April order fast approaching

It's nearly time to place the fourth food buying group order, which is a bit exciting!

I thought I'd do a quick post to explain to anyone who is interested just how easy it is, and maybe a bit about just how positive an effect it's had on our lives.

To order, simply send an email to holly.young@hotmail.co.uk to tell me you are interested. I will reply with an order form as well as log in details to the Essential Trading web site (or get a paper catalogue to you). From here, you have a browse from the comfort of your sofa, fill in the order form - which does all the maths bits for you - and email it back to me by Monday 2nd April. We are trialling giving you the option to order via text this month too.

I will check the order then email you back to confirm prices. The food will then be delivered to our house in Weston-super-Mare on Thursday 5th April, you can pop round that evening to collect it, or you can arrange an alternative mutually convenient time. Please bring cash on collection to pay for your order.

Simple!

So, what are the benefits?

• We are definitely spending less money. In part, probably because we are not tempted by supermarket 'offers' that we only end up throwing away. Also, because we are buying in bulk.
• We are definitely using less packaging.
• We are eating better. Yes, this has meant more time cooking but if that's something you enjoy then welcome to the world of creating delicious wholesome meals!
• We haven't had to endure the supermarket. I can't begin to tell you how much more enjoyable my life is just from not entering Tesco. It may sound really silly, but I enjoy my time on this planet much more because I am spending it doing far more enjoyable things than pushing a trolley around a very large box!

Ok, preachy ranty bit over. Whatever your reasons for wanting to shop differently, welcome aboard!

Packaging

Landfill in Calgary - Courtesy of D'Arcy - Flickr Creative Commons

Yesterday was 'Rubbish & Recycling day': due to good work by the council our recyclable waste is collected weekly but the black wheelie bins containing non-recyclables is only collected fortnightly. This has improved recycling rates in the county, all good stuff.

While I lugged the boxes out to the roadside ready for collection I noticed our green recycling bin was only a quarter full and the wheelie bin was empty. We only had half a bin bag to get rid of from our kitchen bin. This is great, we haven't really put any effort into reducing waste, over and above the normal that is, with a little bit of effort I think we could probably get to effectively zero waste.

Undoubtedly the biggest factor contributing to this improvement has been the food buying group, buying in bulk has reduced all the silly little bits of packaging that small quantities inevitably lead to, and with either Fair Trade or organic the producers and vendors have usually reduced packaging to that which is necessary.

The veg box we share with Becky & TCO helps too, it is slightly surprising to find that the natural state of a cucumber is not to grow covered in shrink wrap plastic...

Beans and pulses

Ok so what else can you do with beans and pulses? Nina Thomas-Bennett inspired me last night! I am going to sprout them!! It seems this is a favourite with her little people and from the conversation between Mark and Ollie its a man favourite too :). So how do you do it? Nina did give me clear instructions last night, however, I have slept since and forgotten so had to search the good old web. I found a useful link on Youtube which shows it really is so simple I cant believe I forgot.

All you do is soak the beans or pulses in water overnight drain then rinse daily. They show a fancy sprouter but you could just use an empty jar and poke lots of holes in the lid (not so big that the pulses etc can escape) It takes around 3 -4 days or leave them till they are as big as you fancy then eat.

Here is the link, not because you will need it, because the hosts made me giggle ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-1V4vtV8Yo

Happy sprouting.

Cat and Mark

P.S. Thanks Nina :)