WHAT'S A WOMAN TO DO????????

Grocery shopping used to be somewhat enjoyable. To be honest, let's say it was enjoyable the first month of marriage. (I think most "chores" are kind of fun the first month of marriage because everything is new and exciting). After some time, it just became another chore. I don't mind it now but it isn't something that I look forward to. But every Monday me and Jules drive off to Shoprite, and shop for an hour or so. I used to go at night but now Jules likes going with me - especially since they always have cheese to sample there. It is the little treat I look forward to... I remember when Mike and I were first married Mike used to come with me. That quickly ended since I couldn't handle having him place random impulse purchases in our cart. According to Mike, if something is on sale, there is something wrong with it. "Why else is it on sale? They are just trying to get rid of it. It's no good." Well, after going into cardiac arrest everytime we went grocery shopping I BANNED him from coming with me. Every once in awhile he offers to do the grocery shopping for me and I haven't taken him up on it yet. Anyway, I have a real dilemma when I go grocery shopping lately. To go organic or to not go organic, that is the question! When money is tight, I skip the whole organic thing and tell myself that all this organic stuff is a load of hooey. According to my Cooking Light magazine, there are no known nutritional advantages to using organic products. So, I recite facts along those line and feel better. See? No one is going to make a fool of me! Ha! This organic stuff is all a BIG hoax. Then the next month rolls around and I start to remember that book I heard about that states that chickens are fed all sorts of strange food just to make them really big and that there legs can barely hold them up because they are not proportioned correctly (so they have big breasts (okay, this sounds weird but I can't get around it) - that's what American's eat. Off on another sub-topic here, aren't chicken thighs way better than chicken breasts? I can't figure out what the deal is with everyone liking white meat). And that sends shivers down my spine (that chicken can barely walk because their ...fronts are so heavy). Off the shelf come the cage-free eggs. This ought to be a little healthier, I tell myself. And then I remember someone telling me that cage free eggs really mean that the chicken farmers just have to have an opening in the barn so the chickens can go walk around and scratch in the dirt outside. Except that hardly any of them do that! They stay in the barn. Sigh. So what's a woman to do? And what in the world is the difference between cage-free and organic eggs? And what about milk? Do they really pump cows with all kinds of stuff so that they produce more milk? Are all those hormones dangerous? But organic milk smells funny, says the city girl (me). This is when I really do believe that ignorance is bliss. Okay, one last argument on the other side: So, let's say all of this artificial stuff isn't the best for you, but it's not terrible. Aren't we living longer than we ever did? (I am not getting into the whole ethical treatment of animals here. Maybe another time. I don't know (and probably don't want to) enough about it). And then I hear about people who say you should shop at your local farmer's market (are there any where I live???). For me, that would mean another shopping trip - and I don't want to! The best way for me to save money is to STAY OUT OF THE STORES! So one less place to go to would be beneficial. For example, diapers are cheaper at Walmart, but whenever I go there, I can't leave that place without spending at least fifty bucks (all necessary purchases, of course). I think I managed to spend under fifty dollars ONE time, and I was so excited, I did a cartwheel in the parking lot. Okay, slight exxageration there. Anyway, there's my rant of the week. Off to go grocery shopping! :)