Skinniest People Grocery Shop HERE

[pollypurebred39]

I found this article very interesting since I've been trying,(key word-TRYING) to lose weight on a very reduced food budget. I've been trying to find the right fit with my budget, so far I haven't found it.

Skinniest People Grocery Shop HERE - AOL Health

[mek42]

And to think that only 500 years ago, obesity was an indicator of wealthy socioeconomic status. We sure have come a long way. Hurrah for technology! (I think I'm being sarcastic, but I'm not really sure.)

Having said this, from just a materials cost, it is still cheaper to make healthy foods if you eat leftovers (for one or two people - feeding squad or larger sized elements is a different logistical game) than eating out, even cheap fast food. Adding in labor cost (i.e. if I paid myself my hourly wage to cook my own food) and the equation starts leaning toward fast food again.

[akolb]

yeah, i don't totally agree with this reasoning. Obesity is defiantly connected to socioeconomic status, but it's more about a lack of education about what really is healthy and what foods your body truly needs.

When it comes down to it, a loaf of wheat sandwich bread and turkey or peanut butter and a couple of apples goes a lot further and is much healthier than a box of pizza rolls. However, too many people only see the $1 price tag on the pizza rolls and the $3 on the turkey and don't rationalize.
I am a full time bartender. I regularly shop at Whole Foods. I probably spend about $30 each time I go, mainly on organic produce and specialty vegan stuff I can't find at Wal-Mart. That being said, I also shop regularly at Wal-Mart. For a 24 year old boy and myself, We probably do one big trip a month and maybe one or two small totaling about $200 (with household stuff)

This is for my vegan diet and the boy's penchant for Doritos and Root Beer

The bottom line is, people do not "need" as much food as we have been conditioned by marketers to believe we do. Fresh or frozen fruit, veggies and whole grains with beans go very far. Lunchables, Pizza Rolls, Pop-Tarts. All of this stuff is low on the nutritional scale but low cost so people can rationalize buying it!

Even as a child in the summer, I remember my mom having a big bag of pretzels, lots of fresh fruit, freezer pops and lemonade. We brought our lunch to the pool every day. And my friends STILL talk about how they loved coming to our house growing up because we always had fruit!

ok, off the soapbox!

[pollypurebred39]

Yes, I agree, many people could fair better from scratch cooking. However one has to consider that there are those out there who do not have even $200 a month to spend on 4 people let alone 2, and that coupon shopping for free or almost free prepackaged foods is what keeps the supper plate from being empty sometimes.

There are many people in the states who are struggling just to keep the electric on, a bag of noodles and butter is what's for dinner. Not healthy or remotely good for the waistline.

I'm finding it increasingly hard to strike a balance and my scale is telling the story.

[frugal is fun]

I definitely think that laziness plays a big part and people don't know how to cook and don't want to learn.

I can eat for a week off of $.49/lb chicken quarters, a can of corn, a can of diced tomatoes and a can of black beans cooked in the crock pot with some spices, over rice. I could get 5 lunches and 5 dinners out of this depending on how much chicken I cooked, all for under $5 getting my canned items at Aldi's.

Its not rocket science but it does take a few minutes of research to find such recipes.

[pollypurebred39]

frugal is fun, Wow! You spend only $5 a week to feed yourself? Wowza!


We sat down and and did the math for my oldest son to move out, and with the rents out here and factoring in a room mate he would have $10 or less a week to buy food, household items, HAB, and any extras. That's without a car and walking to work. There's no way I see for him to live healthy or get a good foundation for life or marriage on $10 a week. Hopefully he took seriously what was written in black and white and gets moving on going back to school.

[Dancing Lotus]

This has been the biggest issue in my home; Eating well and staying on budget.

I have tried to make my budget work every which way I can. I have done the coupon and sales things, I gained 40 pounds in three yrs. I have done the eat whole fresh foods thing, my budget went up by 40 dollars a week!

I really don't see how anyone could argue that economics have nothing to do with obesity. And it's not all just about education. Although I will agree that a large bit of the impoverished population is also uneducated so it's difficult to say which is the problem.

[akolb]

i didn't mean to insinuate that $200 a month is reasonable. I'll be the 1st to say that if we had it my way, it'd be more like $100. My point was that canned beans, brown rice, frozen veggies and fruit are all "convenience" foods that can be bought with coupons/on sale and stockpiled.

One of the main things that I have found that helps with the "fresh produce" budget is not buying as much. I used to waste a TON of fruit and veggies since I'd buy it with the best intentions and then not eat it before it goes bad. A couple of apples, a couple of bananas and oranges, some lettuce and an onion or pepper (and mushrooms...cause i LOVE them!) when combined with said canned/frozen/rice is at least a week and a half of meals for me!

I just think that too many people buy into the marketing of low-nutritional convenience foods and in the long run, these lead to more health problems and obesity which end up costing MUCH more than the extra few dollars a week that I spend on food!

On a side note, since I have begun to eat vegan, my allergies and sinus problems have cleared up and I have much more energy which means I work out more and have lost weight!

I understand if you are on a very limited budget, but higher nutritional value foods go farther and allow you to eat less daily.

Check out The (Organic) Thrifty Food Plan Challenge :: Rebecca Blood

[pollypurebred39]

Ann, I hoping that education is the answer for my boys or it's going to be the Waltons in this tiny rancher. Can you say sardines in a can?

[pollypurebred39]

akolb, Interesting article. I'm wondering just how the governor faired on his food stamp budget.

[Dancing Lotus]

Ann, I hoping that education is the answer for my boys or it's going to be the Waltons in this tiny rancher. Can you say sardines in a can?

ROFL.
My dad tried to tell me to get my education but NO...... I had to play house.

[JanieD]

Thanks for sharing the article. I can't really comment on Whole Foods since I've never shopped there (closest one over 2hrs away). I do feel that you can shop at most grocery stores & find health food choices.

It may not be the cheapest way to eat, but I've managed to add some healthier food choices without increasing my monthly budget. We budget around $225 for 2 adults (includes household items) & I often feel we spend way too much on snack foods. At least we are getting more fresh fruits now.

[Contrary Housewife]

Well, their data suggests that obese poor people shop at the cheaper stores, but that doesn't mean that good fresh healthful food can't be found in those places. Only that people either don't know how to eat right, or can't afford those choices, or more likely, don't know how to budget and make those choices affordable. I see so many people filling their carts with garbage, and paying more for it than I do for ordinary vegetables and chicken.

Maybe the local stores don't have fresh squeezed acai berry juice and spelt bread, and a gourmet coffee shop, but people can buy 100% grape juice and whole wheat for the same nutritional benefits. It doesn't have to be fancy to be wholesome.

I do shop Whole Foods sometimes. Their produce is amazing. The quality and variety is better than anything else in town, and it does get expensive fast. You get what you pay for. There's a reason it's nicknamed "Whole Paycheck Foods". But it isn't your only choice for nutritious healthful food.

[Libby]

Interesting article polly, thanks for posting it

We do just fine shopping for fresh fruits/vegs, lean meats & fish as well as whole grains from the discount and Asian grocery stores. Whole Foods is a treat!

[frugal is fun]

frugal is fun, Wow! You spend only $5 a week to feed yourself? Wowza!


.

On this particular meal I can. Let me see if I can do the math.

I can get 5 leg quarters (which is 5 thighs and 5 drumbsticks) for less than $3 on sale, which is pretty often. I don't have exact prices so lets say $.75 for a can of each: corn, diced tomatoes and black beans. Thats $5.25, add is some rice and spices if you want to be exact and I'm probably up to over $6. But still 10 meals for $6 is awesome! And $.75/can is on the high side, I'm almost positive the prices are lower, just don't know them off the top of my head.

And its a pretty tasty meal..I got the recipe on our very own FV crock pot recipe thread. I think it was southwestern chicken or something like that. I've also used the same ingredients and changed out chicken for pork if I can get a good deal on a roast.

Its healthy, inexpensive, tasty and filling!