When I go to the store (or to the farm gate, or into the garden) I think of it as going for supplies, not 'shopping', which implies consumerism. I read an article a few years ago that detailed one family from each of a number of countries around the world and showed in photos what groceries they eat in one week. |
The range in budget and the diversity in how much or little prepared and packaged food people consumed was eye-opening. Since then, imagining myself under the scrutiny of that enterprising journalist, I have tried to be more like the families in the developing world. Here are some snapshots I took in one day of what I had in the kitchen.
Containers are so cheap these days, why not have your cupboards look nice? It's horrible sifting through piles of plastic bags of rice and beans. It makes me feel all lovely and peaceful every time I open these doors.
I use canola oil for frying falafels and baking. This year we discovered grape seed oil and use it instead of olive oil in anything where we're frying up onions & garlic.
The old phrase, 'a place for everything, and everything in its place' applies here. As long as we're doing things systematically to save mental space, why not be well-organized?
Looks different from a carnivore's fridge, eh? (Oops, showing my nationality there.)
I was being scrupulously honest shooting those frozen perogies. Andrew doesn't eat wheat, which means pasta. So, when he's not here, I treat myself to perogies. My name gives away a one-time connection to a Ukrainian. I was a Smith before that.
A big part of our life in the bush is getting together with other people who live off the main roads and eat cheap. We have a lot of pot luck meals and drink a lot of coffee and teas.
