Grocery prices rising, income isn't

tabithon

Just because you can't afford to buy the organic produce doesn't mean that you can't lose the weight. I strongly suggest the farmer's market or pick-your-own veggie places, they are great and you can get quite a bit of produce for WAY cheap. Google to find those around your area. Canned/frozen veggies aren't bad, just make sure to read all the labels, get those in water instead of those in sauces, etc. When I was on a strict budget, I still made sure that I read everything and bought the best things I could. Don't get discouraged by buying "off-brand", I find most of those items can actually be better for you. It might take you a bit longer at the grocery store, but when you come home and cook a meal with all the great, healthy stuff you bought because you took time to read the labels, it will be worth it! Good luck, and keep up the good work!

catwrangler

Fug organic!, frozen is almost as good as fresh. Stock up during sales. Look for stores that sell oatmeal, rice, nuts, etc. in bulk, it's always cheaper. Canned fruits and veggies are not the devil look for the words "no sugar added" and "low sodium". It can be done!

oh, and learn to love BEANS!

Dtho5159

Another thing to do is coupon!! I been doing it for 4 years now and its made a world of difference. I sit down once a year and write down the names of items i use and email each and every one. Last year I had a list of 325 companies I emailed and received coupons from about 200 of them.. This year, I only emailed the ones who sent coupons last year so my list is at 202. I just google their company and click on contact us (usually near the bottom or near the top) and just gush about how much I love X product etc. I never specifically ask for coupons, lots just send for you taking the time to contact them.. I have saved so much money and have built up quite the stockpile from using coupons.

JamesonsMommy

Another thing to do is coupon!! I been doing it for 4 years now and its made a world of difference. I sit down once a year and write down the names of items i use and email each and every one. Last year I had a list of 325 companies I emailed and received coupons from about 200 of them.. This year, I only emailed the ones who sent coupons last year so my list is at 202. I just google their company and click on contact us (usually near the bottom or near the top) and just gush about how much I love X product etc. I never specifically ask for coupons, lots just send for you taking the time to contact them.. I have saved so much money and have built up quite the stockpile from using coupons.

I coupon as well..I follow a super healthy diet and still save about 50-80% per visit.. The money i save on everyday items like health and beauty items and cleaning supplies goes towards better food. ( i haven't had to pay for any of that since i started using coupons) Ohh and if it's something that you would be interested in weusecoupons.com is a fantastic place to get started.

Xaspar

I live in a small town and while we have several grocery stores, they are all EXORBITANT. I can't buy 'fresh' produce, it is already crappy by the time it gets stocked, so I go with the frozen. And 'organic' puhlease, for the prices they are charging for sub-standard quality items, it isn't worth the label. I buy the store brand frozen fruits and veggies and the most inexpensive bags of apples/oranges. I buy meats when they are on sale and freeze everything the minute I get home. I only thaw out what I am eating the day I am cooking it. This helps me stay accountable for portion control as well because I will weigh everything into single meal amounts BEFORE I freeze it and it takes away the convenience of 'having extra'. It helps that my kids are not home for meals several times a month so if I get a package that will feed us all 'plus one' I just freeze that as a single portion item for one of the nights I am cooking for just myself.

And again, if I buy rolls, etc. I freeze them in meal sized portions and not all together. That way I am not thawing a pack of 8 buns when we will only need 3 for the meal I have planned.
I spend a few extra dollars on freezer bags, and aluminum foil, but in the long run I think it saves me money on wasted foods.
I can't stand canned vegetables so almost never buy anything of the sort (except tomatoes and beets on occasion)

2Bgoddess

I hear ya! I work 10 months a year, my husband, less than 7. that's just the way it is. we have 3 kids. I am struggling every day. their appetites are bigger every day. and they are skinny. two of them actually technically fall in the underweight category.

fortunately, our local walmart has lean, and extra lean ground beef. i buy fresh produce when it's in season cuz it's cheap, frozen when we can't. i even have a garden, but I would need one 10 times the size it is to even give me enough to last the summer.

I am trying very hard to be happy for those of you that will finish school and get better paying jobs. i am finished school, already upgraded, and am basically at the top of my income bracket, no where to move on to, and have had to take positions further and further from home, resulting in higher fuel use, way longer days....perhaps some of this pressure has lead to my weight issues?

*sigh* - sorry, didn't come in this thread to throw myself a pity party, but i guess it is what it is. and totally forgot my point. :-/

mamax5

organic does not mean its better! buy what you can afford. if canned vegetables are what you can afford, then that's okay. I buy Great Value brand everything - meat, chips, etc. 80-20 just means 20% of the meat is fat, but fat isn't bad for you! Just read labels consistently, and look for coupons when you see them! i will look up products online and search for a coupon.

Watch the GV brand...it's not always a great value, I have seen name brands that were cheaper a time or two!

mamax5

I'm learning the couponing ropes....we had a garden last year, but this year it wasn't possible. We had to much rain and couldn't get anytthing out...and what people did get out is really crappy. The Farmer's Market is very um, slip pickens this year. I don't mean to pick on the organic produce, but it's what a lot of people harp on. The people who tell me I eat naughty food...I know what I'm putting in my mouth, I choose to be focusing on the calories right now. I might be choosing to eat a little icecream here in a bit after I run on the treadmill. I just get tired of people basically telling me I'm doing this wrong. Oh, I tried last summer to grow organic and it didn't work out, the bugs started eating my brussel sprouts and the natural stuff wasn't working so I pesticided that stuff. And the corn? I don't know what happened but I barely had any kernals!! My red bell peppers wound up being the green kind and I lost all my scallions! I had one that grew! I was not happy. Anyway, I know how it feels when you think your only option is a take home box from walmart.....I've learned how to plan better and make better food....we have a stock pile of veggie soup in the freezer...it has beef in it and it tastes amazing! We make a lot of that in the winter and chili too. I got very discoraged by some all or nothing people and almost gave up 2 days ago....but I refuse to let anyone get me that down that I want to give up! Thanks for reading my rant everyone....I feel a little better now.

anotheryearolder

A bit off topic but I may be able to help a bit with your gardening problems. I grow a garden every year and my brother is an organic farmer.

Unless they put some other kind of peppers in your starter pots, they will turn color, if you wait long enough. Some years if you get too much rain they need to be picked before they get ripe or they will rot but baring bad conditions they will turn if you wait. The corn wasn't being pollinated properly. You need to plant corn in a block not in a few skinny rows. You need volume so that the pollen can get well distributed. No clue about the scallions.

Trying to grow organic is NOT easy, as you found out, but if your plants are not stressed - keep them fed and watered well with the proper soil ph - that will help and a lot of bugs like white fly and scale can be either washed off with a good blast of water. Get under the leaves too or you can kill them with insecticidal soaps (you have to do this frequently once you have a problem). You can also try beneficial insects like ladybugs. Like I said organic can be time consuming and tricky but you can cut back on some of the chemicals with these methods and fill in with the big guns if you get desperate! Good luck next year!

ukgirly01

I budget for the month and plan every meal before I go to the super market. When I have a bit more cash I buy organic veg when I dont I buy regular. (I also grow a lot myself) doing this I've managed to cut around £700 a month from my food bill. I dont eat any processed frood I cook every thing from scratch. Eating healthily can save a fortune.

rolliepollie087

I understand where you are coming from. I would try the local farmer's market, if there is one available to you. And if possible, bust out your own green thumb! You can try a container garden if you don't have a ton of space. And buying seeds is way cheaper than buying full grown produce.