It’s so easy to buy food from grocery stores where I live. After all, there are grocery stores within a few miles of most people in the more densely populated areas of the country, and most are open whenever we are awake or hungry. Convenience and abundance are all around, everywhere we go. I’ve seen this convenience and abundance take us from once a week grocery shopping and three homemade meals each day, and at least one or two each day as a family when growing up, to individuals eating whenever they are hungry (okay, but not good for sharing a meal as a family or community) or even just when food presents itself; and that is always. I am in constant pursuit of trying to quit the conventional grocery store. I love that I haven’t had to buy lettuce or arugula in the past few weeks (so fresh right from the backyard), and that the zucchini is starting to present itself for later in the summer.

I try to buy local and in season whenever possible, and it is possible most of the time if we consciously think about it. During this time of year (and through November in my town) the first step is to see what’s at the farmer’s market. Then I decide how to prepare or use the fresh, local, seasonal ingredients. This way I am getting better nutrients from the food, avoiding transportation and advertising costs, eliminating the needed energy for keeping food cool or frozen, and any packaging required for shipping. There's also the added benefit of connection with neighbors and friends who appreciate the same healthier choices for themselves, and the environment.

Relying more on dried beans and grains, which can be bought in bulk and have a long shelf life also helps provide great nutrition without having to always rely on running to the store so much for animal products. I haven’t gotten into canning, but really appreciated those jalapeno peppers from my neighbor last year. I used them all fall and winter to put some heat in meals during the cold months.

Today I’ve been enjoying the best local, in-season strawberries from the farmers market and from my small plant in the back yard. I’ve decided to take it a step further and start to freeze this local in-season crop to be used during the year in fruit smoothies; a breakfast favorite for my son.

Strawberries sit high on the list of foods that should be eaten organic, because of he egregious amount of pesticides most farmers use to grow them. If you were to visit California, you would not see strawberry plants like you see here on small local U-Pick farms, but rows of plastic-covered strawberry beds. The plastic is there to trap the methyl bromide, a potent fumigant used to kill pests. The EPA banned methyl bromide in 2005 for its effect on the ozone layer, but California growers, who produce more than 80 percent of America’s strawberries, regularly get exemptions allowing them to use it.

What are you growing? Where do you shop? What can you do today to limit your need for the supermarket?

Moving On From Salt & Pepper

Avoiding the Supermarket