Ch-ch-changes…

I can’t get over how my approach to grocery shopping has changed in 18-months. Yesterday I got a fortnights worth of groceries for less than $150. We’ve got an extra person at our place at the moment so it will be interesting to see if I can make the food last… I got heaps though, including salmon steaks which were marked down for a quick sale. I baked them for tea last night with homemade chips, lemon juice (using some lemons we have been given from Talia’s tree) and water cress which grows freely at the runoff where my young stock graze. Sally pointed out the water cress to me a couple of months ago. I had never really been familiar with cress so I have given it a go and used it in salads and boiled a’la spinach. I’ve also ground it up and added it to breadcrumbs and pasta etc. It has a pleasant peppery flavour mindful of rocket lettuce – yum. And the best thing about the cress is that it is free and growing abundantly in the stream where I can help myself. We have basically cut packaged items right out of our grocery basket. That includes things like biscuits, chips, pizza, drinks, cereals, all cleaning products, deodorant and shampoos etc. I still get loo paper (obviously)but 40 rolls is on special at the Warehouse for $8-95 and it is usually only $9-95. I buy fresh fruit and veges and go for the cheapest seasonal ones. I also get few cans of stuff like baked beans, tuna, corn and fruit. My mindset is now – if its packaged and branded it’s probably a rip-off so don’t buy it. Surprisingly if you really want something that badly you can probably make it or something similar yourself. On the other hand many of the treats are not that good for you anyway and you are better off without. There are piles of packaged stuff that used to be a must have on my list that I don’t miss and certainly won’t be buying again. This attitude doesn’t happen overnight but if you are strict about sticking to your low budgeting limit, you will be surprised have fast your attitude changes. Our grocery buying habits are deeply ingrained and hard to change but it is definitely worth it for you and your family. I am appalled at what I used to spend on groceries and the terrible things I used to give my kids as time savers or treats and I am just so glad I have changed my ways.