The Grocery Store pt2

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello listeners. I cannot thank you enough for tuning in.
It is time for another episode of the What We
Did Before podcast. There are so many things in our
lives that we take for granted, don't even think about em,
don't even give em a second thought. But the instant
that they go away, it's like a whole other planet, folks.

(00:23):
That's what this podcast is dedicated to. Last week we
started What in the world We Did Before? The modern
day grocery store, which includes the entire logistical chain, et
cetera behind it. This episode we're going to be continuing,

(00:45):
so you'll want to go back and check out what
all you missed. Nowadays, it's simply a pastime or luxury
that is open fire and hearth cooking. But before the

(01:06):
grocery store, you kind of had to Meals were prepared
over wood burning stoves or open herds. Cooking required careful
fire management to maintain consistent heat. Cast iron pots and
pans were common, and cooking required constant attention to the fire.

(01:29):
Dutch ovens were popular for baking bread and stews. Ashes
from the fire were sometimes used in soap making. Meals
were planned not for the week, but by the season.
Diets were dictated by what was available. In summer, fresh

(01:54):
fruits and vegetables were abundant, while winter meals relied on
preserved goods. Seasonal planning insured food lasted until the next harvest,
with households monitoring supplies closely. Milk had to be consumed

(02:15):
fresh or turned into butter, cheese or butter milk. This
would help extend its shelf life. Cheese making involved curdling
milk with renee and aging the curds. Cream was skimmed
off the top of milk or butter making. Butter was

(02:38):
often salted to preserve it longer. There were some shopping
and community available before the advent of the modern day
grocery store. General stores were available in small towns, sold

(03:00):
bolt goods like flour, sugar, coffee, and spices. Customers brought
their own containers or purchased cloth sacks. Items were often
scooped from barrels into paper bags or reusable containers. Credit
was sometimes extended to families until harvest season. Butchers provided

(03:27):
fresh cuts of meat, often sourced locally. Some butchers processed
animals brought by farmers. Customers could request specific cuts, and
nothing was prepackaged. O fold, bones and fat were commonly used,

(03:48):
minimizing waste. Fresh milk was delivered daily in glass bottles,
often left on the doorstep. In winter, milk could free
and pop the caps off bottles. Empty bottles were returned
for reuse. Cream often rose up to the top of
the milk, and families would skim it for butter or cooking.

(04:15):
Early pharmacies sold spices, teas, and even some food items
alongside medicines. Apothecaries often made their own tinctures and syrups.
Dried herbs and roots were commonly stocked for cooking and
other medicinal use. Farmers or merchants sold eggs, bread, and

(04:39):
produce directly to homes. These vendors were often known personally
to the families they served. In some areas, fishmongers, bakers,
and tinkers also made regular rounds back in the day
before the atta event of the commercial grocery market. Communal

(05:06):
cooking was common. Families and neighbors often cooked large meals together,
especially during harvest season. Communal ovens were sometimes used for
breaking bread. Barn raisings, quilting, bees, and other community events
often featured shared meals. There was no expectation of year

(05:29):
round availability for fruits and vegetables. Preserved goods and root
vegetables sustained families through winter. Spring brought greens, summer offered
berries and tomatoes, Fall provided root crops, and winter relied
on preserves. Harvest festivals celebrated the end of the growing

(05:51):
season with food, music, and trading. These events often included
competitions for the best preserved pies or livestock. Community grain mills,
smoke houses, and bread ovens were common. These shared facilities
strengthened community bonds. Threshing bees were common where families worked

(06:18):
together to process grain. Knowledge of preserving, cooking, and storing
food was essential and passed down through generations. Children learned
by helping chores from a young age. Skills like cheese making,
soap making, and quilting were taught within families and communities.

(06:44):
That's where we were before the advent of the modern
day grocery store. But change is inevitable and constant. Where
are grocery stores going? More and more? We see automated
and cashless stores. Smart stores like Amazon Go use sensors

(07:05):
and AI to track items customers pick up, automatically charging
their accounts upon exit. This trend is expected to expand,
making checkout lines obsolete. RFID tags on products will further
streamline the shopping experience, enabling faster inventory management. We've come

(07:30):
a long way from turning cream into butter. Artificial intelligence
will personalize shopping experiences, suggesting recipes based on purchase history
or dietary preferences. Smart carts with touch screens may guide
shoppers through the store, showing the most efficient route for
their grocery lists. AR apps could allow customers to scan

(07:56):
shelves and see detailed product information such as neutritional value, sourcing,
and other user reviews, through their smartphones or other AR glasses.
Autonomous delivery vehicles and drones will make grocery delivery faster
and more efficient, especially for smaller frequent orders. More stores

(08:21):
will offer package free shopping, encouraging customers to bring reusable
containers for bulk items like grains, nuts, and spices. A
full three sixty to where we already were. Vertical farming
within or near stores will provide fresh produce year round,
reducing transportation emissions. Some stores already have a rooftop or

(08:45):
instore Hydroponic farms. Products may soon display carbon footprints scores,
helping eco conscious consumers make informed choices. Expect more ducks
made from food waste, such as chips from vegetable scraps
or flour made from spent grain. Alternative proteins like lab

(09:08):
grown meat and insect based snacks will become more common.
There will be personalized and more convenient shopping. AI will
predict when you're running low on essentials and automatically reorder them,
ensuring you never run out of staples like milk, eggs,
or coffee. Virtual reality could create immersive grocery shopping experiences,

(09:34):
allowing customers to browse virtual aisles from home. Stores will
expand their meal kit offerings with customizable options based on
dietary needs and preferences. Some may even have robotic kitchens
preparing ready to eat meals on site. While large supermarkets

(09:54):
will remain smaller, neighborhood focused stores will grow in popularity,
again offering curated selections tailored to local preferences. Many stores
will blend in person and online shopping with designated areas
for order pickups and returns. Expect more stores to be
designed with sustainable materials, solar panels and energy with lighting

(10:19):
and refrigeration systems. Oh, what they will come up with
next Folks, I hope you've enjoyed this episode of what
we did before the modern day grocery store. That's all
the time we have for today's episode, until next time.