Nirvana in a shopping cart

[Daryl]

Went shopping this morning, to the Basic Foods store in Beaumont, about a 50 mile roundtrip. Tons of great items there..... 4 different brands of coconut oil, heck, organic everything :)

I bought organic butter, wild salmon, organic cream cheese, grass-fed ground beef, grass-fed ribeye, some incredibly delicious organic macademia butter, and some uncured, organic buffalo hot dogs :lol:

They had a lot of books for sale, including most of Dr. Atkins work.

I was highly impressed with their vitamin/oils department; found Krill oil, Carlsons fish oil, and some of Udo Erasmus' supplements.

The only thing I did not find that I was looking for were cage-free eggs that had not been fed a vegetarian diet.

[Citruskiss]

You're turning into a 'foodie' !

I used to tease people who shopped in the health food store or the 'organic whole foods' type places. Um, I've turned into one of them. :o

No, I haven't quite gotten to the point of buffalo hot dogs just yet...but I do find myself really enjoying good quality food. Never in a million years did I think I'd be looking around for organic tea or freshly ground nut butters.

No Birkenstocks, and no...not wearing a Greenpeace shirt or anything like that...but I can sometimes be found hanging out at one of these stores buying groceries.

And yet, I still shop everywhere else too. The conundrum being that I'll be in the WalMart Supercenter buying household basics...shampoo, cleaners for the house, paper towels etc. And yet, I'll balk at the fact that they don't have brown #2 cone filters for my little individual Melitta one-cup coffee maker contraption. So what do I do? Get in the car and drive to another store in search of the 'right' coffee filters.

Um...then I'll go to yet another store, looking for the better produce.

I'm not sure this is supposed to be how it works, but then again...it's what I do. Can't help but laugh at myself for these things. Driving all over town looking for campari tomatoes and brown coffee filters.

Sigh...

:o

[Daryl]

A foodie?? Ohnooooooooooo :lol:

Sara, don't feel bad about going store to store.... I went to the gigantic new HEB because I wanted to try some Jarlsberg cheese. They were out, so I went down the road to the big honking Krogers, and found some :)

I won't mention that I bought the majority of my food at a hometown store also, and that I'm going to Wally World tomorrow for some fish, and supplements :)

Just finished one of the buffalo dogs; it was pretty darn good, like a mild jerkey, kind of.

[SunnyCarol]

Now we know who has all the big bucks http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i303/pure_atkins/dollarsignrevolving.gif on this forum--or did have before shopping for organic, grass fed everything. :lol: ;)


http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i303/pure_atkins/dollartwirl-1.gif http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i303/pure_atkins/dollar_jump_md_clr.gif http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i303/pure_atkins/dollarstretch.gif http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i303/pure_atkins/dollarwalk.gif



Sunny!

[Daryl]

*pulls out pockets, watches lint fall out* :lol:

I wish! :) There were several things left on the shelves, it was just too high. $12 if I remember right for a jar of almond butter!

I have to figure out my bills, and see how much organic I can incorporate on a regular basis.

[KvonM]

i'm coming to your house for dinner. http://bestsmileys.com/eating1/13.gif

if you're worried about the eggs, just remember that chickens are scavengers. if they're cage-free then they'll be able to go after bugs and other protein sources on the ground and not be completely reliant on basic chicken feed. that might help :).

[Daryl]

i'm coming to your house for dinner. http://bestsmileys.com/eating1/13.gif

if you're worried about the eggs, just remember that chickens are scavengers. if they're cage-free then they'll be able to go after bugs and other protein sources on the ground and not be completely reliant on basic chicken feed. that might help :).

Bring napkins :)

Good point about the eggs, I hadn't thought of that! :agree:

[Daryl]

Here's a link to the company that makes the macadamia butter:

http://www.worldpantry.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prmenbr=172832&prrfnbr=198874

http://www.worldpantry.com/nspired/maranatha/img/product/nsp-mnb092548.jpg

Lots of stirring involved :lol: , but it's tasty.

Hmm, this product is "natural", not one of the organic ones, just to clarify.

[MyJourney]

I used to get that same brand almond butter. Its divine! Sometimes Costco carries it too. Now I just go to whole foods and grind my own almond and peanut butter. I noticed that a new Safeway has a nut roasting and grinding section. They will roast them on the spot and they have about half a dozen different types of nut butter machines including one that has peanuts and chocolate chips that calls to me every time I shop there but I have been successful in avoiding it so far.

I am the same way with shopping at multiple stores for everything. I buy all my produce, nuts, fish and chicken at whole foods but still get steaks and lamb at Costco. I get cleaning supplies from Safeway etc. I always end up going to at least 8 different stores to get what I need for the week.

[Citruskiss]

***will wait till goal, will wait till goal, will wait till goal***

The nut butter looks really good. I've sworn off nut butters for the time being, but am looking forward to trying something like macadamia nut butter someday.

Daryl - have you tried "Annies Naturals Goddess" dressing? One of my journal buddies mentioned this to me when I was struggling to ditch the dairy, and I've been hooked on it ever since. A few other friends have also since tried it..and they're all raving about it too.

There are two kinds - one's called "Annies Organic Green Goddess" dressing, and I haven't tried that one b/c it has dairy in it...but the regular "Annie's Naturals Goddess Dressing" is to die for. Made with tahini and sesame seeds - a really nice change of pace from things like ranch or blue cheese dressing, and it's got no additives. It tastes almost like a cross between alfredo sauce and creamy caesar salad dressing, if you can imagine that. Great on meats and salads.

I haven't tried 'grass-fed' anything.....

I'm sure I will at some point though.

Happy shopping everyone... :)

[Citruskiss]

I always end up going to at least 8 different stores to get what I need for the week.

Me too. :lol:

[cartersg1]

DH and I are getting a small freezer to put in the basement. We've had a Sam's Club card but haven't renewed it in a couple of years. We have one daughter and contemplating adopting 2 sisters which means I will have to make fewer trips to the store. So I will need to stock up - Sam's will allow that and more flexibility in meal planning. We need a small freezer in any case; and a vacuum sealer to dole out and seal up portions. I'm also not one of those Greenpeace, Birkenstock, grass drink in hand kind of people - sometimes I find them a bit...pretentious in their attempt to be...unpretentious. I just do this for my health and my local businesses..we recycle and reuse what we can.


I just went to Trader Joe's last night. I'm running low on almond milk. I buy bulk cases of it from one of two local health food stores but I'm low on funds at the moment - waiting on slow pay. :) Anyway, I don't mind the slightly higher prices for organics. When in season (like now), I buy veggies from local farmers since it's usually cheaper AND better. I don't have enough space to grow my own except peppers and my herbs. But I do make a point of buying from smaller companies and shopping locally if at all possible. It's important to support small, local and/or family-owned businesses. But I do like Trader Joe's - my local grocery does carry quite a few items that I use so I don't need to run all over the place but they can't do special orders.

I'm cooking a lot this week - we have a kindergarten picnic on Friday and then school starts next week. My daughter will not be at the mercy of the school lunch program. She might take really odd food with her and smoothies in her thermos but I'd rather her to eat well than "be cool" as a 5 year old.
But hey, maybe having a mom that does more than sandwiches will give her some cool factor. Hey, she chose grapes and a banana over cookies last night, so the babysitter said. :)

I'd like to buy Seventh Generation cleaning products and such. Has anyone tried them? Do they work well?? I've bought natural lotions for my daughter since her skin is so sensitive. And I picked up some all-natural products in Sitka for bug bites and rashes and used natural bug repellent - Windsong makes them in Sitka. Works quite well! I can't use commercial bug repellent. So I contemplate not only what I put in my body, but on it. There was a wonderful company out of Ontario that made organic, talc-free makeup but they've shuttered their operations. So I have to resort to the chemical stuff - honestly, I can't afford it anymore. Talc-free is still expensive, even in the OTC kind, but since I wear makeup a couple days a week but eat food ALL THE TIME, I make my financial compromise with better food. Cheers!

[Daryl]

I used to get that same brand almond butter. Its divine! Sometimes Costco carries it too. Now I just go to whole foods and grind my own almond and peanut butter. I noticed that a new Safeway has a nut roasting and grinding section. They will roast them on the spot and they have about half a dozen different types of nut butter machines including one that has peanuts and chocolate chips that calls to me every time I shop there but I have been successful in avoiding it so far.

I am the same way with shopping at multiple stores for everything. I buy all my produce, nuts, fish and chicken at whole foods but still get steaks and lamb at Costco. I get cleaning supplies from Safeway etc. I always end up going to at least 8 different stores to get what I need for the week.

I may splurge and get some of the almond butter next time, just to taste test it :)

[Daryl]

***will wait till goal, will wait till goal, will wait till goal***

The nut butter looks really good. I've sworn off nut butters for the time being, but am looking forward to trying something like macadamia nut butter someday.

Daryl - have you tried "Annies Naturals Goddess" dressing? One of my journal buddies mentioned this to me when I was struggling to ditch the dairy, and I've been hooked on it ever since. A few other friends have also since tried it..and they're all raving about it too.

There are two kinds - one's called "Annies Organic Green Goddess" dressing, and I haven't tried that one b/c it has dairy in it...but the regular "Annie's Naturals Goddess Dressing" is to die for. Made with tahini and sesame seeds - a really nice change of pace from things like ranch or blue cheese dressing, and it's got no additives. It tastes almost like a cross between alfredo sauce and creamy caesar salad dressing, if you can imagine that. Great on meats and salads.

I haven't tried 'grass-fed' anything.....

I'm sure I will at some point though.

Happy shopping everyone... :)

I haven't tried the "Annies", but I believe they had some there. The "alfredo sauce/creamy ceasar" combo sounds good!

Grass-fed..... to be honest, I tend to like the flavor of the "regular" beef more, just a little, but the grass-fed is supposed to be much healthier. As grass-fed is leaner, be sure to adjust your cooking time, so it doesn't get leathery lol.

[Cindyloo]

Daryl...do you use coconut oil? I live really close to you (Leduc) and the only place I can find it is Nutters...I paid 25.95 for a small container. Have you seen any in Beaumont?


cheers neighbour :)

[Cindyloo]

oops......you live in Texas......no where near me :wave:

sorry :D

[Daryl]

oops......you live in Texas......no where near me :wave:

sorry :D

lol, it's okay :lol:

The price you quoted, though, is about what the store I went to was selling them for! Around $18 to the mid $20s.

You can buy it online, also, if you ever find you need to, cindy.

[Cindyloo]

I wonder if these expensive containers and better quality as the cheaper stuff......

[MyJourney]

I'd like to buy Seventh Generation cleaning products and such. Has anyone tried them? Do they work well?? I've bought natural lotions for my daughter since her skin is so sensitive. And I picked up some all-natural products in Sitka for bug bites and rashes and used natural bug repellent - Windsong makes them in Sitka. Works quite well! I can't use commercial bug repellent. So I contemplate not only what I put in my body, but on it. There was a wonderful company out of Ontario that made organic, talc-free makeup but they've shuttered their operations. So I have to resort to the chemical stuff - honestly, I can't afford it anymore. Talc-free is still expensive, even in the OTC kind, but since I wear makeup a couple days a week but eat food ALL THE TIME, I make my financial compromise with better food. Cheers!

I went through a phase where I purchase 7th generation stuff and other all natural cleaners. They were pretty terrible. In fact, they were so bad that I posted a craigslist ad and just gave them all away because it wasnt worth the space it was taking up under my sink. I mean its hard to describe a cleaner that actually works worse than soap and water but it does. Since my kick wasnt over yet I decided to just make all my own household detergents and soaps and lotions etc. I made everything from scratch including my laundry soap. That was great but it took up WAY too much time and lye became impossible to purchase in the stores because I guess its used for meth or something like that so I had to order it online and it just became too much. I really wanted to use all natural stuff because I am worried about my cats getting some caustic cleanser on their paws and then licking themselves and getting poisoned and of course making wonderful soaps that are great for my skin and lotion without preservatives and my own mineral makeup and lip gloss in any color I can dream of is a fun hobby but just one I do not have the time for. For now I am just more careful with what I use and when I do wash the floor or clean the tub etc. I just lock the cats in the bedroom until its all dry and "safe" (er).

[Citruskiss]

I've been pretty happy with this gallon-sized jug of Simple Green cleaner concentrate that I have - it has a nice smell (kind of like eucalyptus) and cleans very well.