#26

 #26 on my 30 before 30

buy only local fresh eggs.

done!

actually, i've been doing this for a couple months now.

but it didn't feel right to cross the item off my list until i consistently purchased the farm fresh eggs.

so you might be wondering why?

why is this an item on my list

when i decided to stop buying junk and focus buying more produce, more whole foods, and less snacky foods

i realized i needed to start making conscious efforts to buy organic and local when possible.

i waiver back and forth on a lot of produce.  i see the organic aisle, i go the farmers' markets, but sometimes i just cannot justify spending the extra money

which is ridiculous when i think in terms of the chemicals and pesticides i could be ingesting otherwise

and not only produce, but this goes for meat.  i buy very little meat each week, so it doesn't make up a huge percentage of my total bill.  and i am trying to change my thinking - but the consumer in me sees a fryer chicken for $5 and then there's the organic free range happy fryer chicken for $10 - and out of habit i buy what is cheaper.

so when i made my 30 before 30 i thought i could start small.  stop thinking in the big picture.  stop trying to green and localize and healthify my whole shopping list

start with 1 or 2 weekly purchases, alter them, get in the habit, and then move on to another change

so i started with eggs

if you've been reading lately

i eat an egg almost every morning

i love eggs.

i will never be able to stop loving the egg.

and we go through 1 dozen - 1.5 dozen eggs a week.

typically bill and i eat 1 egg every morning - sometimes bill has 2, and on sunday morning we forgo the sandwich and fry up 2 eggs each.

kroger and trader joe's is where i do most of my shopping

regular large eggs run about $1-1.50 at kroger

trader joe's regular large eggs (which are cage free) run about $2.5 (i think)

and any other eggs labeled organic blah blah blah - were $3.5 +

the first day i decided to dive into buying only organic free range eggs i was at rainbow blossom (a local health food store)

and they had local eggs

for $5 a dozen

what the what?

i spent the $5 out of not wanting to stop in another store

but i knew i would not be spending $5 a week on local eggs - organic/free range would have to do

until i remembered a lady at work who raises chickens

and sells eggs.

i asked her how much a dozen was - and she told me $3

i was more than happy to pay $3 - considering they were local, free range, organic eggs and were slightly less than the non local eggs at my grocery store - and considerably less than those at the health food store.

i just bring her my $3 whenever i'm getting low on eggs at home

and she brings me an assortment of beautifully colored eggs

i think that's my favorite part - seeing all the different colors!

and in case you're wondering - i can't tell a difference in taste.

some people swear they will only eat fresh eggs because of the taste - and there are probably people out there who swear they don't taste the same 

but i can't tell a difference.

and if you're still scratching your head on why it matters where your eggs come from

click over to a few of these sources

•  why organic store eggs are a scam - the healthy home economist
• handcrafted coops