Expensive Healthy Eating

[SassyAshley]

I have to admit that coupons allow us to eat better. Since I use coupons to buy so many things it now leaves more money in our budget for produce, meats and various other things.

We buy select fresh produce items, we do not tend to buy a lot as there are only two of us in our house but frozen fruits and veggies are staples in our house. I quite regularly buy these with coupons which leaves more money to buy the items we do not keep in the freezer.

Also since I am getting things like Milk, Cheese, Yogurt so much cheaper with sales and coupons this leaves a lot of extra money in our budget.

We also do buy a lot of pink ticket items to be put in the freezer. We buy fruits, veggies, meats and even dairy products. I will freeze yogurt to use later for smoothies or even to eat (yummy love frozen yogurt and buying yogurt is much easier on the budget than frozen yogurt, or use it to make large batches of frozen yogurt for family events).

[Safyre]

I have also read a lot of studies that say eating too much soy for women can increase breast cancer risks because soy mimics estrogen. I avoid eating soy based products as much as possible since cancer runs in my family and I definitely don't want to speed up the process for myself any or increase my risk.

And just for another point of view, because soy does mimic estrogen, women facing infertility issues can take Soy tablets on specific cycle days to bring on ovulation, in place of prescription medicines like Clomid and Femara.

[anastasia1009]

And just for another point of view, because soy does mimic estrogen, women facing infertility issues can take Soy tablets on specific cycle days to bring on ovulation, in place of prescription medicines like Clomid and Femara.

And I have done that a few cycles - miscarried both times and trying again this cycle. Take 100mg of soy isoflavones (SDM or GNC 17.99) and take it CD 3, 4 or 5 and take it for 5 days. It does work wonders

[lecale]

I'd say we spend less than $45 a week on groceries for a family of 4 adults.

$11/week per person for 21 meals?

[DianneS]

My observation is that I don't pay too much attention to what other people say they spend for groceries per week. Costs are very dependent on where you live, what your family's diet is like, whether you work at home or outside the home, etc. I find that living in Metro Vancouver means that I have great access to fresh fruit and vegetables at very affordable prices for most of the year. I paid 49 cents a pound for zucchini this week and 97 cents/lb for red peppers. If I lived in a small town elsewhere in BC, I would probably pay four times that amount for both those items.

I find that the least expensive way to go through a grocery store, and to end up with the bonus of a healthy cart of groceries, is to shop the perimeter of the store. It's the junk in the middle that costs the most. Also, it amazes me how few people buy a head of lettuce these days.....it seems that most people automatically buy a bag of salad. Same thing for shredded cheese....unless I have a great coupon for a bag of it, there is no way on earth that I am willing to pay anyone to grate cheese for me. Bottom line for me is that eating healthfully just requires a little more work and planning.

[roseofblack25]

I decided to check out Chinatown today since I needed some stuff to make chili for my sister. I got the biggest green pepper I've ever seen for .60 and a 2lb bag of onions for .89! It cost me a whole $1.50 which is probably the price I would have paid for just the green pepper at the grocery store!

I checked out the fruits and was not impressed with the prices. I think they are way cheaper in the summer so will be buying from No Frills when they go on sale instead because it ends up being cheaper. Produce is still really cheap though if you go for all the greens and sprouts! I wish I knew what to do with bok choy and a bunch of the other greens they have for .99. Also tea is insanely cheap so now I know where to go to get green tea when I am out. I wanted to buy everything, but I only had $4 on me so had to be careful and not go over that. It's definitely cash only and I don't usually have a ton of money on me since visa is easier, but if I plan better for next time I will bring cash and shop like crazy in the produce section.

So um anyone have good ideas for stuff like bok choy etc? I can't remember all the names of the greens they had but I don't know how to prepare any of them or what they would be good with! Pretty much the only thing I would know how to do is bean sprouts since I absolutely love them when I do chow mein. I'm also assuming that chinese cabbage is the same as our cabbage? It was super cheap too and I love steamed cabbage with pepper and salt. My dad and I can eat bowls of it...who cares if we have anything else with the meal just let us eat cabbage! LOL!

[lecale]

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[roseofblack25]

My #1 condiment for greens is oyster sauce. I buy a Thai brand, Panthai, because it is mild. Anything green I will stir fry with oil, then as it begins to wilt add the oyster sauce (option: and a splash of nutty sherry) and fresh pepper. Sliced brown mushrooms are especially nice when you involve the sherry. I might add some beaten eggs and/or green onions. Milagrosa rice on the side. I just use one kind of greens at a time. Chinese cabbage (Nappa cabbage, Chinese lettuce) is one of my favorites in it because it is bitter sweet and goes great with eggs. I would say it is closer to iceberg lettuce in terms of the taste when you cook it. Raw, it makes crispy juicy cole slaws (think Thai, dressed with fish sauce, lime juice and sugar, fried shallots, peanuts)

Thanks...I'm soooo hungry right now because of this LOL! Not sure I would use oyster sauce since I'm not a huge seafood fan outside of salmon/tuna/shrimp, but I guess soy sauce could always work too since I love the stuff.

[lecale]

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[roseofblack25]

They have mushroom-based fake oyster sauces for people who aren't into the oyster thing...black bean sauce is another one step condiment that goes good with strong greens like bok choy...and some greens like amaranth I would do italian style: oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper, maybe poach an egg on top. Anything bitter or spinachlike (dandelion, rapini, endive) is good this way.

Chinese soy sauce tastes like Japanese soy sauce + molasses. Since Japanese soy sauce (think Kikkoman) has a milder taste I like it better with greens...I use it with Japanese mirin which is just Japanese cooking sherry.

Gah now I want to go shopping and make a bunch of different things but I need to eat what I already have first!

[lecale]

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[roseofblack25]

Yep I am on pea soup for at least the next 4 days, I hear ya!

I had a spinach pizza craving so went and bought the dip, spinach and pitas so that will need to be ate before the spinach goes, plus I opened a jar of tomatoes tonight so that needs to be ate before it goes, plus I have chili in the freezer for my school nights...I have at least two weeks worth of supper foods ready to go here and don't want to buy more produce until I am completely out of everything because I don't want to waste food! My freezer is also jam packed with stuff so I am on a shopping ban until futher notice except for fresh ingredients LOL!

[Insane]

My observation is that I don't pay too much attention to what other people say they spend for groceries per week. Costs are very dependent on where you live, what your family's diet is like, whether you work at home or outside the home, etc. I find that living in Metro Vancouver means that I have great access to fresh fruit and vegetables at very affordable prices for most of the year. I paid 49 cents a pound for zucchini this week and 97 cents/lb for red peppers. If I lived in a small town elsewhere in BC, I would probably pay four times that amount for both those items.

Exactly!! I live in Northern Canada. I can only dream of paying 49cents for zucchini. This week strawberries were on sale for $4. Usually they are like $7 or $8. I simply can't compare what I spend to anyone else. Our family composition is different then others, and we live in an expensive area with limited choices.

But I agree...ouch healthy eating is expensive. I've been switching to more organic stuff and making more stuff. I'm more selective of my meats, chosing free range chicken and free range eggs. If I could, I would love to get a meat order from a company that has grass fed and grass finished beef, free run chickens, ect... But unfortunately, the logistics of getting an order of meat up here is complicated. Since making more conscience choices regarding what I buy and what I feed my family, our bill has gone up, not down. Eggs are twice as much....flour..yikes! $7.29 for a 5lb bag of PC organic whole wheat. Our bill definately goes up in the winter especially when fruits are way more expensive.

I often have to remind myself at the grocery store that it's okay to spend money on healthy food.

[The Heretic]

Oh wow what a thread. Some really good advice here too.

I have found that we have been able to cut our grocery bill down drastically without even trying by changing our diet to less meat and much more fibre. If you are able to cut meat down to 2 or 3 times a week you can replace it with lentils, beans, chickpeas or tofu the other days and it is a significant cost saver. So much you may find you have no problem buying the organic meats since you are buying so little of it.

Oh and your family will poop regularly Yay to a regular family!

Sarah

[lekate]

Oh wow what a thread. Some really good advice here too.

I have found that we have been able to cut our grocery bill down drastically without even trying by changing our diet to less meat and much more fibre. If you are able to cut meat down to 2 or 3 times a week you can replace it with lentils, beans, chickpeas or tofu the other days and it is a significant cost saver. So much you may find you have no problem buying the organic meats since you are buying so little of it.

Oh and your family will poop regularly Yay to a regular family!

Sarah

Yup, being a vegetarian was so much cheaper! I don't understand the overwhelming need for people to eat meat with every meal. Also, think of the poor animals!

I'm far from home and mostly just miss homey foods, and having a real kitchen, that would be nice. I rarely cook now since all I have are two gas burners, no oven, and no counter space. Bleh.