Hi Vivi yes you are so right. Food is so important. Not only does it nourish us and keeps us alive but it’s also medicine for our bodies. I’m also starting an organic veggie box. I buy as much organic as I can. I’m on a small income but I prioritise good healthy food. I would rather have a cracked screen working phone, clothes from charity shops only, going longer inbetween haircuts, less treats in order to be able to buy real & healthy foods. Please keep us posted on this
Vivi, I am so happy to hear that you are planning to eat more organic food. It has been worrying me that you were having to rely more and more on non-organic, for all the reasons you stated. We are on a low income and we manage to afford a veg box from a local box supplier, and they grow some of it too. We then supplement with our home-grown herbs, greens, salads and eggs, and some foraging. Totally agree that food is worth prioritising for the sake of our health, the planet and our farmers. I am able to comment again after buying a refurbished iPad after months struggling with an ancient one. Fingers crossed for your move! Great video ❤
We’ve recently begun Abel & Cole box deliveries. They are expensive. We have managed to pay for them without increasing our food budget by cutting out processed/luxury foods which we hardly realised we were buying! We feel so much better in every way eating these wonderful fruits & veggies. Would highly recommend.
Important thoughts Vivi… thanks for sharing them 😊 I currently have my two blueberry bushes and the strawberry patch netted to stop the birds from pinching them!!
Completely agree with your views on food. Farmers need to earn a living too. I prioritise organic over other things (most material things) but I know I'm fortunate to do that. In the future, when I retire, I might not be able to buy organic but while I can I will. It also means less food waste. Everything chopped and frozen for another meal, even if just one carrot.
Ooh I’ve been thinking about all of this too. I live with a farmer (not on the farm, his family live there, enough said 😂) and of course we want to support British farmers as much as possible. Our food system and supermarkets don’t make that easy for most people and yet take most of the profits. You almost have to be weird to shop in a way that supports farmers and that cant be a good thing in the long run. You’ve inspired me to be better at growing my own food next year and shopping differently. I agree with you and a few others here who say they’d rather go without all sorts of other things to prioritise food. My great aunt who lived well til 96 (worked part time til she was 84 so in good health) ‘look after your food’ and it’s good advice. I used to get a Riverford box and loved it but somehow got out of the habit, going to have a look at it all again. Great video Vivi, thank you x x
I scrimp and save, like you, cut my own hair, barely put the heating on etc…but I do buy good food, that’s one thing I won’t compromise on. Being frugal shouldn’t mean grinding ourselves down until we’re ill. We can still try and get good bargains, but our health has to come first. Excellent video as usual. ❤
@ …awww, I know. It’s so hard to adjust to a new way of living. Hopefully when you get your new place you might be able to grow one small pot of tomatoes (maskotka or red alert are small plants with a high yield) My brother has a greenhouse and he supplies me with cucumbers every summer and my goodness, do I miss them throughout winter, the supermarket ones are like rubber, I can bend them in half without them snapping😂
I honestly don't think buying organic is very expensive, it's all about searching out the bargains. I'm a vegan so I need to eat the best protein rich items I can. As there is only the two of us we find it manageable. Agree about food waste I have an almost zero waste policy in my house.
Yay, we look at food as an investment and we have mostly switched to organic but have drastically changed how we eat and where we buy from. Buying in bulk where storage allows, cutting the junk, making our own bread and we also have a Riverford delivery topping up the homegrown veggies. Their ethics and way of doing business are great. They also do a uk only box. It is a privilege and not available to everyone but little changes soon add up.
Sourdough bread is easy to make once you have a starter. Ally lives well on less has a youtube blog and has a very simple sourdough recipe you might be interested in.
Hi Vivi, I make my own kefir, but i don't like it!! However, i put it into a cloth and let it drip till the kefir has really stiffened up. I scrape it off the cloth, put it in a bowl and mix it with garlic paste and black pepper,. Da da!! You have kefir cheese. Delicious, fabulous soft cheese. Keep what has dripped off in a jar in the freezer. Use the whey in baking, or if you like the taste, drink it. When you want a break, put the washed kefir grains in the freezer till you want to start again. Sooooo lovely.
❤️ The meal planning is exactly what I do & you are SO right, it does save both money & not wasting food. I am enjoying your vloggy videos. I am trying to watch as many as I can.
Food is thy medicine. I too Vivi consider number 1 to be quality of food. I am late 50s and put organic whole food plant based diet priority. Saves me money in Healthcare, on no meds etc. I too keep my heat minimal so I can eat healthy. I get you!😊
Really great video Vivi... I enjoyed every second. I have a slow cooker that I rarely use but your topic in this video has given me the boot up the bum I needed to go search out what I can actually make in it. It is just my son and I for Christmas this year and earlier we were chatting about having lovely food over Christmas. As you know, having had my granddaughters forcibly taken for adoption, I have had a really bad year and a half. I no longer enjoy Christmas since I lost them but this year my son and I have decided to splash out and have a real feast..... and using fruit in cooking... I have decided to make an apple crumble and freeze it ready for boxing day... oh get me getting all organised lol. Sending you lots of love my darling... I hope you are having your heating on more now too. xxxxx
Love using TGTG. There are some which are not processed. My local Morrisons do a £3.09 grocery bag which is nearly always just fruit and veg. The last one I got had a bag of carrots, 2 bags of baking potatoes, 2 boxes of blueberries, a bag of spring greens, an avocado, a bunch of bananas and 3 peppers.
Hi Vivi, great video. Ive been using Oddbox for over a year and as a single person i have it every other week. You also get recipe ideas and a little leaflet saying where each item has come from and the reason why it would otherwise be wasted along with farming updates. I've also started using The Modern Milkman, who deliver the usual milk products from a local farm along with items from small local producers like sourdough bread and some eco friendly cleaning products all left in a small eco friendly products.
When I was vegetarian I found I got fed up of similar textured food and wondered if you ever felt this.I now add fish and occasional chicken to my diet while still trying to avoid processed where possible.hope you do spend more even though food is so expensive but it is important like you say …you could be on master chef!!!
Vivi between christmas and new year on bbc4 is the royal institute lectures 3 of them this year presented by Chris Van Tulleken on the gut microbiome they are aimed at children but i watch them every year they are facinating if you see his book ultra processed people its worth a read
When I was a child, my mother would shop daily from the local village, no car, healthier for her and the environment, and no plastic bags in site. Reedemable pop bottles, milk man delivery and a local mobile shop and also a bread van. I am trying to make small steps that mount up to going back to those ways.
Really good video, Vivi. I do a fortnightly Riverford shop, but sometimes I pause it. I have added miĺk, butter, and cheese to this weeks delivery. I have a Christmas one with my veg for christmas and a treat of minced pies. After watching you, I am changing my viewpoint to oh there's nothing the fridge to oh wow I have shopped well and used up the weeks shopping. I shop at Aldi for veg too. I am trying to chop and put the veg into the freezer, and even by not batch cooming, having it prepped and ready to use is such a game changer. I have for the past two years been mainly cooking from scratch with carrots, celery, onions, garlic, tinned tomatoes, herbs, and pulses. I once a week have a ready prepped shop curry. We couldn't afford to live on ready meals and wouldn't want to. They are expensive and not really good for you. My next focus is reducing buying plastic detergent ranges. Very inspiring Vivi.
The end of the week at my house which is Sunday is chili. Chili means I can chuck in all the vegetables that might be going bad. Or of course soup to use up anything is great. Lots of information in this video.
Thanks for the reminder Vivi! I’ve been eating a lot of ultra processed food recently even though I know it’s bad for my gut. I’m determined to change my diet as we begin a new year ❤️
wonky veg is not thrown out, its cut up and frozen, or used in soups, stews and other processed foods. a very interesting convo, thanks. i think shopping local is a great idea.
Hi Vivi love your channel, I know one of the veg box schemes do a English only box but can’t remember which one. Just had a check it’s Riverford Vivi they also do zero packaging ones as well but they aren’t all British. Heather
Abel & Cole have an All British veg box. And they also do a beetroot and ginger sauerkraut which is absolutely delicious - my partner isn't keen on 'ordinary' sauerkraut but he loves it. It's unpasteurised, which of course is important if you want the beneficial bacteria. Riverford also do a 100% UK organic veg box, and they don't charge for delivery!
Great video Vivi, totally agree with you about spending the most you can afford on quality ingredients. There is nothing more important than our health. I have a very limited income and live out in the sticks so can't get to the shops too often. I've invested in a small chest freezer and fill it with as many different types of frozen veggies as I can. Buying frozen organic is a much cheaper option, and frozen is often better for you than veg which has been hanging around for a while. though you can't get everything organic. This means zero waste and lots of options with meal ideas. I gave up my veg patch about the same time as you so no longer have my dried beans so I go to hodemedodds for this. All British farmers doing great things and growing things like carlin peas, a real old British pulse that cooks like a chick pea, these are not expensive and go a long way. I'm veggie like you. They do other great beans and pulses too. My husband and I go mad in the autumn and manage to pick enough blackberries to last a year! Such a good idea as you say. We do kraut as well though I get that you are not keen. Kefir is very cheap and easy to make. There's so much good stuff out there and so much more accessible in terms of being able to get the info you need to help yourself. Onwards and upwards!! X
I too managed to freeze about 5 kegs of blackberries while they were in season which I split into portion sized bags and got them in the freezer to use over winter. I also buy the special offer veg on sale cheaply over the Christmas period. I prep and portion these up and freeze them. Last year they lasted me until about Easter. I would love another freezer but I just have nowhere to put one.
Food co-ops are good as well for getting organic food at as good of a price as possible! Re: organics.... also what we put in our bodies... Round up, paraquat etc - argh!!
Oh! I love the ideas in this video… it reminds me of that concept of when we buy things, we are “voting” for more of the same. Oh and haha re saurkraut! Me too, me too…. but I want to try it… someday… I need more fermented veg for sure & have heard fresh saurkraut vs well aged is a different thing… altho is it fermented enough 🤔 I don’t know! 🤔. I like miso tho.
There is also a difference between actual living fermented sauerkraut and the canned stuff you buy at the stores. Maybe something with more added flavor like kimchi is more to your taste. Or just ferment gherkins instead of pickling - or radishes with a clove of garlic, that‘s available even in winter.
Intermittent fasting is fantastic for health and 1 meal a day and 1 24hr fast a week is doable for most. Saves money too. Farmers should not expect supermarkets to take every veg no matter what state they are in. They need to have other outlets to ie soup factory, drying veg, powders, markets etc. Try looking for market gardeners rather than farmers. Do you forage? Three cornered leeks are in season. Ginger beer is fermented and is easy and cheap to make at home.
Vivi you may be interested in looking up Tim Spector if you haven’t already. He wrote a book called Food For Life, and the idea we should eat 30 different types of fruit and veg/legumes per week for optimal gut microbe health. Hope all is well. Busy here with pup Faye! 🌟❤️😘
Yay for happy puppy days! Yes, I know Tim Spector's work.....I haven't watched for a while but dip in from time to time. I thought I had talked about the 30 veg per week in this one but, hahaha, it's in the next kitchen video. 😊
Yes! 30 plants per week is our goal as well (though I think for vegans and vegetarians it‘s fairly easy since we tend to eat more legumes, and spices count, too)
You should try home made sauerkraut, i brought a proper German fermentation jar cost £30 but will last a lifetime. it taste so much better if make it yourself specially with a bit of onion and garlic in, i normally eat if after a week as don't like it to strong. also shop brought sauerkraut is normally pasteurized so all the good bacteria is killed,
I buy sauerkraut here in Norway at Christmas time. We use it as part of the Christmas dinner, and competition for the customers draw the prices down. I buy enough to last me through the year. I totally agree that homemade is best, but the storebought ones are good too, and so much less work involved! 😅
i cant bare food waste... whats not eaten dinner time i reheat for my lunch... great video as always vivi,thank you and nowt wrong with wonky veg..its still food... dont get who ever came up with the so called perfect look and size a vegetable or fruit has to be... they have done that with body shape and now food...stupid... im grateful for my food..thank you farmers 🤗 and also why i cant bare food waste is only once when i was in a children,s home in the 1970,s i was made to go without food as punishment.. you dont do that to a 4 year old or anyone 😪
I try for zero food waste every week. I don’t always succeed, but I do come close. Sometimes life just gets in the way of what I have planned. We eat what we have not always what we want and that helps.
To remember what my priorities are when I am out shopping in the mad world (which often has me loosing focus) I write them on the top of my shopping list along side of the amount of money I have to spend.This helps 😊
Hi Vivi ! Yes, we have a food box subscription service called ‘misfits’ …food that is not athletically appealing enough to sell in grocery stores… Good chat. ❤x
I'm wondering if you can purchase water kefir in the UK? It is slightly similar to kombucha but not acidic at all and is usually mixed with fruit juices. It's delicious and easy to drink. Your little corner health food store might know about it.
I’m glad to hear you’re on this track. You’re worth the most nutritious food you can buy for your body, especially after so many years of being able to grow such wonderful produce. Hoping there’s a fence at your new place that you could grow beans along. :) Good video. Veg box is a good idea too, especially for you. I think some people might waste the things they don’t like - but we all know you won’t. I’m so excited for your new next adventure! *Try making your own milk kefir. Super cheap and super easy. You can buy the starter grains online.
Cheers lovely. I'm definitely planning to have a go at making my own kefir yog once I've moved.....I've found a supplier, locally, for the starter grains already😊
Hello dear Vivi, The 'new' trend of batch cooking??? Jeez, who are these people? I have batched cooked all my adult life and am now 67! 😂😂😂 Like you I live on my own and I bulk buy my main food once a month and will spend a day cooking which save me a lot of time each day and I get out a meal from the freezer each day as required. It save me time each day cooking and uses less energy overall. Also any vegetable looking a little sad will go towards a scrumptious soup or be frozen to use at a later time for soup. It is all common sense in my opinion. Unfortunately I live some 3.5 miles from the nearest shop here in the Norfolk Broads, so walking to a shop is not possible. I do however have a supermarket in the nearest village which does have the most wonderful selection of vegetables and fruit from local food producers.
It’s funny that you mention Sandy Lane farm as it’s 10 mins down the road from me by car. I’ve been thinking about ordering from there as I’m learning to cook with one ingredient foods.
100% agree with this. I’m gutted Oddbox doesn’t deliver in my area, however I live in a big farming area in Norfolk and can get organic veg boxes directly from my local farmer delivered for a similar price Although unfortunately, living in a tiny village I have no choice but to drive as the closest town is over 5 miles away and we have very limited public transport that are often not running 😢
Hi Vivi, I thought that you said that the spices had 'fighting nutrients' in them. Took me a second for the penny to drop, you said PHYTO nutrients 😀. BTW, I put the stock cube or powder straight into the pot so I keep the jug clean (but I am also very, very lazy)
@@BriansJerseygarden Agree, their produce lasts longer. I don’t know, but I assume that they buy it fresher - perhaps for a higher price point than other stores. I’ve been very impressed with the quality of their food overall - prices have been surprisingly comparable to other chains. But for the better quality, and just that it lasts longer - I’m a big fan.
Eating ethically, healthily and economically certainly takes a lot of parsing, Vivi! Props to you for trying so consistently. Here in rural upstate New York, I have a whole different set of considerations and criteria to negotiate. I really miss the quality and variety of UK veggies! I'm currently making a batch of sauerkraut, which I love. (Doesn't always work though.) As to bananas, I always say I love everything about them except their taste, texture, smell and colour.
I don't know if in the UK your farmers are required to be tested and certified organic, but here in the US it's costly to grow and sell your produce as organic. I cannot sell anything from my garden and call it organic, even though it is grown that way, without paying to be tested and certified. All that to say that if you buy locally, it could very well be buying organic and it's just not able to be labeled that way.
I read that there are certain foods that it’s more important to have organic, because of the pesticide and herbicide coating/uptake. For instance, apparently a lot of grains are sprayed with herbicides at harvest time to ensure they dry off on time for the harvesting. So, all those chemicals remain on the grains; can’t be washed off. I only buy organic oats and oat milk etc. I’ll be doing the same with flour/bread. Co-op has a reasonable number of organic lines in their fresh produce section. But none of the shops are fully organic, or even 30%. I’ve found that the organic veg I buy has a much better shelf life. What about making fermented drinks like ginger beer and lemonades?
I definitely think there will need to be a lot of shopping around to get everything (or, at least, most) I'd like. I'm going to have a go at making my own Kefir once I've moved. 😊
Hi Vivi yes you are so right. Food is so important. Not only does it nourish us and keeps us alive but it’s also medicine for our bodies. I’m also starting an organic veggie box. I buy as much organic as I can. I’m on a small income but I prioritise good healthy food. I would rather have a cracked screen working phone, clothes from charity shops only, going longer inbetween haircuts, less treats in order to be able to buy real & healthy foods. Please keep us posted on this
Hear, hear!
Hi, this was excellent. Please do more. Have a great day.
Thank you. 😊
Vivi, I am so happy to hear that you are planning to eat more organic food. It has been worrying me that you were having to rely more and more on non-organic, for all the reasons you stated. We are on a low income and we manage to afford a veg box from a local box supplier, and they grow some of it too. We then supplement with our home-grown herbs, greens, salads and eggs, and some foraging. Totally agree that food is worth prioritising for the sake of our health, the planet and our farmers. I am able to comment again after buying a refurbished iPad after months struggling with an ancient one. Fingers crossed for your move! Great video ❤
Cheers lovely and yay for prioritising good food! Glad you've been able to get a new (old, like new!) device. 😊
We’ve recently begun Abel & Cole box deliveries. They are expensive. We have managed to pay for them without increasing our food budget by cutting out processed/luxury foods which we hardly realised we were buying! We feel so much better in every way eating these wonderful fruits & veggies. Would highly recommend.
Fantastic! 😊
I hope everything goes well for you Vivi, with food, health, move, money and everything else. I never waste food and I do it from scratch.
Cheers lovely. 😊
Important thoughts Vivi… thanks for sharing them 😊
I currently have my two blueberry bushes and the strawberry patch netted to stop the birds from pinching them!!
Oooh, I hope you win the berry war. 😉
Completely agree with your views on food. Farmers need to earn a living too. I prioritise organic over other things (most material things) but I know I'm fortunate to do that. In the future, when I retire, I might not be able to buy organic but while I can I will. It also means less food waste. Everything chopped and frozen for another meal, even if just one carrot.
Hear, hear. 😊
Ooh I’ve been thinking about all of this too. I live with a farmer (not on the farm, his family live there, enough said 😂) and of course we want to support British farmers as much as possible. Our food system and supermarkets don’t make that easy for most people and yet take most of the profits. You almost have to be weird to shop in a way that supports farmers and that cant be a good thing in the long run. You’ve inspired me to be better at growing my own food next year and shopping differently. I agree with you and a few others here who say they’d rather go without all sorts of other things to prioritise food. My great aunt who lived well til 96 (worked part time til she was 84 so in good health) ‘look after your food’ and it’s good advice. I used to get a Riverford box and loved it but somehow got out of the habit, going to have a look at it all again. Great video Vivi, thank you x x
Yay for a return to your organic veg box! I'm looking forward to being able to do the same after I've moved. 😊
I scrimp and save, like you, cut my own hair, barely put the heating on etc…but I do buy good food, that’s one thing I won’t compromise on. Being frugal shouldn’t mean grinding ourselves down until we’re ill. We can still try and get good bargains, but our health has to come first. Excellent video as usual. ❤
Absolutely! I've been really missing my gorgeous garden veggies. 😊
@ …awww, I know. It’s so hard to adjust to a new way of living. Hopefully when you get your new place you might be able to grow one small pot of tomatoes (maskotka or red alert are small plants with a high yield) My brother has a greenhouse and he supplies me with cucumbers every summer and my goodness, do I miss them throughout winter, the supermarket ones are like rubber, I can bend them in half without them snapping😂
I honestly don't think buying organic is very expensive, it's all about searching out the bargains. I'm a vegan so I need to eat the best protein rich items I can. As there is only the two of us we find it manageable. Agree about food waste I have an almost zero waste policy in my house.
You come across as so energised in this lovely vlog Vivi. It's great to see after your recent chest infection, which laid you low for so long.
Yay, we look at food as an investment and we have mostly switched to organic but have drastically changed how we eat and where we buy from. Buying in bulk where storage allows, cutting the junk, making our own bread and we also have a Riverford delivery topping up the homegrown veggies. Their ethics and way of doing business are great. They also do a uk only box. It is a privilege and not available to everyone but little changes soon add up.
Hear, hear. 😊
Sourdough bread is easy to make once you have a starter. Ally lives well on less has a youtube blog and has a very simple sourdough recipe you might be interested in.
Yes, that's another thing I want to try when I move. My oven here is too unpredictable for baking in. 😉
Yes…Ally!👍
Hi Vivi, I make my own kefir, but i don't like it!! However, i put it into a cloth and let it drip till the kefir has really stiffened up. I scrape it off the cloth, put it in a bowl and mix it with garlic paste and black pepper,. Da da!! You have kefir cheese. Delicious, fabulous soft cheese. Keep what has dripped off in a jar in the freezer. Use the whey in baking, or if you like the taste, drink it. When you want a break, put the washed kefir grains in the freezer till you want to start again. Sooooo lovely.
Oooh, that sounds great! 😊
❤️ The meal planning is exactly what I do & you are SO right, it does save both money & not wasting food. I am enjoying your vloggy videos. I am trying to watch as many as I can.
Thank you so much lovely. 😊
Food is thy medicine. I too Vivi consider number 1 to be quality of food. I am late 50s and put organic whole food plant based diet priority. Saves me money in Healthcare, on no meds etc. I too keep my heat minimal so I can eat healthy. I get you!😊
Yay. 😊
Really great video Vivi... I enjoyed every second. I have a slow cooker that I rarely use but your topic in this video has given me the boot up the bum I needed to go search out what I can actually make in it. It is just my son and I for Christmas this year and earlier we were chatting about having lovely food over Christmas. As you know, having had my granddaughters forcibly taken for adoption, I have had a really bad year and a half. I no longer enjoy Christmas since I lost them but this year my son and I have decided to splash out and have a real feast..... and using fruit in cooking... I have decided to make an apple crumble and freeze it ready for boxing day... oh get me getting all organised lol. Sending you lots of love my darling... I hope you are having your heating on more now too. xxxxx
Good on you lovely.....seize the day! 😊
@@WhatVivididnext Indeed xxxx
Thanks to my four dogs, 6 chickens and one million worms in my worm bin I have no food waste! Stay warm Vivi!
Perfect! ❤️😊
Love using TGTG. There are some which are not processed. My local Morrisons do a £3.09 grocery bag which is nearly always just fruit and veg. The last one I got had a bag of carrots, 2 bags of baking potatoes, 2 boxes of blueberries, a bag of spring greens, an avocado, a bunch of bananas and 3 peppers.
That's fab! 😊
Nice to see you good blog and information and healthy its will be better when you start growing your own stuff in garden and changing your diet
Hi Vivi, great video. Ive been using Oddbox for over a year and as a single person i have it every other week. You also get recipe ideas and a little leaflet saying where each item has come from and the reason why it would otherwise be wasted along with farming updates. I've also started using The Modern Milkman, who deliver the usual milk products from a local farm along with items from small local producers like sourdough bread and some eco friendly cleaning products all left in a small eco friendly products.
Oops! Should read that the modern milkman stuff is left in a little eco friendly reusable box
Oh that's great to hear......I love that they include the recipe leaflet and traceability. 😊
Hiya Vivi, yes tis food for thought? Thankyou enjoyed the chat at the kitchen table. Take care Luv Southern Ontario Canada 🐝🇨🇦
Cheers lovely......hope you're keeping cosy. 😊
👍👍👍
When I was vegetarian I found I got fed up of similar textured food and wondered if you ever felt this.I now add fish and occasional chicken to my diet while still trying to avoid processed where possible.hope you do spend more even though food is so expensive but it is important like you say …you could be on master chef!!!
Hahaha, thank you Susan. 😉 No, I don't get fed up with the texture as I keep changing it. 😊
Your vlogs are so soothing, as well as informative. Thank you, as always, Vivi ❤
Thank you lovely. 😊
Vivi between christmas and new year on bbc4 is the royal institute lectures 3 of them this year presented by Chris Van Tulleken on the gut microbiome they are aimed at children but i watch them every year they are facinating if you see his book ultra processed people its worth a read
lots of the supermarkets are doing 15p veg the week before christmas from the 18th - perfect for batch cooking but i do wonder who pays for it
I love the RI lectures.....what perfect timing these 3 will be. Thank you! 😊
When I was a child, my mother would shop daily from the local village, no car, healthier for her and the environment, and no plastic bags in site. Reedemable pop bottles, milk man delivery and a local mobile shop and also a bread van. I am trying to make small steps that mount up to going back to those ways.
Small steps add up! 😊
Really good video, Vivi. I do a fortnightly Riverford shop, but sometimes I pause it. I have added miĺk, butter, and cheese to this weeks delivery. I have a Christmas one with my veg for christmas and a treat of minced pies. After watching you, I am changing my viewpoint to oh there's nothing the fridge to oh wow I have shopped well and used up the weeks shopping. I shop at Aldi for veg too. I am trying to chop and put the veg into the freezer, and even by not batch cooming, having it prepped and ready to use is such a game changer. I have for the past two years been mainly cooking from scratch with carrots, celery, onions, garlic, tinned tomatoes, herbs, and pulses. I once a week have a ready prepped shop curry. We couldn't afford to live on ready meals and wouldn't want to. They are expensive and not really good for you. My next focus is reducing buying plastic detergent ranges. Very inspiring Vivi.
Great stuff lovely! 😁
The end of the week at my house which is Sunday is chili. Chili means I can chuck in all the vegetables that might be going bad. Or of course soup to use up anything is great. Lots of information in this video.
Yay for chili Sunday! 😊
Royal institution Christmas lectures this year is about gut health and micro biome. I know it’s for children but I really enjoy them.
I love the RI lectures each year.....I'm chuffed with the subject matter this year - perfect timing. 😊
Thanks for the reminder Vivi! I’ve been eating a lot of ultra processed food recently even though I know it’s bad for my gut. I’m determined to change my diet as we begin a new year ❤️
Yay, good on you lovely.
wonky veg is not thrown out, its cut up and frozen, or used in soups, stews and other processed foods. a very interesting convo, thanks. i think shopping local is a great idea.
Hi Vivi love your channel, I know one of the veg box schemes do a English only box but can’t remember which one. Just had a check it’s Riverford Vivi they also do zero packaging ones as well but they aren’t all British. Heather
Thanks lovely.....I'll do more research. 😊
Abel & Cole have an All British veg box. And they also do a beetroot and ginger sauerkraut which is absolutely delicious - my partner isn't keen on 'ordinary' sauerkraut but he loves it. It's unpasteurised, which of course is important if you want the beneficial bacteria.
Riverford also do a 100% UK organic veg box, and they don't charge for delivery!
Thank you lovely. Hmmm.....will I be brave enough to try the beetroot and ginger? I like both....so I guess I should. 😉
I may try this.
Great video Vivi, totally agree with you about spending the most you can afford on quality ingredients. There is nothing more important than our health. I have a very limited income and live out in the sticks so can't get to the shops too often. I've invested in a small chest freezer and fill it with as many different types of frozen veggies as I can. Buying frozen organic is a much cheaper option, and frozen is often better for you than veg which has been hanging around for a while. though you can't get everything organic. This means zero waste and lots of options with meal ideas. I gave up my veg patch about the same time as you so no longer have my dried beans so I go to hodemedodds for this. All British farmers doing great things and growing things like carlin peas, a real old British pulse that cooks like a chick pea, these are not expensive and go a long way. I'm veggie like you. They do other great beans and pulses too. My husband and I go mad in the autumn and manage to pick enough blackberries to last a year! Such a good idea as you say. We do kraut as well though I get that you are not keen. Kefir is very cheap and easy to make. There's so much good stuff out there and so much more accessible in terms of being able to get the info you need to help yourself. Onwards and upwards!! X
Three cheers to that. And I can't wait to move, get the new freezer....and start filling it with foraged fruits again. 😊
I too managed to freeze about 5 kegs of blackberries while they were in season which I split into portion sized bags and got them in the freezer to use over winter. I also buy the special offer veg on sale cheaply over the Christmas period. I prep and portion these up and freeze them. Last year they lasted me until about Easter. I would love another freezer but I just have nowhere to put one.
Food co-ops are good as well for getting organic food at as good of a price as possible!
Re: organics.... also what we put in our bodies... Round up, paraquat etc - argh!!
Exactly! Yuk!!!
Good video
Thank you Caroline.
Great vlog Vivi! xxx
Thank you Mary. 😊
Love chili that time of year..Take care
Oh! I love the ideas in this video… it reminds me of that concept of when we buy things, we are “voting” for more of the same. Oh and haha re saurkraut! Me too, me too…. but I want to try it… someday… I need more fermented veg for sure & have heard fresh saurkraut vs well aged is a different thing… altho is it fermented enough 🤔 I don’t know! 🤔. I like miso tho.
Hahaha....we're going to have to put our big girl pants on and try it someday! 😉
There is also a difference between actual living fermented sauerkraut and the canned stuff you buy at the stores. Maybe something with more added flavor like kimchi is more to your taste. Or just ferment gherkins instead of pickling - or radishes with a clove of garlic, that‘s available even in winter.
@@WhatVivididnext Haha, so true!! 💕
I use Able and Cole highly recommend them , they also stock eco friendly household cleaning/ laundry goods which is helpful too X
Me too. They sell seasonal British fruit and vegetables of very good quality.
I used Able & Cole at my previous flat....I always enjoyed the contents. 😊
Hi Viv. Look up pre-biotic foods as well for gut health. Many are inexpensive and a less of a fuss than fermented and/or probiotic foods.😊
Are subtitles on for anyone else? Sometimes they take a while to catch up but not showing for me stlll 😢
I think you have to select a button to show them?
@ it’s greyed out tonight, I do often when others asleep 😢 will check tomorrow ! Thx tho!
Working now! Just needed time to process it seems ❤
Intermittent fasting is fantastic for health and 1 meal a day and 1 24hr fast a week is doable for most. Saves money too. Farmers should not expect supermarkets to take every veg no matter what state they are in. They need to have other outlets to ie soup factory, drying veg, powders, markets etc. Try looking for market gardeners rather than farmers. Do you forage? Three cornered leeks are in season. Ginger beer is fermented and is easy and cheap to make at home.
Vivi you may be interested in looking up Tim Spector if you haven’t already. He wrote a book called Food For Life, and the idea we should eat 30 different types of fruit and veg/legumes per week for optimal gut microbe health. Hope all is well. Busy here with pup Faye! 🌟❤️😘
Yay for happy puppy days! Yes, I know Tim Spector's work.....I haven't watched for a while but dip in from time to time. I thought I had talked about the 30 veg per week in this one but, hahaha, it's in the next kitchen video. 😊
Yes! 30 plants per week is our goal as well (though I think for vegans and vegetarians it‘s fairly easy since we tend to eat more legumes, and spices count, too)
Love Tim Spector's work and his speaking up for veggies and other plant-based foods. Also Dr Michael Greger's "daily dozen".
You should try home made sauerkraut, i brought a proper German fermentation jar cost £30 but will last a lifetime. it taste so much better if make it yourself specially with a bit of onion and garlic in, i normally eat if after a week as don't like it to strong. also shop brought sauerkraut is normally pasteurized so all the good bacteria is killed,
I buy sauerkraut here in Norway at Christmas time. We use it as part of the Christmas dinner, and competition for the customers draw the prices down. I buy enough to last me through the year. I totally agree that homemade is best, but the storebought ones are good too, and so much less work involved! 😅
@@ibislife we don't seem to get any nice ones here, most shops have the same brand.
i cant bare food waste... whats not eaten dinner time i reheat for my lunch... great video as always vivi,thank you and nowt wrong with wonky veg..its still food... dont get who ever came up with the so called perfect look and size a vegetable or fruit has to be... they have done that with body shape and now food...stupid... im grateful for my food..thank you farmers 🤗 and also why i cant bare food waste is only once when i was in a children,s home in the 1970,s i was made to go without food as punishment.. you dont do that to a 4 year old or anyone 😪
Gosh, no, absolutely not!! 😢
@@WhatVivididnext 😪
Just to remind you. You have really aced this living without a wage for one year thing! How well you've done.
Hahaha, thanks lovely....going on 8 years now! 😉
Amazing and inspiring @@WhatVivididnext
I try for zero food waste every week. I don’t always succeed, but I do come close. Sometimes life just gets in the way of what I have planned. We eat what we have not always what we want and that helps.
To remember what my priorities are when I am out shopping in the mad world (which often has me loosing focus) I write them on the top of my shopping list along side of the amount of money I have to spend.This helps 😊
Good stuff. 😊
Great video, I recommend this book -Food Is Climate by Glen Merzer
Sounds interesting....I'll keep a look out for it. Thank you.
Hi Vivi !
Yes, we have a food box subscription service called ‘misfits’ …food that is not athletically appealing enough to sell in grocery stores…
Good chat. ❤x
Love it! Great name too. 😊
Edit to spell ‘aesthetically ‘
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@@marilyn9155 Hahaha.......I didn't spot the typo. 😉
I'm wondering if you can purchase water kefir in the UK? It is slightly similar to kombucha but not acidic at all and is usually mixed with fruit juices. It's delicious and easy to drink. Your little corner health food store might know about it.
I haven't looked for any but as I don't drink fruit juices I think I'd prefer to stick with the yoghurt version. 😊
That makes sense 😊 @@WhatVivididnext
@@WhatVivididnext Also freecycle groups normally have kefir grains or kombucha scoby's, sour dough starters etc being given away 🙂
I’m glad to hear you’re on this track. You’re worth the most nutritious food you can buy for your body, especially after so many years of being able to grow such wonderful produce. Hoping there’s a fence at your new place that you could grow beans along. :) Good video. Veg box is a good idea too, especially for you. I think some people might waste the things they don’t like - but we all know you won’t. I’m so excited for your new next adventure! *Try making your own milk kefir. Super cheap and super easy. You can buy the starter grains online.
Cheers lovely. I'm definitely planning to have a go at making my own kefir yog once I've moved.....I've found a supplier, locally, for the starter grains already😊
Hello dear Vivi, The 'new' trend of batch cooking??? Jeez, who are these people? I have batched cooked all my adult life and am now 67! 😂😂😂 Like you I live on my own and I bulk buy my main food once a month and will spend a day cooking which save me a lot of time each day and I get out a meal from the freezer each day as required. It save me time each day cooking and uses less energy overall. Also any vegetable looking a little sad will go towards a scrumptious soup or be frozen to use at a later time for soup. It is all common sense in my opinion. Unfortunately I live some 3.5 miles from the nearest shop here in the Norfolk Broads, so walking to a shop is not possible. I do however have a supermarket in the nearest village which does have the most wonderful selection of vegetables and fruit from local food producers.
Yay for us getting on board with this 'new' trend......hahahah....all our lives! 😉
Sauerkraut ...... I'm German. I'm supposed to have a genetic predisposition to love the stuff. Cannot bear it. I feel your aversion.
Hahaha.....I'm glad I'm not the only one. 😉
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Fantastic women ❤❤❤
It’s funny that you mention Sandy Lane farm as it’s 10 mins down the road from me by car. I’ve been thinking about ordering from there as I’m learning to cook with one ingredient foods.
Oh how fab to have it on your 'doorstep'! 😊
@@WhatVivididnextIt certainly is! I follow them online and they seem like a fab company.
100% agree with this. I’m gutted Oddbox doesn’t deliver in my area, however I live in a big farming area in Norfolk and can get organic veg boxes directly from my local farmer delivered for a similar price
Although unfortunately, living in a tiny village I have no choice but to drive as the closest town is over 5 miles away and we have very limited public transport that are often not running 😢
How great that you can get some of your supplies direct from the local farms....I love that. 😊
Hello! Shoestring Jane sent me.
Hello Cynthia. A very warm and happy welcome to you here. 😊
Hi Vivi, I thought that you said that the spices had 'fighting nutrients' in them. Took me a second for the penny to drop, you said PHYTO nutrients 😀. BTW, I put the stock cube or powder straight into the pot so I keep the jug clean (but I am also very, very lazy)
Hahaha...maybe 'fighting' nutrients is the perfect name. 😉
Do you have a Wholefoods market their organic isn't bad and the produce at least here in the states lasts compared to "reg" grocery store
Sadly not.
@@BriansJerseygarden Agree, their produce lasts longer. I don’t know, but I assume that they buy it fresher - perhaps for a higher price point than other stores. I’ve been very impressed with the quality of their food overall - prices have been surprisingly comparable to other chains. But for the better quality, and just that it lasts longer - I’m a big fan.
Not every one has a freezer.
All the more reason to meal plan and only buy what you absolutely need. 😊
Eating ethically, healthily and economically certainly takes a lot of parsing, Vivi! Props to you for trying so consistently. Here in rural upstate New York, I have a whole different set of considerations and criteria to negotiate. I really miss the quality and variety of UK veggies! I'm currently making a batch of sauerkraut, which I love. (Doesn't always work though.) As to bananas, I always say I love everything about them except their taste, texture, smell and colour.
Hahahahaha....ditto re the bananas! 😉
❤❤❤❤❤❤🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉famtastic women amazing you should have youre iwn restauraunt ❤❤❤
Hahaha, no way...this is really simple, peasant food. But it makes me happy.
I don't know if in the UK your farmers are required to be tested and certified organic, but here in the US it's costly to grow and sell your produce as organic. I cannot sell anything from my garden and call it organic, even though it is grown that way, without paying to be tested and certified. All that to say that if you buy locally, it could very well be buying organic and it's just not able to be labeled that way.
Yes, certification is a requirement here, too.....and costs a fortune!
I read that there are certain foods that it’s more important to have organic, because of the pesticide and herbicide coating/uptake. For instance, apparently a lot of grains are sprayed with herbicides at harvest time to ensure they dry off on time for the harvesting. So, all those chemicals remain on the grains; can’t be washed off. I only buy organic oats and oat milk etc. I’ll be doing the same with flour/bread. Co-op has a reasonable number of organic lines in their fresh produce section. But none of the shops are fully organic, or even 30%. I’ve found that the organic veg I buy has a much better shelf life.
What about making fermented drinks like ginger beer and lemonades?
I definitely think there will need to be a lot of shopping around to get everything (or, at least, most) I'd like. I'm going to have a go at making my own Kefir once I've moved. 😊
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the chinese do a regular home fermented 'pickled' veggies, eating them and putting new ones in. its a healthy and tasty daily treat
Eek, rather them than me. 😉
@@WhatVivididnext lol it’s to help gut flora. You don’t like vinegar pickling?
@@carlagarrett8584 Eeuw, no! 😉
Please worn people, potatoes must be blanched, or they will go black. Loved your video.
Thank you. 😊
We use the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen as guidelines to help choose which foods to buy organic.
Great sources of info. 😊