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Too many options

Posted at 6:30 AM on May 10, 2008 by Sareen Dunleavy Keenan (2 Comments)

I don't know if I have mentioned it, but going from store to store to maximize my local food take is something I am unwilling and pretty much unable to do. You see, we are always walking the fine line between what the baby can tolerate and how close I am to the bathroom. I forgot how important that becomes in the later stages of pregnancy!

Because of this, we often get stuck in our shopping rut of running the same routine week after week and just doing the best that we can. This past weekend, my brain was not operating at full force (decreases by 7% during pregnancy I hear?) and I forgot the milk jugs. So this creates a problem. I am certainly not buying more, and I hate going back to the store. So I racked my brain to find other errands that needed to happen near a store or co-op that sold the same milk we use returnable bottles for.

This turned out to mean a trip to the Seward Co-op*. I know you cannot hear the tone in my voice, so let me interpret. For all of the WONDERFUL, FABULOUS things they are doing, I was still a little sad to go. You see, the co-op is fantastic at labeling their local food. They are great about getting in many different local options, it was wonderful to find just what I needed in every aisle. Turns out, I found a lot of what I didn't need too!

Whenever I saw the little blue local sticker it was as if I had gone loco. I think I purchased one of every local food they had and even a piece of fish that, while not from 500 miles away, was from the US, so fits into my families definition of local fish.

Typically we spend between $40 - $50 on groceries per week. Well, we had already spent $30 the day before getting everything we needed except for milk. The temptation was too high, five grocery bags and $70 later, we did have our milk, and every other local item in the place.

My recommendation, buy your meat in bulk and stick to the farmers market this summer. Do you really need all of the options that are out there? I know my family probably didn't!

*I really believe the Seward co-op is amazing. Too amazing for my weak impulses. Please, if you can control yourself (or even if you cant) get yourself there and be spoiled!

Comments (2)

I've never been to Seward Co-op - My personal Rut is the Wedge and Mississippi Market in St Paul. And You are absolutely right. While I don't buy my meat in bulk - I do buy it from either the Farmers Market or from the University of Minnestoa Meat Lab - Have you ever shopped at the Dairy store, cheese and icecream - no milk; or the Meat Lab? Good prices and grown and produced or butchered by the Food Science Students at the U of M. (The next generation of local farmers. Saturday at the Saint Paul Farmer's Market I got asparagus, spinach, green onions, eggs and cheese. Sounds like a feast for the week. I really appreciate your posts.

Posted by Diane J Lorvig | May 19, 2008 7:02 AM

Diane, The meat lab is something my husband dreams of but is scared to go to. I think the name "meat lab" sounds... Frankenstein-esque? We haven't coordinated ourselves enough to get out there, but it is on the to-do list. From their website it seems that I would need to drop by on a Wednesday I am not working. Sounds like a job for maternity leave. August is coming soon.

Brendan went to the St.Paul market and saw the foods... too bad he forgot his wallet in the car and then needed to leave on a baby/diaper related "emergency." The only thing that made it home was the spinach for the lasagna this week.

Thanks for your comments, I am always looking for new places. -sdk

Posted by Sareen | May 20, 2008 5:12 PM