Tuesday, December 14, 2021

Food Co-op & Advent Hunts

This summer we figured out how to order from Wholesome Food Co-op. This has made living in Alaska SOOO much nicer for us. We love fresh produce and there simply isn't TEXAS FRESH produce in the stores up here. BUT when we order through the co-op we get our food much sooner...it's usually juicy, fresh, lasts longer and is always organic...for near the same price (or cheaper) as what we pay for non-organic in the store.  WAY cheaper than organic in our stores. The reason it is nearly the same is because I volunteer every co-op day which reduces my handling fee to 1%.  Sometime this fall I was asked to supervise the second shift. This is worth my time - and is only twice a month. I enjoy the new connections I am making with others in the valley as well.  Today was co-op day. Our Azure order, as well as our produce order, arrived.  We pick up twice a month. 

Sorting at our pick-up location 

Co-op won't work for everyone. There is a "produce pack" which gives one a bag of organic produce for $39 (I think) plus shipping....it comes to $44 (maybe $45).  The packs are figured for 2 people who eat a lot of produce. We liked the produce packs but found we didn't have ENOUGH of some things (like 2 potatoes won't work for us), and we had too much of other things.  We have found splitting cases works best for us. We have to buy at least 1/4 case to participate in a split. For the most part we can handle 1/4 - 1/2 case and we get the things we enjoy.   I discovered 1/2 case of Brussel sprouts and celery is TOO much. ::snort:: Our produce consumption had decreased drastically since moving here. Why pay high prices for quality that disappoints?  I find we are eating MUCH more, WAY more, produce than we ate before joining the co-op. When you have 1/4 case of green beans, 1/4 case of Brussel sprouts, 1/4 case of cauliflower, 1/2 a case of apples. 1/4 case of pears, and 1/4 case of grapes - you are motivated to eat produce, snack on produce, find new produce recipes. ::snort:: I may order the produce pack again in the summer. I did like trying some of the new things they included....and I don't always try new things when ordering 1/4 case. If you are local and would like to try a produce pack, let me know and I can deliver to our town. Pick-up is in the next town over. 

Smallish order today...but YUM. 

This is me time. Self-care at its best. LOL I get a bit of socializing, earn discounts on our groceries, and interact with our community. I'm meeting people I would not have met otherwise.  While I am off "doing produce," the girls work on school and Michael oversees Grandpa. 

I had my act together this morning and got Hawaiin Chicken into the crock pot before I left. We enjoyed a leisurely dinner catching up on everyone's day... 

Mary is making those loops around the wreath

Michael hid tonight's Advent gift. The clue was something about 3 bears, moose and eagles.... Michael had promised an easy one after last night's challenge. 

Quick find

4 gift cards 

At this point we went downstairs and worked on a puzzle Nolan gave Michael. It's 2000 pieces and pretty legit. I was worn out and went to bed. Alex chose video games over a puzzle.