There is something about adding produce to a digital basket that does not sit right with me. I can’t assess how ripe an avocado is or how fragrant the tomatoes are just by looking at a photo online. A thumbnail can’t tell me how taut the skin on the onions are or what the exact colour of the packaged chicken is, which is crucial to understanding how fresh a product is.
I strongly believe that looking, touching and smelling helps us build a more intimate relationship with food. Knowing what to look for in terms of freshness and ripeness makes a huge difference to how you cook and what you eat. The more I shop for fresh produce in-person, the better I get at knowing exactly what my fruits, vegetables, meat and fish should look like.
In short: going to the supermarket in-person allows me to take my time in choosing the perfect ingredients, instead of leaving it up to fate.
We are more disconnected from our food – and where it comes from – than ever before. A 2019 survey found that millions of Britons failed to correctly identify everyday fruit and vegetables, mistaking mangoes for apples. Another survey, published in 2018, revealed that despite getting through 312 meat-based meals a year, the majority of Brits had no idea where their meat came from and from which part of which animal – with almost a third admitting they had never seen a cow or pig in real life. And shopping online only exacerbates this problem.
Understandably, shopping for groceries online has remained popular for good reasons, from convenience to accessibility. Supermarkets have refined their delivery operations to a tee, developing well-oiled machines that deliver food and household goods to millions of happy homes (except when substitutions go awry and you end up with cat litter instead of toilet paper).
‘ I find it easier to ignore that the apples I’m considering have flown 11,500 miles from New Zealand if I’m looking at a listing rather than holding them in my hands’ (Photo: Richard Baker/Getty)Over a third of Britons say they do most of their grocery shopping online, and demand for “e-grocery” continues to balloon, nearly doubling since 2016.
But week after week, I still choose to trudge to my local Aldi or M&S (I live between the two extremes and would give anything for a nice middling Morrisons) to get my groceries instead of ordering them from the comfort of my sofa.
I didn’t think this was out of the ordinary until a friend shouted “WHAT?” at me with such disbelief when I mentioned it that it made me question everything. Even during the pandemic I relished queuing to get into the shops rather than buckle and order online.
The few times I have considered shopping online, I find myself ignoring information I consider important (and would otherwise have looked for in-store), such as where the produce was grown. Somehow – despite the information being literally at my fingertips on the screen – I find it easier to ignore that the apples I’m considering have flown 11,500 miles from New Zealand if I’m looking at a listing rather than holding them in my hands.
My preference for shopping in-store is also a chance for me to get my steps in. I work from home most days and if I don’t purposefully go out for a walk, my average step count hovers around 300-500, depending on whether I sweep the floor or not. So, on the days I need to restock the fridge or pantry, I relish the chance to make the 30-minute round trip to stretch my legs. Sometimes, if I feel especially hardworking, I’ll go first to Aldi to pick up cheaper basics, and then walk in the other direction to M&S for the more special bits and pieces. By the time I get home, I’ll have upped my step count by a solid 5,000 steps.
If mobility isn’t a problem for you, I would really encourage more people to walk to their local supermarket. Particularly during the cold, dark winter months when going outside is highly unappealing, doing the weekly shop in-person gives me a sense of purpose and a reason to step foot outside my door. A brisk walk in the cold is also thought to be beneficial because it boosts your immune system and burns more calories – just make sure to wrap up warm.
Shopping in-store also saves me money. As I’m limited to only what I can carry home, I tend to pick up only what I need for the day or week while I’m in the supermarket. It forces me to be sensible about what I should and shouldn’t buy. Of course, this is different if you have a car and can fill the boot. But, if like me, walking is the only option, I usually go with a list of what’s needed and if it’s full of particularly heavy things like bottles of cooking oil and tins of tomatoes, then I skip the fun stuff for the time being in favour of restocking what’s needed.
Shopping in-person is also great when you’re obsessed with yellow sticker bargains. I love hunting them down and sometimes you can get food close to its expiry date that you can just chuck in the freezer and enjoy another day – at less than half the price. What’s not to love? There’s simply no thrill to be had if you’re clicking through endless categories online.
The social aspect of going to the supermarket is also highly appealing, even if I don’t really talk to anyone. Just being around people is enough, and I try to always give the security guards a smile and a wave even though this is London and they might think me a bit strange. As a freelancer, I lack the social connection that having a regular team and a physical office space provides, so I have to get it wherever I can.
Loneliness is a huge problem in the UK, with 2024 figures showing that approximately 3.9 million people in England feel very lonely. While I don’t truly consider myself within that figure, being a solo worker means that at times, I do crave human interaction. I can’t help but think of what I would miss out on if I shopped in the cocoon of my home – how much lonelier I’d feel.
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One thing I would improve? I really wish my local supermarkets had butcher’s and fishmonger’s counters, but these are sadly rare in shops nowadays. (Although I am lucky enough to have a separate independent butcher’s and fishmonger’s not too far away). If your supermarket has one or both of these counters, make use of them! Look at the meat, chat to the staff and get their expertise. This is crucial in improving and maintaining our relationship with food, and your dishes will be all the better for it.
So, the next time you need to shop for groceries, I would really recommend getting your list together, putting your boots and scarf on and trudging to your nearest supermarket.
Sniff a loose tomato and give an avocado a gentle squeeze, check to see if the asparagus was grown locally or if the lamb you’re considering has travelled across the world to land in your hands. Get to know your food better – your body will thank you for it.
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