Life as The Non-Consumer Advocate often involves doing without. For example, I choose to not buy anything new, make meals from random bits of refrigerator contents and mend/repair instead of replace.
Please don’t think me a total practitioner of self-deprivation. I treat myself very well indeed.
My latest self indulgence?
Chocolate covered digestive biscuits. (More British than a Princess Diana tea towel, and far far tastier!)
These tea time standards are normally only sold at overly cutesy British shops here in the States, and are usually stale and expensive. An unappealing combination.
But the grocery store two blocks from the house suddenly sprouted an English food section. PG Tips tea, Bovril, (don’t ask) Spotted Dick (tee-hee!) and yes — chocolate covered digestive biscuits.
I grew up a few years here and there in London, and developed an affinity for the glory of a simple stack of these biscuits. So each crumbly sweet bite transports me back to 4th form at Garden Suburb school. Heaven in disc form.
At four dollars per tube, these biscuits are barely more expensive than a normal package of cookies.
Here’s the thing — I would rather buy a few quality products that meet my precise needs, (and yes, cookies are a need.) than a big pack of whatever’s cheapest.
Less = more.
I save a few pennies here and there precisely so that I do have the money available for the important things in life. Whether that is money put aside for emergencies or the perfect package of biscuits.
If only the packaging were recyclable, I could enjoy them guilt free.
What’s your pleasure?
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
WHAT??!! You’ve found a cheap source of digestive bickies and didn’t even tell/gift your own mum? Ohhhh, how sharper than a serpent’s tooth . . . .
Those are the only cookies we actually buy – we use them to make our s’mores…
Hmmm…the “digestive” part sounds slightly unappetizing! lol
I agree that sometimes less is more. For instance, last week I bought a small pack of organic celery. It was more expensive per pound than the regular stuff, but I didn’t need a ton of it(so now I’m not going to waste a bunch of celery) and I got a higher quality product.
By the way, what exactly does the “digestive” part mean? Are they high in fiber or something?
OK, that shows our british influence up here, those are common in every grocery store on the regular cookie shelves, and are my Mum’s staple cookie.
My must have is good quality dark chocolate. (Not bitter chocolate though.)
Oh, Kristen, please don’t throw out the unused celery! If you don’t make your own stocks (chicken, etc) then perhaps a friend would love to take the extras off your hands! If you do make your own stocks/soups, just slice or dice them up and put them in a baggie and foil and toss them into the freezer! But if you choose neither, it’s okay too… :O)
Sylvester Graham was a 19th “foodie” who invented the Graham cracker. The original graham cracker was supposedly an aid to digestion. When it went to the UK it became a “digestive biscuit,” hence the name in Britain.
Something is going on with McVities, the manufacturer of these digestives. I have the feeling they are making a power play for world domination. I live in a small, rural town in the Ozarks and they started to appear here more than two years ago.
They are, without a doubt, the best cookie in the world!
Cheers!
Well Droogian, you may be right. I live in a small town in far north eastern Australia and we can buy them here! I too lived in the UK and have a passion for chocolate Mcvities. But they must have the dark chocolate topping not the milk chocolate..mmmm Thank you for the blog, I am a regular reader..
Oh my! I learn something every day – I didn’t know that these were a British invention. I grew up on these things! I’m glad you found a source to indulge – they are available in every shop here.
Bovril – mehehehehehe and I still laugh at spotted dick too,
My pleasure is shop bought yogurt rather than making my own.
Enjoy every crumb!
Lacy, don’t worry…I haven’t thrown it out(it’s not nearly bad yet!). I’ve been on a mission for the last six months or so to stop wasting food, and I’m pretty sure I’ll get around to using the celery. I’ll remember the soup tip…thanks!
“Less = more”
I use this same principle when food shopping. I only buy organic, and can justify this because preservatives, dyes, and artifical ingrediants do not qualify as food anyway.
i used to eat a lot of these as a kid; they are called chocolate “wheatons” here (australia).
im guessing they are a wheat-based biscuit…
anyway i like the consumer tips for second hand, and staycations and most of the other lifestyle ideas you have shared…it is very me.
thrifty scottish blooded greeny hearted laid back highly educated type that i am 😉
enjoy
Less is More. This is my life principle. 🙂