100 Days of Hygge - Day 14

This past week I had a couple disturbing and unhappy things happen.  This is on top of other disturbing and unhappy things that have been happening at a rather regular rate lately over the past few months.  It all started with my husband's stroke, I think.

Anyway, I am choosing not to dwell on them, but to pray and hope that things will work out.  And also do what I can, here and now, in my own little sphere.  One thing somewhat under my control is our very poor diet.  I am very inconsistent.  I try to cook healthy but do it in a very piecemeal way where it is liberally interspersed with very unhealthy food.  All our health is suffering from this.  So I really feel the battle call to get finally get my act together.  So here goes!  This is the thing that gives me hygge - cooking well for my family.  When I don't, I feel guilty and like a failure.  I am going to end that negative thinking and those bad habits and do positive things.  I will go little by little, always moving forward.  I need to be realistic but not make excuses. 

I am going with the Mediterranean Diet for our health.  This is no refined carbs/refined sugars, focus on healthy omega 3 fats, whole foods, single ingredient products.  Lots of whole grains, nuts and seeds, veggies, fruit, some dairy and some meat.  And upping the seafood consumption. 

I am going to concentrate my food shopping on days when B is at the math tutor.  There's a Wegman's 10 minutes from the tutor's house.  I think I have a pretty good chance of being fairly 'zero-waste' while getting 98% of what we need (this is combined with our CSA which gives us fresh veggies and a dozen farm fresh eggs a week and 3 pasture raised chickens a month).

Produce
This should be zero waste - I will only get produce not wrapped in plastic.  This should take up most of the shopping cart.  I want to focus on getting as many 'colors' as possible:  lemons, peppers, carrots, leafy greens, fruits, herbs, potatoes, etc.  These supplement the veggies we get on Sunday afternoons from the CSA.

Milk
Whole milk that is not ultra pasteurized.   This is hard to get!  I hope Wegman's has the milk in the glass bottles.  If not, I hope it carries milk that is only pasteurized and grass fed. 

Cheese
I know I can get both wax wrapped cheese (no plastic) plus if I bring my own container I can get sliced cheesed right over the deli counter.

Butter
I'm sticking with Kerry Gold.

Meat
I've never checked out the meat department so we'll have to find out costs, packaging, grass fed, etc.

Fish
Wild caught salmon in cans and occasionally steaks or fillets
tuna in cans
shrimp
clams/mussels/oysters upon occasion
Other fish

Eggs
We go through about 3 or 3.5 dozen a week.  I want pastured eggs with omega 3.

Bulk bins
I know Wegman's has a big bulk section.
Brazil nuts
Cashews
Pumpkin seeds
trail mix
raisins
cranberries
apricots
rice
rolled oats

Baking supplies
Flour that is in paper containers is fine.  I really like the King Arthur sprouted wheat
I want to rid myself of refined sugars but I fear I need a little. . . .
Salt
Baking powder
Baking soda

Staples:
Apple Cider vinegar (Mrs. Bragg's)
EVOO
Coconut oil
Peanut oil
Mayo - either make my own or Mr. Kensington's avocado oil mayo
peanut butter - I gotta get one of the special stirrers for pb
Fermented veggies - sauerkraut, etc.

Tins/Cans
Steel cut oatmeal
roasted peanuts
tomato sauce
canned black beans
canned garbanzo beans
tahini

Things I need to make at home:
yogurt (1x a month)
salad dressing (2x a week)
bone broth (1x a week)
hummus (1x a month)

Bread
I hope that Wegman's has a bakery where I can get sliced bread and bring my own bread bag.  We'll find out.

If the milk, meat and bread don't work out, I will just have to go to Whole Foods for those 1x a week.  At WF I can get milk in a glass jar, sliced bread in my own bag and meat (but not chicken) wrapped in compostable butcher paper. 

Coffee:
I want bulk coffee that is organic, free trade, single source.  Hah!  Really hard to find.  We'll see what Wegman's has.

Water
Sparkling mineral water in glass bottles.  This is fast becoming my favorite thing.  I take a 1/2 tbsp of elderberry juice and a slice of lemon and put it in a glass of mineral water.  Really refreshing and I think it is really healthy for me.

Other stuff
Dog and Cat Food
7th Generation brand toilet paper, paper towel, laundry detergent, etc

This is kind of slap dash because I am getting ready to go to Mass. But there it is!  I do derive a sense of well being from trying to be healthier and more orderly in our eating habits.  I am looking forward to shopping on Tuesday!