Economics and food

awandell

I think many of us can relate to this, being in a recession right now. Over the last 7 years, we've struggled financially (and I've had 3 babies), and we gained some weight! After learning more about nutrition and fueling our bodies with the good stuff, we've also realized that it's just super expensive to eat the best things for our bodies. We have a family of 5. When money is tight, carbs fill the cupboards. When we can afford it, we stock up on the fruits, veggies, and lean meats. That's just how it's been. What are some ways that you find to fit the better foods into the budget?

melsinct

Cheap staple carbs: brown rice, bulgar, whole wheat cous cous...all do not cost much.

Vegetables: Frozen is cheap! Frozen spinach is cheaper than fresh. Same for frozen green beans, frozen corn, etc.

Beans are dirt cheap, especially if you take the time (and very little effort) to soak dried beans yourself.

Stock up on meat when on sale. Dark meat chicken is way cheaper than white meat.

Eating well doesn't have to be expensive if you don't buy deli meats, prepackaged food, etc. The key is prioritizing your time- you have to make time to prepare the good stuff.

scarletfever2005

We grow our own veggies, and raise chickens for eggs. That's a good start and pretty simple for most people. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes a day to care for a garden and tend the chickens. Every once in a while it might take a little more but that's about it after you get everything up and going. Grow enough so that you are able to can some and you can get a good way into the winter. We are even able to sell some of our eggs and turn a decent profit

I've also found that while a lot of the whole food does cost more than processed foods, the whole foods last longer and we don't waste as much. You can pay $3.00 for a 5 lb bag of potatoes that will make several different things or you can buy one package of frozen french fries that might last two meals if you split it up right.

But our biggest savings is buying beef in bulk. We purchase organic, ranged beef from a cattle farm down the road. We purchase it a side at a time. By doing it this way we get about 350 pounds of meat, steaks, roasts, ground beef, the whole shibang for an average of $3.25 a pound. Compare that to paying $18.00 a pound for filet mignon at the store!!!! Sure it costs more up front but in the long run we save big time. And on top of that we know we aren't getting any added hormones, steroids, or antibiotics. And it tastes better than any meat you can find in the supermarket.
We drink mostly milk and water. So the money we save NOT buying soda and stuff really offsets most of the whole foods cost. I didn't realize how much we spent on sodas each week until we stopped drinking them. It was crazy!!

I also firmly believe that by spending a little more on food you end up saving much more on medical bills later.

Hope some of this helps!!!

jb_2011

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Cheap staple carbs: brown rice, bulgar, whole wheat cous cous...all do not cost much.

Vegetables: Frozen is cheap! Frozen spinach is cheaper than fresh. Same for frozen green beans, frozen corn, etc.

Beans are dirt cheap, especially if you take the time (and very little effort) to soak dried beans yourself.

Stock up on meat when on sale. Dark meat chicken is way cheaper than white meat.

Eating well doesn't have to be expensive if you don't buy deli meats, prepackaged food, etc. The key is prioritizing your time- you have to make time to prepare the good stuff.

Exactly right. Take the time to prepare healthy foods in your kitchen, learn about spices and different flavors like curry. Curry is great with rice and chicken.

Frozen fruit is affordable too and makes a great dessert with yogurt or in smoothies.

Bean dishes are excellent and can be flavored in so many different ways. Garlic, ginger and a bit chili powder makes a great combo. Mexican oregano, garlic, cumin and chili powder is one of my favorite spice combos, and all are inexpensive if you can find them in the cello-wrapped packages in the Mexican food section.

It does take time to learn how to fix inexpensive and tasty meals, but a lot of us have to buckle down and do it.

mea9

I totally agree with melsinct and many people say that frozen fruit/veg have MORE nutrients than fresh because they are frozen right from the field whereas fresh has to sit and travel. Can you put in a garden over summer (probably looking at next year now). Seed rather than bedding plants are much cheaper and you can start them indoors. Very good to do with the kids.

Dried beans (and there are lots of different kinds) are very cheap, and very nutritious (more so than canned). You have to be a little bit organized because they do have to be soaked but I think it's even worth it to get a pressure cooker (which does them up in minutes) if you struggle with planning. Try getting beans and grains at ethnic stores where they tend to have a higher turnover and are much cheaper and they offer more varieties. Add to stews, soups and salads.

Milk and Water don't cost more than sugar drinks and soda pop. I understand you can freeze milk so you can buy larger quantities when it's on sale.

Bake your own foods. If you enjoy it bake your breads and pastas from scratch but, for sure things like snacks, cookies, cakes and deserts are better and way cheaper from your kitchen.

k8edge

A MFP friend posted this blog post on their thread a week or so ago... I bookmarked it because it was so interesting.
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=what_20_will_buy_at_the_drivethru_and_at_the_supermarket

Healthy food really is not "expensive" I think that the fast food industry paints it that way with the "value" craze.

We are in the bounty of summer right now! Fresh produce is cheaper when it is in season! I am going to be canning tomatoes next week so we will have them all through the winter to use in chili and sauces. I believe that blueberries/strawberries/raspberries were 10 for 10 recently at Kroger. I bought extra and froze them myself... I also buy chicken breasts w/ rib meat. It is cheaper than just chicken breasts. I cut the fat and rib meat away and am left with a perfectly good breast that is 4-5 dollars cheaper!

kelsully

frozen veggies are cheap and as healthy as a fresh...gardening doesn't cost much...while I don't have veggies all summer, when I start to get them I have a ton...a only plant to feed us and my garden is not that big...I do carrots...onions (although crappy harvest this year) yellow squash (one plant) and one zucchini plant...a pepper plant, basil, and this year brussel spourts and cauliflower. I also planted some sort of broccoli plant and peas but I killed those...but it only cost $75 and in the next week or two I won't have to buy veggies again until the first frost.

Also, I find I can manage our budget a bit better (4 kiddos here) if I shop Aldi, have a freezer so I can shop sales for meat, pizza etc and if I make sure I keep in mind portion size. we seldom eat our leftovers so making a 4 lb meatloaf would be wasteful...but they can polish off a 2.5 lb meatloaf and everyone is satisfied, enough for hubby to have one sandwich that night.... It does not save me money to buy in bulk if we end up with waste so I am really working on figuring out exactly what we need.

mea9

@k8edge Loved the article! Thanks!

silkysly

Cheap staple carbs: brown rice, bulgar, whole wheat cous cous...all do not cost much.

Vegetables: Frozen is cheap! Frozen spinach is cheaper than fresh. Same for frozen green beans, frozen corn, etc.

Beans are dirt cheap, especially if you take the time (and very little effort) to soak dried beans yourself.

Stock up on meat when on sale. Dark meat chicken is way cheaper than white meat.

Eating well doesn't have to be expensive if you don't buy deli meats, prepackaged food, etc. The key is prioritizing your time- you have to make time to prepare the good stuff.

I love this! I always look for the cost effective options!
My friends say all the time that they can’t afford to eat healthy. I tell them it boils down to a math problem then. The more you put in, the more you have to exercise to take off. These are the same people who have an excuse why they can’t take a simple walk.

I guess the bottom line is the choice is yours. If you want to..., you will find a way.

mea9

And cereal doesn't have to come from a box! Make oatmeal. Totally cheap! You can make a batch and put it in the fridge and warm up as wanted. If you want to get fancy some toppings could be: grated apple with cinamon and nutmeg, cranberries/rasins, maple syrup. For the kids a little pat of butter makes it taste wonderful. If you are using oat groats or steel cut oats you can also brown the oat in a little butter before leaving it to soak overnight. Gives it a rich nutty flavour. Try other grains too: rye, buckweat, millet... and sooooo goooooddddd especially in fall/winter but I have it every once in a while in summer too (alternate with my berry/yogurt breakfast). Tops up my B vitimins. You can also add an egg just before cooking to get in some protien. Gives it kind of a custard texture.

bcattoes

Stock up when things are on sale. Don't be afraid of frozen or canned veggies or seafood!! Buy no salt canned when available. Brown rice costs only pennies more than white. Whole wheat bread is usually the same price as white except for the premium brands. Whole grain pastas are usually more except when on sale, so again, stock up!! Carbs are not a bad thing if you choose whole grains. Buy fresh vegetables in season and try a farmer's market as they are often cheaper. Choose dry beans, which are super cheap, instead of meat for a couple of meals a week. Bean burritos, beans and rice, bean soups, there is just so many ways to cook beans. Eggs are also a healthy and cheap food. You can't get a much cheaper meal than veggie omelets.

awandell

Wow, that was a great article and all of the suggestions were incredibly helpful! You guys have all helped me to see that I can revamp our family's diet and still stay within a reasonable budget! As we're renters, gardening isn't an easy task, but someday, I really hope we'll be able to do that. Also, I always thought fresh fruits and veggies had more nutrients than frozen, but we may need to revisit that. The fresh fruits and veggies have been killing our budget, but we've felt so good when using them! Thank you for the article and the many. many helpful suggestions (and quick responses too!) Love MFP.

tashjs21

A MFP friend posted this blog post on their thread a week or so ago... I bookmarked it because it was so interesting.
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=what_20_will_buy_at_the_drivethru_and_at_the_supermarket

Healthy food really is not "expensive" I think that the fast food industry paints it that way with the "value" craze.

We are in the bounty of summer right now! Fresh produce is cheaper when it is in season! I am going to be canning tomatoes next week so we will have them all through the winter to use in chili and sauces. I believe that blueberries/strawberries/raspberries were 10 for 10 recently at Kroger. I bought extra and froze them myself... I also buy chicken breasts w/ rib meat. It is cheaper than just chicken breasts. I cut the fat and rib meat away and am left with a perfectly good breast that is 4-5 dollars cheaper!

That is so interesting!!

My fiance and I have tried to keep out of the center aisles of the grocery store (where most of the pre-packaged and processed foods are) and we have found that we can go in with $50 and get a lot of meals. By purchasing dried beans, frozen vegges and what not. The other day we went grocery shopping and the check out lady even said "Wow, you got a lot of food for $75" Which was really funny because $15 of that total was diapers. :laugh:

It can be done, like the others have said it just takes time and planning. I soak my beans and then cook them in a crock pot to cut down on my actual time in the kitchen.

The crock pot has become my favorite kitchen appliance! :drinker:

tashjs21

frozen veggies are cheap and as healthy as a fresh...gardening doesn't cost much...while I don't have veggies all summer, when I start to get them I have a ton...a only plant to feed us and my garden is not that big...I do carrots...onions (although crappy harvest this year) yellow squash (one plant) and one zucchini plant...a pepper plant, basil, and this year brussel spourts and cauliflower. I also planted some sort of broccoli plant and peas but I killed those...but it only cost $75 and in the next week or two I won't have to buy veggies again until the first frost.

Also, I find I can manage our budget a bit better (4 kiddos here) if I shop Aldi, have a freezer so I can shop sales for meat, pizza etc and if I make sure I keep in mind portion size. we seldom eat our leftovers so making a 4 lb meatloaf would be wasteful...but they can polish off a 2.5 lb meatloaf and everyone is satisfied, enough for hubby to have one sandwich that night.... It does not save me money to buy in bulk if we end up with waste so I am really working on figuring out exactly what we need.

How are the savings at Aldi? They are building one here and I can't wait for it to open!

awandell

A question about frozen veggies & fruits. I'm having a hard time figuring out how you would serve them without cooking them. Maybe that's the difference between raw/fresh and frozen to me, or maybe I'm just not creative enough. With frozen veggies, do you usually cook them or do you ever thaw them and serve them raw, like in a salad or something? I'll freeze nuts that I find on sale and serve those in salads and such without observing any change in flavor or consistency, but what about those fruits and veggies? Once you cook them, the much nutritional content is gone anyway, right? Still thinking on it.

dawnrenee567

even if 'some' of the nutritional benefits are cooked out, it still beats a mcdonald's cheeseburger

MinnieInMaine

Not sure what your set-up is as renters but a friend of mine has a little porch and she and her husband have been fairly successful growing veggies in pots. Tomatoes, peppers, beets, lettuces, spinach, beans, chard and most herbs grow really well in containers. You just have to make sure you water them regularly as the soil tends to dry out quickly.

iysys

A MFP friend posted this blog post on their thread a week or so ago... I bookmarked it because it was so interesting.
http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=what_20_will_buy_at_the_drivethru_and_at_the_supermarket

Healthy food really is not "expensive" I think that the fast food industry paints it that way with the "value" craze.

We are in the bounty of summer right now! Fresh produce is cheaper when it is in season! I am going to be canning tomatoes next week so we will have them all through the winter to use in chili and sauces. I believe that blueberries/strawberries/raspberries were 10 for 10 recently at Kroger. I bought extra and froze them myself... I also buy chicken breasts w/ rib meat. It is cheaper than just chicken breasts. I cut the fat and rib meat away and am left with a perfectly good breast that is 4-5 dollars cheaper!

i am in complete agreement but wowzers i wish food prices were that cheap here! $1.96 for 2 pounds of chicken breast! $2 for a gallon of milk!! $0.88 for grapes! most of the items on that site are close to double here.

tashjs21

A question about frozen veggies & fruits. I'm having a hard time figuring out how you would serve them without cooking them. Maybe that's the difference between raw/fresh and frozen to me, or maybe I'm just not creative enough. With frozen veggies, do you usually cook them or do you ever thaw them and serve them raw, like in a salad or something? I'll freeze nuts that I find on sale and serve those in salads and such without observing any change in flavor or consistency, but what about those fruits and veggies? Once you cook them, the much nutritional content is gone anyway, right? Still thinking on it.

I've read that it is better to steam your vegges or microwave them for a short amount of time than to boil them. Boiling them takes out a lot of nutrients.

Here is a great article:

http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/fresh_vs_frozen_vegetables_are_we_giving_up_nutrition_fo

mea9

Agreed boiling is not the best. I steam or microwave or use them in soups/stews/casseroles. You actually digest them a lot better steamed or lightly cooked. Transporting fresh may take a week or two or more they are sitting, degrading. A lot of the time they have added preservatives, chemicals and waxes so they arrive at the store looking good. I'm not saying don't use fresh. But many things don't make a difference to use frozen rather than fresh and it can be preferable.

Fruit I do eat right out of the freezer. You can grab a frozen berry or two and it's as good to my taste as iced cream. Sweet and, if you let it sit for a minute, a little chewy. You can also float a few pieces in a glass of water (I've also seen it in wine and beer) for a nice "iced" drink. If you have any fresh fruit left over that will not get eaten before it turns bad you can freeze that. Grapes are awesome frozen as are melon balls (watermelon, cantelope, etc...) or melon chunks if you don't have a melon baller. The sugar seems to keep them from freezing absolutely solid unless your freezer is right up there. Again, you can just let them sit for a minute...

I too rent and have a balcony. Mine is very hot so I can grow things like citrus (in Alberta Canada!). Depending on the temperature you may be able to grow tomatoes or even, if it's cool enough, lettuce and greens in pots. This is one area where you really have to work with what you've got. If I plant lettuce it goes straight to seed.

tashjs21

I love to freeze grapes!! It is like a nice alternative to popsicles! They are so refreshing and yummy!