With Summer coming we will soon have Farmer's Markets springing up in all the little towns. Weekly markets are common. While checking out the produce be aware of local suppliers versus those who truck or import fruits and vegetables over great distances. Often the local produce might be a little less physically beautiful (waxed and uniform) but it frequently was picked that day and is fresher and less travelled.
Locally we have Organic Alberta Growers and Hutterite Colonies providing produce as well as trucked in produce from BC or Washington State. The prices are often similar so when possible buy local for longer lasting vegetables and fruits.
Through out the other months of the year Calgary and area shoppers can take advantage of The Good Food Box offering fresh produce in abundance for a very reasonable rate. The boxes are delivered to alocal depot where they can be picked up. Info in the link below. http://ckpcalgary.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=53&Itemid=60
According to the USDA, the average American family of four is spending $80 a month more on groceries than they did a mere 3 years ago. For a lot of families, the upturn in grocery spending does not reflect an upturn on family income. Clearly something has got to give!
We’ve all noticed how much food has gone up—I can’t think of one thing that hasn’t. And while I cannot control food prices, I can control my own budget and as it becomes necessary, cut back to keep my food expenses in line. Here are 10 ways to cut back without sacrificing nutrition:
Eat vegetarian one night a week (rice and beans is a favorite with my kids).
Eat breakfast for dinner one night a week (pancakes and eggs are way cheap). Light candles and serve juice in wine glasses for fun.
Eat greens and beans one night a week (I use frozen collards, turnip greens etc. on sale to keep the cost down). Give your big guys Tabasco sauce to bump it up!
Eat homemade soup one night a week (try the one below!).
Cook with your crockpot one night a week (utilizing inexpensive cuts of meat and poultry).
Only buy meat and produce on sale and/or marked down.
Eat from your freezer one night a week (you’d be surprised at how many meals are in there just waiting to be thrown together!).
Buy dried beans and make your own instead of buying canned (instructions on how to cook them are right on the bag).
Make your own chicken broth from your leftover roast chicken (throw the carcass, an onion, carrots and celery into a pot, cover with water, simmer for an hour or so).
Pack PB & J’s, some carrot sticks and waters for dinner the night you’re all running all over the place (nixing the drive thru). No one will die from not having a “proper meal”.
This is all easy stuff and doesn’t require a lot of thought. Eating vegetarian for example, could be combined with eating greens and beans for dinner or eating soup, or breakfast for dinner. The point is the thought process of cutting back, making do and using up what you have. You can live on less than you think, that includes food.
Try some of these suggestions. Go shopping in your freezer and fridge before you even begin to plan your menu this week. Likewise, check out that pantry for anything that might turn into dinner this week.
Keeping clutter at bay requires cutting back on unnecessary purchases. This includes food!
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Any sensible family has a budget that lays out how much will be spent for household and other purposes. Without such planning, things would quickly go awry.
Walter Ulbricht
Having a basic budget is the start of being able to stretch your income further. Once you know how much is being spent monthly versus your income you will be able to start making decisions on where you want your money to go. You may be surprised to see just how much money is being spent on nonessentials. These are the expenses you can target to cut or even eliminate.
