Woman Living In Remote Area Goes Grocery Shopping Once Every 2 Months To Save Herself From Traveling 10 Hours

Jan 24, 2023 by apost team

The frequency of grocery shopping varies from person to person. Some people may opt to go only once a month, as they buy enough supplies enough to last for that long. But there are also those who do their grocery shopping once or even twice a week. In fact, one study has shown that the primary US consumer goes on a 1.6-weekly grocery shopping trip. But have you ever heard of a person who only goes grocery shopping once every two months? Well, believe it or not, a person like that exists.

In January 2023, a woman named Hilary Messer-Barrow revealed that she and her husband gave up their life in the city and moved to a remote area. While some people dream of living in the city, this couple chose to ditch the hustle and bustle for something quieter. They previously lived in Vancouver, but they now live in the “wild, mountainous, and sparsely populated” community of Yukon. In Beaver Creek, where they reside, there are only around  90 inhabitants. Of course, their way of living has been greatly affected by the move – including their groceries and meal planning.

Since they need to go on a 10-hour roundtrip journey to get to the nearest city — called Whitehorse —for their grocery shipping, they cannot afford to travel all the time. Not only will it cost them a lot of fuel to travel 300 miles, but the lengthy travel time also isn’t worth it. So, they need to carefully plan what they will buy so they won’t have to go there regularly.

“We went from regularly buying groceries to only doing so every two months,” Messer-Barrow wrote in a story published on Insider.

While it may seem challenging, Messer-Barrow revealed that she learned a lot about stretching their money, as well as their food supply to make sure they have enough for two months.

“Now that we rely on big hauls and cooking at home, I've mastered a thing or two when it comes to stretching our dollar and our food a little bit further,” she remarked.

Messer-Barrow shared a few tips, which include thorough planning and organizing to make sure they only buy what they need.

“Before a grocery trip, I examine our inventory by going through the pantry and freezer to note what we have and what we need. I also plan for special meals, like birthdays or holidays, that will take place in the next two-month period,” she said. 

Because they need to store all products for at least two months, they also make sure to check the expiration date.

“Because we buy groceries so infrequently, preserving and tracking our food is critical. This includes stocking the refrigerator in a methodical manner so no items get hidden and end up going bad,” she remarked.

Another thing she does is cook by batch so that they can store meals that could last for weeks. 

“I find that freezing soups, stews, and casseroles is a super helpful way to stretch our groceries and save time in the future,” she stated.

Messer-Barrow also revealed that they don’t let anything go to waste as well as find ways to keep everything fresh. Plus, the best part is they grow their own food.

“We also have a garden, which means we can buy less produce — especially during the long summer days. We also have a water-based hydroponic system, which means we can grow fresh greens during the winter months, too,” she revealed.

apost.com

What do you think about this couple's decision to store food for two months to save themselves from going on a 10-hour round-trip journey frequently? Let us know what you think, and pass this on to your family and friends!