My budget is getting squeezed tighter and tighter due to the rising cost
of living. I chalk most of it up to the price of oil/fuel. Everything
has to be transported so fuel prices affect _everything_!

Now that we've gotten used to eating a healthier diet, I'm refusing to
go back to eating crap just because it's cheaper! Our main diet consists
of fresh meats and fresh produce. I don't like frozen veggies, I've
tried. I know they are cheaper. The "No salt added" canned" however are
not bad, but I still don't even use a lot of those.

I think the biggest area I've had to cut back on has been red meat. We
eat more chicken than anything else but fortunately, there are a million
and one ways to cook it.

As far as greens go, I won't compromise! Salads for instance. Our
preferred green is fresh pre-cleaned baby spinach leaves followed
closely by boston butter lettuce. After that it's red or green leaf
lettuce, then romaine. We really don't care for iceberg. Good texture
but no flavor.

We do eat a lot of brocolli and some cauliflower as well as a lot of
carrots and squash, but we only eat asparagus when it drops below $3.00
per lb. We do not eat potatoes. Period. No pasta either and limited
amounts of bread. The only beans we eat are black soybeans. Tomatoes and
avocados are included depending on current prices.

Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
our diets. It's too important.

I mostly just shop sales. ;-)
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

Oh pshaw, on Sun 02 Jul 2006 05:32:02a, OmManiPadmeOmelet meant to say...

> My budget is getting squeezed tighter and tighter due to the rising cost
> of living. I chalk most of it up to the price of oil/fuel. Everything
> has to be transported so fuel prices affect _everything_!
>
> Now that we've gotten used to eating a healthier diet, I'm refusing to
> go back to eating crap just because it's cheaper! Our main diet consists
> of fresh meats and fresh produce. I don't like frozen veggies, I've
> tried. I know they are cheaper. The "No salt added" canned" however are
> not bad, but I still don't even use a lot of those.
>
> I think the biggest area I've had to cut back on has been red meat. We
> eat more chicken than anything else but fortunately, there are a million
> and one ways to cook it.
>
> As far as greens go, I won't compromise! Salads for instance. Our
> preferred green is fresh pre-cleaned baby spinach leaves followed
> closely by boston butter lettuce. After that it's red or green leaf
> lettuce, then romaine. We really don't care for iceberg. Good texture
> but no flavor.
>
> We do eat a lot of brocolli and some cauliflower as well as a lot of
> carrots and squash, but we only eat asparagus when it drops below $3.00
> per lb. We do not eat potatoes. Period. No pasta either and limited
> amounts of bread. The only beans we eat are black soybeans. Tomatoes and
> avocados are included depending on current prices.
>
> Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
> I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
> our diets. It's too important.
>
> I mostly just shop sales. ;-)

Yes, our food budget has been meager and the only way we've managed is to
constantly seek out the best sale prices. When we find them, we stock up
as much as we can, putting good meat buys in the freezer. The farmer's
markets here seem to have the best buys on produce, but with several major
supermarket chains in the area, there is good competitive pricing most of
the time. We make a list of items from each store and methodically shop
from place to place. All the stores are within a 3-mile radius from home,
so there's little lost in driving cost making a trip to as many as we need
to.

--
Wayne Boatwright @¿@¬
_____________________

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message >
> Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
> I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
> our diets. It's too important.
>
> I mostly just shop sales. ;-)

In the past year, increased property taxes, oil, electric have taken
over$200 a month extra, not to mention gas.

Less steak, more chicken. I'm not going to stop buying the better cuts for
steak, but I will eat it less often. Chicken thighs are a favorite here and
are incredibly cheap. I watch the sales and stock up on things that are on
sale. Ever look at the "use by" dates on some products? I've not had cream
cheese that was not on sale for over a year and in the factory package, it
is good for a couple of months minimum. Same with butter, ice cream and
other things that freeze well.

Get to know your store's sale cycles. Ice cream brands take turns, certain
dairy product rotate. We don't buy soda, but the Pepsi and Coke products
alternate.

I think the club stores are good also. If you know what you want, have a
feel for comparative prices, you can save a bundle. The whole pork loin
that I bought for $1.89 sells for $4.99 once cut up in the supermarket. We
can easily save $1 to $3 a pound on meats. The Foodsaver comes in handy
after our monthly trip to BJ's.

In article 9>,
Wayne Boatwright <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote:

> Yes, our food budget has been meager and the only way we've managed is to
> constantly seek out the best sale prices. When we find them, we stock up
> as much as we can, putting good meat buys in the freezer. The farmer's
> markets here seem to have the best buys on produce, but with several major
> supermarket chains in the area, there is good competitive pricing most of
> the time. We make a list of items from each store and methodically shop
> from place to place. All the stores are within a 3-mile radius from home,
> so there's little lost in driving cost making a trip to as many as we need
> to.
>
> --
> Wayne Boatwright @¿@¬

We are fortunate to have a very large chest freezer.
We take trips to austin every couple of months and I can stock up on
meats at Fiesta. Sometimes a road trip is in order. ;-)

I can also hit the asian markets where a lot of good stuff is remarkably
inexpensive.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article >,
"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:

> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message >
> > Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
> > I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
> > our diets. It's too important.
> >
> > I mostly just shop sales. ;-)
>
> In the past year, increased property taxes, oil, electric have taken
> over$200 a month extra, not to mention gas.
>
> Less steak, more chicken. I'm not going to stop buying the better cuts for
> steak, but I will eat it less often.

Same here.

> Chicken thighs are a favorite here and
> are incredibly cheap. I watch the sales and stock up on things that are on
> sale. Ever look at the "use by" dates on some products? I've not had cream
> cheese that was not on sale for over a year and in the factory package, it
> is good for a couple of months minimum. Same with butter, ice cream and
> other things that freeze well.

I've found dairy products to have very conservative outdates.
I've uses stuff stored in my own 'frige that was 2 months out of date
and still fine. A lot of dairy stuff can be frozen too. Milk, butter,
cheese..... I buy a lot of pre-shredded cheese for cooking and freeze it
as soon as I get it home.

>
> Get to know your store's sale cycles. Ice cream brands take turns, certain
> dairy product rotate. We don't buy soda, but the Pepsi and Coke products
> alternate.
>
> I think the club stores are good also. If you know what you want, have a
> feel for comparative prices, you can save a bundle. The whole pork loin
> that I bought for $1.89 sells for $4.99 once cut up in the supermarket. We
> can easily save $1 to $3 a pound on meats. The Foodsaver comes in handy
> after our monthly trip to BJ's.

Oh yeah! ;-)
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > schreef in bericht
...
> My budget is getting squeezed tighter and tighter due to the rising cost
> of living. I chalk most of it up to the price of oil/fuel. Everything
> has to be transported so fuel prices affect _everything_!
>
> Now that we've gotten used to eating a healthier diet, I'm refusing to
> go back to eating crap just because it's cheaper! Our main diet consists
> of fresh meats and fresh produce. I don't like frozen veggies, I've
> tried. I know they are cheaper. The "No salt added" canned" however are
> not bad, but I still don't even use a lot of those.
>
> I think the biggest area I've had to cut back on has been red meat. We
> eat more chicken than anything else but fortunately, there are a million
> and one ways to cook it.
>
> As far as greens go, I won't compromise! Salads for instance. Our
> preferred green is fresh pre-cleaned baby spinach leaves followed
> closely by boston butter lettuce. After that it's red or green leaf
> lettuce, then romaine. We really don't care for iceberg. Good texture
> but no flavor.
>
> We do eat a lot of brocolli and some cauliflower as well as a lot of
> carrots and squash, but we only eat asparagus when it drops below $3.00
> per lb. We do not eat potatoes. Period. No pasta either and limited
> amounts of bread. The only beans we eat are black soybeans. Tomatoes and
> avocados are included depending on current prices.
>
> Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
> I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
> our diets. It's too important.
>
> I mostly just shop sales. ;-)
> --
> Peace!
> Om
>

I liek to cook stews and sauces and freeze those. The price per portion is
low - especially when I use a lot of veg in them. Part of that veg tends to
be canned tomateos, so that's cheap. Pulses are also cheap. I rarely buy jam
because I make my own. I grow herbs on my balcony. I buy no name brands of
"staple" foods (mostly flours). I plan my meals - I hardly ever need to toss
food.
I buy a lot of unprocessed food. No flavored yogurts, single servings of
desserts and whatnot>

I think all those things help to keep my budget down. i spebnd about 35
Euros a week, for one person. That includes some organic foods and expensive
bread. Good bread is important to me.

Sometimes I find my own approach ridiculous, though. If I spent less money
on (cookbooks), on clothes, or in cafes, I could buy many more expensive
ingredients for my meals. It's a matter of priorities, I guess.

In article >,
"Jke" > wrote:

> I liek to cook stews and sauces and freeze those. The price per portion is
> low - especially when I use a lot of veg in them. Part of that veg tends to
> be canned tomateos, so that's cheap. Pulses are also cheap. I rarely buy jam
> because I make my own. I grow herbs on my balcony. I buy no name brands of
> "staple" foods (mostly flours). I plan my meals - I hardly ever need to toss
> food.

I try very hard not to. Meal planning helps with that.

> I buy a lot of unprocessed food. No flavored yogurts, single servings of
> desserts and whatnot>
>
> I think all those things help to keep my budget down. i spebnd about 35
> Euros a week, for one person. That includes some organic foods and expensive
> bread. Good bread is important to me.
>
> Sometimes I find my own approach ridiculous, though. If I spent less money
> on (cookbooks), on clothes, or in cafes, I could buy many more expensive
> ingredients for my meals. It's a matter of priorities, I guess.

That's it in a nutshell.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 07:32:02 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
> wrote:

>Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
>I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
>our diets. It's too important.

When James got laid off a couple of years ago (I was a vegan at the
time, and he's a type-2 diabetic), we decided to make a game out of
getting the best food we could get for the limited amount of money we
had to work with. We eat a lot of beans and rice and TVP (they're
really cheap), but we do interesting things with them, and they're
usually alongside the freshest in-season veggies we've ever had,
because we have a lovely produce market and several great farmer's
markets here. We both feel we eat better than we ever did before, on
less money. We eat almost no prepared foods at all, and very little
meat, but we're healthier than ever, and our budget (even though we
both have relatively low-paying jobs) isn't stretched beyond its
capacity.

serene
--
Kissing Hank's Ass is 10 years old! http://jhuger.com/kisshank
My personal blog: http://serenejournal.livejournal.com
My new cooking blog: http://serenecooking.livejournal.com

Buy local from farmers: fresh, better tasting than grocery chains,
saves on gas, good for the local economy.
jill stardust

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> My budget is getting squeezed tighter and tighter due to the rising cost
> of living. I chalk most of it up to the price of oil/fuel. Everything
> has to be transported so fuel prices affect _everything_!
>
> Now that we've gotten used to eating a healthier diet, I'm refusing to
> go back to eating crap just because it's cheaper! Our main diet consists
> of fresh meats and fresh produce. I don't like frozen veggies, I've
> tried. I know they are cheaper. The "No salt added" canned" however are
> not bad, but I still don't even use a lot of those.
>
> I think the biggest area I've had to cut back on has been red meat. We
> eat more chicken than anything else but fortunately, there are a million
> and one ways to cook it.
>
> As far as greens go, I won't compromise! Salads for instance. Our
> preferred green is fresh pre-cleaned baby spinach leaves followed
> closely by boston butter lettuce. After that it's red or green leaf
> lettuce, then romaine. We really don't care for iceberg. Good texture
> but no flavor.
>
> We do eat a lot of brocolli and some cauliflower as well as a lot of
> carrots and squash, but we only eat asparagus when it drops below $3.00
> per lb. We do not eat potatoes. Period. No pasta either and limited
> amounts of bread. The only beans we eat are black soybeans. Tomatoes and
> avocados are included depending on current prices.
>
> Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
> I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
> our diets. It's too important.
>
> I mostly just shop sales. ;-)
> --
> Peace!
> Om
>
> "My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
> -- Jack Nicholson

"jill" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Buy local from farmers: fresh, better tasting than grocery chains,
> saves on gas, good for the local economy.
> jill stardust
>
> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>> My budget is getting squeezed tighter and tighter due to the rising cost
>> of living. I chalk most of it up to the price of oil/fuel. Everything
>> has to be transported so fuel prices affect _everything_!
>>
>> Now that we've gotten used to eating a healthier diet, I'm refusing to
>> go back to eating crap just because it's cheaper! Our main diet consists
>> of fresh meats and fresh produce. I don't like frozen veggies, I've
>> tried. I know they are cheaper. The "No salt added" canned" however are
>> not bad, but I still don't even use a lot of those.
>>
>> I think the biggest area I've had to cut back on has been red meat. We
>> eat more chicken than anything else but fortunately, there are a million
>> and one ways to cook it.
>>
>> As far as greens go, I won't compromise! Salads for instance. Our
>> preferred green is fresh pre-cleaned baby spinach leaves followed
>> closely by boston butter lettuce. After that it's red or green leaf
>> lettuce, then romaine. We really don't care for iceberg. Good texture
>> but no flavor.
>>
>> We do eat a lot of brocolli and some cauliflower as well as a lot of
>> carrots and squash, but we only eat asparagus when it drops below $3.00
>> per lb. We do not eat potatoes. Period. No pasta either and limited
>> amounts of bread. The only beans we eat are black soybeans. Tomatoes and
>> avocados are included depending on current prices.
>>
>> Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
>> I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
>> our diets. It's too important.

Om we shop and eat in exactly the same way! Real food is what it is all
about

O

In article >,
Serene > wrote:

> On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 07:32:02 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
> > wrote:
>
> >Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
> >I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
> >our diets. It's too important.
>
> When James got laid off a couple of years ago (I was a vegan at the
> time, and he's a type-2 diabetic), we decided to make a game out of
> getting the best food we could get for the limited amount of money we
> had to work with. We eat a lot of beans and rice and TVP (they're
> really cheap), but we do interesting things with them, and they're
> usually alongside the freshest in-season veggies we've ever had,
> because we have a lovely produce market and several great farmer's
> markets here. We both feel we eat better than we ever did before, on
> less money. We eat almost no prepared foods at all, and very little
> meat, but we're healthier than ever, and our budget (even though we
> both have relatively low-paying jobs) isn't stretched beyond its
> capacity.
>
> serene

We do still eat rice...
I'm fixin' to make a largish batch of "fried rice" today.
Won't really be fried tho'. :-) Will contain leeks, garlic, mushrooms,
chicken, shrimp and a few spices. Rice has been pre-cooked and ready to
go in phoenix claw stock.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article 1>,
"Michael \"Dog3\" Lonergan" > wrote:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet > news:Omelet-
> :
>
> <snip for space>
>
>
> I relate to the healthy diet but I really don't budget much when it comes
> to food. I seldom buy canned food and almost always hit the store on a
> daily basis. I use the butcher and fish monger a lot, don't know if it's
> more or less expensive. I can tell you ANYTHING with "NO" or low on the
> label is outrageous in price. If I have a recipe calling for chicken broth
> and don't have home made in the freezer I have to buy it. The low sodium
> canned is about a dime higher than regular.

I'm lucky in that regard. :-)
The "no salt added" canned are pretty much the same price. Maybe 1 or 2
cents higher at most.

>
> >
> > I think the biggest area I've had to cut back on has been red meat. We
> > eat more chicken than anything else but fortunately, there are a million
> > and one ways to cook it.
>
> Well, Steven is a meat and potatoes man so I love the versatility of red
> meat. Personally my fave is fish. I love fish and can't get enough of it.

I still eat it, I just have to buy what is on sale.

>
>
> >
> > As far as greens go, I won't compromise!
> > I mostly just shop sales. ;-)
>
> I usually buy what I want but am price conscious. I *usually* go to
> farmer's markets for fresh produce, but then I have the time to do so. I
> have no idea if it's less expensive to buy at the farmer's market or not,
> but IMO, the fruit and produce is fresher.
>
> Michael

I know we have a local one, I'm just not sure when and where it is right
now. They keep moving it...
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 13:41:11 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
> wrote:

>We do still eat rice...
>I'm fixin' to make a largish batch of "fried rice" today.
>Won't really be fried tho'. :-) Will contain leeks, garlic, mushrooms,
>chicken, shrimp and a few spices. Rice has been pre-cooked and ready to
>go in phoenix claw stock.

Can I eat at your house? :-)

serene
--
Kissing Hank's Ass is 10 years old! http://jhuger.com/kisshank
My personal blog: http://serenejournal.livejournal.com
My new cooking blog: http://serenecooking.livejournal.com

In article . com>,
"jill" > wrote:

> Buy local from farmers: fresh, better tasting than grocery chains,
> saves on gas, good for the local economy.
> jill stardust

If I can find them...
The city keeps relocating them!
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article >,
"Ophelia" > wrote:

> Om we shop and eat in exactly the same way! Real food is what it is all
> about
>
> O

Indeed... ;-)
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article >,
Serene > wrote:

> On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 13:41:11 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
> > wrote:
>
> >We do still eat rice...
> >I'm fixin' to make a largish batch of "fried rice" today.
> >Won't really be fried tho'. :-) Will contain leeks, garlic, mushrooms,
> >chicken, shrimp and a few spices. Rice has been pre-cooked and ready to
> >go in phoenix claw stock.
>
> Can I eat at your house? :-)
>
> serene

Anytime luv. ;-D
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

OmManiPadmeOmelet > writes:

>Now that we've gotten used to eating a healthier diet, I'm refusing to
>go back to eating crap just because it's cheaper!

I feel exactly the same, but there's times when I'm forced to eat the
cheaper foods. Chicken and fish prices around here have been
astronomical. Organic veggies are expensive when they're not available
at the Farmer's Market, too.
My biggest problem is making the same old thing different every week.
There are certain foods we buy all the time because of their cost, and
it can get boring. Here's some of my ideas for side dishes but they're
not all potato/pasta free.

* Lightly steam asparagus, marinate in Italian dressing and tarragon for
a couple of hours. Drain, and mix the leftover marinade with a little
mayonnaise for dip. Serve chilled. I love this in the summer.

* For those who do eat potatoes, flavored mashed potatoes (wasabi, blue
cheese, cheddar, etc.) change things up a little. Also using different
spices (pre-mixed, even) for baked cottage fries really helps.

* Toss some zucchini and peppers in a little balsamic in a non-stick pan
until heated through, add a few tablespoons of thick spaghetti sauce,
heat through, top with a hint of shredded asiago.

* Rice pilaf, or rice boiled in stock, sometimes with veggies added.

* Similarly, I like to saute onion and garlic in butter in a pan, add
cooking sherry and some mushrooms, cook it down and toss with boiled egg
noodles.

That's all I can think of right now.

Stacia

Wayne Boatwright <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> writes:

>markets here seem to have the best buys on produce, but with several major
>supermarket chains in the area, there is good competitive pricing most of
>the time.

I think that's our biggest problem. We have a craptastic Aldi's, a
local market called Ray's, and Dillons and that's it. There's no
competition and if we want decent food we have to buy at Dillons, where
prices are pretty high.
Oddly, their non-food items aren't so bad, so we save gas money buying
everything at one store just once a week.

Stacia

At only 2% of the population, you bet we farmers get bullied and pushed
around a lot. This is why I beg people to open their eyes: at this rate
small family farms could cease to exist in a few decades: and if that
happens, there will be no no choice but exhorbidant prices and/or bad
food. The other option is to grow some of your food. Ya know Omelet, if
you were my neighbor I would probably give you some of that wonderful
fresh lettuce I could not get to market to sell yesterday. Moral of the
story is: it would be really nice if people would start to sing that
old song en-mass "Where have all the Farmers gone?" It's a good
question for politicians.In the Meantime, localharvest.org has a really
good list of some of them. I would be the one that's Cedar Hill Farm in
Minnesota
jill stardust


OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> In article . com>,
> "jill" > wrote:
>
> > Buy local from farmers: fresh, better tasting than grocery chains,
> > saves on gas, good for the local economy.
> > jill stardust
>
> If I can find them...
> The city keeps relocating them!
> --
> Peace!
> Om
>
> "My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
> -- Jack Nicholson

jill wrote:
> At only 2% of the population, you bet we farmers get bullied and pushed
> around a lot. This is why I beg people to open their eyes: at this rate
> small family farms could cease to exist in a few decades: and if that
> happens, there will be no no choice but exhorbidant prices and/or bad
> food. The other option is to grow some of your food. Ya know Omelet, if
> you were my neighbor I would probably give you some of that wonderful
> fresh lettuce I could not get to market to sell yesterday. Moral of the
> story is: it would be really nice if people would start to sing that
> old song en-mass "Where have all the Farmers gone?" It's a good
> question for politicians.In the Meantime, localharvest.org has a really
> good list of some of them. I would be the one that's Cedar Hill Farm in
> Minnesota
> jill stardust
>
Unfortunately all of the marketing by big companies creates the idea
that small businesses in general are incompetent, incabable and maybe
even evil. When the truth is that is where to go to get the best quality
and service.

"jill" > wrote in news:1151870433.476771.259800@
75g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

> "Where have all the Farmers gone?"


From a baby until about 10 years old we used to spend the summers on an
organic farm (probably 500 acres or so). Nothing fresher that fresh milk
every morning for breakfast with fresh eggs and corn right off the stalk,
etc. Ringing the farm bell, after gathering eggs and milking the cows, to
wake up everybody...

Sad problem was the farmers kids wanted nothing to do with the farm biz
so he had to sell it to some yuppies who also wanting nothing to do with
farming and turned the main house into a nightclub or something and
abondoned everything else. Last I heard it had changed hands again.

It's only about two hours away but I'd rather keep my memories and not
risk pulling into a walmart or something

Andy

On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 07:32:02 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
> wrote:

>My budget is getting squeezed tighter and tighter due to the rising cost
>of living. I chalk most of it up to the price of oil/fuel. Everything
>has to be transported so fuel prices affect _everything_!
<snip>
>Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
>I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
>our diets. It's too important.

Not yet, but I'm holding my breath. I do expect there will be a rise
in prices due to the cost of energy with a concomitant shrinking of
disposable income as heating/cooling goes up.

My food costs are relatively minor as I don't buy much meat.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

In article >,
(Stacia) wrote:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet > writes:
>
> >Now that we've gotten used to eating a healthier diet, I'm refusing to
> >go back to eating crap just because it's cheaper!
>
> I feel exactly the same, but there's times when I'm forced to eat the
> cheaper foods. Chicken and fish prices around here have been
> astronomical. Organic veggies are expensive when they're not available
> at the Farmer's Market, too.
> My biggest problem is making the same old thing different every week.
> There are certain foods we buy all the time because of their cost, and
> it can get boring. Here's some of my ideas for side dishes but they're
> not all potato/pasta free.

So what do you do for protein?
It's generally not difficult to get chicken for under $1.00 per lb. here.
Eggs are a good source and they are probably one of the cheapest sources
of animal protein, and are very versatile.

>
> * Lightly steam asparagus, marinate in Italian dressing and tarragon for
> a couple of hours. Drain, and mix the leftover marinade with a little
> mayonnaise for dip. Serve chilled. I love this in the summer.

See, we love asparagus too, but it's generally over $3.00 per lb. here.
It's one of the most expensive veggies!

Brocolli, cauliflower, summer squashes, carrots and a lot of greens are
generally affordable.

>
> * For those who do eat potatoes, flavored mashed potatoes (wasabi, blue
> cheese, cheddar, etc.) change things up a little. Also using different
> spices (pre-mixed, even) for baked cottage fries really helps.

Sounds good, but I do that stuff with yams. ;-)

>
> * Toss some zucchini and peppers in a little balsamic in a non-stick pan
> until heated through, add a few tablespoons of thick spaghetti sauce,
> heat through, top with a hint of shredded asiago.

That works!

>
> * Rice pilaf, or rice boiled in stock, sometimes with veggies added.

Rice is a fantastic food expander. It's an item that goes, I think, with
just about anything. I just did a rice dish today.

>
> * Similarly, I like to saute onion and garlic in butter in a pan, add
> cooking sherry and some mushrooms, cook it down and toss with boiled egg
> noodles.

That sounds really wonderful!

>
> That's all I can think of right now.
>
> Stacia
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article . com>,
"jill" > wrote:

> At only 2% of the population, you bet we farmers get bullied and pushed
> around a lot. This is why I beg people to open their eyes: at this rate
> small family farms could cease to exist in a few decades: and if that
> happens, there will be no no choice but exhorbidant prices and/or bad
> food. The other option is to grow some of your food. Ya know Omelet, if
> you were my neighbor I would probably give you some of that wonderful
> fresh lettuce I could not get to market to sell yesterday. Moral of the
> story is: it would be really nice if people would start to sing that
> old song en-mass "Where have all the Farmers gone?" It's a good
> question for politicians.In the Meantime, localharvest.org has a really
> good list of some of them. I would be the one that's Cedar Hill Farm in
> Minnesota
> jill stardust
>

The one problem that I've run into trying to grow my own here is the
cost of water.... I've saved money by cutting back drastically on my
gardening attempts. :-(

Since I have to pay the city by the gallon, it's cheaper to purchase
veggies than to grow them.

<sigh>
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article >,
(Curly Sue) wrote:

> On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 07:32:02 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet
> > wrote:
>
> >My budget is getting squeezed tighter and tighter due to the rising cost
> >of living. I chalk most of it up to the price of oil/fuel. Everything
> >has to be transported so fuel prices affect _everything_!
> <snip>
> >Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
> >I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
> >our diets. It's too important.
>
> Not yet, but I'm holding my breath. I do expect there will be a rise
> in prices due to the cost of energy with a concomitant shrinking of
> disposable income as heating/cooling goes up.
>
> My food costs are relatively minor as I don't buy much meat.
>
> Sue(tm)
> Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

I do. :-p
Every meal has a meat portion.
It's the price of low carbing.......
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 18:34:25 GMT, "Ophelia" > wrote:

>
>"jill" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>> Buy local from farmers: fresh, better tasting than grocery chains,
>> saves on gas, good for the local economy.
>> jill stardust
>>
>> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:

>>> Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
>>> I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
>>> our diets. It's too important.
>
>Om we shop and eat in exactly the same way! Real food is what it is all
>about
>
>O
>

Ditto here.

Christine

On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 07:32:02 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet >
wrote:
>Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
>I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
>our diets. It's too important.
>
>I mostly just shop sales. ;-)

When we moved from Pa. to Southern Ariz.
it was a case of grocery sticker-shock.

( and we thought that being closer to Cal, Mex.
would mean lower food prices )

Part of the prob is 2 main grocery stores in town
that must "price-fix".

We make a monthly run to a WalMart to stock up
on dry goods.

Buy local meats, fruits and veggies only on sale.


<rj>

On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 12:57:38 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:

>
>"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message >
>> Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
>> I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
>> our diets. It's too important.
>>
>> I mostly just shop sales. ;-)
>
>In the past year, increased property taxes, oil, electric have taken
>over$200 a month extra, not to mention gas.
>

But... the government keeps insisting
that the cost-of-living isn't going up !

( except for congress... they need a pay-raise every year )


<rj>

In article >,
"<RJ>" > wrote:

> On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 07:32:02 -0500, OmManiPadmeOmelet >
> wrote:
> >Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
> >I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
> >our diets. It's too important.
> >
> >I mostly just shop sales. ;-)
>
> When we moved from Pa. to Southern Ariz.
> it was a case of grocery sticker-shock.
>
> ( and we thought that being closer to Cal, Mex.
> would mean lower food prices )

You wish. ;-)

>
> Part of the prob is 2 main grocery stores in town
> that must "price-fix".

Same here. We bounce between Wal-mart and HEB.
I can stock up tho' for better prices if I take a road trip to Austin.
It's only 30 to 40 miles so no biggey.

>
> We make a monthly run to a WalMart to stock up
> on dry goods.

Best way to handle it IMHO if you have storage space.
I've bought several of those rubbermade cabinets. This house had squat
for storage space!

>
> Buy local meats, fruits and veggies only on sale.

Sales flyers. They are a good thing!

>
>
> <rj>
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article >,
"<RJ>" > wrote:

> On Sun, 02 Jul 2006 12:57:38 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote:
>
> >
> >"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message >
> >> Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
> >> I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
> >> our diets. It's too important.
> >>
> >> I mostly just shop sales. ;-)
> >
> >In the past year, increased property taxes, oil, electric have taken
> >over$200 a month extra, not to mention gas.
> >
>
> But... the government keeps insisting
> that the cost-of-living isn't going up !
>
> ( except for congress... they need a pay-raise every year )
>
>
> <rj>

<snork>
Going there is off topic. <G>
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article . com>,
says...
> Buy local from farmers: fresh, better tasting than grocery chains,
> saves on gas, good for the local economy.
> jill stardust

Nice thought but around here the little farmers market deals set their
prices to match the supermarkets. As such you get some astronomical
prices.

"T" > wrote in message
. ..
> In article . com>,
> says...
>> Buy local from farmers: fresh, better tasting than grocery chains,
>> saves on gas, good for the local economy.
>> jill stardust
>
> Nice thought but around here the little farmers market deals set their
> prices to match the supermarkets. As such you get some astronomical
> prices.

The farmers here set prices as to what they have to get to earn a living.
Some are higher, some are lower, but the quality is far superior so I pay
what they ask. Tomatoes are $3 a pound. Strawberries were $4.50 a quart.
Potatoes are about a dollar IIRC. A few of the farmers have not been in a
supermarket for a few years and have no clue what they charge, nor do they
care.

but you are supporting the local economy by buying local, building
community, using less gas (transportation of vegies from out of the
country costs a lot more, it is costing the planet dearly by us
dredging up more and more and more oil) not to mention you have more
quality control: you can always insist on seeing a local farmer's farm
and tell them what you would like , but, (do you know or can you even
find out how the grower of those vegetabes from out of the country,
what kinds of fertilizers and waters were applied (I will try to be
gentle: in some countries waters contain things like human wastes,
carcasses, and other unknown factory pollutants which do make their way
into the food people put in thier bodies).
jill stardust
T wrote:
> In article . com>,
> says...
> > Buy local from farmers: fresh, better tasting than grocery chains,
> > saves on gas, good for the local economy.
> > jill stardust
>
> Nice thought but around here the little farmers market deals set their
> prices to match the supermarkets. As such you get some astronomical
> prices.

That's true here too. It is extremely hard work, many farm kids just
could not make a go of it, and many who still do farm also have to work
another job to make ends meet. I thank God every day that I still get
to eak out a living (barely) on this farm And I'm afraid we are all so
entrenched in the fast fix corporate bs that pretty soon we will not
have choices. If you are ever in the area, stop by, I hope we will be
too.
jill stardust

Andy wrote:
> "jill" > wrote in news:1151870433.476771.259800@
> 75g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:
>
> > "Where have all the Farmers gone?"
>
>
> From a baby until about 10 years old we used to spend the summers on an
> organic farm (probably 500 acres or so). Nothing fresher that fresh milk
> every morning for breakfast with fresh eggs and corn right off the stalk,
> etc. Ringing the farm bell, after gathering eggs and milking the cows, to
> wake up everybody...
>
> Sad problem was the farmers kids wanted nothing to do with the farm biz
> so he had to sell it to some yuppies who also wanting nothing to do with
> farming and turned the main house into a nightclub or something and
> abondoned everything else. Last I heard it had changed hands again.
>
> It's only about two hours away but I'd rather keep my memories and not
> risk pulling into a walmart or something
>
> Andy

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
> I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
> our diets. It's too important.
>
> I mostly just shop sales. ;-)

Not really. We're pretty frugal, anyway, and always have been. I shop
at the warehouse grocer, and buy stuff on sale, generally. We eat well
- no problem there...

-L.

In article .com>,
"-L." > wrote:

> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> > Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
> > I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
> > our diets. It's too important.
> >
> > I mostly just shop sales. ;-)
>
> Not really. We're pretty frugal, anyway, and always have been. I shop
> at the warehouse grocer, and buy stuff on sale, generally. We eat well
> - no problem there...
>
> -L.

The only real compromise I think for us has just been less red meat due
to prices. That, and while I prefer T-bones and rib eyes, I've been
buying more shoulder and chuck. Dad can't eat it but I can... I can't
find my damned jaquard! It's been mis-laid. I'll have to probably
purchase a new one.
--
Peace!
Om

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
-- Jack Nicholson

In article . com>,
"jill" > wrote:

> I would be the one that's Cedar Hill Farm in
> Minnesota

Jill, do you ever get down to the St. Paul Farmer's Market?

sd

In article >,
OmManiPadmeOmelet > wrote:

> Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
> I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to "cheapen"
> our diets. It's too important.

Haven't yet, really, mostly because I, too, am reluctant to buy
"cheap" food, but also because I think things will get worse this
fall.

The farmer's markets here are a boon to a food budget, at least for
vegetables. But the season here is very short.

One thing I do to bring costs down is to eat seasonally. Fresh
out-of-season fruits and vegetables can get expensive quickly. I
won't be eating another orange or tangerine until frost. They may be
in season halfway across the world, but that doesn't make eating
them worthwhile or particularly responsible.

Another money saver is foods which haven't "caught on" yet. 'Tis the
season for snow pea pod shoots, and, at the farmer's market, they're
downright cheap. At a dollar for _several_ healthy servings, they're
much less expensive than spinach. Many people I know who aren't
crazy about greens _like_ "pea tips". Maybe you'll still prefer
spinach, but it would be a less-expensive option.

If you don't already know how to cut up a whole chicken, it's easy
to learn; whole chickens usually cost less per pound than cut-up
chickens. At my co-op, they take the meat that is near its sell-by
dat, freeze it, and sell it at a discount. If the menu that week can
handle the wait to defrost, I'll buy that meat rather than spend
more to buy it fresh.

And, of course, be flexible. If I want to buy sole some week but
halibut is on sale and cheaper, I'll either try to substitute
halibut in whatever recipe I have planned or I'll ditch the sole
idea and make something with halibut.

HTH...

sd

jill wrote:
> Buy local from farmers: fresh, better tasting than grocery chains,
> saves on gas, good for the local economy.
> jill stardust
>
That's all well and good, a noble sentiment and all that, but one does not
always have access to a farmer's market.

There is one at the Agricenter in Germantown, TN, however the hours are a
bit constrictive, especially for people who work. A hypothetical he
Assume you get off work at 5PM. The market closes at 6PM Mon-Fri and at
5:30PM on Saturday. Not open on Sunday. If you work in the *city* of
Memphis, given the traffic you just can't be sure you'll get to the market
before it closes during the work week. Saturday is an option, but only if
you don't have a million other things to do. I'm fortunate in that I don't
have children to chauffer all over the place to different events but for
others it could be an issue.

The other farmer's market is all the way downtown in Memphis and this is the
first year it's been there. No way would that be convenient for me, to say
nothing of saving on gas money since it's a good 30 miles from where I live.
It also appears from what I read online to only be open for a half a day on
*Saturday*.

Jill

> OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
>> My budget is getting squeezed tighter and tighter due to the rising
>> cost of living. I chalk most of it up to the price of oil/fuel.
>> Everything has to be transported so fuel prices affect _everything_!
>>
>> Now that we've gotten used to eating a healthier diet, I'm refusing
>> to go back to eating crap just because it's cheaper! Our main diet
>> consists of fresh meats and fresh produce. I don't like frozen
>> veggies, I've tried. I know they are cheaper. The "No salt added"
>> canned" however are not bad, but I still don't even use a lot of
>> those.
>>
>> I think the biggest area I've had to cut back on has been red meat.
>> We eat more chicken than anything else but fortunately, there are a
>> million and one ways to cook it.
>>
>> As far as greens go, I won't compromise! Salads for instance. Our
>> preferred green is fresh pre-cleaned baby spinach leaves followed
>> closely by boston butter lettuce. After that it's red or green leaf
>> lettuce, then romaine. We really don't care for iceberg. Good texture
>> but no flavor.
>>
>> We do eat a lot of brocolli and some cauliflower as well as a lot of
>> carrots and squash, but we only eat asparagus when it drops below
>> $3.00 per lb. We do not eat potatoes. Period. No pasta either and
>> limited amounts of bread. The only beans we eat are black soybeans.
>> Tomatoes and avocados are included depending on current prices.
>>
>> Has anyone else had to make any compromises due to rising prices?
>> I've just had to cut back on other items but I'm reluctant to
>> "cheapen" our diets. It's too important.
>>
>> I mostly just shop sales. ;-)
>> --
>> Peace!
>> Om
>>
>> "My mother never saw the irony in calling me a Son of a bitch"
>> -- Jack Nicholson