Grocery strike: December 2015!

[Ultralight]

My girlfriend suggested to me that we try a grocery strike for the month of December. In this classic challenge we'll be trying to see how long we can go without buying groceries. She is majorly stocked up as a general practice. I have a reasonable number of things.

The rules she outlined so far are:

1. Date night restaurant outings are permitted
2. All free food is fair game
3. Obviously no buying groceries
4. Bartering is fine
5. If you get scurvy or rickets then you lose and have to go to the grocery store!

There may be more rules she comes up with, but that is it for now.

[kib]

Maybe she's your soul mate after all. ;)

I've been gone, how did the $1.50 a day challenge go?

[Ultralight]

Maybe she's your soul mate after all. ;)

I've been gone, how did the $1.50 a day challenge go?

Haha!

The $1.50 challenge was a success for both her and I. She had a little change and a bunch of food left over. I had no money and one slice of bread and a teaspoon of peanut butter left over.


You've been gone, but I am gathering it was worth it?! :)

[kib]

Totally. :) We put about $150 a month in the bank toward a big vacation and then every five years or so we splurge and go somewhere rather extravagant. I'm amazed, we had $3,000 left over in the Big Trip fund this time after zipping, eco touring and gorging our way through New Zealand.

[lessisbest]

Many years ago we would have a no-spending month (or two) and the grocery money would be saved for our vacation. But we've always been good about buying ahead and now have a fully-stocked home food storage room in the basement, so this isn't a big deal anymore.

May I suggest incorporating a "garden in a jar" and make fresh food by sprouting grains/seeds/beans. Frozen and cooked food don't have any enzymes left in them, just fresh foods, and this way you can grow REAL fresh foods that are rich in nutrients and enzymes so necessary to a good diet. Micro-greens are also a great idea for fresh food.

[peggy]

My girlfriend suggested to me that we try a grocery strike for the month of December. In this classic challenge we'll be trying to see how long we can go without buying groceries. She is majorly stocked up as a general practice. I have a reasonable number of things.

The rules she outlined so far are:

1. Date night restaurant outings are permitted
2. All free food is fair game
3. Obviously no buying groceries
4. Bartering is fine
5. If you get scurvy or rickets then you lose and have to go to the grocery store!

There may be more rules she comes up with, but that is it for now.

This sounds kind of interesting. Please post your progress as well as some of the meals you all make. In fact, if it wouldn't be too much bother, check in every day or so and give a brief rundown of your meals. i.e. oatmeal and fruit for breakfast.

Are y'all going to pre-purchase some things before you start? Like oats, rice, etc...?

[peggy]

Many years ago we would have a no-spending month (or two) and the grocery money would be saved for our vacation. But we've always been good about buying ahead and now have a fully-stocked home food storage room in the basement, so this isn't a big deal anymore.

May I suggest incorporating a "garden in a jar" and make fresh food by sprouting grains/seeds/beans. Frozen and cooked food don't have any enzymes left in them, just fresh foods, and this way you can grow REAL fresh foods that are rich in nutrients and enzymes so necessary to a good diet. Micro-greens are also a great idea for fresh food.

Just curious, what sorts of grain/beans do you get from the grocery to sprout? Everyone knows mung, but what else do you sprout?

[lessisbest]

Just curious, what sorts of grain/beans do you get from the grocery to sprout? Everyone knows mung, but what else do you sprout?

1. Wheat - sprouted and grown into wheat grass for juicing. I can purchase 25# bags of wheat at Wal-Mart.
2. Lentils - any color
3. Sunflower seeds (raw)
4. Pumpkin seeds (pepitas) (raw)
5. Sesame seeds
6. Chia seeds
7. Adzuki beans
8. Brown rice
9. All dried beans (red kidney, white kidney, black, navy, garbanzo, etc.)
10. Quinoa
11. Millet
12. All nuts
13. Buckwheat
14. Amaranth
15. Teff
16. Flax

I have between 25-30 different grains/seeds/beans in our home food storage, and they can all be sprouted, but not all of them are purchased from the grocery store.

[Ultralight]

Ten days into this challenge... I am really starting to run low on foods.

[kally]

I have to say this gal is coming across in a very different way than a few months ago.