Packaged Goods

 So, should I talk about how we don't eat much packaged food?  Haha...here's the grouping of items I brought home from Trader Joe's today.  Although I would love to say we never eat pre-packaged food and eat all things locally, the fact is that I like to have some convenience items.  I guess this is part of my moderation and balance.  I do like some of these packaged items in my freezer for those times that I need something and can't get to the store.

I have been thinking about moderation in life lately after reading the article in People magazine about the family that really didn't generate much in the way of garbage.  I like that idea...they could fit a year's worth of trash in a canning jar.  It's impressive, to say the least.  I can't say that at our house(and am pretty confident that I never will) although we do try to reduce our garbage...primarily using refillable water bottles, reusing grocery bags, not taking bags from the store unless necessary. 

I try to eat locally with our milk delivery and CSA and garden.  Then I try to eat things from not as far away.....California berries versus berries from Mexico, etc.  We use our local pharmacy and local variety store over big names most of the time. But, I don't live it purely.  I bought blackberries from Mexico today, and they look delicious.  I know I should refill a container with yogurt every day, but instead I buy the small packages of yogurt to eat at work.  If I didn't do that I would probably end up eating something from a vending machine, so it probably is good to buy the small yogurt containers.  I guess it would take a bit more work than I am willing to do.  So, it's about balance.  Hey, we can help make the word a better place by doing a few small steps as well as bigger steps, whatever works, right?

It would be tough to live on Wisconsin produce in the winter.  Even if I did have my freezer stashed with home-grown items.

I don't get to Trader Joe's too often.  It's just around the corner from my house but the parking is a bit crazy there.  So, when I go, I try to grab some items for a freezer stock.  Just to have when the weeks get crazy.  

Looking closely at the picture above may reveal the most decadent buy of the day.  It's chocolate filled French toast.  I really bought that.  It's one of few sweet Trader Joe's items that does not have the blanket "nut allergy" warning attached.  I'm going to have one excited daughter when she sees that in the freezer.

So, I'll be making some garbage with this packaging...and the ingredient list will be a bit longer on these items than on things I'm making myself.  But that works for us too.  You won't be seeing me making my own soy chorizo or crushing beans for soy milk or butchering a pig for pork florentine!


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