Food Costs Getting to You?

 

If you and your family are anything like ours, you have probably seen the cost of food skyrocket.  We live on a budget and it is becoming increasingly difficult to stay within our budget with the rising cost of food, fuel and just about everything else.  Every time we glance at the headlines, or catch a few moments of the evening news, it seems that rising food costs are the primary topic.  So, I thought I would try to capture some of the things we are doing during this financial crunch to minimize the impact to our budget.  Hopefully these will also help you and your economic outlook.

1. We are cooking more meals with beans - all kinds of beans.  Although dried and canned beans have seen a jump in price, they are still an incredibly inexpensive way to enjoy healthy, hearty fare the whole family will enjoy.  For bean recipes, click here.
2. We are using our slow cooker to prepare meals.  During the long days of summer our air conditioner can make our electric bill climb.  Rather than heating up the house with the stove and oven, I simply prepare a meal in the crockpot and let it simmer all day or overnight in the garage.  I've added two new crockpot recipes, Lentil and Kale Soup and Farmer's Market Chili. Much to my surprise and delight, my kids love both of these!
3. We have been keeping a very accurate and up-to-date shopping list so that we only have to make one trip a week to the grocery store.  I have found that the more often I am in a store, the more I spend. 
4. We have recently been participating in a local co-op.  I have been pleasantly surprised at how much we have been able to save while beginning to enjoy organic fruits and vegetables.  You may have to do a little networking and detective work to find one, but I have found it is definitely worth the effort.
5. We have always paid close attention to the price of food, and now we are even more diligent.  I have started planning my menu only after I have shopped the sales and kitchen produce at our local co-op.  It's been an interesting change.  Some weeks we gorge ourselves on plums, and other weeks on bananas.  Some weeks on zucchini and other weeks on eggplant .  It makes for an interesting way to eat - and one which we all love.  By the end of the week when plums were plentiful and inexpensive, we are ready to move on to the next good deal.  It kind of reminds me of how people must have eaten before the appearance of the global marketplace and the advent of food preservation.
6. We have also become hyper-vigilant about not wasting any of our food.  If I end up throwing some of our good deals away, then they end up not being a good deal after all.  So, we pay close attention to our fresh fruits and veggies.  If anything appears to be slipping past its prime, I alter my menu for the day or chop it and freeze it for future use.  Frozen fruit is always great in smoothies and frozen vegetables are a great way to make a quick and easy stir-fry or soup.

 

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Tim Russert, of NBC's Meet the Press, recently passed away from a heart attack. Here is an interesting article from Dr John McDougall, a leading authority on health and nutrition. Read what he says could have saved Russert's life, and will help to prolong yours.

I now have available My First Cookbook. It will be available at my cooking demonstrations or order online here.

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