Americans visit the grocery story on average 5 times a month….perhaps that is why one of the biggest adjustments I had moving from London to the US was learning to grocery shop (and lets just say I am a slow learner, as I am still adjusting a year later). The stores are bigger, you many not always know the butcher behind the counter, you alway s need to check the expiration dates before you put it in your shopping trolley and the check out staff want to pack your groceries( to the detriment of your once perfectly formed loaf of bread). To say my grocery store loves me would be stretching the truth, I don’t use bags for my produce, I sort food on the belt to make packing easier and then to top it all off, I insist on packing my own food in my own bags (oh the drama that wafted in when I started shopping, but they know me now, most likely with a witty nick name like “The Real Housewife of OCD”). For me, the avoiding of any of the plastic bags is an obvious nod to eco shopping, but it was not until a checker out clerk actually put my loose apples in a produce bag because she thought it was helpful that I realised that for some of us, the need for convenient grocery shopping can shadow over the possibilities of eco grocery shopping.
Shopping ‘green’ does not always equate to dropping a lot of green at the check-out or making your visit less than convenient, here are 5 ways to make eco friendly choices at the supermarket that will not only green up your shopping habits, but save you a few green backs while you are at it.
- Bring your own bags: An obvious starting point, but the benefit of bringing your own bags is that they hold more food, are easier to carry and many stores are starting to offer cash back for bringing your own bags.
- Shop seasonally and locally: It goes without saying that strawberries in the dead of winter are going to be expensive and flown in from far off lands. Stick with seasonal foods produced locally to not only curb your produce bill, but allow you to dish up a nutrient rich meal (the less your food travels, the more likely it is to be high in key nutrients)
- Waste-Free shopping: Bulk buying foods from bulk bins (like pulses, grains, nuts, cereals, and coffee) saves on the packaging waste and tends to be cheaper at the check out. Buying bulk food allows you to buy only what you need rather than what the producers want you to buy, saving on packaging waste, food waste and on cost. When buying produce opt for loose items or cardboard packaged foods rather than conveniently packaged food in plastic carriers.
- Buy what you need, use what your buy: Simple strategy, but not always adhered to. More than 14% of food purchased in America is wasted….stale bread, mushy bannanas, you name it, fresh food goes bad no matter how your store it.
- Cut down on disposable products: The delights of having paper towels and plates in the kitchen are endless, but also costly. Where possible, buy long life items to replace those convenient disposable ones.
Recommended Reading
Shopping with Style | Housewife Bliss
Getting the most out of your freezer | Housewife Bliss
Getting the most out of seasonal apples | Housewife Bliss