For many years I had to think about the cost of food I bought and looked very hard at cost per 100gms to see if I could get a bargain.
Then ageing brought along various problems that meant I had to look at the ingredients as well.
We had the ‘Buy Australia’ promotions and I know that this has happened in most countries around the world trying to support their own companies and workers; now for environmental reasons we look at food miles as well and also look for locally grown – as in our own suburb or close by – foods.
Boy does my head reel at the thought of shopping these days.
I haven’t had access to home grown citrus fruit this year to make marmalade and we are partial to Marmalade on our toast sometimes so I had that on the shopping list the other day.
This is the conundrum I was faced with that day.
Scotch Marmalade
600gm cost $2.50
Energy
100gm
1147kj
Fat
Total…………<1gm
Saturated……. <1gm
Carb……………66.5g
Sugars…………66.0gm
Sodium (Salt)…35mg
Main Ingredients in order
Sugar
Different Fruits
Vegetable gum (Pectin)
Food Acids
Made in Australia using local and imported fruit
Breakfast Marmalade
680gm cost $2.35
Energy 100gm 1090Kj
Fat Total…………….<1gm
Saturated………..<1gm
Carb……………..65.0gm
Sugars……………64.0gm
Sodium (Salt)…….5mg
Main Ingredients in order
Oranges
Sugar
Glucose syrup (Wheat)
Food acid
Vegetable gum
Made in Poland
Dh laughed at my predicament and told me what to do. I shrugged my shoulders and bought a jar of each – his 2 way bet.
You win some you lose some – Ones as good as the other he said
Still not sure if he is right or not
Still Waters 
Sometimes I just shrug my shoulders when I shop. I have resorted to just buying basics so I don't have to do so much reading!
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HiWe have a choice of my marmaldes than I can remember here and some are really good but in return there are plenty of things we dont get I am sure. I try to shop for local produce, frequent the farners market etc but are we really doing good? What happens to the people of Belize whose entire banana crop comes to the UK for example. If we all stop buying banans then do they starve. Shopping is getting just too complex for me to handle.Glad you liked the cottage smallholder by the way Cathy. Perhaps I wont be worrying where I buy my bacon from soon(although I guess I will still have to worry about the prok should, oh dear)
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Cathy, I too have to read all of the labels and decipher which product is most healthy. After a while you just know from past readings which brands to buy. If it's a toss up health wise, I choose the least expensive one. Luckily we grow or produce most of our own food. From my point of view, no matter what you buy you are supporting another human being.
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