1. All grocery (read: food) purchases must be made via Farmer’s market, roadside stand, small shop or private purchase.
2. $30USD (before tax) is allotted – for the entire 28 days – to
purchase various items that cannot be found at aforementioned venues.
All food purchased with this $30 should be organic/bio, if possible.
I am now in my third week of my NGSC and I have no intention
of slowing down. I’ve been to the store
only once to pick up some organic coffee creamer, cereal and sunflower seeds. Pleasantly surprised is too light of a term
to describe how I have felt about this experience so far. Here are a few of the things I’ve learned:
1. I had more food
packed away in my pantry than I thought.
This challenge has prompted me to dig into the corners of my “pantry” –
which is really a bereft bookcase in the office because my house does not have
an actual pantry – and I’ve discovered some treasures. I’ve also been working through all of the
frozen items I had stockpiled.
2. Preparing and freezing food isn’t as hard as I’d
imagined. My freezer is now stuffed with
30-ears-worth of corn, rhubarb, homemade spaghetti sauce, walnuts, beans,
pureed carrots & cauliflower, breads, lemon & lime cubes, peas, and
homemade raspberry-basil sorbet.
3. I have learned how
to make things that had never occurred to me to make from scratch. Along with the aforementioned spaghetti sauce
(Never had I made it from fresh tomatoes – so easy, who knew?!) and
raspberry-basil sorbet, I also made my own nut butter for the first time. I used almonds, cashew, pecans and a dash of
organic pumpkin oil. And I will NEVER
purchase peanut butter again. My 4 year
old gives it two sticky thumbs up and would eat it for every meal if I let
her. Score! I also blanched and froze
vegetables for the first time.
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| I swear this is not ALL mine! |
4. I discovered a local wine shop. Wine – grown locally and sold in reusable
bottles – for $2. Seriously.
5. I have saved a LOT
of money. I mean, a LOT. I make no claims that this will happen to you
because every town and market is different.
But for me, in Hungary, the savings have been incredible. Well over 50%. Keep in mind that we pay a 25% VAT on all
grocery here. At the Farmers’ Market,
you don’t. And now my impulse buys are
an additional flat of raspberries or a bag of fresh-ground paprika.
Which means:
6. I have lost 10
lbs. Now I know this is mostly reduced
water retention. HOWEVER, the reason I
don’t have water retention is because I’m not porking out on bags of chips. I’m cooking fresh, whole foods with herbs as
seasoning. I also have a lot more energy
thanks to eating non-processed foods & sugar. I was not doing the NGSC to
lose weight, but I. WILL. TAKE. IT.
7. After trolling the
internet for other NGSC participants – I am not the first and I am happy to say
I am not the last – I stumbled upon the word, “Localvore or Locavore.” What a delightful term. I now dub myself a Localvore. May I live up to it!
Since I joined the challenge and it was graciously mentioned
by both TakePart & Food, Inc (and, seriously, what an honor!!!), I have
been contacted by two individuals who have either started or will be starting
their own NGSC. So wonderful! And if you’re still skeptical about going
full-on, check out Sara’s NGSC Lite.
Even if you skip just one grocery store trip to visit your local Farmer’s
Market, you have made a difference. Kudos!
If you missed it, check out my Farmers' Market & Food Storage tips.
If you missed it, check out my Farmers' Market & Food Storage tips.
