Switching from organics and farm-based foods to conventional food shopping - Page 2

[kathymuggle]

Garden.  Seriously.  I can grow a summers worth of veggies for under 30$  We are still eating some of the garlic and dried herbs from last summer (all organic) and I have some tomatoes in the freezer.  From June-September I buy  almost no veggies...from September - December, I buy about 1/2 and use the remainder of the garden produce. 

If you are looking at it from a frugal point of view, plant the things you love that are pricey.  Example - I do not plant carrots and potatoes, as they are very cheap where I live.   I plant other things my family enjoys that are pricier.

[melissel]

Thank you, everyone, for all your thoughts. Unfortunately, we can't garden. It just kills me We have huge, mature trees all over our property, and then more on our neighbors' properties. It's great for keeping the house cool during the spring and summer, but no location in the yard gets more than 3 hours of continuous sun. I spent the last two years trying to container garden, but my plants are small and spindly and don't bear any fruit *sigh* My Baker Creek catalog came in the mail a few weeks ago and made me so sad! I can plant some small things that do OK, like mint and some herbs, but nothing else will thrive. Actually, I plan to do some greens this year and see how they do--I think that will help a bit. The ones I planted that first year turned out really bitter though!

I do menu plan, and part of my problem might be that I tried to be somewhat creative this month. I think I need to settle back into more boring meals, LOL! And no, it doesn't have to be all or nothing, definitely. I'm pretty accustomed to not really watching for sales, because when I was working and DH was making more, my main goal was to reduce trips to the grocery store, so I'd stock up up whatever we needed wherever I was at the time, regardless of price. I guess I need to dig out the old price book again (hopefully I can keep DD5 from turning it into a work of art this time!).

And yes, I can feed the kids some of the things I can't eat. I actually already do--they do eat oatmeal and regular bread, just not a lot because I'm worried about them developing the same sensitivities I have when they're older (mine didn't crop up until I was 32 or so--I spent several years suffering, not knowing what was going on, until I finally figured it out). We've generally tried to eat a more paleo-oriented diet, since that seems to be what works best for DH and me. I'll see what else I can incorporate.

On the upside, I found out yesterday that the freelance job I had that I thought was losing its funding is not, at least for now. So that's a good bit of extra money each money. I don't want to USE that money for food if I don't have to, because we really need it to replenish our dwindling savings, but at least it provides some cushion just in case.

Thank you for all your thoughts. I'll have to bookmark this thread so I can refer back to it periodically for support!

[sinsaratea]

I hear you mama. Even before I was a single mama I was torn between buying all organic and local which gave me one kind of good feeling...and the abundant savings and deals I could get from buying conventional which brought about my thrifty feel good. So for the most part now, I am conventional. Occaisionally I get this urge to detox and go mega-veggie and the Harry's Farmers Market [owned by Whole Foods] is where I go as a nutritional treat when I am feeling flush with cash [though their prices on some items are not really more than my local Kroger].

1. Sometimes get a really good cut of meat/fish from Harry's when there is a good deal. The rest is frozen bagged filets from Walmart or Kroger. The salmon says it is wild caught. These are very convenient as I work a long way from home and are easy to fix.

2. Been buying things in bulk when possible. Flour and other grains [which I know you can't do as much of OP]. The bread machine I inherited from from my grandmother has been a blessing.

3. Do check Costco every once in awhile. It's hard for me to buy a large container of something for more $ even when I know it mostly breaks down to a better deal. But I get my large packages of baking soda, vinegar, spices, and cat food there.

4. And yeah, ignorance. The reality is what it is. Supplement with the farmer's market and other things when you can, but otherwise know that eating well, if not organically, will benefit your family the most. I know I'm not a doctor or anyone who might know better, but it seems that giving them good for you foods in this fashion instead of simply giving up and eating crud is better: more people seem to be getting fat rahter than poisoned.

You are still a good mama!  And to the PP who mentioned getting the sale meats that were about to expire: that's so me. I get some awesome deals which I promptly go home and freeze for later. Just made some honey BBQ chicken thighs last night from one of my frozen stashes!

[Thystle]

Can you cut down something else in the budget instead?

Can you cut some branches or even a tree down so you can have a garden spot?

Could you raise your own chickens for eggs?

Anything you can barter the farmers with?

[MoonMum]

Why not try to grow some veggies yourself journey to forever has a great website on urban windowsill gardening.

[bigteamug]

Um, I love trees, but one of of first house projects this spring will be to get the large, tall pine tree and medium oak tree in our back yard cut down -also the med weed maple that is a given, as it is under/around the utility lines.  Our backyard faces south, our front yard is deeply shaded by neighbors' trees, so we are taking the back ones out to have a garden and chickens - enough light for small fruit trees, berries, veg, etc.  

The pine grows straight for the first 10 feet, then leans the rest of the way up - away from our house, but it's so tall it would hit the house behind if it ever came down. So I don't feel major guilt.  I agree that you should look into thinning the trees branches, and thinning the trees.  Look into veg that does passably in shade - peas, lettuce, roots, greens - tomatoes, peppers, corn, those are all out.   Maybe there is a book on gardening in shady situations? What about fruit that does ok with shade - currants, gooseberries, alpine strawberries, some of the hardy kiwis?xsz

I will also be talking the one neighbor about the trees he has - none of which have been maintained. I want a little more light, and I want the dead wood gone, as we are downwind of them and only 8 feet or so away from the trunk.  I guess legally I can cut any branches to the property line, I will ask him to let me cut large live branch all the way back to the trunk as it overhangs our roof.

So think carefully about the trees - if there is one that has a health issue anyways, maybe it could open a garden spot...even a little more light would help.  I guess you could also do sprouts inside, if that is something you'd like.

Or look into a community garden.

[newcastlemama]

To the OP:

I am on an expensive diet like yours that has controlled my chronic Lyme symptoms for about 4 years. I pretty much do higher protein (meats, eggs), produce, fats, and nuts. Beans, grains (even soaked beans and grains) and dairy do not help my body function well. Fortunately, I  can give my family whole grains, but my kids have to do goat milk which is more expensive too.  There are some great things I can get cheap here (like pastured eggs from friends) but a  lot is conventional since I must stay in my budget. I have tried many times to switch over but the math just does not work out. (and, yes..we have no cable TV, no debt besides our mortgage, buy used a lot, freecycle, cook at home, buy in bulk ect)

I don't know your religion but this Bible passage helps me a lot:

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.   (1 Timothy 4:4-5((1 Timothy 4:4-5)

Though I know organics are better, God has given me a certain amount of resources and health contraints so I receive what he has provided for me with thanksgiving that I don't have to be in pain and the food is nourishing my body for service. So, I guess what helps me is thinking "thank you Lord for my groceries" instead of "these pesticides are killing me." Actually, I was buying mostly conventional food when I intiatally healed from many health issues I had so they can't be lethal poison.

Hope that helps!

[JudiAU]

I think that our family has gotten to the point that if there was no way to afford eggs/milk/meat that we believe in we'd stop eating them. There is just no way I would give my kids confined eggs, non-organic milk, and caged chicken. We'd have to go vegan or something similar or seriously reduce our consumption of those items. One thing that we do is buy in bulk and animal share.

I have no idea what you are currently paying but Eight O'Clock ranch is half the price of local meat. Might be worth shopping around and comparing prices. In your area so shipping is free. We usually buy half a lamb from them.

In my experience, a lot of farm shares and delivery systems are much more expensive than say, Whole Foods or local shops, even when certified organic. You might be able to reduce your expenses by chosing a different source. Less howling at the full moon and dancing your beans into the ground though... :-)