Shopping Surprises

In shifting how I shop to paying more attention to where things I buy are from (read: buying anything *but* American unless I really have to) I've been a little bit surprised.

I ran out of a few more things this week and when I looked up where they are from they were Canadian, or at times, British.  I had assumed I would be finding many of them were from the states but that hasn't been the case.  As I was watching my spaghetti cook (watched pots and all that jazz) I found myself wondering if maybe I haven't enjoyed the flavours of food made down that way.  If maybe I've preferred the quality of goods from here or elsewhere and just not really known it.  Because so far?  I really haven't had to replace any food products.  

(I'm not trying to boast nor am I looking for kudos or anything.  I'm just talking.) 

I've had to switch some household products and that has been a bummer when I have some things, like compost bags that I really like and have switched to ones that don't feel as awesome but hey... is what it is eh?

Part of things for me is that I have, in recent years, been trying to move to more environmentally responsible and friendly products.  Like I was reading about the dishwasher pods I've used and how those pods actually aren't all that healthy and likely leave a plastic residue on my dishes and so I purchased a powder, an "environmentally friendly" powder and it turns out it's a Canadian product.  Same for some deodorant and a few other things like that... It seems the stores I frequent have always been good at having Canadian products available and I just didn't pay attention before.  Never felt like I needed to before.  (I have some guilt there but we're letting that go eh?)

Produce has been a bit harder and I've given up some things that I'm missing (navel oranges from California and raspberries for example).  But over the few months that this has been happening, the stores I go to have adjusted what they're purchasing so that has helped a great deal.  And some things I may just continue to go without.  We'll see.

I've seen some out there say that these changes many Canadians are making are in response to the tariffs, and, well, frankly?  I don't think that's the bulk of it.  For me?  Not wanting to speak for anyone else.... it's about the threats to my country.  The things being said.  The lack of respect.  Add that to what's going on down there in general and then add the tariffs on top of it?  And yeah, no, it's not *just* about the tariffs. 

There are a few things I will run out of soon, for example, shampoo, that I have already figured out what I will replace it with (Canadian products - AG in this case is what I'm going to try) but as I've said before, I'm going to try not to beat myself up if I buy some American things here and there. 

And I'm not telling anyone what to do.  And really, there needs, in my view, to be balance in all things, so I'm not going to stress myself out too much and will remind myself that putting more money into the Canadian economy and less into the economy of our neighbours (yeah spelled with a U) is going to make an impact no matter what or how much.

But yeah, as I babble on, all I was really trying to say is that it's been interesting to find out that I don't buy as much from the states as I originally assumed I did when I started paying attention.  Go figure, eh?