We've had yet another sizzling day here in London.
The only downside with this heat is that I find it extremely hard to stay focussed on work.
All I want to do is to grab a blanket and a cool bag full of chilled drinks & hit the park.
It gets horrendously hot in the flat during the day and horridly humid at night and as a result we’re going through rocket lollies, squash & ice cubes as if they were going out of fashion.
We had to pop up to groTesco earlier to replenish our stock of these very items...
We had to pop up to groTesco earlier to replenish our stock of these very items...
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| I like to read the label on everything cause there are so many things that I'd really rather not consume...aspartame & corn syrup being top of that long list! |
Hubby and I both loathe big supermarket chains & I really feel like the biggest hypocrite alive when I wander down the isles of groTesco.
I buy most our fruit & veg from either the £1 a bowl man or a family run greengrocer not too far from our house, they sell freshly baked Turkish bread and delicious olives too.
However for every year we've lived in this area the number of these small family run businesses seem to dwindle and yet another 'groTesco local' or one of the other supermarket giants move in.
The variety seemingly shrinking in favour of more of the flipping same.
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| What are you looking at ;) |
Another thing that really gets my goat about these supermarkets is that the prices seem to change every time I go & in my experience contrary to what the TV adverts proclaim it is more often a hike in price rather than a drop.
There are so many things that I detest about groTesco but the thing that I hate the most is that I actually shop there.
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| I'm a self-confessed bread-o-holic but I find that if I bake it myself it's more filling, supermarket bought bread is often full of air & additives. |
It still makes me laugh cry when I see how warped food pricing is in this country, especially in the light of the damaging effects that it has on the general public.
It was one of the first things that stunned me when I moved to the UK from Sweden back in 1994, I couldn't for the life of me understand why bad stuff like microwave meals, crisps, soda pop & biscuits were so cheap compared to good food.
I grew up with these things as rare treats and they were not at all part of the daily diet.
I was briefly acquainted with a young mother back in the 90s and was completely appalled with what she was feeding her kids...frozen pizza (that's why bad mums go to Iceland), chips, ready meals, white toast bread, chocolate spread and crisps.
Never a meal cooked from scratch and never a piece of fresh fruit, horrible & if you ask me, tantamount to flipping child abuse!
The government should in my opinion subsidise fresh fruit & veg and make sure that supermarkets prices are regulated, so that the good stuff is affordable to everybody.
If the powers that be really don't want a nation of morbidly obese people on mobility scooters in the future then surely this is what needs to happen?!
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| Busted! There I was thinking I could get away with sneaking a bag of delicious vegetable oil laden potato bits in the basket without hubby noticing ;) |
Hubby and I are both vegetarian.
When people ask me why we're vegetarian, I tell them to go on YouTube and check out the PETA's 'Meet Your Meat' video cause that should bring it all home.
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| Today's frock is vintage 50s by 'Global' and was an eBay purchase from a few years ago. |
So what did we buy at groTesco?
Two bags of carrots for juicing (I've been juicing everyday lately and I'm developing a nice little David Dickinson glow)
Coffee for the cafetiere (we both need a daily fix)
Bottlegreen apple & plum cordial (I've been drinking pints & pints of this stuff)
Ice lollies (you've got to have them, when it's hot)
Mushrooms & garlic nan breads (for tonights curry)
As you can see above, I was caught lurking in the crisp isle...
I know I really shouldn't but we got a bag of potato sticks to share ;)
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| Close-up for the print & label lovers ;) |
That's me all ranted out for one day!
So where do you stand?
Are you a supermarket sweeper or a supermarket weeper?
Lot's of love,
Jennie
xXx
15 comments:
Yup! I totally agree. The prospect of a 'big shop' does my head in. So much in fact that I've more or less given them up as a crappy idea.And food prices are getting even more weird. I try and bake my own bread each week..not easy at the mo' with this heat!
You look very glam with that basket on your arm though! xxx
My main problem is that I'm just useless at getting to the nice local shops before they shut. The days seem to run away from me and then it's 5pm and Tesco are the only ones open 'til late.
I'd much rather buy less, slightly more expensively and healthily. I commented the other day, wandering around Waitrose, how skinny everyone was in there. I guess when your money doesn't go as far, you have to buy carefully and well (and not gobble up crap from Iceland/Tesco et al).
xx
Rant on, there needs to be more people aware of the garbage they're putting into their bodies! I'm right with you on this. And something terribly sad is that as awful as you think it is in the UK, it's worse in the US. The supermarket milk in the UK is probably close to the same as our organic milk -- pretty sick eh? Something only recently talked about (but I've been ranting about for years) is that girls are entering puberty younger & younger, the same for women going into early menopause; all due to the hormones they pump into our food. My friends and I have even noted how young girls bodies differ greatly from when we were the same age; with estrogen being pumped into everything it's a no-brainer as to why. From her birth onward, I have made sure my daughter gets the least amount of "poison" as possible, but I still think it seeps in as the laws concerning the "organic" label still allow for a certain amount of chemicals to be used. It makes me so happy to see the new move towards urban "farming" as I always grew as much as possible when we lived in the city (& back then was thought to be quite eccentric with my window boxes laden with veg instead of flowers!) Now that we live in suburbia we grow even more, with big plans to expand next year. I can't wait; it's actually quite a spiritual pleasure for me to get my hands in the dirt every day! You have a lovely terrace where you take your photos -- why not try your hand at growing some of your own food in pots? If you'd like any pointers, please feel free to email me, I love helping people to grow their own food & have learned much in our many years of gardening in pots!
XXX
Suzanne
Dear Jennie, I must come back and catch up with your posts.
You are absolutely right about food in this country. I think people eat such rubbish! I'm sick of Tesco Expresses popping up everywhere.
I hope it's hot tomorrow, I can't concentrate either when it's sunny outside. It's so rare we have to make the most of it.
Hope you're good. Love, C xx
Looking fabulous for shopping, the pair of you!
We've had a market in our town since the 13th century, you want to see what's happened to it since Asda wanged a load cash to the Tory council and opened a 24 hour supermarket slap bang in the middle of it.
Unfortunately it suits the vast majority of the town residents to shop 24 hours a day, at discount prices and with a bus stop that pulls outside there. I do my bit shopping at the remaining fruit and veg stalls on the market but it's very tough. x
My stance is pretty much the same as yours. I hate the big stores and would much sooner visit a baker and greengrocer, but necessity means I oftem find myself in Morrisons rather than our local market. I totally agree about bread too, the stuff we make is so much more filling.
Even though I grew up in this country, all I ever got as a child were freshly made meals, but that was at a time 20+ years ago when convenience food wasn't so prevalent.
least you had a hottie man chasing you around chips or not lol
I agree Jennie - I've been veg for more than 20 years and I loathe shopping at the big chain supermarket but I have absolutely no choice - there are no alternatives where I live.
YOU look gorgeous - I love the crazy colour combo in your frock.
I would love apple and plum cordial!
Sarah xxx
Lovely dress!
I'm not a fan of supermarkets - however I do end up in Asda most weeks out of necessity. That said, we buy our fruit & veg, meat and bread from the good shops in our local high street. I've been veggie since I was 11, but husband and baby eat meat.
I'm not entirely convinced that making healthy food cheaper would make a big difference - I think many people are addicted to the crap that's found in junk food. Sadly I also think a lot of people just don't know what real food tastes like.
I could go on about it for hours, sorry!
Even Frocktasias mother is nowadays looking after what that is in all the
Products that the supermarkets want us to bay... But okay I have always make food on the old way that take a lot of time but is much more healthy. I Believe…
And Jennie has inspired me to make vegetarian variants of my old Swedish dishes / and it is a little bit of a challenge that is good for all of the family that is eating of my food. Even Jennies father Gunnar that is a meet lower has eaten vegetarian dishes and have been pleased. Perhaps we all should be thinking about what we are eating and baying! I try…
Jennies mother
Ewa
Here in the Northeast US, we have to go to local farm stands to get decent fresh veggies and fruit. Most all of our small mom and pop groceries are gone and replaced by mega-stores laden with wilted, oversized, mutated, overpriced and tasteless veg and fruit. And we wonder why the US is the "fattest" country in the world!
Yo mama!!! Awwwww,she's lovely!
I'm with you,darl.I find I can't avoid some shopping at the supermarket,but we predominently use the local green grocers & butchers(freerange/organic as much as poss)We have had a wholefoods store move into the area,which is great,but expensive.Food prices here are bloody appalling too! fecks me off,as I love to cook,and I love using exotic ingredients,although I know I should be using seasonal....my bad.We check labels like nazis as well! As for crisps,you gotta have a treat occasionally and not torture yourself for it!
What is happening worlswide to food is a frigging disgrace,but there is no lack of information or education,so it's really money that is the only excuse for some to eat the way they do.
Love! XXX
Your dress is gorgeous and right up my alley!
I too HATE going grocery shopping. Here in the US, prices are unreal and each week they are getting higher and higher!
It pisses me off that a fruit plate costs around 10-15 dollars now, while McDonald's will sell us fat, grease and salmonella for 3 bucks (a burger, small fry, small pop ) and they are just killing the poorer people who are just as worthy of good fruit as a rich person!
(I have been very angry at the US Government for years now, as the right-winged greedy bastards have no compassion for other's.
It so frustrating and I LIKE FRUiT ;)!!!!!!!!!
(thanks for letting me vent!)
xXx
reva :)
Oh Goodness!!! I am so happy to have found your blog:) Your post strikes so many chords with me. I'll be honest and say that about 95% of my shopping has to be done at a regular giant food stores. But I live in America (home of the big box chains) so I really haven't much choice in the matter. But I do only buy locally sourced foods since my grocer does label such items and organic. Plus being vegetarian helps me feel a bit better about what I put in my body. Food Inc. turned me off to the meat industry. Good documentary if you haven't seen it already. But it paints an ugly picture of American Business.
I adore your pretty outfit!! Your love of vintage is inspiring!! You love it so much you're willing to let it go;)
Amor,
I know what you mean, my english family only cooks frozen crap food. I am used to eating meals from scratch.
Although i do eat meat once and while mostly chicken, turkey. Beef is to greasy for my migraines. Buddy usually brings home fresh fruit and veg from his work.
I been wanting to make my own bread for the longest.
Your dress is too cute, love the foto of you being caught in crisps asile, its good to treat yourself. Oooh hubbylicious looks like an actor.
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