How You Can Pay Less For Food In 2024
Let's talk about how we make things change
I don’t know about you, but every time I walk out of the grocery store these days I am shaking my head.
No matter how small my list is going in, I walk out paying over $100. It’s easy to do when common items are now $5 and $10 each.
I find myself feeling grateful I am not feeding small children anymore. And at the same time, I wonder how any family can possibly be surviving the often outrageous costs for even basic food items.
There continues to be a perfect storm brewing on the food security front.
Political unrest and leadership changes are resulting in more and more trade restrictions.
Unpredictable weather patterns are hammering food producing regions around the world. Here in Western Canada drought conditions are shaping up for another year of impacts, affecting both food production and the upcoming wildfire season.
Superstorms are common enough now that we look sadly at the destruction pictures and the death tolls and simple carry on with our day (unless those pictures are from our own backyard) . . . .
None of this good.
This feels like a story that has been on repeat since 2020.
So much of this is overwhelmingly outside of our personal control, that becoming numb to the headlines and the constant sticker shock at the grocery store seems like self defense.
But there are a few notable and critical exceptions to this sense of helpless doom.
Make your vote count!
First and foremost, we can make our vote count!
Globally there are a lot of political elections happening. There are at least 64 major elections happening globally in 2024 (Time.com).
For anyone facing elections this year, ask your candidate and their party directly about their policy and PLANS to address the food and housing crises. Make them state publicly HOW they will take action on these basic human rights to affordable food and shelter.
And for my dearest American readers - here’s a hint - Donald Trump cannot stop talking about himself long enough to worry about whether Americans have food to eat. He’s fine and that’s all that matters to him. It should give everyone pause to consider the consequences of that point of view.
Here where I live in BC, provincial elections are coming. You can be sure that questions on food, food security, support for farmers, and housing are on the agenda in this province.
Get your candidates to see that food is a key issue in 2024. And then vote with your conscience.
Take Control of Your Food
The second most important thing to do in 2024 is to take control of your own supply.
Enough is enough.
Food is one place where we can all have an immediate impact in our lives and in our communities.
The action list to take control of your food supply is achievable:
Grow some food in your own kitchen or house
Start a garden – in pots, on balconies or roofs, in yards, in abandoned lots
Buy from local growers
Act to remove policy barriers that are KILLING small food producers
Start or shop at food cooperatives
Cut your food waste by 50% or more
Save your own seeds
Seems to me this is a perfect list of how-to posts for me to tackle here at The Naturalized Human in the coming weeks.
One of these how-to action posts is already under way. You can join me this year for Successful Seed Saving 101 when you become a paying subscriber. Each week through this growing season I am tackling the in’s and out’s of how to save your own seeds. Why? Because saving your own seeds = FREE FOOD!
Saving Seeds = FREE FOOD
Let’s figure out how each of these bullets can come to life and effect real change in 2024.
Do you have another key action to add to this list? Provide it in the comments. Then stay tuned as we work through some viable options for change!