It's Always Christmas Around Here. Because, Food.

Call me weird, but I love food shopping, I love it way more than I love shopping for anything else. 

Not only is shopping for food cheaper (given the types of food that we usually consume in our household), it is also physically rewarding when the goods arrive; I pop some in my mouth while putting stuff away, and then proceed to cook delicious and nourishing meals afterwards! 

However, because we don't have a car, food shopping can be a real burden. Every Friday morning we go to Haymarket to buy our fresh produce for the week, I joyously dance on the way there while secretly dread having to carry the heavy stuff back (most of which, admittedly, is carried by my beloved boyfriend). Despite the low price and the reasonable selection of fruits and vegetables that they offer, I just cannot fully enjoy the experience without feeling like my back is gonna fall off (is that even possible?). If I have to make the extra trip to nearby Whole Foods for some exotic ingredients, I'd moan and complain even more. Ironically, I go to the gym and do my due diligence of weight lifting; I just do not fancy carrying heavy plastic bags of vegetables around.

Credit: BostonDiscoveryGuide.com

Enters online grocery shopping. It's amazing the amount of stuff I can purchase online and receive at my door without having to make any trips to the pricey Whole Foods. We consume tons of beans, rice, and nuts, all the things I do NOT want to lug around in our reusable shopping bag. We also order our coconut milk and cream, herbs, tomato paste, and so much more on here, as they usually come a bit cheaper than purchasing in store. 

Our most recent order from Vitacost

Every time we order, we buy a "big" batch to get free shipping (usually in the $60-$70 range), and I'd vow to myself: "WE WILL NOT ORDER ANY FOOD FOR AWHILE MORE." Sadly, that just never happen. Boxes come to our door every other week as if they were on auto-delivery, and our pantry just keeps getting tighter and tighter. I kept trying to figure out why we order so much, only to found out that the culprit was the god damn nuts. We race through them like nobody's business, since we snack on them at home, make trail mix to bring in our bags, cook with them, and, well... devour the sons of beaches! But whenever we made an order, we didn't order enough while adding random stuff just to fill the cart for free shipping. Only when I found out that I had 5 different kinds of flour that I have no idea how to use did I "adjust my behavior" and stuck with what I needed. 

That's not to say that it's any of the site's fault, other than the fact that they are so god-damn appealing! The full array of beans, 6 different kinds of rice and even more options for herbs, where do I even start? When will I ever be able to own EVERY SINGLE KIND of them? I just keep pouring our paychecks into the little boogers, and I don't even feel bad. After all, they are all healthy, you know? 

Where do you shop for food, and what's a must-have ingredient in your meals? I'd love to hear what you are interested in learning more on this blog :) 

Happy Tuesday!