It will take a bit of practice, but I'm sure that you and Shel will be able to reach a healthy compromise on it - buy according to your ethics where you can and do a bit of research on which products meet that criteria and aren't that expensive and keep your eye out for specials on the stuff you can't regularly buy. I think I posted a link somewhere that listed all the australian made and owned products that you can buy through IGA stores and some of them are comparable in price to big imported names.
Budget wins here (although I have chosen 6 free range vs 12 cage eggs in the past because I just can't stand the thought of those unhappy chickens )...but everything else I'm buying entirely to my budget.
I do however try to compensate by op-shopping & buying 2nd hand goods where I can, selling my own used things, and trying to be less of a rampant consumer generally. Not always successfully and I'm sure I have a long way to go, but I figure something is better than nothing.
Just the fact you think about it and care makes a big difference Leash. Somethings i just can't budge on, like eggs. (anyway you could get a couple of chooks? they lay cheap eggs. )
But you do what you can, and you do what you have to. No point shopping ethically if you then end up on the streets because you couldn't pay the rent.
I have a real thing about homebrand products and the supermarkets pushing small business out of the market. Soon we wont have a choice. So i try, if i can, to avoid homebrand products. I wouldn't let me family starve though if that's all i could afford.
Leasha you can only do what you can do and you know within your heart that if you could afford all the right products you would buy them. I also try to buy fair trade, organic, local etc In fact I would like to not only buy the right products/groceries I would like to fix the whole world of pain, suffering, war, starvations, murder etc etc but you know what, I can't. I will start with making my environment full of love and compassion and let that spread as far as it can. That is all I can do. Is there a local farmers market you can go to? Their would be free range eggs there and local organic produce at a good price.
Well I'm an ethical buyer, but at times have had to compromise. We make most of our foods, so I try to check out where my flour (wheat) is grown, and I grow my own herbs. I have my own chickens which works out to be heaps cheaper than buying eggs anyway. The outlay was around $400 in the very beginning, but now I have 3 chooks who lay at least 2 eggs daily. I swap 12 eggs a fortnight to a friend who brings me special sourdough bread and he brings me 2 loaves of bread.
I buy my fruit/veg/normal bread from Aussie direct. I am now making my own rice milk at home, but I buy some at the shops.
I still refuse to buy Nestle... its hard at times, but I don't use packet mixes and it took us a few shops to change the way we bought. I guess thats just it, give yourself time and a budget and as you go along in your shop get the most important items first, the essentials, and then go and get the 'extras" and think about what is needed etc. I generally do something like a zucchini loaf for snacks for the week and hummous and then buy plain rice crackers and carrots for our snacks... sometimes we get a packet of chips on the weekend etc, but I guess its a matter of budget for us. We do not get take away, well once a week we have a budget of $20 for take away, so we might get fish n' chips but just get fish for us and I'll make a salad to go with it, and get the kids fish n' chips.
I think if you also think about what you are drinking at home... if you buy heaps of drinks, try to cut down to water and one other item per day... so water and a coffee, or tea.... or water and a wine etc etc .... it really makes you cut down on cost that way too .
ETA: also, just thinking, don't beat yourself up over it either, if you can't do it one week, thats okay. I actually bought Nestle chocolate the other week by mistake and got home and debated taking it back, but DH convinced me that it was worse for the environment if I got in the car and drove back to the shops.
time factor doesnt help when you work full time so sometimes markets are out of the question. You could start a small vegy garden, even if its just some parsely and chives to start with and build on that. I found that the kids love picking their own tomatoes from the garden so not only are getting something organic they are seeing were the food comes from and saving me $$$ and its Aussie grown
Eggs - we are fortunate enough to live near egg farms so we can get direct. We also source out the local produce farms and buy direct from them.
Nestles....as much as i dont like them my kids love their milo's so were I do my bit in other ways I have to lean in such a way for them.
As Ange said...atleast your thinking about it and giving a toss babe.
Budget wins here, too, although like LadyZaidie & Marydean - I cannot skimp on eggs, that's the only thing though. Otherwise it's all down to cost.
Like some of the others have said, I think just being aware is the biggest thing of all, there will be a time when you might be able to do differently, or educate someone else...
... in fact I have been educated just reading this thread, I am now off to learn what Nestle is all about...(I'm sure there is a thread on here somewhere but I've never read it...)
ETA - ok, found it gawd that is a big list of stuff to avoid. Good to know though.
I know I am coming in a bit late, but this has always been a dilemma of mine and a frustration. Nothing annoys me more than the budget hints that recommend the cheaper brands as "there is no difference", well of course there is a difference. I am glad to know that there are other out there that also feel the same way.
I do what I can, I always spend way to much though. I really need to meal plan, but that can be hard when relying on garden veg. I often have to work in reverse, see what is coming in from the garden and work it out from there.
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)...but everything else I'm buying entirely to my budget.
and I'm sure I have a long way to go, but I figure something is better than nothing.
) 
So i try, if i can, to avoid homebrand products. I wouldn't let me family starve though if that's all i could afford.
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