Help Michigan a couple of bucks at a time.
Michigan is in trouble. Since it is my favorite state I want to do what ever I can to help and so should my fellow Michigan residents. Since we cannot all go out and buy a Detroit made car tomorrow, what can we do? Well, Julie and I have been trying to buy day to day consumables that come from as close to home as possible. Think local, then regional, then Michigan and lastly look for products made in the US.
Some examples:
BREAD - the staff of life. Patronize your local bakery - not only will you be supporting local people, but the quality of the bread you eat will be much better than something made at some giant place 3 states away and loaded with enough preservatives to keep it "fresh" on the shelf at the store for 3 weeks. Get some bread that was made the same day you buy it.
CEREAL - I love cereal and eat it for breakfast 5-7 times a week. I am buying ONLY cereal made by Kellogg's in Battle Creek. Yup, that means I have to walk right by Honey Nut Cheerios and some of my other favorites, but if every cereal eater in Michigan bought Michigan cereal think of how those dollars would add up. Also consider locally made granolas.
TORTILLA CHIPS - we love chips n salsa. El Matador chips are made right down the road in Grand Rapids - we eat 1-3 bags a week on a consistent basis. Why buy chips from Texas or New Jersey?
MILK - we buy milk from the Country Dairy in New Era,MI. I was attracted to it because it is made from cows that are NOT fed growth hormones. (I am done growing!!) Their chocolate milk is KILLER. I have friends who buy Mooville milk from Nashville, MI.
DIPS AND DRESSINGS - Litehouse Brands makes many of their premium dressings and dips right in Lowell. They have the BEST Bleau Cheese dressing IMHO.
MEAT AND CHEESES - we go right across the street to our local butcher - Gary's Meat in downtown Lowell. Their prices are very competitive and the quality is top notch. If you have a local butcher - shop there for sure.
BEER - you like beer? We have excellent micro-brewries all over the state. Why give your money to the AUSTRIAN owned mega-giant company that now owns Budweiser? Support your local brewers for goodness sake!
OTHER PRODUCTS - wine, peanut butter, cherries, apples, salsas, vodka, etc. And it does not have to be limited to things you eat. Find a store selling soap products and lotions that are made locally. Once you start thinking about this there are all kinds of ways to re-direct your money to places that will benefit your locale.
Start checking the labels of EVERYTHING you buy. The small purchases can really add up to help bail out our great state. There are a couple websites devoted to things made in Michigan. Do your homework! Click on "Things Michigan" over on the right and learn some more.
Some examples:
BREAD - the staff of life. Patronize your local bakery - not only will you be supporting local people, but the quality of the bread you eat will be much better than something made at some giant place 3 states away and loaded with enough preservatives to keep it "fresh" on the shelf at the store for 3 weeks. Get some bread that was made the same day you buy it.
CEREAL - I love cereal and eat it for breakfast 5-7 times a week. I am buying ONLY cereal made by Kellogg's in Battle Creek. Yup, that means I have to walk right by Honey Nut Cheerios and some of my other favorites, but if every cereal eater in Michigan bought Michigan cereal think of how those dollars would add up. Also consider locally made granolas.
TORTILLA CHIPS - we love chips n salsa. El Matador chips are made right down the road in Grand Rapids - we eat 1-3 bags a week on a consistent basis. Why buy chips from Texas or New Jersey?
MILK - we buy milk from the Country Dairy in New Era,MI. I was attracted to it because it is made from cows that are NOT fed growth hormones. (I am done growing!!) Their chocolate milk is KILLER. I have friends who buy Mooville milk from Nashville, MI.
DIPS AND DRESSINGS - Litehouse Brands makes many of their premium dressings and dips right in Lowell. They have the BEST Bleau Cheese dressing IMHO.
MEAT AND CHEESES - we go right across the street to our local butcher - Gary's Meat in downtown Lowell. Their prices are very competitive and the quality is top notch. If you have a local butcher - shop there for sure.
BEER - you like beer? We have excellent micro-brewries all over the state. Why give your money to the AUSTRIAN owned mega-giant company that now owns Budweiser? Support your local brewers for goodness sake!
OTHER PRODUCTS - wine, peanut butter, cherries, apples, salsas, vodka, etc. And it does not have to be limited to things you eat. Find a store selling soap products and lotions that are made locally. Once you start thinking about this there are all kinds of ways to re-direct your money to places that will benefit your locale.
Start checking the labels of EVERYTHING you buy. The small purchases can really add up to help bail out our great state. There are a couple websites devoted to things made in Michigan. Do your homework! Click on "Things Michigan" over on the right and learn some more.
Comments
MORE MICHIGAN PRODUCTS
Today I followed my own advice and was checking labels as I shopped. I was going to buy some NABISCO graham crackers and then I noticed Keebler right next to them - Keebler is now owned by Kellogg's and I believe Keebler still has a plant or two in the Grand Rapids area so I put my NABISCO crackers back and brought home the Keebler.
Found some Yukon gold potatoes packed by a company in Detroit - Aunt Mids so I bought them instead of the potatoes from Idaho.
www.AuntMids.com