The Trolley Challenge: Only Buying Real Food.

[Bathsheba]

Cindy: as far as I know you can recommend a place or product just as long as you personally don't have a vested interest. And as long as you don't post a link. Large multi-national companies are always being recommended (eg Cadbury's) so why not smaller companies?

One of my favourite Farmers Markets is at the Collingwood Children's Farm... then a snack at the Abbotsford Convent next door... makes a great day out!

[Astrid]

It is frustrating. I am in the country now, but do you think I can find a decent farmers market nearby?? Same with meat, there is massive abattoir, but it's "wholesale' outlest is just as expensive as the supermarkets and some of the items full of additives.

[*Ali*]

This is something I have been trying hard to do, partly for our health, and partly for our pocket. I also do all of my fruit and veg shopping at our local farmers markets, I have switched to butchers meat and free range chicken (which is all I will ever buy now, because it is tastier and better for us). I am a bit slack sometimes buying pre packaged snack foods- rice crackers, muesli bars etc. We hardly ever eat prepackge or preprepared food at dinner time, I much prefer to cook from scratch- never use recipe bases, or the instant pasta packets etc, never have though. My aim is to get better at baking and preparing snack foods, especially as Tori starts school next year and I would much rather she have homemade in her lunchbox.

[Bathsheba]

Yes! I am so avoiding buying those mueslie bars for school! They are rubbish, honestly. Just as easy is cutting a few sticks of real cheese (not the single wrapped flappy stuff) and popping that in the lunchbox for recess. My DS also like BabyBel cheese but I only buy it on special. My DD went to stay at her cousins over the school holidays and they asked her what she wanted on a sandwich... she said cheese so they pulled out that Kraft flappy stuff. She politely declined and asked if they had some real cheese... the kids didn't even know what she meant... they had only ever eaten that soapy plastic stuff that doesn't even melt when you make a jaffle. My DD once ate a whole wedge of blue cheese from Tarago... cost us about $8.... we found her age 2yo sitting in front of an open fridge stuffing it into her mouth... at least the girl knows what real cheese is!!! And the idea of bottled Kraft cheese spread makes her want to puke... good girl! Sorry if I'm sounding like a food snob

[Rouge]

Bento Box Lunch boxes will help with school lunches. You can bake lots in advance, get creative and feel as though you're feeding your kids well all at the same time!

[luna moth]

One of my favourite Farmers Markets is at the Collingwood Children's Farm... then a snack at the Abbotsford Convent next door... makes a great day out!

This, Leo's. You. Are. Making. Me. HOMESICK!

But I have found an incredible farmer's market here in brissy - it's at the broadway hotel in the gabba. Food there is SO fresh that I freak out when I buy stuff even from other markets!

Michael Pollan is a great read. I love giving it to people as a wedding/engagement present