Canadian Thread? - Page 2

[Island Mommy]

Just got back from the grocery store. Organic chicken breasts are $35/kg, thighs are $25/kilo. Is that comparable to what you pay?

I know I've been harping on the cost of groceries but I do want to state that I consider the price worth it in many cases. I believe that many things in our society are underpriced which causes us to overconsume. However, I wish that plastic goods from China would about quadruple in price and grocery costs could be a little more reasonable!

One of the other reasons I can't seem to get our grocery bill any lower is because my dd is a picky eater. I try not to make more than one meal for dinner but in doing so, I tend not to make soups or stews or casseroles because dd won't eat any of those. Anyone else have this problem?

[bwylde]

Originally Posted by Island Mommy

Just got back from the grocery store. Organic chicken breasts are $35/kg, thighs are $25/kilo. Is that comparable to what you pay?

I know I've been harping on the cost of groceries but I do want to state that I consider the price worth it in many cases. I believe that many things in our society are underpriced which causes us to overconsume. However, I wish that plastic goods from China would about quadruple in price and grocery costs could be a little more reasonable!

One of the other reasons I can't seem to get our grocery bill any lower is because my dd is a picky eater. I try not to make more than one meal for dinner but in doing so, I tend not to make soups or stews or casseroles because dd won't eat any of those. Anyone else have this problem?

Yeah, that sounds about what they cost here, hence why we don't buy them, lol!! I feel bad that the farmers don't get their worth for their product. I know that food is seriously underpriced in the stores but I know we could not afford to eat otherwise. Living where we do we can't really live off the land (although we are going to see about community gardening this year to attempt to grow some). I would like to support more local farmers, but they just don't sell direct to the public, or at least none I have found. In the fall we try to go to the Valley (Kentville-Wolfville area) to get produce, usually directly from the growers, to prepare for the year but we didn't make it this year due to our unreliable vehicle. I'm feeling the lack now!

Our kids are super picky too. I always seem to have to make two meals and I know that adds to our expense. Like tonight we had corn chowder (I am down to about 20lbs from our 50lbs bag of potatoes I bought for $4 this fall ). DD just crumbled crackers into hers then wouldn't touch it and DS had tacos (left over from last night). Almost any meal I can make cheap, they won't touch unless it's crappy processed stuff like Mr. Noodles (fun with chop sticks; I'm trying to find an alternative they'll eat), Kraft Dinner, Hamburger Helper or canned pasta (we do a lot of whole grain pasta with sauce, a staple around here). Yeah, a lot of starches and carbs, not good for my waistline.

[carfreemama]

Island Mommy, yup, I have exactly that problem. Although I DO make the casseroles, then erase the savings by going out and buying dd an organic chicken breast for supper.

And I agree with you, some things are worth paying for. Here in NS, we are losing our small farms at an alarming rate and something like 80 percent of our food is imported. This, despite the fact that at least in Halifax, there is a farmers' market that runs all year. Wonderful organic and even conventional beef is raised here, too; but the supermarkets only stock beef from Alberta. We have $600 per month budgeted for groceries, whereas we have almost nothing budgeted for eating out. It's our priority. We save money by not having a car, cell phones, cable TV, etc. But it's SO tempting to try and save, because I would like to put more money into projects around the house. I am dreaming of solar hot water, for example. I DO intend to buy a food dehydrator. Every item I have bought for the kitchen (like my flour mill) has paid me back; first in pleasure, then in real cost savings.

NS seems to be known within Canada for having really high food prices, probably because so much is imported and there aren't economies of scale here. I know when I moved from Ottawa, I was shocked at how expensive food was...and how much less hourly wages were. I love it here, though; I've been here for 16 years and don't plan on ever leaving.

[bwylde]

carfreemama, where do you get your wheat? I can't find it anywhere for a price that would make it worth it to grind myself, especially with the price of a flour mill. Of course we don't have bulk places here (although bulk barn is coming ).

[karliyanchus]

[QUOTE=Aubergine68;10518543]

Originally Posted by carfreemama

I am also really interested in Canadian-based online sources for good toys, books, etc. I had to order playsilks from the States and it my order cost me something like $50 in duties. QUOTE]

Me too. I'm trying to get rid of some of the plastic in my home (and home daycare). There are a lot of things I think we could make, but educational toys and play materials seem to be mostly US and the duty is a big bite, for sure.

i have had good luck in the past at thrift stores, buying handfuls of silk (not sure if they are real silk or what, lol) scarves, in all kinds of colours and sizes. my kids use them for dress up, wrap their dolls in them, etc, i love the idea of play silks but i couldn't bring myself to spend the money. these second hand "old lady" type scarves are pretty, just need a wash, and the kids do like to play with them. and you def. can't beat the price. sometimes thrift stores have those bag sale days, stuff a plastic bag for 5 $ or whatever. it's kind of nice at least ONCE in a while to say to the kids, "sure, grab as many as you want!"

[Neva]

Oh count me in. Groceries for us, DH, myself and DS (2.5 yo) is $400-600 per month depending on how much I meal plan and budget.

[Sage_SS]

Count me in! The reason I barely post in F&F is because I just can't relate to alot of their conversations....

: : : : I AM CANADIAN!!! : : : :

[Dillpicklechip]

[QUOTE=Aubergine68;10518543]

Originally Posted by carfreemama

I am also really interested in Canadian-based online sources for good toys, books, etc. I had to order playsilks from the States and it my order cost me something like $50 in duties. QUOTE]

Me too. I'm trying to get rid of some of the plastic in my home (and home daycare). There are a lot of things I think we could make, but educational toys and play materials seem to be mostly US and the duty is a big bite, for sure.

Here are some Canadian sites that I've used:
Acorn's Journey - "Waldorf in a Nutshell" - this site is wonderful, it's a home-based business from Ottawa.
http://www.acornsjourney.com/index.htm

Mastermind Toys - based in Toronto - for Ravensburger puzzles. They do have a lot of crap as well though.
http://www.mastermindtoys.com/

Ape to Zebra - based in Ontario - they have a lot of European-made wooden toys, and you can also search by country of origin.
http://www.ape2zebra.ca/

[Rhiannon Feimorgan]

[QUOTE=karliyanchus;10521152]

Originally Posted by Aubergine68

i have had good luck in the past at thrift stores, buying handfuls of silk (not sure if they are real silk or what, lol) scarves, in all kinds of colours and sizes. my kids use them for dress up, wrap their dolls in them, etc, i love the idea of play silks but i couldn't bring myself to spend the money. these second hand "old lady" type scarves are pretty, just need a wash, and the kids do like to play with them. and you def. can't beat the price. sometimes thrift stores have those bag sale days, stuff a plastic bag for 5 $ or whatever. it's kind of nice at least ONCE in a while to say to the kids, "sure, grab as many as you want!"

That's what I do to. There is a fairly large south Asian community near me and our thrift stores will often have the veils that are part of their traditional dress. These are about 4feet by 6feet and make wonderful playsilks.

[the_lissa]

Every Friday, we go through all the flyers, (okay not all but No Frills, Food Basics, Fortinos, the Barn) and plan our meals and grocery list by what is on sale.

[Sage_SS]

Originally Posted by the_lissa

Every Friday, we go through all the flyers, (okay not all but No Frills, Food Basics, Fortinos, the Barn) and plan our meals and grocery list by what is on sale.

We do the same thing.

[CarrieMF]

I'm in. We live in Alberta

For the 5 of us(2 adults, 3 children ages 9, 7 & 6) I budget(household, food, bday presents for others kids) $600/month but most months I spend closer to $800-$1000 & that does not include ANY beef as we get that for free from my parents. We get some big chickens(9lbers) from my parents for free too).

I shop at 3 places every payday. Walmart, Superstore & then the Co-op. The Co-op is the most expensive. Superstore & WM are pretty comparative though SS often is a cent cheaper.lol Superstore does compete with Co-op too, if something is $6.99 at the Co-op, it's $6.97 at SS so I buy it at SS.

I rarely step into Sobeys or Safeway as they're expensive.

I go through the fliers Fridays & make up my lists. I sometimes do meal plans, though I find I end up spending more when I do. I do like having them all planned out though.lol

I also garden which cuts down a little, mostly potatoes as they last the longest.

[Sandrine]

Another canadian here that browse the F&F and don't post much.

We are a familly of 5, 2 adults and 3 girls. We spend about 400$ on food only and this doesn't count the take-out we eat, about a few times a mth. For household items, i guessing we spend about 50-100$, including clothes, b-day presents and treats for the kids.

I can see that within the yr, i will have to update the food budget and put maybe 50$ or more into it .

Originally Posted by the_lissa

Every Friday, we go through all the flyers, (okay not all but No Frills, Food Basics, Fortinos, the Barn) and plan our meals and grocery list by what is on sale.

I do this too. Plus, i check what's in the freezer and pantry.

[Sage_SS]

wow.. we're a family of 6 here, sometimes 7. My hubby and I, our three daughters, my dad and often my foster brother. I spend about $600 - $800 a month on food, including eating out and ordering in.

[Aubergine68]

[QUOTE=Dillpicklechip;10522687

Here are some Canadian sites that I've used:[/QUOTE]


Thanks for these sites! Mastermind, I knew about, but not the others. I am going to have fun picking out something special with my spring toy budget!

Rhiannon, we used to do the same thing -- I still have a couple of saris and very thin decorative cotton print sheets that I got from a thrift store when we lived in Toronto. Now we live in a much more white-bread place and I'd have to go to Edmonton or Calgary to look for any significant south asian community.

Karilyanchus, right now, a lot of what we have are old lady scarves, too, mostly from my actual grandmother's collection, lol!

They get a lot of use, especially the thin, see-through ones. It would be nice to have some that were larger. Maybe old curtains or tablecloths?

Who'm I kidding, I lust after silks, lol! I should take up sewing again, but I'm afraid my current machine has had it and can't say that I would sew enough to justify the purchase of a new one....