Winter is fast approaching and farmer's markets in the north are beginning to dwindle. Gardens are beginning to freeze and will soon be swept under blankets of snow. Community garden centers, who offer seasonal produce, will soon only have kale and potatoes on their roster. If you live in the south your available produce may be greater in numbers and longer in season, but winter crops are volatile and greatly supported by the global, or at least, continental market. Supply and demand, subsidies and season all effect the price of food (another post completely), and, for some, seeking out farmer's markets to shop for daily goods is an expense that cannot be made.
The alternative to fresh food is processed impostors. Let's take Mac n Cheese, a classic American favorite, to the table. Where authentic whole grain pasta can run between $3 and $4 a pound, Prince pasta (enriched) runs between a buck and a buck and a half. Where real cheddar cheese can run between $4 and $6 dollars a pound, Velveeta is half that and has coupons to boot. So if you want Mac n' Cheese for dinner you might spend between $12 and $16 dollars on great, wholesome ingredients or you might spend $9 or $10 on more processed alternatives, or you might just buy 3 boxes of Kraft and spend $4. Food companies make it very easy for us to afford a greater amount in processed alternatives, but the cost is much greater than that.
Let's go back to the beginning of my investigation for a moment: You are what you eat; Let food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food. If food is the foundation of health and if you choose the food you eat, then it is a reasonable idea that you choose your health. Your body can only make the things your body can make, but without the right food, the right nutrients, the right fats, the right minerals, the right fuel, your body will fail at even it's basic functions.
If you choose whole wheat pasta and aged cheese made from good quality milk taken from a grass fed cow, when you make your mac n' cheese you're adding wholesome calcium, complex carbohydrates, good protein, lasting fuel and needed calories to your body. Pairing it with a steamed organic vegetable or crisp salad can fortify the meal with plentiful vitamins, photochemical and antioxidants. If you choose the box you get chemically made cheese, enriched, processed pasta, chemical or synthetic vitamins, very little fuel, simple carbohydrates, a few more dollars in your wallet, and hunger soon to follow.
Does this answer the question? Where can Affordable food be found? No. Maybe I need to take another approach. Until I figure out how to illuminate affordability in five paragraphs or less I will just encourage you to eat real, naturally occurring food. While you plan your meals against your budget, calm yourself with cool, clean water. Remember to give your vitamins their vitamins, and, as always, remember to wash your hands. Bear with me and my passion, dear reader, for affordability does not only apply to the grocery cart~
Anna~
Showing posts with label Financial Support. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Financial Support. Show all posts
Friday, November 15, 2013
Thursday, November 7, 2013
What Does it Cost?
Mixed among the staples in the refrigerator and pantry are hidden treasures and poisonous gems. A grand bowl of seasonal greens and nuts are more valuable than gold, while the tub of spreadable margarine isn't worth the plastic it comes in. The loaf of whole wheat manufactured bread is a mediocre source of whole grains, and the condensed soup and its round bottom can can be a sodium and sugar pitfall. We all know white bread is not made of whole grains, that condensed soup is a poor excuse for soup, and we even know margarine is a poor choice of added fat but we purchase the little bastards anyway. Why? Say it with me, readers... "They are cheap!"
Shopping for real food is not only time consuming, but costly. Real butter is more expensive than margarine. Making chicken stock is time consuming and the soups on the shelves are cheap and ready made. Organic is more costly than conventionally grown produce; frozen is less expensive than fresh; canned is less expensive than frozen. Hormone free milk is more expensive, and grass fed beef can break the bank when feeding more than one. To add insult to injury, there aren't very many coupons for fresh produce and cage free chickens.
So what can be done? First, it takes a plan. What days of the week are you going to be home? How many meals do you anticipate eating out? How much money can be allotted for food? How many people are at your table? What season is it? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you realistically shop and can eliminate wasted or unused produce. I shop for 5-7 days at a time for 5 (including growing children) so I understand that it is no delightful task, but throwing away something that costs more to buy fresh is even less enjoyable. Fruits and veggies are necessary staples in any diet; the benefits of fresh certainly outweigh the cost.
Take it one step further and plan for multipurpose meals. Roast a great looking' chicken on Monday and use it for chicken soup, quesadillas, enchiladas or on a garden salad throughout the week. A good roaster can cost anywhere from 8 to 20 bucks~ use every bit! Boil the carcass with onions, garlic, celery, carrots, salt and herbs and freeze the yield so when a recipe calls for chicken stock/bouillon you have it on hand. The same with pork roast; roast and root vegetables on Tuesday, bbq pork sandies and coleslaw on Thursday. Beef roast on Wednesday with tomatoes and wild rice, then beef and broccoli over egg noodles on Saturday afternoon. Utilize leftovers by repurposing the main dish! If the budget doesn't support the grass fed varieties, choose good quality meats that fit your budget. Remember, you don't need meat at every meal.
Another tip? Make some bread. This week I made bread with my daughter via my mother's 'beginner's' recipe. Whole wheat and white flour, milk, yeast, water, sugar, real butter, a bit of olive oil and a little bit of time produced great bread and much fun. Because I had all of the ingredients and because I purchased all of the ingredients to support other recipes, the bread didn't really cost us a thing! I encourage you all to eat as much real food as you can, to wash it in with water, to give your vitamins their vitamins, and to remember to wash your hands (especially if you are going to make bread).
Anna~
Shopping for real food is not only time consuming, but costly. Real butter is more expensive than margarine. Making chicken stock is time consuming and the soups on the shelves are cheap and ready made. Organic is more costly than conventionally grown produce; frozen is less expensive than fresh; canned is less expensive than frozen. Hormone free milk is more expensive, and grass fed beef can break the bank when feeding more than one. To add insult to injury, there aren't very many coupons for fresh produce and cage free chickens.
So what can be done? First, it takes a plan. What days of the week are you going to be home? How many meals do you anticipate eating out? How much money can be allotted for food? How many people are at your table? What season is it? Knowing the answers to these questions can help you realistically shop and can eliminate wasted or unused produce. I shop for 5-7 days at a time for 5 (including growing children) so I understand that it is no delightful task, but throwing away something that costs more to buy fresh is even less enjoyable. Fruits and veggies are necessary staples in any diet; the benefits of fresh certainly outweigh the cost.
Take it one step further and plan for multipurpose meals. Roast a great looking' chicken on Monday and use it for chicken soup, quesadillas, enchiladas or on a garden salad throughout the week. A good roaster can cost anywhere from 8 to 20 bucks~ use every bit! Boil the carcass with onions, garlic, celery, carrots, salt and herbs and freeze the yield so when a recipe calls for chicken stock/bouillon you have it on hand. The same with pork roast; roast and root vegetables on Tuesday, bbq pork sandies and coleslaw on Thursday. Beef roast on Wednesday with tomatoes and wild rice, then beef and broccoli over egg noodles on Saturday afternoon. Utilize leftovers by repurposing the main dish! If the budget doesn't support the grass fed varieties, choose good quality meats that fit your budget. Remember, you don't need meat at every meal.
Another tip? Make some bread. This week I made bread with my daughter via my mother's 'beginner's' recipe. Whole wheat and white flour, milk, yeast, water, sugar, real butter, a bit of olive oil and a little bit of time produced great bread and much fun. Because I had all of the ingredients and because I purchased all of the ingredients to support other recipes, the bread didn't really cost us a thing! I encourage you all to eat as much real food as you can, to wash it in with water, to give your vitamins their vitamins, and to remember to wash your hands (especially if you are going to make bread).
Anna~
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