Take my recent food shopping for example. Yesterday, in preparation for a "trailer trash" party we were hosting (classy, I know), I went shopping for food at our local Giant Eagle. For a mere $20 and shopping strictly on the generic value brands (except the Oreos, which were one sale 2/$6), I bought:
- (2) 8-ct. bags of hamburger buns,
- (2) packages of Oreos,
- (2) small cans of mandarin oranges,
- (1) container cool-whip,
- (3) 2-liters of soda,
- (1) half-gallon buttermilk,
- (2) boxes of instant vanilla pudding,
- (1) bag of potato chips,
- (1) frozen orange juice concentrate, and
- (1) box of Lean Cuisine pockets.
Then this morning I went shopping at our local food co-op, the East End Co-op. We just recently joined in an effort to support a smaller, locally run operation which has lots of local and organic food. We had been going to Trader Joe's throughout the past year and really like that as well, although there's something about the lack of transparency with where they get their food that sometimes irks me. I will likely continue to go there to stock up on stuff as they have good organic and green products (we love their toothpaste!), but we're trying to spend our money more wisely these days. So with our 10% member discount on "member day" at the co-op, I spent $70 and bought:
- 5 lbs. of bulk rolled oats (on sale)
- 3 lbs. of bulk yellow popcorn (on sale)
- 3.2 lbs. of bulk garbanzo beans (on sale)
- 1.6 lbs. of bulk raisins (on sale)
- 2 lbs. of pearled barley (on sale)
- .25 lb. of bulk ground cumin
- (1) 12 oz. package of Bike Fuel Coffee (on sale)
- (1) 32 oz. blueberry blend juice (on sale and used coupon)
- (1) jar of organic peanut butter (on sale)
- (4) boxes of Annie's Mac and Cheese (on sale)
- (2) lbs. of bananas
- (1) 32 oz. bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (on sale)
- (1) 8 oz. frozen blueberries (on sale and used coupon)
- (1) Seventh Generation dish soap (used coupon)
- (1) 1/2 lb. block of pepper jack cheese
- (1) 32 oz. container of plain yogurt
- (1) loaf of wheat bread from a local bakery
We've also been going to the Farmer's Market in East Liberty every Monday since the beginning of the summer. Each week we bring $20 and hope to try new things, but frankly, once we buy peaches, half our budget is blown (but they are oh so sweet and juicy and absolutely worth it!). So even shopping at the Farmer's Market, too, has put me into more than one conundrum. Pay a little more for something we know is organic, or go to one of the bigger producers that is selling cabbage 2/$1? Now that we have our garden, it's been easier to make those decisions, but they are decisions nonetheless that reflect what I as a consumer feel is important.
Over time, I've noticed our move towards local and organic food start to add up. So what am I supposed to do? It's hard to put a price on the importance of eating local, supporting local business, attempting to buy bulk, and being more green, and at this point, I am willing to pay extra for making what I feel are more ethical spending choices. On the other hand, it's amazing all the food--albeit nutritionally bad food--that you can buy for just $20! It's really no wonder that our country has such a weird relationship with food once you begin to crunch the numbers. And while Jake and I have both lost weight because of our consumption of more vegetables and less food overall, man those oreos are delicious!
Jake reminded me the other day that although we're making this move towards more local, more organic, we still shouldn't forget to look in the sales ads that overtake our mailbox every Monday. With our freezer and dehydrator, we can stock up on veggies and fruits while they're in season, and take advantage of other sales for things we use every day. He's got a good point. And certainly the least I can do is at least look at all the paper the ads waste each week.
I am certain this debate will not end soon. I'm going to continue to struggle with this as I make more of a concerted effort to manage our finances, structure the meals of our house, and stay true to our values. So in the meantime, I'm going to go enjoy those Oreos while they're around and before Jake gets to them :-) Oreos with local milk, anyone?
I know exactly where you're coming from in the struggle. My husband isn't necessarily on the same page about the importance of buying local, organic goods, so he questions why his mom could feed a family of 6 on a certain amount but I can't. Now that we have a baby who has started eating food (I make my own baby food) I feel it even more important for health that our goods be grown healthily. It's that line between cheap, mass-produced and more expensive, small farm produce that makes the difference. If more people voted with their dollar, would our smaller, ethical farms be subject to the mass-produced call of the dollar?
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