Phenomenal Tip: Eco-bags and Grocery Shopping

There are new things coming up for this blog. And in preparation for the exciting times ahead, the blog will be moving to a new home!  While I will still be writing about our phenomenal life, it will now have a new name. 

From now on, I will be doing all of my posting at the phenomenal mama

I hope you could all bookmark the new site and follow me there!

I will still be keeping this blog open so you can read all of my old posts.  But you won't miss a thing with the new blog as it will have all of the old posts, as well. 

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The city where I live in has implemented the Plastic Bag Reduction Ordinance since September of 2012.  All business establishments are instructed to encourage the use reusable bags instead of plastic bags.  As stipulated, the city shall be imposing a  fee of P2 to consumers who insist on using plastic bags. 

It took me some time to get used to doing my grocery shopping using eco-bags.  There were days then when I had to ask the bagger to put everything in a box for me because I forgot my eco-bags at home. In the early days of using eco-bags, one of the problems I encountered was how the bagger would just dump everything I bought in the 2 large reusable bags that I brought along, without any regard for grouping items together.  Thus, the toiletries would be mixed with the pantry items, cleaning supplies and vegetables.  This makes packing away at home a major headache also, since everything is topsy-turvy.  I just couldn't stand the disorderly way of bagging that I have since always placed 5 reusable bags in all of the cars so I am never caught empty handed, just in case grocery shopping is an errand I have to do for the day.

 

My MO as soon as I step in the grocery is to place five eco-bags inside my cart: 1.  fruits and vegetables; 2.  dry goods (pasta, bread, dairy, and other pantry items); 3.  toiletries and personal effects; 4.  cleaning essentials (laundry detergent, etc); 5.  frozen meats.  As I start to shop, I place the items in the corresponding eco-bag.

When the time comes for me to pay at the counter, I simply just load the 5 bags onto the counter and inform the cashier and bagger to return all the items to the bag where they came from.   This new system has saved me from putting each and every single item onto the counter.  Whereas before, I would go back and forth between my cart and the counter multiple times to ferry each grocery item, I now only have to do that in the same number of times as I have reusable bags.  Not only have I put order in the bagging of my groceries, I have also saved my back! :)

 

I have a dedicated bag for frozen meat, which is washed after every use. Just to make sure that the meat drippings and food bacteria from raw meat do not contaminate other surfaces.  If we are not careful, these reusable bags could be a cause for bacteria to transfer from the grocery cart to our kitchen and pantry.

And because I have this new system, grocery shopping is now tolerable... slightly therapeutic, even.:)  Sharing a photo which I posted earlier in my Instagram account.   Belated Happy Mother's Day to all the moms!

Excuse the dressy outfit, I just came from a blogger event.  Such is the life of a mom!

  















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