Supermarket Fun!

Hi Everyone,

I've had some requests to discuss everyone's favorite past time, grocery shopping! You know you love it, going to 3 different stores to gather ingredients for 1 recipe, good stuff! I have a couple suggestions to make everyone's life a little easier. I also will share with you a couple references that are worth taking a look at.

How do I shop.....

Like most of you I have a full time job, I workout regularly, have a dog and try to maintain somewhat of a social life so how to get the most done in the smallest amount of time when it comes to shopping?

Tips to shopping:

• HAVE A PLAN AND MAKE A LIST. This will literally cut your shopping time in half. Usually I will see what the CSA has to offer or what I have in my freezer or left over from the last week and make a menu around that. If somewhere is having a sale on pastured chicken or grass-fed beef, I'll stock up and put some in the freezer, then the next week make it for lunch.
• Try to find a local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)- they can gather all the veggies you'll need for the week and all you have to do it submit your order online and pick up from various locations around the city. Here's the one I use .If you don't live in one of the areas this one serves you can look for another one by just searching google or try Local Harvest. (The vegetable selection is limited to whatever is in season and local so you may have to adjust a recipe to accommodate)

• Try the local farmer's markets. They are popping up all over the place. I know of 3 within a 10 mile radius of my house. Just search for them online. Not only can you get great produce but most will have a grass fed meat vendor and eggs. Literally the best eggs I've ever had came from a woman who just has a few chickens running around and a ton of eggs she didn't know what to do with. So she started selling them at the farmer's market 2 dozen for $5. It's a steal!!! The markets are usually open from 8:00-9:00 AM to 12:00 PM on Saturdays. I usually will pick up the rest of my produce there, some eggs and beef, even if I'm not planning a beef dish its great to have in the freezer.

• Try finding a local farmer that sells high quality, humanely raised and slaughtered meat, sometimes you can buy a portion of an animal or they may have variety packages and you should be set for a while. If you have a large freezer or a chest freezer this is a really great, money saving option. You can go in on a half a cow with friends or family and split the cost. Or they may have home delivery options. Lots of farms have different deals and delivery methods. If you don't know of one, you can try a great website: Eat Wild. Or maybe you have a good friend who likes to hunt and can sell you some of their meat :)

• Know your stores! Know what kind of meat and produce your local grocery store has that way your not running to three different ones because store A didn't have the right kind of spaghetti sauce or doesn't carry organic free-range eggs. I know that if all I have left on my list is meat, Whole Foods is my safest bet but if I'm missing a vegetable that doesn't need to be organic, Kroger works just fine.

So, what should you buy organic and what can you get away without organic?

Here's an awesome chart that shows you which foods should really be bought organic.

A good rule of thumb is anything you are eating the skin should be organic

There's a lot of marketing going on in grocery stores, and sometimes its difficult to figure out which brands are good and which ones are a bunch of BS. The FDA has certain requirements to get its certified organic stamp but there are other ones out there so just because something says organic does not necessarily mean its the best option. There is an AWESOME book that gives you a little help, Rich Food, Poor Food by Mira and Jayson Calton, in this book you will be given rating system of different brands of foods so that you can make the best decision possible. They let you know what you should buy organic and what not. I highly recommend it and using it when making out your grocery list.

So that's it for this post, feel free to post questions, comments, suggestions and don't for get to subscribe to the blog so you will get notified when I post something new!!

Happy Shopping!!