I went to the grocery store, aka My Second Home, on Thursday and stumbled on a couple great in-store sale buys. I always buy what’s on sale with my store club card. Just one of the things I do to save money on my grocery budget.
Some weeks Fuji apples are on sale, some weeks it’s Jazz apples. Some weeks it’s mangoes, other weeks it’s oranges. I usually don’t care what exact types of fruits and vegetables I buy, just that I buy them. And plenty of them. And in an assorted variety.
I was really excited to see that avocados were on sale for 67 cents each.
I am going to make some Cheater’s Guacamole with the avos.
Mrs. Dash helps me cheat. That way I don’t have to dice onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, etc.
Shake-mash-ready
And Strawberries were 99 cents per 1 pound tub. $1.98 for 2 pounds of berries. We’ve eaten most of them already. We may turn into berries.
Some of these berries are huge! Palm-sized. And I am tall and have large hands and they are still palm-sized.
Two berries take up my entire palm. I think these berries are on ‘roids.
While I was putting away the groceries, Skylar was examining the crown she made.
As part of my daily green salad quotient, these were some of the chosen plants.
Dressed with homemade Cheezy Hemp Oil Dressing
And paired the green salad with Spicy Vegetable, Corn & Bean Soup
And for a snack, Skylar and I split a Biggie Microwave Banana Oat Cake
From my last post about The Best Things in Life are Free, it was wonderful reading what you feel are the best free things in your life. Reflecting on the good + the free things in your life = a recipe for keeping life in perspective.
Questions:
1. Have you noticed that fruit and produce keeps getting bigger and bigger?
I have and I am not really that into it. It just means that food is being genetically modified and engineered. Sigh.
Ignorance is bliss though, right? We can just pretend that the crops are growing that big on their own, right?
This article points out some of the pros, and cons, of GMO’ed foods.
In the past 10 years, I have noticed that vine-ripened tomatoes used to be golf ball sized or just slightly bigger, now they are baseball sized or bigger.
Apples used to be palm sized, and now they are like a big softball in the palm of your hand.
Bigger is better when it comes to many things, but not necessarily in the produce department.
2. What do you “have to have” at the store and what are you flexible with?
I have to have greens/lettuces. I don’t care if it’s butter lettuce, radiccio, romaine, kale, spring mix, just give me green plants for salads.
Apples, must have them and they cannot be green apples (too sour) or red delicious (skin is too thick, apple itself is too mushy) but any other apples are fine. I buy whatever is cheapest.
I have to have tomatoes, too. I eat one per day and love my lycopene.
Other fruit and veggies, I am not that picky about what I buy. Cucumbers, green beans, broccoli, zucchini, potatoes, carrots, oranges, bananas, grapes, mangoes, etc. they all make a rotation into the house, but not necessarily every single shopping trip. Just depends on what’s on sale, and what isn’t, and I guide my purchases according to what looks the best in the store that day and what’s the best value.
3. Weekend plans?
I covered that already. See item 3.
Have a great day and weekend!
Hi love! The grocery store is also my second home. Glad someone else feels the same way =) I love the cheater’s guacamole, makes it so much cheaper and simpler to make a quick and easy guac!
PS— what’s up with this dreary weather lately?!
I admit I don’t usually think about GMO produce, until I go to a farmer’s market and see the “regular sized” produce and realize how giant the fruits and veg at the supermarket are in comparison!
My “must haves” are bananas and apples — the kids go through ’em like crazy — and some kind of leafy greens.
This weekend — packing for our move back to Texas next week!
Have a great weekend!
“I admit I don’t usually think about GMO produce, until I go to a farmer’s market and see the “regular sized” produce and realize how giant the fruits and veg at the supermarket are in comparison! “— YES TOTALLY!
I HAVE to have bananas and tomatoes. Particularly heirloom tomatoes. I am addicted to both!
“I have to have greens/lettuces. I don’t care if it’s butter lettuce, radiccio, romaine, kale, spring mix, just give me green plants for salads.”
ME ME ME . :) And tons of fruit. As you said, don’t really care which…mix it up…I love (almost) all types of fruit!
The only time I have seen avocados that large was when I was in Costa Rica. They were perfection – creamy, flavorful, and filling. When I was in Italy I noticed the fruit at the farmers markets were larger and more bright than those I get here in Canada. Can it be a climate/territory difference?
of course!
I’d give anything to be able to access inexpensive and fresh produce. Everything is shipped! Our avocados are tiny, sad little things…and almost $2 each!
I just have to say first that in the picture of Skylar, it looks like the pillow behind her is an angel wing. I actually thought she WAS wearing wings at first! ;) Adorable!
Yes, grocery store = my second home! I have noticed that about produce! Especially when it comes to items like apples and mangos. I end up having to search around for smaller ones.
What sweet serendipity: I’m just drafting a post that’s somewhat about being flexible.
Those avos are giant. And I’m right with you: I don’t like it that produce is getting bigger and bigger. With avos, though, there are so many varieties. In HI, there were avocados that were barely bigger than some of your ‘roided strawberries even when mature, and then there were some that were literally football-sized, growing wild. They weren’t very good, either, for whatever that’s worth. There’s something with humans about wanting things to be big and spherical and perfect and sweet–I don’t know if it’s my contrarian nature or what, but I always prefer the little, odd-shaped apples, etc…
Have a great w/e!
Sometimes naturally growing/occurring big produce is not sweet, crisp, or just the “right” way. It sometimes tastes off I think, too.
I just hate that conventional produce is so much cheaper than organic. It’s not fair! Especially because I’m beginning to think I’m allergic to GMO’s (maybe its in my head)
I am so envious of your gorgeous and AFFORDABLE!! produce!! OMG! Do you know how much I just paid for ONE avocado? $2! :shock: and it wasn’t even organic. .99 cents for a pound of flawless strawbs? Are you kidding me? I thought $3.99 was a bargain for half rotten strawbs. Those are stunning!
Seriously, I have Dustin looking at SoCal real estate right now, lol. Considering it!!
MOVE HERE!!!!! You would love it!!!
wow im lucky to get avocado 2 for $3!! grab a bunch! i freeze mine in chunks and use them in smoothies! big produce scares me esp as a scientist. i dont want all those gmo foods!!
The only kind of produce that I “must” have is bananas. Jason and I each eat at least one per day — so those are a “need”. Other than that I’m open. I usually just write “fruit” and “veggies” on my grocery list and I go with what looks good, what is on sale, etc. Then I can make salads out of whatever I get.
Plans – 9 mile run tomorrow morning, bridal shower, going to a movie tonight maybe???
that’s how you got out of debt…by being flexible and buying on price as much as possible :)
This is why I want to live where I can garden. I am so tired of all the crap we eat even when we eat fresh food. I always have to have apples, oatmeal and coffee. It’s a horrible day if those things are not in my house.
Amen lady. And per your comment to me the other day about edited photos, i totally agree. My comment reply time is getting more limited, but yeah, same thoughts as you on all that!
Yes, produce is getting huge! I actually live in a fruit producing valley in Canada and the aim is always to have the biggest fruit as if the smaller stuff isn’t good. I get my peaches from a lady who has the biggest peaches I have ever seen. Like barely smaller than melon sized peaches. Fortunately I know she doesn’t do anything too weird to them she just knows exactly how to prune the trees and everything else so they produce the biggest they can. I get a little more nervous when I see such amazing fruit at the grocery store.
I seriously was looking for a “source” link after the first strawberry photo. It looks too perfect I thought it had to be done by a professional photographer!
thanks for the pic compliment…I took it yesterday! The light was hitting the berries perfectly and I took my time w/ the shot. I shot about 20 shots, and that was the best one I thought :)
Cheaters guacamole! What a fabulous idea! I’m going to be making that sometime soon for sure haha!
Averie, I just started following your blog and am already so excited to see someone as tall as myself (well close, I’m 6’1″) living a beautifully healthy lifestyle without trying to be a wafer, but proudly rocking the amazon look! Everything you cook looks delicious, down to the cheater’s guac (salivating atm), your daughter’s lovely, and I can’t wait to see what you do next!
thanks for reading!
Beautiful photos, as usual! Whenever I see the vivid colors of fruits & veggies, undressed, it seems so obvious as to what we should be eating!! They need no make-up! My must haves are greens, apples and nuts. Avocados if they aren’t too pricey. Won’t pay much more than one dollar a piece for them. But Apples are my staple!! Love Pepitas too!
thanks for catching up on all my posts and your comments.