David chooses Raiwaqa market
DAVID Solomone is a Digital Marketing Consultant who assists businesses and organisations create an online presence, content and manage their digital platforms. He has been doing this for over a decade.
Despite the busy schedules and day routine, David takes time out to ensure his kitchen counter is filled with fresh leafy vegetables.
David lives with his dad in Raiwaqa and takes care of their daily meals.
“Since it’s just my dad and I and since I started this “no red meat” journey, our shopping has been $100 weekly (or less),” he said.
Their shopping list would include food items, toiletries and cleaning products.
He also has a separate list for his pet dog named Max.
When it comes to choosing the right supermarket to shop at, David prefers Extra Supermarket in Flagstaff as it is convenient.
“For me it’s all about convenience and price, so if it’s not Extra Supermarket in Flagstaff, it’s either NEWWORLD in Damodar City or Shop N Save in Nabua.
“I don’t like shopping in the City because it gets super crowded and I’d like to shop at a supermarket that’s less than a five minutes drive away from my home in Raiwaqa, and where there’s parking available,” he said.
David said before his mother moved to Rotuma, they would shop together and would call it ‘push trolley’.
“It was our favourite Saturday activity going to the supermarket and walking down every aisle even though we had a set list to shop for. But now David prefers shopping at the Raiwaqa Market near his home rather than going all the way to Suva.”
“2024 is my year to go healthy and I’ve always lived a very unhealthy lifestyle in terms of meals and things that I consume. In saying that, it is also important to highlight that Rome wasn’t built in a day and just because you plan to start a diet and go for morning walks, doesn’t necessarily mean you will lose weight instantly - perfection takes time.”
With his new diet, David said he also includes a bit of snacks and ice cream in the same cart as his fruits and vegetables.
“I am not going to pretend to shop healthy because of this interview, but I want to encourage that it is an important gesture we must practise and live by. My dad and I try to eat as much greens as we can during the week.”
Apart from buying and eating healthy, David takes his dog Max out for walks at the seawall four times a week.
“You can never go wrong with a morning or afternoon walk, its therapeutic and a great way to start your day.”d.
David had also tried going to the gym once with a friend last year and now looks forward to starting that again this year.
He urges shoppers check for expiry dates on food products before purchasing and to be aware of ‘on sale products’ (cheaper) as they could most likely expire soon.