March Madness Grocery Challenge – The Score

This is it, the last day of the month. The last day of the March Madness Grocery Challenge.

As of last Friday I had a balance of $5.50 remaining in the MMGC fund, and guess what… Go ahead, guess. I’ll wait… Did I make it? What do you think?

Yes, I made it! As of right now I still have $5.50

You know what the crazy thing is? The crazy thing is that I didn’t think about it all week. I wasn’t stressed about it. I didn’t worry about it. I just didn’t go to the grocery store. That’s it, I just didn’t go. No big deal.

At the beginning of this challenge I allowed myself $20 a week for groceries. I also thought it probably would not be horribly difficult because the pantry and freezers were full. Actually, had it not been for the gallon of maple syrup and the dinner items purchased when we were returning from our out of town trip, both of which I am completely ok with, I would’ve done even better. The Z Man would interject here that (ahem) “we also haven’t had a loaf of bread in the house the entire month” That probably has more to do with me wanting to make real bread instead of buying highly processed junk from the store.

What I take away from this challenge is that, if I’m being honest, I have a grocery store habit. It probably stems from too much Food Network, but I truly enjoy cooking. I enjoy the entire process of planning, shopping and cooking a nice meal. There is something about chopping vegetables and putting them into a pot to cook, having the lovely smell of it cooking wafting through the house and then sitting down to enjoy that meal. Well, for me, it’s more than just getting dinner on the table. It’s nice. It gives me joy.

On the other side of the coin, I hate the grocery store. Even more so now that I’m researching better ways of eating because more often than not what you think you are buying isn’t at all what it really is. Bread is not bread, cheese is not cheese. It’s mostly highly processed ingredients that are unpronounceable and indigestible.

As for the MMGC, yes I stayed in budget, and we ate from the freezers and pantry. That’s great. But, that too all comes with a price of hard work. It’s taken us several years to see our homestead flow in full cycle like it is now. It’s also taken me a long time to learn the cycle and use it as it’s meant to be used, the benefit of the price we pay. That is to say, it is time to start the process of breaking my habit with the grocery store. Or have I already started it unknowingly with this challenge?

Putting in perspective this challenge and that what I’ve learned isn’t so much about the money but more importantly about why we do the things we do, and to understand that perhaps it’s more about the habit that can be changed, and recognizing the pleasure of doing it differently.

She Goes Up… She Shoots… And… She… Scores!!!

Till Next Time,

Lori

The Right Tool For The Job

Last week I was whining about being a frugal fraud because I had made quite a few purchases lately. And I do need to rein it in and focus more on making do instead of adding to cart. But one of the purchases I made was a meat slicer, and I’ll now be adding that tool to my list of must haves on the homestead.

I had reservations about buying a meat slicer and bringing another appliance into the house, but I’m so glad I did.

We raise our own pork, which means we also process and smoke our own bacon. However, no matter how hard I tried I could not slice the bacon thin enough and consistent enough to get the texture of bacon. I mean come on, one of the best parts of raising and processing your own pork is the bacon. I was meticulous about processing and curing the bacon, so why would I not be meticulous about the finished product? I don’t know.

What I do know is that now I have a lot of perfectly sliced bacon packaged and in the freezer just waiting for us anytime we want it. Bacon that is homegrown and free of nitrates, steroids and antibiotics… the best bacon I’ve ever eaten.

Having the right tool for the job can make the difference between good and great, and it can make the job a lot easier.

Till Next Time,

Lori

Breakfast?

One of the girls is slacking this morning 🙂

Till Next Time

Lori

Nurtured By Nature….

We Eat By The Grace Of Nature, Not Industry – Michael Pollan in Omnivore’s Dilemma

To say that Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s dilemma has made an impact on my life would be an understatement. I had an interest in this book because I wanted to learn more about clean eating. “Clean Eating” is the newest term in the food world. But I’m beginning to realize that most people including myself are utterly confused about what “clean eating” actually means. Also what I’m learning is that it means different things to different people. For me it means knowing where my food is coming from, well as much as possible. Organic as often as possible and consuming processed foods a little as possible.

The title of this post “Nurtured By Nature” has so many meanings for our homestead lifestyle. Nurtured by nature on a physical level in regards to the food we eat, but also on spiritual level for the beauty that surrounds us. I am fully aware that the homestead lifestyle was not the intended perspective for Mr. Pollan’s book, but written words take on different meanings for people. This is the effect it has had on me…..

Each day I can feel a stronger pull to live a more simple life, a more natural life, a more grateful life. Does this include my relationship with God? I can wholeheartedly say yes it does. By not forgetting to give thanks to God for the gifts he has blessed me with. A wonderful marriage to a loving husband, healthy and happy children and good family. Also a roof over our heads with a little land so we can play in the dirt and raise a few animals, but also the skills to take care of ourselves.

“We eat by the grace of nature, not industry” These words that Michael Pollan wrote in the Omnivore’s Dilemma rang such a chord with me that I had to replay it over again at least three times. (As I mentioned in an earlier post I’ve been listening to the book on cd in my car)

We eat by the grace of nature, and we are blessed with nature by the grace of God. It made me wonder if I have been honestly linking these two most important facts together. Perhaps I have been thanking for the ability to drive to the grocery store and buy groceries, or the skills to cook those groceries into a meal, I don’t know. And I’m not implying those aren’t worthy things to be thankful for, they most certainly are. I’m just saying for me, I haven’t been truly aware of the depth of my blessings or even honestly understanding what I’ve been thanking God for.

Going forth I wonder if I will make a conscious effort to focus on where the food that is nourishing our bodies is coming from and will that give me thankfulness of more specific meaning. The fact that I’ve recognized this and the lack in which I have shown my gratefulness in my blessings, I simply can not see how it couldn’t. I also expect that I will gain more pleasure in the processes of living a more simple wholesome life. I did not expect this book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma to have such a strong impact on me in areas of more than just food. It’s shocking really, because there are no glaring religious tones in the book.

It left me with a look inside, a reflection of the bigger picture, which for me will always include God.

In the spirit of being fed by nature, which is created by God, and if I’m being honest also in the spirit of Michael Pollan’s writings leading me to a further appreciation of our blessings and our food, I have made the decision that our Easter meal will not only be a celebration of the life of Christ, but also will be made from foods we have harvested in one form or another. A celebration of God’s love for us.

Till Next Time,

Lori