Fruit and Veg Shopping Diary.

[Brambles]

Like many of us here, I have an allotment and grow an awful lot of veg for the table and to preserve. I'm not overly bothered about yields as long as I have some.
I am interested to know just how well home produced food provides for us and to make things easy, I have decided to keep a record of fruit and veg I buy, not just fresh, but tinned, dried and frozen too.
This will hopefully give me an idea of how much more I need to produce to be self sufficient, how much we rely on imported food and what if any, alternatives I can grow myself.

So starting 1st September, I will keep a record of my purchases over the next 12 months and start researching.

[Arzosah]

That's a good idea! I could probably do something similar with my receipts - I keep every single blessed thing, and insist on a receipt even though a lot of shops ask you if you want it nowadays ... and doing it over a year sorts out the ups and downs that come from stocking up on something thats on offer ... Watching with interest

[junmist]

Never thought about seeing what fruit and veg I buy and then planting them, though I know what veg I buy never thought of looking at how much I buy so that I can grow that much in the garden guess who is nicking your idea Brambles

[Brambles]

We'll have to compare notes, Junmist.

[westlothianlass]

Thats a great idea, i'll do the same if you don't mind. It would be really interesting to have a better idea of what we buy, and whether its truly because i don't have something in the garden or because i just fancy something different.

[Brambles]

Right, here goes.

From 1/9 - 9/9

1lb Carrots, 1 Lemon, bunch Spring Onions.

[featherstick]

I have shied away from this as the biggest item of fresh produce we use is bananas - we get through pounds of them in the week, and I'll often have to pick some up late in the evening as apparently if there aren't any for breakfast it's TEOTWAWKI.

There is a banana tree growing locally however and I note that it has fruit on again this year, but it never ripens.

[Wales1]

We switched about 6 months ago to using a Market for our fruit and veg...it lasts almost a week (with the occasional top up from Aldi/lidl). One thing we found was the Market fruit and veg is very seasonal, so thats what we buy and eat...a month ago Watermelon was cheap, we ate lots of it. Now its gone up in price we are onto apples. Much as I enjoy the freedom to go to the supermaket and buy fruit from all over the world out of season. I try not to, Mainly because 'decent' out of season food costs a lot more.
We (as a family of 4) are trying to eat much more simply and more healthly...which to me means fruit and veg in season. (Yes I know Watermelon isn't indegenous to south wales).

[junmist]

The one thing I don't grow and I use is Peas have no idea why I don't grow them
Fruit is the big one for me I eat soft fruit or hothouse fruit I'm not a big lover of apples, pears, or oranges though I grow both apples and pears really I'm going to have to try cider making with them hmmmm can you make pear vinegar

[Brambles]

Been a bit slack so time for another update.

6-21 October.

1kg Carrots
1 Orange
500g baby potatoes
1 head Boccoli
1 Cailiflower
3kg sultanas/raisins/currants
200g mixed peel
200g glace cherries
Case of 24 tins beans (£2.99 at work) needed to stock up.

*sigh* not doing quite so well now the colder weather is upon us and it's Christmas cake making time.