While I know that spending money to save is a complete fallacy most of the time (look at this dress I got just like my other one it was on sale down from $350 to $300 so I saved heaps even though I wasn’t going to buy anything thing month…) I’m trying to put into action the idea of spending more on groceries as a way to combat my extreme lunch and takeaway spending. The theory is that if my cupboards are full with delicious and preferably easy to cook/assemble meals then I won’t eat expensive food with limited nutritional value to the extent that I currently am. Hey, anything is worth a try.

I took myself to Nosh to do my irregular grocery shop last night on the way home from work. I was really excited when I heard that there was going to be a store reasonably close to my house and this was reinforced by some lovely food I had at a pre-Christmas BBQ which was from there and a chat with one of their knowledgeable and non-threatening staff at the same party. A reoccurring theme in this blog is my loathing of places where they make you feel stupid when you first visit (thus ensuring that there is never a second visit) so it was nice to talk about the store with someone who was enthusiastic but not a snob.

I rolled up around 6pm on a Friday night, grabbed a mini-sized trolley and surveyed the store. It’s not a tiny boutique store or a giant supermarket and its very mellow compared to my usual grocery shopping destinations. Fruit and vege prices are reasonable, specials are great, but the plus is that things are just right – case in point, the three avocados for $2 that were all at the perfect ripeness or just about. After being stuck with some awful ones lately, this was a big win.

I won’t list all my purchases, but in summary, this is what I thought:

Quality = great

Prices = reasonable

Specials = very good

Staff = helpful but not annoying

Best purchase = 500gm cheese for $3.99

Tonight’s dinner = steak, mashed potatoes and salad – all super fresh and tasty

Overall = didn't spend more than usual but my last couple of meals have been awesome. So far so good on the experiment. I've eaten way more fruit and veges than a usual lazy Saturday – no toast in sight!

Food by Josie Campbell, photo by Cate Owen, shot on an iPhone.