A year ago, I would have said that grocery shopping felt akin to a trip to the laundromat or the gas station: a necessary pain in the ass. All of that changed when I moved to Austin, watched Food Inc., freaked out, and began eating organic. Enter Central Market. Despite being in a town where Whole Foods got its start, I've opted for its less intense cousin just up the street from my apartment. From the second I walked through the doors, I was hooked. Goodbye, highly processed and packaged "food". Hello, fresh and recognizable ingredients.
One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday is to wake up early and go grocery shopping. The store isn't busy yet so the samples are still filled to the brim and I can spend five minutes picking out an acorn squash without someone ramming into my cart. Even the checkout process is better. Today, Andrew and I discussed our favorite Indian recipes and he wrote a book recommendation on the back of my receipt.
I know that eating organic isn't for everyone, and I'll be the first to admit that my grocery bill is higher than before. But for me, it's worth it. I eat healthier, cook more at home, and I have an increased paranoia to finish my fruits and vegetables before they go bad.
There's just something joyful about being surrounded by colorful produce and passing a long display of freshly baked bread. And - I'll be honest - having dark chocolate espresso caramels available in the bulk section doesn't hurt, either.
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