Grocery shopping
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Plan your weekly meals around the contents of your CSA box rather than trying to fit the produce into pre-planned meals.
This approach helps ensure you cook meals that use all the food, preventing spoilage.
- Requires a conscious effort to not let any food go to waste.
one person who lived it
Be aware that grass-fed beef may be tougher than corn-fed beef.
Grass-fed animals grow slower and may be older when slaughtered, which can lead to toughness.
one person who lived it
Be wary that some CSAs send lower-quality produce to members while selling better items elsewhere.
Some farms focus on farmer's markets or restaurants with their best goods.
- One person considers this unethical.
one person who lived it
Freeze a half batch of preserved food to test the process before committing to large canning projects.
It allows you to try the recipe without the commitment of canning.
- Based on one person's experience.
one person who lived it
Expect girls to eat more during puberty than boys do in one sitting.
Girls may consume almost as much as older boys during this stage.
one person who lived it
Do not buy organic bananas.
It is a waste of money.
one person who lived it
Calculate the true cost of CSA shares based on what you actually eat rather than what you throw away.
If much of the produce spoils, the effective cost per eaten item becomes very high.
one person who lived it
Clean out jars from purchased food and reuse them to buy bulk items like rice, beans, and oats.
one person who lived it
Grow vegetables and herbs from seeds.
Seeds are inexpensive.
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Build a raised vegetable garden to lower long-term produce costs, accepting the high initial investment for soil and infrastructure.
Once the initial setup is done, the garden becomes very sustainable.
one person who lived it
Use a grocery store's online pickup feature to add items to your cart and view the total cost before entering the store.
It is less stressful than calculating costs while in the store.
one person who lived it
Verify if a bulk meat deal includes processing costs before buying, as hanging weight prices often exclude cutting and packaging fees.
Processing costs are not insignificant and add approximately a dollar per pound.
one person who lived it
Consider the costs of tilling, seeds, and transplants before assuming a home garden is more frugal than buying produce.
Initial setup and maintenance costs may offset savings.
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Include the cost of a deep freezer and its electricity usage when calculating the total expense of buying whole animal shares.
These overhead costs affect the true savings.
one person who lived it
Swap surplus homegrown fruit with neighbors who raise livestock in exchange for meat products.
one person who lived it