a month without supermarket - new challenge for 2011 starts at post 1013

rachbc

couple of q's - what are people counting as sm - just the big 4 or aldi lidl/ co-op as well? Are we talking about 'chains' rather than independant shops - I get lots of houseold stuff from BM poundland etc.

Also isn't 'shopping form cupboard/ freezer' cheating a little as the food was (often) brought in a supermarket originally?

parsonswife8

I don't see it as cheating. What you have previously bought, has to be used up and the challenge is not to buy anything more from supermarkets for the month of January.

I don't see it as applying to your previous purchases.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

rachbc...

Each person is doing their own twist on it,

When we started this challenge originally we were trying to keep away from ALL high street chain supermarkets... including the co-op.

Looking back, and now getting my butt into gear again, It was a drastic change all in one go, and I think alot of the original challengers lost heart quickly, so this time I think its best to do baby steps... maybe one week find a good butcher and somewhere to buy your fruit and veg..... then the second week, maybe look at where you can buy your laundry items....etc

Ok I have gone back to the supermarkets to do my shopping, but I still use an independant animal feed store, which delivers free of charge my pet food, I bulk buy in my local butcher and then freeze,

so what I am tying to say for me it was all about supporting independant businesses, as when we started this in 2007 they were struggling then, it must be a total nightmare for them now.

My mother owns a lady's fashion shop, and over the last 2 years her takings have halved, bad news, she is running at a loss, but is tied to a lease so can not get out.

So its also about supporting other busiensses not only food shops too for me anyway.

I buy off

www.approvedfoods.co.uk which will be very usefull in this challenge, ok they are not local, but they are independant.

Pitlanepiglet

Kimitatsu wrote: »

Hi Lil me

I have! Unfortunately because they are chilled products

Hi Lil me, I know your son is soya intolerant but we have a soya milk maker that you can also use to make nut milks, grain milks and bean milks

We use ours with soya beans to make soya but this is something that has saved us a lot of supermarket shopping.

http://www.wholisticresearch.com/shop/home/m/Shop/id/788/page/1/

hex2

I think it needs to be like all these challenges - individual choices/rules. Maybe start by changing your priorities? Going forward my absolute last resort will be one of the big four supermarkets. Yes I have a store cupboard and freezer full of things that I bought from them which will get used, but they will be my last place to look for replacements. What I am not willing to do is buy poor fruit/veg or drive miles so today I have spent £6.45 on F&V in the co-op. The farm shop is shut, as are the greengrocers and the stuff in the Londis was very poor. Going forward I need to plan better so that this doesn't happen.

COOLTRIKERCHICK

I totally agree Hex2,

You will find over the coming weeks, you will start planning your shopping trips, and will find the best places to buy different things..

same as you, I need carrots to make a dinner this evening, so I have no option but to buy them in the local co-op, but as I have said in earlier posts, it will take a week or so.

Hubby likes the odd can of larger or 2 every night, which he allways goes to the large supermarkets to buy, so I was thinking of buying him a late christmas present of a brewing kit....

does anyone know where i can get a complete brewing kit for dummies:rotfl:? maybe an independant or small specialist on-line?

Caterina

Hi all,

Second day of the challenge and am already wondering where to get toilet paper! Family of 4 adults (of which two are son and daughter of the family and not exactly renowned for their frugal ways!) and toilet paper goes faster than hot cakes, so buying it in two-roll packets at the local shop is NOT sustainable (although has happened in emergencies).

The market sells loo paper in bulk, but it is really very poor quality. Approved Food sells good paper at £2.50 for 9, but it is not worth ordering and paying delivery charges for a few packs of loo paper only, and I do not need anything else from them at the moment.

Our milkman delivers toilet rolls in packs of 9 but they cost £3.89, this is ok on an occasional basis but not sustainable in the long term.

Iceland, Aldi and Lidl, do they class as "supermarket"? I read posts saying that the Co-op is acceptable because of its ethical ways, and then I read the post below from Kimitatsu, which gives me some hope, also because Waitrose is run as a co-op and it is in effect owned by its employees.

Kimitatsu wrote: »

Even though its a supermarket Waitrose seems to be best for the majority of stuff he needs and I like their ethical stance so its better than nothing

Could someone offer some guidance please? I really want to take part in this challenge at the best of my ability and would hate it if a bit of fluffy paper spoiled it. If I lived by myself, I would do it by cutting the free delivered newpapers in strips, use these and then compost the used strips (:eek: I know, I know, not many people agree with this extreme stance, including the rest of my family!) but the others in my home would have me committed if I went that far!

Thank you all in advance for any suggestions.

greenbee

I buy my loo paper either online from ethical superstore/natural collection or from my local hardware/animal feed store, or the health food shop. For me the brand is important - either traidcraft or ecoleaf.

The problem with attempting to shop ethically, as that there are so many factors to consider, so you need to work out what is most important to you. If you can only get loo paper at a supermarket, go and fill up a trolley so you won't have to go back again (and won't have room for anything else!)

Caterina

Thank you Greenbee, the Ethical Superstore is a good idea, I shall do that, I have bought stuff from them in the past and they tend to do bulk too.

I am going to get better organised next month when I do my bulk organic wholefood order, then I shall be able to buy the loo paper in bulk via the wholesalers, meanwhile Ethical Superstore is going to be the ideal interim solution.

nopot2pin

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

does anyone know where i can get a complete brewing kit for dummies:rotfl:? maybe an independant or small specialist on-line?

You can buy such kits from Wilkinsons.
There are quite a few on line home brew shops.
A local home brew shop may be a preferred option for you, as generally they are worth their weight in gold with advice for any questions that may arise.