Lent -2

So, after much discussion, the Willis family have decided to have a go at giving up supermarkets for Lent.  I thought we'd better start off by saying where we are at right now, in terms of our supermarket addiction! 

We have a lovely Sainsbury's about 10 minutes walk from us, but I have to admit that usually we go by car.  We tend to visit 3-4 times a week.  We don't really tend to do big shops, as that seems to lead to buying loads of things that then don't get used.  Rather we wonder around the store with 2 or 3 things that we need to get and also pick up a few things that catch our eye.  I am terrible for looking for the "reduced for quick sale" items because I'm convinced they're bargains.  This quite often leads to buying things I would never usually want because they're a "good deal". 

We also have a milkman.  At the moment we get milk delivered 3 days a week, although they do offer more. 

For about 4 months now we have been getting fortnightly deliveries of organic fruit and veg.  This has definitely changed our eating habits, increasing our consumption and variety of fruit and veg. 

We are omnivores but we generally try to source good quality meat.  We try to buy local, free-range and sometimes organic meat.  This is more expensive so we don't eat meat as often as we used to, but it is definitely a delicious treat.  We have meat in our main meal about 3 times a week. 

Locally (within 10 mins walk) we have 2 quality butchers, 2 bakers and a newsagent.  There is a homewares/hardware store that sells some cleaning stuff, two chemists and a pound shop that has all kinds of random items.  The local greengrocer closed down just before Christmas.  We also have a non-supermarket petrol station that is only 2 mins drive away. 

Our daughter is 15 months old but pretty much eats what we eat and we use washable nappies. 

So, in summary, we have pretty much everything in place so I don't think it should be too hard.  It makes me wonder why we end up in the Supermarket so often?  What are we actually doing there when we don't need to be? 

We're keeping this blog to see just how easy this is.  Hopefully this will be a life affirming, local business supporting, carbon-footprint reducing, health improving lifestyle change.  Watch this space!