So I just watched a video on how to save money at the grocery store. The clip was from ABC News, and they missed a big opportunity to talk about buying local, but of course, they didn't. They explained that grocery prices had gone up 17% in a year and then went to the store to point out that sausage costs more than bacon and skim milk less than 2% (are we happy about that?). They then said that you should buy fruit in season, and very briefly mentioned fuel costs affecting overall prices.
YES we need to buy in season...if we all bought in season think of the impact it would have. We also need to buy LOCALLY. Prices are not as affected when a product only travels a short distance. I know the beef we are getting costs me way less than the cheapest supermarket beef when you average the prime cuts with the ground. That is because the beef is from Maryland, and the travel time is minimal, and the increased cost to the farmer is small, so he can keep prices lower. We pay more for milk than at the grocery store. Last I checked, a gallon of 2 %milk at the grocery store ran us just over $4, and I pay $3.60 for a half gallon. I am fine with paying the extra, my kids drink less of the farm milk as it is quite rich, and I am not getting all of the hormones and antibiotics, which is worth every cent! I also enjoy recycling the milk bottles, and I am content to pay more for milk for less trash being produced. Right now, I get my eggs from two different farms, one costs me $1.50 a dozen for free range brown eggs (find them in the store for that) and the other comes as part of the CSA costing me about $3 a dozen, again, cheaper than the good eggs at the store. My CSA haul last week cost me about $23 and I got a nice jar of local honey, eggs, broccoli rabe, green garlic, radishes, salad greens, and herbs, and if I had bought all of that at the store, it would have run me at least $35. Oh why can't everyone get that it only takes a few more minutes, and the payoff is huge for everyone?
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