produce tends to be cheaper when purchased in season.
ReplyDeleteIdeally I'd buy my produce from the local farmers market, though currently the reality is that I do my entire grocery shop in the supermarket so I can do one shop and get out.
It's much faster that way, isn't it, Lyn? And there's a lot to be said for convenience.
DeleteI will read the flyers, note the specials, then price match at one or two stores (depending on availability) locally (usually using coupons too). If I'm downtown on market day, I WILL pick up fresh vegetables for the higher prices, though, but I'm rarely downtown on those days.
ReplyDeleteLove the times when something is on special for a buck and a I have a coupon for a buck off. Often have several of those coupons, so it's like Christmas to me (and to others, as I share my freebies with friends).
One of my favourite freebies relates to rebate coupons in the flyers. I buy the item, mail in or email a copy of the receipt, and I am reimbursed for that item and applicable taxes (not postage, but I have gads of cheaper postage on hand, if not free). When my daughter was getting married, her matron-of-honour wanted to have a bonfire party (not a shower) for the wedding party, so I contributed 21 free items I had stocked up during the past year, including $15 soap dispensers, with most being from those rebate offers, and everyone got to choose items to take home (except me). Warms me now 2.5 years later to think how appreciative (and astounded for some) they each were.
Laney, you're a very savvy shopper. Good on you! I wish I were half as organised. Sadly I often seem to be in a rush and though I go through weeks when I'm slightly better organised, it's rare.
DeleteHi Annie
ReplyDeleteI normally can be found dropping over to the shops daily or every 2nd day and most of it comes from the supermarket and the fruit market in the shopping centre we don't have a butcher over there anymore so meat from Aldi or Woolies these days. I do love fresh but and convenience for me as well and I really do not like shopping :)
Have Fun
Helen
Helen, I've noticed how the butcher shops have closed now the supermarkets seem to have a stranglehold on sales. Last week I had some beef (admittedly pricey but a treat) from a producer and boy, did it taste good. Must say, I'm beginning to like Aldi a lot more.
DeleteI love the idea of shopping at the farmer's markets and getting fresh local produce, Annie, but 9 times out of 10 convenience wins out. Going to the farmer's markets is mostly a treat -- and more for wicked things like cake and chutney and gorgeous artisan bread etc. However, at the supermarket I do try and choose items that don't have quite so much packaging...and I'll always boycott the brands who are doing evil capitalist things.
ReplyDeleteMind you, at this time of year I'd love to just ignore the shops...maybe I could hire someone to do my groceries for me, just for the next week.
Oh, wouldn't it be great to have a personal shopper to do the hard work, Michelle. Years ago when I lived in Germany there was a bench inside the supermarket, after you went through the checkout where you could remove any excess packaging and it would be sent back to the producer. Loved that idea! We could do with something like that here.
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