I figure we'll share with the neighbors if we're going to be out of town, or really get too much, but for right now anyway I'm really liking the kick in the butt to make vegetables the star of the main dish, rather than beans or grains.
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I figure we'll share with the neighbors if we're going to be out of town, or really get too much, but for right now anyway I'm really liking the kick in the butt to make vegetables the star of the main dish, rather than beans or grains.
I was in a CSA last summer - I split the share with 3 other single women and it worked out pretty well since none of us really wanted to have whole canteloupes or watermelons and we could easily cut those up. Dividing up 3 peaches or tomatoes was a little more annoying but it still worked out really well. Ours worked out to $7/wk/person.
Sadly, the farm says they won't do it for our area next year unless they have 20 participants, that is full shares. They would deliver the produce to their satellite store about 50 miles from the farm. Honestly, if they are shipping produce to the store anyway... why not include the CSA shares? I doubt that I'll get to participate this summer, and so far my research has not identified any other CSAs closer than 40-50 miles from my house and/or work.
We're very lucky to have a "local food" store near us that sells produce, meat, dairy, and even some local baked goods. It's a great alternative for us because we don't have to buy tons of food, but we still get to support the same local farms who offer CSAs.
Our farmers' market is good (such a change from just a few years ago!), and I prefer to get meat, seafood and dairy ad hoc rather than going for the "omnivore" CSA they put together as a co-op with other local producers and fishers. But in the spirit of the thread, I'm finding that prepaying for vegetables is one way to jump-start a conversion to eating more of them. :) At least for someone like me who just can't stand waste. :p
I do as Becky does, between buying directly from the farm stands, farmer's markets, and the 2 gourmet farm markets that buy from local farmers, I feel OK. I have an acquaintance that bought from a farmer who did a meat CSA. It's kind of close to here, but I would need to buy an extra freezer to do that.
I find it hard to eat lots of veggies. On the eating plan I am doing now, I am eating a lot more of them, but I still have lots of left overs. I feel better, but I am still convincing myself that I like vegetables.
Yes, I did a couple of things this way; also pan fried in a little bit of olive oil. Even DH commented on how good they were.
And a more basic return to the original theme of the thread: http://grist.org/sustainable-food/20...-to-buy-again/
Thank you for this link! I am another lover of roasted veggies, quite often that is the only way I can tolerate them.
I know me well, and I will never give up bread totally, non-fat dairy nor my steel-cut oats (are they considered processed?), but I would like to drop all other processed foods. They just put so much other cra* in them, and fresh/less processed is so much better for us and tastes so much better... I also think it is less expensive once you find the right sources.
Great Link! I never buy soup (I make great homemade), I never buy hummus (my homemade version rocks) and I rarely buy cereal (mostly because I don't eat much cereal, but also because I love my homemade granola recipe).
But, I *do* buy canned beans purely for convenience sake. I know dried are healthier, and I do have dried beans on hand, but somehow I never remember to actually DO it. :o So, that would be a good resolution to make.
I also use powdered bouillon sometimes. Need to make some stock. I certainly have MOUNTAINS of veggie compost every week that I could be putting to use for stock.
I don't buy any of those 5 foods anymore, either!
I would also add mayo and salad dressings to that list as well. Homemade mayo is so incredibly simple and so much better for you! Ditto for homemade salad dressings...
Yeah - I generally don't eat mayo either, but it's pretty useful in some salad dressings, some dips and in tuna salad.
For those that really like it, I've heard that the homemade (which is easy and super neat to do) tastes MUCH better. I can't say for certain since I've never willingly just tasted mayo! :p
Sometimes I'll cook up a great big batch of beans plain, then portion them out and freeze them. Nearly as convenient as canned, without the expense or the BPA (although, Eden brand are BPA-free).
And I usually have powdered or cubed stock on hand for those occasions when I'm out of homemade stock. But it doesn't get used often.