Food allergies and grocery budgets - what do you do to keep costs down?
shaumom
Posts: 1,003 Member
There are a lot of food allergies with multiple people in the family, and I swear, the price to buy safe food is insane. My grocery budget is $150 a month, which is a good chunk of my monthly budget, and even with that, it's a struggle to get enough protein for everyone because cross-contamination issues have really limited our choices to expensive brands. :-/
If people in your family have allergies and you struggle with higher costs, what do you do to keep them as low as possible? Any good brands that have turned out to be cheaper? Places online to get things? I mean, even brands for basics, like dried beans or nuts - I have a terrible time finding safe brands of these that don't cost the earth.
Just to note, between the three of us, ingredients to be avoided by one or more person are eggs, soy, dairy, gluten, wheat, beans, nuts, and sulfites. There's more but they are minor and not a real problem (like kiwi for one of the kids). But...you can't even get a single thing from the bulk bins because they always seem to be processed with wheat issues. Argh.
seriously, anyone who has some success in finding allergen free foods on the cheap, please, share your awesome! :-)
If people in your family have allergies and you struggle with higher costs, what do you do to keep them as low as possible? Any good brands that have turned out to be cheaper? Places online to get things? I mean, even brands for basics, like dried beans or nuts - I have a terrible time finding safe brands of these that don't cost the earth.
Just to note, between the three of us, ingredients to be avoided by one or more person are eggs, soy, dairy, gluten, wheat, beans, nuts, and sulfites. There's more but they are minor and not a real problem (like kiwi for one of the kids). But...you can't even get a single thing from the bulk bins because they always seem to be processed with wheat issues. Argh.
seriously, anyone who has some success in finding allergen free foods on the cheap, please, share your awesome! :-)
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Soy is a pain to avoid for sure! Even with it being the only thing I am allergic to, I have spent way too much time in the store trying to find something safe. And, of course, the cheaper versions of products are the ones that contain soy!
I also have a medical issue that is food sensitive so I have to avoid other things as well, though not as much as before. When I was REALLY restricted (look up the IC diet) it was pretty much a requirement to eat fresh foods as most processed stuff was not safe. I shopped sales and stocked up when I could, but it did increase my food budget. There was just nothing that could be done about it when some of the cheapest items (pasta sauce, beans, tomatoes, ect) were not a possibility for me.0 -
My son was on a strict elimination diet when he was 7-12 years old. We slowly figured out what he really could not tolerate. 33 foods were off limits to start. Everything from oranges to pork and everything in Between. Instead of focusing on the things we could not eat (as we all ate what he could) we focused on what he could. Whole, fresh foods are the easiest to deal with this. Don’t try to replace gluten, find some other food you like instead. He discovered he loved sushi, so we learned how to make it. Focus on the new, not the old. What you can have, not what you can’t.7
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I wish I had answers for you but I am responding because I am more interested in learning how on earth you are feeding three people, even if two are kids, for $150/month? I hope you are getting WIC and SNAP in addition to that?5
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Aldi. Particularly their Live G Free brands are mostly free of the 8 major allergens. And their meats are good quality. They have bulk packaging that I break up into smaller packages.
I grow my own veggies in containers on my deck all summer and hit the farmers market and can/freeze things as well.
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grinning_chick wrote: »I wish I had answers for you but I am responding because I am more interested in learning how on earth you are feeding three people, even if two are kids, for $150/month? I hope you are getting WIC and SNAP in addition to that?
Oh man, ha. >_<. I completely miswrote that!! $150 per WEEK, not per month. *headdesk*. I would like to know how to eat that cheaply too, LOL.5 -
I also have a medical issue that is food sensitive so I have to avoid other things as well, though not as much as before. When I was REALLY restricted (look up the IC diet) it was pretty much a requirement to eat fresh foods as most processed stuff was not safe. I shopped sales and stocked up when I could, but it did increase my food budget. There was just nothing that could be done about it when some of the cheapest items (pasta sauce, beans, tomatoes, ect) were not a possibility for me.
Oh hugs, hon. My daughter has IC as well; the diet is a huge pain, yeah. Same issue, just can't buy any of the cheapest stuff. I hope your IC is doing well and doesn't have too many flares, presently.1 -
melissafeagins wrote: »Aldi. Particularly their Live G Free brands are mostly free of the 8 major allergens. And their meats are good quality. They have bulk packaging that I break up into smaller packages.
I grow my own veggies in containers on my deck all summer and hit the farmers market and can/freeze things as well.
Aldi sounds really interesting, but looks like I'm in a huge Aldi-free zone. No stores for hundreds of miles. :-(
How has the veg growing been doing? I've started trying to do this more but so far am pretty bad at it aside from herbs, so it hadn't helped costs much yet. >_<1 -
I have a lot of medicinal allergies (one of which is deadly) and also Latex, but luckily no food allergies. I recently subscribed to Imperfect Produce, which I've been enjoying. The only thing that has been a disappointment are the avocados. They were so bad, I seriously thought they were beets. I complained and they promptly refunded me. I also hit the local, seasonal produce stands and farmer's markets. Costco seems to have quality products in bulk.0
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There are a lot of food allergies with multiple people in the family, and I swear, the price to buy safe food is insane. My grocery budget is $150 a month, which is a good chunk of my monthly budget, and even with that, it's a struggle to get enough protein for everyone because cross-contamination issues have really limited our choices to expensive brands. :-/
If people in your family have allergies and you struggle with higher costs, what do you do to keep them as low as possible? Any good brands that have turned out to be cheaper? Places online to get things? I mean, even brands for basics, like dried beans or nuts - I have a terrible time finding safe brands of these that don't cost the earth.
Just to note, between the three of us, ingredients to be avoided by one or more person are eggs, soy, dairy, gluten, wheat, beans, nuts, and sulfites. There's more but they are minor and not a real problem (like kiwi for one of the kids). But...you can't even get a single thing from the bulk bins because they always seem to be processed with wheat issues. Argh.
seriously, anyone who has some success in finding allergen free foods on the cheap, please, share your awesome! :-)
Are you guys doing better? You had chicken and fish on your list from last year. Fish has been on sale for lent and some brands of canned salmon are always economical.
Do you have ample freezer space? We have a small extra freezer in the basement. When meat goes on sale I stock up and freeze it.
Obviously it would be easier if everyone ate the same thing, but perhaps you could all have the same veggies and do proteins by allergy.0 -
Hi there - we buy meat, fish, olive oil and milk alternatives from the supermarket. I have spent an inordinate amount of time learning to make bread and nice nibbles from scratch with alternative ingredients (cheaper and nicer but the learning curve is a bit painful !) we grow our own veg and (basic) fruit and we keep ducks (for eggs only, I can't eat chicken eggs). I bring this up because we have moved to Italy where the level of chemcials in the food chain is way lower (inc from the supermarket) than the UK and the US and all our allergies have calmed down a lot. Meat and fish is more expensive here but our overall bill has gone down, esp since I stopped eating meat.1
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Oh hugs, hon. My daughter has IC as well; the diet is a huge pain, yeah. Same issue, just can't buy any of the cheapest stuff. I hope your IC is doing well and doesn't have too many flares, presently. [/quote]
I am lucky that with treatment and bring strict with diet early on has allowed me to be in about a 90% remission of my IC. I still have stuff I can not have like soy, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, grapes, lots of citrus... but overall I have been able to add a lot back into my diet.
The biggest problem I have had with the IC stuff (and soy allergy) has been I have to cook. There are few frozen meals that are safe (and healthy) and convenient stuff is the same. Now, I love to cook, but I also have chronic fatigue so there are times my body doesn't WANT me to do anything... much less stand in the kitchen to make dinner. I meal prep my breakfast, lunch, and snack for the week on Sundays and I hope to start prepping ingredients for my dinners (but not pre cooking them) here soon.
Good luck to you and your family. If you have questions on the IC diet or on substitutions/recipes for it, let me know.1 -
Search for AIP recipes— the Autoimmune Paleo Diet eliminates all of the foods you mentioned.
I made a list of everything that I *can* eat and build meal plans off of that.
Stick to non-processed foods, like meats and veggies, etc. Frozen veggies won’t go bad and save prep time— they’re already cut to size. (Careful with frozen potato products, though, they have tons of extra ingredients). Choose fruits with a longer shelf-life, or get frozen berries, etc. Freeze leftovers in meal-sized portions instead of letting them rot in the fridge.
Plant a garden. Look up “square foot gardening” if you have limited space and time. Let your friends who garden know that you’re looking for extra veggies
See if your community has a “Ruby’s Pantry”- they have a wide variety of foods, some might fit your needs. You can buy-in with a friend who doesn’t have allergies and divy up the shares accordingly.
If you’re looking to re-vamp your budget, Dave Ramsey might have some ideas you’d find helpful. But that’s off-topic!1 -
Yikes. That is quite the list of foods to avoid. However, if I can shop to avoid and not spend a ton, you can too! My allergy is ... herbs. Believe it or not. Oregano, rosemary, sage, etc. You have no idea how many food items contain herbs. Or the label says 'spices'. Like I can trust that. I haven't had a pre-made spaghetti sauce in years.
I shop for the simple products. Take a look at the spaghetti sauce aisle and start realizing how many ingredients they contain. Honestly, the expensive foods sometimes have the most ridiculous amount of ingredients. That cheap can of food might have nothing but the most simple, basic ingredients. And I totally agree with the idea of growing your own garden. Can't be contaminated if you grow it yourself.
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I hear you on the food allergies. I’m allergic to most animal products. Even the smell of meat cooking in my apartment can be life threatening. I have 1 daughter with Crohn’s and POTS (which means she needs to be on a high salt diet). My husband has a heart condition and needs to be on a low salt diet.
I do a lot of comparison shopping. If you have a kindle look up free cookbooks that include diet specific recipes. Homemade and from scratch is best. Sometimes I double recipes like veggie burgers and freeze half.
Also if you don’t have a free online account with your grocery store get one. Many offer clipless coupons- with those card things.
I hope my advice helps!1 -
I'm not sure where you live, but $150 should get you quite the bounty. I spend that per week and there are 6 of us
With so many allergies, I think sticking to the exterior aisles of the grocery store would be your best bet and avoid the packaged foods as much as possible. Stick with things like meat, dairy, fruits, and veggies. Stay away from things like jarred sauces because they can be a landmine and either uses spices to flavor your foods or make the sauces yourself. Check out local Farmers Markets and CSA's for things like fresh, local fruits and veggies, grass fed beef, pastured pork and chicken, and local honey.
As far as packaged foods go, you just need to be really diligent about reading the labels. I can't do Gluten and avoid Soy like the plague, and those two are in so many places where you'd never expect.
And the where to shop, do you have a Whole Foods? They are really coming down in price ever since Amazon bought them, you might be surprised how affordable they actually are.
Good luck! It's not easy, but with some practice and diligence, you'll find that you can do this.2 -
For meat, are there any local farms or butchers you can get in contact with to be able to buy a whole animal? It can't be any worse then buying the expensive organic versions at the grocery store, and you would know where your meat is coming from. If a whole animal is too much for you to be able to store, then see if a friend or family member wants to go in half with you. Do you have a Kroger/ Smith's in your area? I really like thier Simple Truth organic line. It's usually affordable, sometimes on sale even. They typically have very few ingredients in thier foods as well. I'm not sure how they are for cross-contamination at the factory though. I suppose you'd have to do some research into them. They seem to be way cheaper then other organic brands I've come across.0
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melissafeagins wrote: »Aldi. Particularly their Live G Free brands are mostly free of the 8 major allergens. And their meats are good quality. They have bulk packaging that I break up into smaller packages.
I grow my own veggies in containers on my deck all summer and hit the farmers market and can/freeze things as well.
Aldi sounds really interesting, but looks like I'm in a huge Aldi-free zone. No stores for hundreds of miles. :-(
How has the veg growing been doing? I've started trying to do this more but so far am pretty bad at it aside from herbs, so it hadn't helped costs much yet. >_<
I grew up on a farm and learned about growing vegetables from my grandparents. I can grow most common veggies in containers as long as they are large enough for the plants roots. I am terrible at broccoli and cauliflower though. I need to figure out what I am doing wrong.
One thing that might help with veggies is to put Epsom salts in with your soil. Most veggies love magnesium. also, put out some marigolds among your pots. Critters that do like your veggies don't like them. For instance I have an 18 " round pots with a deeply rooted tomato plant and three single marigolds planted shallowly in each. 2 -
Just to note, between the three of us, ingredients to be avoided by one or more person are eggs, soy, dairy, gluten, wheat, beans, nuts, and sulfites.
You poor soul.... And at $150.00... That's intense.
The only advise I can think of is homemade soups. You control what's in it and make large batches for minimal money.1 -
Something else I was thinking of. With your restrictions that you need to accommodate, maybe look in to a good Paleo cookbook, a lot of those ingredients are excluded in a Paleo diet. Maybe even look in to Autoimmune Paleo due to the need to avoid sulfites. Not saying that you need to follow either diet exclusively, you can get recipe ideas and then that will make meal planning easier. I find that if I pre-plan my foods for the week BEFORE grocery shopping, I spend less money since I'm only getting the things I need for the week as opposed to just throwing stuff in my cart because we might eat it.0
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kshama2001 wrote: »
Are you guys doing better? You had chicken and fish on your list from last year. Fish has been on sale for lent and some brands of canned salmon are always economical.
Do you have ample freezer space? We have a small extra freezer in the basement. When meat goes on sale I stock up and freeze it.
Obviously it would be easier if everyone ate the same thing, but perhaps you could all have the same veggies and do proteins by allergy.
Hi!
I am doing a little better, yes, but I can't have chicken and fish myself. My kiddo can, though, and I have been able to find some slightly cheaper meat, so I didn't bother mentioning (a lot of stuff I left out, just put in the basics, you know? ^_^ )
And I have an extra freezer too; yes, that is a life saver, isn't it?
The proteins we can kind of do by allergy, but sadly the veg we have quite different ones we can do, too. Like one of us can't do most of the brassicae family, while the other can do some, and one of us has problems with some alliums, and another has a problem with different alliums, and...it is honestly ridiculous, LOL.
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texasredreb wrote: »I have a lot of medicinal allergies (one of which is deadly) and also Latex, but luckily no food allergies. I recently subscribed to Imperfect Produce, which I've been enjoying. The only thing that has been a disappointment are the avocados. They were so bad, I seriously thought they were beets. I complained and they promptly refunded me. I also hit the local, seasonal produce stands and farmer's markets. Costco seems to have quality products in bulk.
Imperfect produce sounds so neat! But sadly not in my area. That's such a cool idea!
Sorry to hear about your own allergies - latex is a pain the butt, yeah?0 -
The biggest problem I have had with the IC stuff (and soy allergy) has been I have to cook. There are few frozen meals that are safe (and healthy) and convenient stuff is the same. Now, I love to cook, but I also have chronic fatigue so there are times my body doesn't WANT me to do anything... much less stand in the kitchen to make dinner. I meal prep my breakfast, lunch, and snack for the week on Sundays and I hope to start prepping ingredients for my dinners (but not pre cooking them) here soon.
Good luck to you and your family. If you have questions on the IC diet or on substitutions/recipes for it, let me know.
Glad that the diet has been so helpful, and holy cow, my daughter is so similar - she has fibro and they are checking for chronic fatigue syndrome. Much sympathy for the standing. She has been working on trying to figure out the best way to get food prep done, too.
good luck on introducing dinner prep!0 -
mstheglitch wrote: »My allergy is ... herbs. Believe it or not. Oregano, rosemary, sage, etc. You have no idea how many food items contain herbs. Or the label says 'spices'. Like I can trust that. I haven't had a pre-made spaghetti sauce in years.
That is a tricky one! Do you know what the over-arcing reaction is to? Like, is it for foods under a certain family? Or...I know salicylates are a big issue for some folks and knock out almost all herbs, and I know myself I have to grow my own herbs as I seem to react to common unlisted preservatives for herbs and spices. And man, yes - everything freaking thing has spices and herbs, yeah?
I miss pre-made spices for myself, LOL.mstheglitch wrote: »I shop for the simple products. Take a look at the spaghetti sauce aisle and start realizing how many ingredients they contain. Honestly, the expensive foods sometimes have the most ridiculous amount of ingredients. That cheap can of food might have nothing but the most simple, basic ingredients. And I totally agree with the idea of growing your own garden. Can't be contaminated if you grow it yourself.
Oh I wish I could go for the cheap stuff! :-( The biggest issue we have with that is that we have a few really bad allergies to some foods (gluten being one of them) that are so commonly part of foods that it is hard to find equipment lines that it's not used on at some point. To ensure any processed food isn't cross-contaminated, we actually have to get food that is either certified as free from that allergen, or the company does the special protocols for cleaning that are more intense than normal, to prevent cross-contamination. Which of course makes the price for the product soar. :-/
But I know what you mean about the cheaper stuff containing less! We have had success in the realm of cleaners before, where the cheaper stuff had none of the 'extras' added, but with some folks in the family reacting to some of the extra chemicals, the cheaper stuff was actually better!
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WholeFoods4Lyfe wrote: »I'm not sure where you live, but $150 should get you quite the bounty. I spend that per week and there are 6 of us
I so wish that was true for us (perhaps some of it is costs in our area, maybe?), but it has literally been difficult to find enough food - protein especially - to get everyone enough calories. :-(WholeFoods4Lyfe wrote: »With so many allergies, I think sticking to the exterior aisles of the grocery store would be your best bet and avoid the packaged foods as much as possible. Stick with things like meat, dairy, fruits, and veggies. Stay away from things like jarred sauces because they can be a landmine and either uses spices to flavor your foods or make the sauces yourself. Check out local Farmers Markets and CSA's for things like fresh, local fruits and veggies, grass fed beef, pastured pork and chicken, and local honey.
Yeah, that's pretty much what we do, at this point. There is very little in the way of pre-made foods that we can actually use, or if used, that more than one of us can use, you know?
But the increased costs, when we need to avoid allergens, extends into raw ingredients as well. Plain dried beans, plain whole grains, plain tofu, ground meat, plain raw nuts or seeds, even simple things like oils or baking powder - it is all more expensive because we have to get brands that make sure these are not cross-contaminated during processing, even though the processing might be pretty minimal.
Like, on weeks my son is getting his vegetarian protein primarily from beans, the cheapest beans I have been able to find (which are not cross-contaminated) are about $20 for the week. If he did, say, plain raw peanuts as his only protein, it would be $20 a week. Plain raw almonds would be about $40 weekly (if that was the only protein, of course).
I used to shop at farmer's markets, but we could no longer afford them. The CSA's would be lovely, but we have some more veg and fruit issues (I didn't bother mentioning them, because I usually just avoid and use something else, but cost is not as impacted) that half the time we can't use much in the box, you know?
Although we CAN use local honey for a couple of us, at least, woo hoo! ^_^WholeFoods4Lyfe wrote: »Good luck! It's not easy, but with some practice and diligence, you'll find that you can do this.
Thank you very much for the words of encouragement. Appreciated. :-)
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Crafty_camper123 wrote: »For meat, are there any local farms or butchers you can get in contact with to be able to buy a whole animal?.
We actually have wanted to do this, but it's a long term project - need to save up to be able to afford the large amount, and save up to get a bigger freezer. But it is definitely something that I think would be helpful!!0 -
WholeFoods4Lyfe wrote: »Something else I was thinking of. With your restrictions that you need to accommodate, maybe look in to a good Paleo cookbook, a lot of those ingredients are excluded in a Paleo diet. Maybe even look in to Autoimmune Paleo .
Oh yeah, when all this started, AIP and Paleo recipes were a lifesaver! I got so many ideas from them and still use them today. SO happy they are popular enough right now that it was easy to find!0
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