Another month?

Just saw this posted on another friend's page and maybe this is the next challenge.  I found the list a bit surprising and would like to verify many of the listing but it is something to think about. 


The consolidation of food production and distribution in North America is frightening and in many ways my one month challenge (to go without The Grocery Store) is about just this - choice, diversity, sourcing and faith.

We have trusted those who grow, process and sell our food to have food, its nutritional value and quality, as their highest priority. We know that is not the case. So what do we do about it? 

Boycotts, like mine, can be effective but for every one of me who lives somewhere with little choice, there are a 100 others in the same position.

Lobbying can work and it might be the next step for me.  I can imagine sitting down and talking to the store manager about this and seeing what he might be able to do within his corporate structure to change things.  Maybe a farmers' market in the parking lot midweek? 

Stranger things have happened.

PS I will catch up on posting in the next few days....it's been a busy time...

Let food be your medicine

Day 9

Well, it has been 9 days since I started this and with the exception of the trip for the cooking class, I have managed not to shop at The Grocery Store for our family.  I have used The Other Store but this wasn't about completely abandoning conventional sources for food and other items. 

The whole purpose of this adventure was to re-establish my commitment to local food, which has happened.  I have also discovered new products and sources that I might not have pursued.

Despite some of the inconvenience and some of the added cost, I actually think we will spend less money on groceries this month.  There is a lot of temptation in a grocery store, especially to buy things you don't need (and if you didn't know it, the stores are designed with just that in mind!).  Though I am diligent about a list and pre-planning menus, somehow there are always those few little things that sneak into the cart and add up. 

There is also the mid-week craving or change of plans that sends us out in the car to get something.  Now that we are acting like the store doesn't exist, we aren't doing that.

Last nights dinner was a testament to just using what's in the house as we had what, on most nights, I might call leftovers or as my friend calls it "Encore!".

This was more like "dregs".  Still a good dinner - pasta with roasted veggies and sausage, salad and garlic bread but it was really about cleaning out the fridge.

Tonight's dinner is looking far more promising - cilantro-chili marinated flank steak with roasted sweet potatoes and a salad with avocado, corn and radishes.  And then family movie night - Angus has already picked Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Can't wait!

Happy Friday Everyone!

Oh Happy Day!

Just when I thought I might have to rename the blog 7 Days Without Galen, I struck gold.

Gail, who owns the healthfood store Abundant Health (519-524-5801), is willing to order in milk for me with her Ontario Natural Food Co-op order. 

Phew.

We use a lot of milk around here and sourcing organic milk without going to The Grocery Store was going to be my biggest challenge of this whole month.

This week is shaping up to be an interesting one as far as food goes.  I am getting some free-range chickens for my freezer later this week, just to top things up and we are planning to go to the Slow Food Market in Stratford, Ontario on the weekend.  Larder should be well and deliciously stocked by Family Day.

I completely missed that last Sunday, the 12th, was Food Freedom Day.  The link takes you to the Canadian Federation of Agriculture site where they urge Canadians to "make choices at the grocery store that will support the Canadian agriculture and agri-food industry."  I am shocked that they don't say "make choices to support Canadian agriculture..."

Not all food comes from grocery stores...as we are finding out!