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Tips for Waste Less Grocery Shopping When You Don’t Live Near a Bulk Food Store

February 13, 2017 by Erika

One thing that I've noticed while working on this Contentment Challenge is how much less trash and recycling we have.  I'm actually kind of shocked at how much less...  This has led me to wonder how we could reduce even more of our waste.  While we will probably never become wasteless, I do want to become a family that wastes less. (See what I did there? LOL!)

The Biggest Hurdle

One of the biggest hurdles for us to become wasteless is the fact that we do not live near a grocery with a bulk food section like Kroger or Whole Foods.  The nearest is probably 45 minutes away.  The time and gas for that drive are not feasible for us on a weekly basis.  So, I will still shop my regular grocery and the closer Walmart most of the time, only going to a bulk section once or twice a month to stock up on pantry essentials like flour, grains, beans and spices.

The Solutions

Even with most of my shopping being done at a regular grocery, I have come up with a few ideas to help us transition to a lifestyle where we are wasting less on packaging.

Make it Homemade

I've started to make a lot of items from scratch.  I make baguettes, noodles, mayonnaise, fries, and whipped cream from scratch always now.  But there is so much more that I would like to try.  Why not make a cake from scratch instead of using a box mix?  Making homemade pasta could be a fun family or date night.  I love making homemade pizza with my canned pizza sauce on Friday nights too.  Making homemade can take longer, but if you start small and choose one thing to master at a time, you could make a big difference in your grocery bill and your waste.

Grow Your Own

I realize that not everyone has a yard where they can grow most of their own food.  However, everyone can grow something.  Even if you live in a tiny apartment you can grow your own herbs.  A lot of herbs at the grocery come in those little plastic containers, so growing your own would prevent that waste.  You don't even have to start your own seeds if you don't want.  Buy a plant that is already started!  Tomatoes and peppers are some other plants that do well in containers.  I love this idea below from Better Homes & Gardens for growing your own lettuces or spinach!

Shop Your Farmers Market

Buy what you can from your local farmers market.  Not only will this give you better quality food in most cases and help your local economy, there is less waste from most farmers market vendors.  However, some still use those plastic produce bags.  Which leads me to my next solution.

Buy Reusable Produce Bags (Or Don't Use Any)

Because I'm working on the Contentment Challenge and can't buy anything new right now, I've been just forgoing produce bags all together.  Cashiers don't really love me when I'm checking out with oranges all over the conveyor belt, but so what.  For some veggies, like celery, not having bags doesn't really matter, but because I do buy things like loose apples and oranges, I plan on buying a few reusable produce bags once the challenge is over.  I really like these from Amazon.  They're even biodegradable!

Bring Your Bag (Or Basket)

Our local grocery doesn't provide bags, actually.  You either bring your own or you can buy some at checkout for ten cents each.  We always take our own, most of which were free from various fairs or events.  However, I do love my market basket from Freckled Hen Farmhouse for shopping, and I can't wait to use it at the farmers market this coming season.  If you want something a little cuter than a free bag with advertising on it, take a look at Etsy.  I really love this bag from Magnolia Roots.  Or the one below that from The Oysters Pearl.

Shop the Outer Perimeter

We've all been told to shop the perimeter because that is where the majority of the real, whole foods can be found.  But the perimeter is also where you can find less packaging (mostly) as well.  A lot of your processed foods come in boxes with even more wrappers and plastic on the inside.  Not only will you have less trash shopping this way, but your waistline will probably thank you too.

Replace Disposable Items with Reusable

A few disposable things that I'm contemplating replacing with reusable items are:

  • Coffee filters:  I could get a reusable one on Amazon for less than $4.
  • Plastic Wrap:  We've already started replacing some of the plastic wrap we use with these reusable Bee's Wraps and I love them!  Hopefully I can make some of our own when we harvest our beeswax.
  • Napkins: During the Contentment Challenge I've really tried to "elevate" dinner.  I think its important to make the everyday special too, and not doing so can sometimes lead to discontent.  I've started putting food into serving dishes (normally saved for company) instead of just the pans.  We listen to records on my record player.  I think that cloth napkins would be great to continue the mood that I want to set, which is that dinner with my family is important.  Plus, we already switched color-coded was rags for the kids instead of paper towels.  Just doing that has significantly decreased the amount of paper towel we use.

Do you have any other tips or tricks that you use around the house to decrease your waste?  I'd love to know!  Just leave me a note in the comments below!

Disclaimer:  Erika Bault is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Erika
Influence Network
Food Lovers Devotional

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Filed Under: My Full Life Tagged With: #buybetternotmore, bulk shopping, contentment challenge, Freckled Hen Farmhouse, grocery shopping, reusable, simple living, waste free, wasteless, weck jars, zero waste

Gift Guide for the Fancy Farm Girl

December 4, 2016 by Erika

 

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Photo credit Ball-Spencer Photography

Merry Christmas!  I'm thrilled to be joining a few other ladies to bring you gift guides for every woman on your list.

As many of you know, I am a farm girl, but ironically, I don't particularly care for dirt and I love all things that make my farm chores cuter.  That is what inspired my gift guide this year.  I want to bring you items to help make the farmhouse and farm life a little cuter.

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1. Freckled Hen Farmhouse Market Basket

This market basket has been on my wishlist for a little while now because while we try to grow a lot of our own food in our garden, we simply don't have the room (or time) to grow everything.  This means that we still make it a priority to visit our local farmers market in the summer.  This basket is perfect for all of the goodies we pick up on our trips.  And its beautiful enough to make a decor statement hanging up on our coat hook when it isn't being used.

Freckled Hen Farmhouse is giving Full & Simple readers a 15% discount to their shop.  Just use the code FANCYFARMGIRL at checkout.

Full & Simple Chicken Coop Reveal (7)

2. Bainbridge Mercantile Signs

I have two signs from Bainbridge Mercantile already and want a few more.  They have to cutest signs for any farm or garden.  We have a sign on our chicken coop and a sign for our bees on the gate right outside of where we keep our hive.  My plan this spring is to make a few raised beds and add a few of the garden signs to them.

Bainbridge Mercantile is giving 20% off and free shipping on orders over $25 (U.S. orders only) with the code FULLANDSIMPLE20!

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3. Hunter Boots

All farm girls need rubber boots, BUT all fancy farm girls need some Hunter boots!  I love the fit and style of my Hunter boots.  I have a tan pair and a black pair.  We even buy a new red pair for my oldest each spring and then pass them down our younger child.  They are perfect for all of the garden and farm chores.

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4. White Barn Mercantile Utility Apron

I have this canvas utility apron and I absolutely love it!  It makes planting the garden so much easier because the pockets hold all of my seed packets, markers, string, trowel, etc.  You will never go back to gardening without this apron once you get one!


5. Freckled Hen Farmhouse brushes

I'm back to Freckled Hen Farmhouse because really, everything in their store is so cute!  But I wanted to highlight two of their brushes that I love.  I have one of their wooden dish brushes that I only use for cleaning my eggs.  I like to have something designated for cleaning the eggs so that I don't end up with any cross contamination so to speak.  I also have and love their wooden vegetable brush.  It is perfect for scrubbing potatoes or other root veggies like carrots.

And don't forget that you can get 15% off with code FANCYFARMGIRL!

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6. Lindsay Letters Farm to Table Canvas

I am IN LOVE with this canvas!!!  I have been pining over it for almost a year now.  I just can't seem to pull the trigger on buying it until we have a farmhouse table built.  You can also purchase this design as a print if you prefer that over a large canvas.

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7. Painted Fox Home Tilly Triplet baskets

Every crazy chicken lady needs a cute basket for gathering eggs.  But these baskets would even be good for gathering veggies in the garden.  Cute accessories like this make going out for eggs in a little more fun.

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8. Boxwood Avenue Egg Stamp

Another cute addition to any egg gather's day would be an egg stamp from Boxwood Avenue.  I am still getting the hang of using mine, but I love giving eggs to friends and family with all of the eggs stamped.  The stamp just adds a bit of whimsy.  I can't wait to see the reaction at the farmers market next summer!

Boxwood Avenue is giving all Full & Simple readers 10% off  their order with the code FULLANDSIMPLE.

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9. Substation Paperie Canning Label Stamp

I always make cute labels for my canned items from the garden.  Again, it just makes doing the chore a bit more fun when you see all of your jars prettily labeled.  I found Substation Paperie after canning season this year, but you can be sure that I will be getting a stamp before next year's harvest!  I love their honey stamps too!

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10. A Touch of Farmhouse Charm by Liz Fourez Book

If you don't know Liz Fourez's blog, Love Grows Wild, you are missing out!  She has the most beautiful farmhouse and now she is sharing her decor advice in her new book!  And do I have a treat for you!  I am giving a way a signed copy of her book to one of you!  Just follow the directions below to enter.

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Don't have a farm girl in your life?  Don't worry!  You can check out these great gift guides too.  There's bound to be the perfect gift for all the ladies in your life!

Anna Scott from Anna Scott Blog is sharing ideas on giving gifts to the girl you really want to bless.  She has items that will inspire intimacy with Jesus as well as some fun finds from stores any gal is bound to love!

Have a foodie in your life?  Claire Trost from The Blog Bloom has everything you need to buy for the real food home cook.

Need something for the fashionista you love (or maybe just a cute party look for yourself)?  Stephie Meyer over at The Color Floral has you covered with her holiday style guide!

I hope that we've helped take some of the stress out of your holiday shopping this season!  Do you have other ideas for the fancy farm girl in your life?  I'd love to know in the comments!

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Disclaimer: Erika Bault is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.  Erika Bault is also a member of Painted Fox Home Affiliates.

 

Erika
Influence Network
Food Lovers Devotional

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Filed Under: Chickens, Gardening, Other Reviews Tagged With: Bainbridge Farm Goods, Bainbridge Mercantile, Boxwood Avenue, Chickens, Christmas, coupon code, farm, farm to table, farmhouse, farmhouse decor, Freckled Hen Farmhouse, gift guide, home decor, Hunter boots, Lindsay Letters, Painted Fox Home, Substation Paperie

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