Monday, February 06, 2012

Which would you buy?

So last week was incredibly crazy . . . on top of my already too busy schedule, both of my daughters were in two different plays and I was doing all I could just to make sure everyone was in the right place at the right time and that I didn't get too far behind with everything else in my life. So . . . we basically ran out of fresh fruit and veggies, and I could not make it to the farmers' market, farm stand, or even a health food store during the times they were open. The only place open at 9:30 at night when I finally found a minute to shop was the local chain supermarket.

I did okay on fruit--found some organic oranges. But I wanted to make a salad for dinner the next day and my choices for lettuce were conventionally-grown heads of lettuce at $1.99 or organic, washed romaine lettuce in a plastic container for $4.99. I found the produce guy and asked if he had organic lettuce not in plastic and he said no (they go bad too quickly). So I asked if the any local lettuce--again the answer was "no." So maybe my overly-tired and stressed state had me making too big a deal of this, but I just didn't know which one to get. I picked up the conventionally-grown head and then put it back. I picked up the organic, packaged lettuce and then put it back. Did I want to feed my family pesticides or did I want to pollute the earth with yet more plastic and the energy it takes to make the plastic container--not to mention that $5 for a head of lettuce seemed a bit crazy. I went back and forth, and even in the checkout line was still questioning my decision.

So tell me . . . what which one would you buy? (I'll tell you what I did and why next week.)

7 comments:

Anne R. Allen said...

Now you've got me intrigued. What did you do? I have this dilemma all the time. Many weeks I just don't have time for Farmer's Market. The supermarket has some good organic stuff, but as you say, some of it is over packaged and overpriced. Or it's wilted and old and looks dead and devoid of nutrients. So I get the general merchandise stuff and hope. Sigh.

Leah E-H said...

Me too! I think I may have opted for other veggies and just left the lettuce behind until I was able to shop where I could find what I like. If I had to choose though....I think...hmmmm...I think I might choose the conventional. I'd balk at the price and the packaging. And make myself feel better in that my family mostly eats organic....

MedSchoolWife said...

I have this problem all the time. I live in a tiny southern town in the middle of nowhere, and they don't even sell organic produce anywhere in town. If I drive 30 minutes to the next town, there is one store that sells it, but only in those plastic containers. It's hard to get healthful food in the middle of nowhere!!!

MedSchoolWife said...

By the way, this is the first time I've commented, but I LOOOOOOVE your Vegetarian mother's cookbook. It is my favorite cookbook by FAR, and I use it all the time and keep hoping you'll come out with another one soon... hint hint

Unknown said...

Thanks, Connie! I'm working on another cookbook, but it's going very slowly as working fulltime and going to school just don't leave much time to work on recipes . . . as you can see, I can barely get to the store these days.

Unknown said...

Anne - - - answer coming . . .

Unknown said...

Leah--I hear ya!