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Country Kids 01-15-2013 08:47 AM

Processed Foods
 
I guess I'm totally confused in this term. To me a processed food is anything that comes from a package of some sort. So when I hear people say they don't eat processed foods it makes me wonder how and what do you eat.

The only thing I have really found at the store to eat that isn't processed but probably has a ton of chemicals on it is the produce section. Everything else comes in some sort of packaging.

Even if you cook from scratch, alot of the things you use come in some sort of packaging. So I wonder aren't you still eating processed foods.

Even when I bake my own bread (haven't done it for awhile) everything I pretty much put into it comes from a package. So even though its homemade and taste awesome is it really any healthier then buying it at the store?

So for who say they don't eat processed foods what do you eat?

Blackcat31 01-15-2013 08:54 AM

Last night for dinner we had thick cut pork chops, sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli. NOTHING came from a can, a bag or a box.

Tonight we are having wild rice hot dish. Shredded beef, hand parched wild rice, steamed green beans. Again, nothing from a can, bag or box.

Eating without processed foods is much simpler and easier than you would think. ;)

Country Kids 01-15-2013 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Last night for dinner we had thick cut pork chops, sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli. NOTHING came from a can, a bag or a box.

Tonight we are having wild rice hot dish. Shredded beef, hand parched wild rice, steamed green beans. Again, nothing from a can, bag or box.

Eating without processed foods is much simpler and easier than you would think. ;)

So do you get your meat straight from the butcher. Where in the world do you get rice that isn't from a box or bag. Same with the green beans? Did you can them last summer.

Play Care 01-15-2013 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Last night for dinner we had thick cut pork chops, sweet potatoes and steamed broccoli. NOTHING came from a can, a bag or a box.

Tonight we are having wild rice hot dish. Shredded beef, hand parched wild rice, steamed green beans. Again, nothing from a can, bag or box.

Eating without processed foods is much simpler and easier than you would think. ;)

What do you use to season your meals? I ask because I pretty much only cook from scratch but do use things like soy sauce, different vinegars, wines, salt, pepper etc. Otherwise your dinners sound very much like mine.

Blackcat31 01-15-2013 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by Country Kids:
So do you get your meat straight from the butcher. Where in the world do you get rice that isn't from a box or bag. Same with the green beans? Did you can them last summer.

Yes, 99.9% of our meat comes directly from a butcher. We buy a full cow and pig most years with another couple and split it between each other.

Wild rice....Um, I live in wild rice country. :D Wild rice grows native to my area....I can walk out the door and go pick some anytime it is in season.

We have several large wild rice companies based out of my area. We also have a huge Native American population that supports itself from harvesting wild rice. We live right on the Mississippi river.

Green beans...all our veggies are purchased fresh in the produce dept. The kind where you can just go and put as many or as few as you would like into a bag.

In the summer, we grow all our own veggies. Some we freeze and some we just eat while in season.

Originally Posted by Play Care:
What do you use to season your meals? I ask because I pretty much only cook from scratch but do use things like soy sauce, different vinegars, wines, salt, pepper etc. Otherwise your dinners sound very much like mine.

Basic spices I guess.... DH says, he uses home made beef stock, salt and pepper and sometimes he will use cooking wines or different vinegars.

Lately he has been really into making his own sauces and using the food processor to make glazes, sauces, gravies and pestos.

Willow 01-15-2013 09:37 AM

I like the definition of, if it has something in it I can't pronounce it's processed.

There are lots of packaged foods that are just fine in my book as long as they don't have huge lists of ingredients I can't pronounce.

-Buying meat from local farmers is best (no or fewer antibiotics/drugs used in their raising, free range, natural or grass fed, no enhancements), buying packaged grocery store proteins would be second, something like frozen breaded chicken nuggets or frozen corndogs would be the worst.
-Baking your own bread is great, buying something like whole grain limited ingredient breads at the grocery store would be second, buying white Wonder bread would be worst.
-Fresh/raw fruit and veg is what you want to shoot for as long as you wash what you can well, obviously organic is best, frozen is second best (watch for additives), canned is by far the worst unless you are doing the canning yourself.

Sure it's all meat, or bread, or fruit and veg....but the level of processing is what matters in terms of what it can offer your body.

When BC talks about the wild rice, that usually comes bagged in some way shape or form. Technically it's processed, but the original state of the rice hasn't been altered so it's not. I am sure that's clear as mud lol

Boxed and bagged doesn't automatically equate to processed in the way it actually matters.




Here's more info:
http://health.amuchbetterway.com/how...rocessed-food/

melilley 01-15-2013 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by Country Kids:
I guess I'm totally confused in this term. To me a processed food is anything that comes from a package of some sort. So when I hear people say they don't eat processed foods it makes me wonder how and what do you eat.

The only thing I have really found at the store to eat that isn't processed but probably has a ton of chemicals on it is the produce section. Everything else comes in some sort of packaging.

Even if you cook from scratch, alot of the things you use come in some sort of packaging. So I wonder aren't you still eating processed foods.

Even when I bake my own bread (haven't done it for awhile) everything I pretty much put into it comes from a package. So even though its homemade and taste awesome is it really any healthier then buying it at the store?

So for who say they don't eat processed foods what do you eat?

Good question, you got my wheels turning! I did a search on Google on What are processed foods? Processed foods are foods that are altered from their natural state. From what I read, there are good processed foods and bad. For instance, certain foods are altered, processed, to prevent food born-illnesses. Foods that are frozen are considered processed, but vitamins and minerals are preserved. Other processed foods such as foods with trans fat are obviously bad....so I think making bread with prepackaged flours isn't really considered processed food. It's still good for you. I always saw processed foods as foods like Spaghetti O's, processed cheese singles, cheese spreads, etc... I'm glad that you brought up this topic! It's funny, I just had a conversation with my sis about eating healthier. We grew up in a home where our mom did make dinners, some totally homemade, but much of it was processed such as boxed potatoes or canned chili and it sounds silly, but to me it was the norm to eat that way. Plus I have always been too skinny and never really cared what I put into my body, I just wanted to gain weight, but now that I've had two kids I want to eat healthier. I feel stupid not knowing how to eat healthy, but when you really haven't, it's like a foreign concept, well for me.
:)

Country Kids 01-15-2013 09:47 AM

Originally Posted by melilley:
Good question, you got my wheels turning! I did a search on Google on What are processed foods? Processed foods are foods that are altered from their natural state. From what I read, there are good processed foods and bad. For instance, certain foods are altered, processed, to prevent food born-illnesses. Foods that are frozen are considered processed, but vitamins and minerals are preserved. Other processed foods such as foods with trans fat are obviously bad....so I think making bread with prepackaged flours isn't really considered processed food. It's still good for you. I always saw processed foods as foods like Spaghetti O's, processed cheese singles, cheese spreads, etc... I'm glad that you brought up this topic! It's funny, I just had a conversation with my sis about eating healthier. We grew up in a home where our mom did make dinners, some totally homemade, but much of it was processed such as boxed potatoes or canned chili and it sounds silly, but to me it was the norm to eat that way. Plus I have always been too skinny and never really cared what I put into my body, I just wanted to gain weight, but now that I've had two kids I want to eat healthier. I feel stupid not knowing how to eat healthy, but when you really haven't, it's like a foreign concept, well for me.
:)

Believe you me, I'm going to do alot more research on this as well. We have produce at the store but nothing like in the summer! We don't have things like green beans during the winter so our option is to buy frozen or canned. We don't have anywhere to store butchered meat so thats another thing that is out for us.

I will be doing some research though and see what I can find.:Sunny:

Country Kids 01-15-2013 09:53 AM

Just went to a site for healthy breakfasts-all of them had something that had to do with processed.

Waffles, pancakes, granola bars, bagels, english muffins, cream cheese, etc. So I'm wondering if its the other ingrediants that make it a healthy meal?

All of them looked incrediably good though!:D

Blackcat31 01-15-2013 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by Willow:
When BC talks about the wild rice, that usually comes bagged in some way shape or form. Technically it's processed, but the original state of the rice hasn't been altered so it's not. I am sure that's clear as mud lol

Yes, it does come in bags for the most part, but when I say "fresh"....I literally mean "fresh".....ours was handpicked and is stored in a 5 gallon pail. ;)

No, bag, box or packaging necessary.

Blackcat31 01-15-2013 10:05 AM

CK, try this blog. It is fantastic! Has tons of helpful hints and lots of good info about eating with as little processed foods as possible.

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/10-...rocessed-food/

Country Kids 01-15-2013 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
CK, try this blog. It is fantastic! Has tons of helpful hints and lots of good info about eating with as little processed foods as possible.

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/10-...rocessed-food/

Thank you! happyfacehappyfacehappyface

Meyou 01-15-2013 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
CK, try this blog. It is fantastic! Has tons of helpful hints and lots of good info about eating with as little processed foods as possible.

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/10-...rocessed-food/

Yes! This blog is amazing and it will answer all your questions!!

itlw8 01-15-2013 10:51 AM

I think if you start by eating like the 1950's you will do great. Smaller portions, soda rarely, no chicken nuggets no fish sticks, forget the instant foods, cereal eat things like cornflakes and rice krispies,

my kids now prefer a chicken breast cut into chunks and sauted in a little olive oil takes like 5 minutes to fix also. Keep trying new fruits and veggies. Kiwi, cranberries, blueberries, etc.

Yes we eat hot dogs some times but not weekly.

mema 01-15-2013 01:01 PM

What kind of flour does everyone use for making bread/rolls? Dh CANNOT do without bread, so I've been adding more and more whole wheat into it as I make it, but so far when I hit 50/50 he won't touch it and goes to the gas station to get some "good stuff". :ouch:

Meyou 01-15-2013 01:08 PM

I use 100% whole wheat, rye, organic white whole wheat (whole wheat but a specific strain of wheat that is lighter in color) and spelt. I've worn them all down over time and now my family gives me "looks" if I make something with white flour.

Bookworm 01-15-2013 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by Blackcat31:
Yes, 99.9% of our meat comes directly from a butcher. We buy a full cow and pig most years with another couple and split it between each other.

Wild rice....Um, I live in wild rice country. :D Wild rice grows native to my area....I can walk out the door and go pick some anytime it is in season.

We have several large wild rice companies based out of my area. We also have a huge Native American population that supports itself from harvesting wild rice. We live right on the Mississippi river.

Green beans...all our veggies are purchased fresh in the produce dept. The kind where you can just go and put as many or as few as you would like into a bag.

In the summer, we grow all our own veggies. Some we freeze and some we just eat while in season.



Basic spices I guess.... DH says, he uses home made beef stock, salt and pepper and sometimes he will use cooking wines or different vinegars.

Lately he has been really into making his own sauces and using the food processor to make glazes, sauces, gravies and pestos.

I am very interested in buying a whole cow/pig and splitting the costs with some co-workers. How do you do it? Is there a website that I can go to?

Blackcat31 01-15-2013 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Bookworm:
I am very interested in buying a whole cow/pig and splitting the costs with some co-workers. How do you do it? Is there a website that I can go to?

We just happent to live next door to a farmer who raises beef cattle and pigs. We just buy directly from him.

It would be awesome if there was a website you could go to for that....I don't know of one off hand but if I come across any resources, I will gladly let you know. ;)

Willow 01-15-2013 02:09 PM

Bookworm - if you have one near you feed stores often have bulletins advertising livestock sales like that.

You can call up butcher shops and ask them if they could put you in touch with some of the farmers they do regular business with.

Sometimes in bigger cities newspapers will advertise sales as well.

Bookworm 01-15-2013 02:14 PM

Thanks ladies. One more question: How many families will a whole cow feed? There's four of us interested. One family of four, a family of three, and two families of two. I just want to make sure everybody gets enough.

mema 01-15-2013 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by Bookworm:
I am very interested in buying a whole cow/pig and splitting the costs with some co-workers. How do you do it? Is there a website that I can go to?

Try here:
http://eatwild.com/
Not sure if it lists a lot of areas, but it's a start.

Michael 01-15-2013 02:17 PM

When I think of processed food I think of natural products that have been altered. Many foods are milled or removed of their vitamins. Then the manufacturer fortifies it with vitamins and other" "needed" nutrients. I always wondered why.

In my book that means they made it more addictive with longer shelf life. Funny when you look at natural sugar or flour, its way more expensive the "processed" product. Same with raw milk which is more expensive and comes right from the source. Processed milk is pasteurized or altered.

Country Kids 01-15-2013 02:31 PM

I'm wondering how expensive it would be to eat "real food" and especially in the winter when everything is sky high that you can find and really nothing is in season.

One other thing I'm thinking about is the time to put into making everything from scratch. The lady in the blog BC sent me says she spends LOTS of time in the kitchen and running a childcare you don't have that time.

Also, they take all their food with them everywhere they go (for social gatherings) but do eat out in restaurants so I'm not sure how that works. Restaurants use tons of processed foods so how would you eat out and call it "real food".

Bookworm 01-15-2013 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by mema:
Try here:
http://eatwild.com/
Not sure if it lists a lot of areas, but it's a start.

Thanks again. It's a big help.

Blackcat31 01-15-2013 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by Country Kids:
I'm wondering how expensive it would be to eat "real food" and especially in the winter when everything is sky high that you can find and really nothing is in season.

One other thing I'm thinking about is the time to put into making everything from scratch. The lady in the blog BC sent me says she spends LOTS of time in the kitchen and running a childcare you don't have that time.

Also, they take all their food with them everywhere they go (for social gatherings) but do eat out in restaurants so I'm not sure how that works. Restaurants use tons of processed foods so how would you eat out and call it "real food".


My DH is the cook in our family. He cooks HUGE meals all at once and then separates them out into individual meals and freezes them for later use.

Tonight when he makes the wild rice hotdish I mentioned, he will make enough to feed atleast 6 people. He will separate it out into meals for two and then when we want to eat wild rice hotdish again, he just grabs a frozen packet and heats it up. Easy peasy.

Once per month, we go to Sam's Club and stock up on things. He will spend that same weekend, preparing several meals for later.

In the summer we garden and freeze all the produce we have grown for use in the winter. Some things we will buy fresh from the grocery store but it is just my DH and I at home so it isn't so expensive.

I can't answer the eating out question, because honestly we eat out VERY little and when we do, we are kind of picky about when and what we are eating.

daycare 01-15-2013 03:31 PM

have not read all of the other post, but have you ever checked out the cage man diet or eating paleo?? I eat paleo, but I don't eat meats of any kind. My religous beliefs mostly, but mostly for health reasons....


basically if it does not grow naturally then you don't eat it......

daycare 01-15-2013 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by daycare:
have not read all of the other post, but have you ever checked out the cage man diet or eating paleo?? I eat paleo, but I don't eat meats of any kind. My religous beliefs mostly, but mostly for health reasons....


basically if it does not grow naturally then you don't eat it......

I once read that we should stick to the outside aisles of our grocery store because 85% of the food on the inside is all CRAp.....

eating paleo, I don't ever have to count calories...

daycare 01-15-2013 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by daycare:
have not read all of the other post, but have you ever checked out the cage man diet or eating paleo?? I eat paleo, but I don't eat meats of any kind. My religous beliefs mostly, but mostly for health reasons....


basically if it does not grow naturally then you don't eat it......

sorry I wanted to add to this, that I don't eat potatoes or corn because they maintain high glycemic (sp) loads that may adversley affect your blood sugar and insulin levels. Corn is actually not even a veggie, its a grain.......

Country Kids 01-15-2013 03:48 PM

Originally Posted by daycare:
I once read that we should stick to the outside aisles of our grocery store because 85% of the food on the inside is all CRAp.....

eating paleo, I don't ever have to count calories...

Here is what on the outside aisles of one of the grocery stores:

produce/clearance foods/meats/cheese/lunchables/bulk frozen foods/soda/the bakery/dog food

Another store (Wal-Mart)

Produce/bakery/meats/some dairy

Albertsons:

Deli/produce/bakery/lunchable/meats,seafood/dairy/frozen foods

Safeway:

Produce/meat,seafood/dairy/bakery/deli

Some stores ok with set up for fresh foods-others not so good

daycare 01-15-2013 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by Country Kids:
Here is what on the outside aisles of one of the grocery stores:

produce/clearance foods/meats/cheese/lunchables/bulk frozen foods/soda/the bakery/dog food

Another store (Wal-Mart)

Produce/bakery/meats/some dairy

Albertsons:

Deli/produce/bakery/lunchable/meats,seafood/dairy/frozen foods

Safeway:

Produce/meat,seafood/dairy/bakery/deli

Some stores ok with set up for fresh foods-others not so good

wow is that from memory??? I dont shop at a regular grocery store for my food, but do for daycare food.....lol

I wish I could afford to feed the daycare kids the same, I just can't.......

Country Kids 01-15-2013 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by daycare:
wow is that from memory??? I dont shop at a regular grocery store for my food, but do for daycare food.....lol

I wish I could afford to feed the daycare kids the same, I just can't.......

Yes, lived here almost 30 years so me being the oddball I am-:D-I tend to remember these.

SilverSabre25 01-15-2013 04:37 PM

I think it's a matter of opinion, what counts as processed. Also, how processed it is.

for me, a bag of frozen green beans or peas or whathaveyou is not processed and almost as good as fresh. Most canned veggies (which I do NOT buy except tomatoes and beans) and canned/jarred fruits are minimally processed and are "all right". A loaf of whole grain bread is all right, but Wonder Bread-style is NOT (read: highly processed). Most packaged cookies are highly processed, whole grain crackers and cereals are meh, and something like rolled oats is minimal. Butter is minimal and very good...margarine is AWFUL and is highly processed. Bacon is bad (but soooo tasty) but chicken/beef/pork is probably okay.

Homemade just about anything, when made with decent ingredients, is going to fall under the "GREAT!" category to me. So, waffles/pancakes/muffins/et are a perfectly healthy breakfast when made homemade (super easy!)--with whole grain flours, real milk, real butter. If you use Bisquick or jiffy muffins...well...that's highly processed. Buying a package of muffins at the bakery is highly processed...but making them at home is not.

Does that help at all?

Meyou 01-16-2013 01:57 AM

Originally Posted by SilverSabre25:
I think it's a matter of opinion, what counts as processed. Also, how processed it is.

for me, a bag of frozen green beans or peas or whathaveyou is not processed and almost as good as fresh. Most canned veggies (which I do NOT buy except tomatoes and beans) and canned/jarred fruits are minimally processed and are "all right". A loaf of whole grain bread is all right, but Wonder Bread-style is NOT (read: highly processed). Most packaged cookies are highly processed, whole grain crackers and cereals are meh, and something like rolled oats is minimal. Butter is minimal and very good...margarine is AWFUL and is highly processed. Bacon is bad (but soooo tasty) but chicken/beef/pork is probably okay.

Homemade just about anything, when made with decent ingredients, is going to fall under the "GREAT!" category to me. So, waffles/pancakes/muffins/et are a perfectly healthy breakfast when made homemade (super easy!)--with whole grain flours, real milk, real butter. If you use Bisquick or jiffy muffins...well...that's highly processed. Buying a package of muffins at the bakery is highly processed...but making them at home is not.

Does that help at all?

We found a butcher that makes nitrate and preservative free bacon and deli meats. He salt cures the bacon (like the olden days :P ) and the deli meats are just freshly shaved whole cuts of ham, roast beef, and turkey. He was SUCH a find as we'd been "off" bacon for nearly a year due to the chemicals in it normally.

laundrymom 01-16-2013 06:37 AM

For us we eat things in moderation.
During camping season we eat bacon, sausage & ham once or twice a month.
during the winter, not really. I try to do frozen veg & fruit when possible. We eat chicken turkey & pork more than beef but do splurge on occasion.

I have a vegetarian family who serve only processed foods. They provide everything. I feel that when a bean looks like a hot dog, chicken patty, cheese , milk & yogurt.... You should skip it. They are also the sickest, most unfocused kids I've ever seen. Moody, bowel issues, just unhealthy lifestyle.

I would rather eat a chicken breast sprinkled with good aged cheddar cheese w steamed rice & broccoli than a microwaved soy patty with soy yogurt, gummy vitamins, and gluten free cookies.

My advice, try to choose the food that looks like it grows. That grows where you live, and that helps balance your diet. I mean celery is great. But you can't only eat celery. You know?

countrymom 01-16-2013 05:54 PM

to me processed food means alot more junk, but canned soups, or frozen guk, or premade stuff. Now I do buy some processed stuff, like today I bought bagged pasta (my mom won't give me her pasta machine and I want one so bad) but there are some things I need that comes from a can that we can't store in our house or our freezer can't hold it (thats a whole other topic and dh is to blame)

I just came back from the grocery store with my kids, I seriously have weird children. They were excited that we were able to find a pomagranate and dragonfruit (do other children eat these) my girls were being sarcastic in the store about buying canned cheese, nutella and canned pasta---they will not eat this stuff even if you gave them money. My dh blames me because I'm home and can cook meals. Some days I wished they would eat frozen guk so I wouldn't have to think about what to make for dinner.

dh went on a service call with a co worker who also has 4 kids. My dh took him to meijers. His co worker couldn't believe the prices (way cheap) but when he started to ask my dh if our kids ate certain foods, my dh laughed and said no way. Apparently his kids live off of canned and frozen guk (I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that 3 of his kids have ADHD)

sorry I'm going all over the place. But having some processed food is fine, because it all depends on where you live and how accessable the stuff is. I really need to get my garden going because my kids love to eat fruit and veggies (I know they are so wierd) and if you have a freezer (again dh's fault)

laundrymom 01-16-2013 06:57 PM

I do not count nutella as a processed food.
I know it is, but I LOVE nutella.
I am in complete denial.
I wish to stay there.

Lol

Originally Posted by countrymom:
to me processed food means alot more junk, but canned soups, or frozen guk, or premade stuff. Now I do buy some processed stuff, like today I bought bagged pasta (my mom won't give me her pasta machine and I want one so bad) but there are some things I need that comes from a can that we can't store in our house or our freezer can't hold it (thats a whole other topic and dh is to blame)

I just came back from the grocery store with my kids, I seriously have weird children. They were excited that we were able to find a pomagranate and dragonfruit (do other children eat these) my girls were being sarcastic in the store about buying canned cheese, nutella and canned pasta---they will not eat this stuff even if you gave them money. My dh blames me because I'm home and can cook meals. Some days I wished they would eat frozen guk so I wouldn't have to think about what to make for dinner.

dh went on a service call with a co worker who also has 4 kids. My dh took him to meijers. His co worker couldn't believe the prices (way cheap) but when he started to ask my dh if our kids ate certain foods, my dh laughed and said no way. Apparently his kids live off of canned and frozen guk (I wonder if this has anything to do with the fact that 3 of his kids have ADHD)

sorry I'm going all over the place. But having some processed food is fine, because it all depends on where you live and how accessable the stuff is. I really need to get my garden going because my kids love to eat fruit and veggies (I know they are so wierd) and if you have a freezer (again dh's fault)


countrymom 01-17-2013 06:22 AM

Originally Posted by laundrymom:
I do not count nutella as a processed food.
I know it is, but I LOVE nutella.
I am in complete denial.
I wish to stay there.

Lol

mine will not eat it, not even the daycare kids. I thought for sure they would because the dck's live on junk, nope they spit it out. I think we all have our umm guilty pleasures.:lol:

Blackcat31 01-17-2013 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by countrymom:
I think we all have our umm guilty pleasures.:lol:

Here is mine :) It is banana granola nut peanut butter. YUM!!

I only keep it at home though because if I bought any to keep at daycare, I would be eating it all day straight from the jar.

http://www.planters.com/images/varie...ola_nut_lg.png

http://www.planters.com/varieties/nu...anola_nut.aspx

laundrymom 01-17-2013 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by countrymom:
mine will not eat it, not even the daycare kids. I thought for sure they would because the dck's live on junk, nope they spit it out. I think we all have our umm guilty pleasures.:lol:

I won't share. Lol

Two words, nutella s'mores.

@@

Hunni Bee 01-17-2013 11:52 AM

I am trying slowly but surely to eliminate processed foods from my diet. It isn't that hard, really...I can't eat it like other people can. I had Chik-Fil-A (going along with my coworkers :rolleyes:)...I felt bad for days.

But Im having a hard time not eating the same things. I usually have some sort of pasta or rice, sauteed veggies in homemade sauce and sometimes a sauteed meat (usually shrimp or chicken, I don't eat pork and very little beef). I really have no issue with eating this, but I would like mix it up a little.

My bf lives off chicken nuggets, French fries, chips etc.... I can't eat it at all.

mom2many 01-17-2013 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by Country Kids:
I'm wondering how expensive it would be to eat "real food" and especially in the winter when everything is sky high that you can find and really nothing is in season.

One other thing I'm thinking about is the time to put into making everything from scratch. The lady in the blog BC sent me says she spends LOTS of time in the kitchen and running a childcare you don't have that time.

Also, they take all their food with them everywhere they go (for social gatherings) but do eat out in restaurants so I'm not sure how that works. Restaurants use tons of processed foods so how would you eat out and call it "real food".

I get my fresh veggies from Costco. They are super cheap and it's always fresh and you get a lot for your money...way cheaper than at the grocery store! Last week I got broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, asparagus, brussel sprouts, mushrooms, spinach, green beans and spring lettuce mix and I'm almost out of everything.

I also get our meat from Costco too & re-pkg it into smaller amounts & freeze it.

For me cooking from "scratch" means not just opening up a box of something. I cook pork, beef, chicken & fish following recipes...my favorite is Allrecipes.com I use pkgs of pasta, rice and beans & sometimes even jar marinara sauce! If you look at the ingredients on the jars, you can find healthy choices that are low in sodium.

We seldom eat out and usually choose to have a yummy steak or lobster bbq'd by my hubby, when we want to splurge! It's way cheaper and just as good...if not better!

daycare 01-17-2013 01:36 PM

ck--- you know my eating style and its actually cheaper than you think...

I grow a lot of my own stuff, so I don't really keep all of my cost into account, I just know its much chepaer than anything I can buy at a market.

I also shop a lot at saturday farmers market, and a vegan store not too far from my home.

before I married my husband who is the opposite of me, he loves meat I never brought meat into my home. For me and my two kids, I used to spend about $300.00 a month. Now with my husband my bill is at least 550+ and most of that is him.

what you have to think about is that I am not paying for that fancy box or package and my money is not going to some company to make the box, then another to make the food....

Meyou 01-17-2013 01:43 PM

I do alot of shopping at a saturday farmer's market as well. Meat, dairy, produce and bread.

Country Kids 01-17-2013 01:53 PM

Our farmers markets are sooooo expensive here-everyone says how expensive they are (even the regular shoppers).

We spend about $600 a month on groceries( six of us) and then maybe another $300 for the childcare.

We haven't figured out the Costco shopping thing yet. Everyone who shop there calls it the $100 store because it seems that is what people average there and they get alot but not variety. When you weekly budget for groceries(including personal items, paper products, etc) is $150 spending $100 at Costco doesn't supply much.

daycare 01-17-2013 01:56 PM

I think it's how you look at it. I sown about $250 plus each time I go there. But it last me what seems like forever.

I have priced matched and hands down Costco is cheaper on most items.

MamaG 01-17-2013 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Country Kids:
I'm wondering how expensive it would be to eat "real food" and especially in the winter when everything is sky high that you can find and really nothing is in season.

One other thing I'm thinking about is the time to put into making everything from scratch. The lady in the blog BC sent me says she spends LOTS of time in the kitchen and running a childcare you don't have that time.

Also, they take all their food with them everywhere they go (for social gatherings) but do eat out in restaurants so I'm not sure how that works. Restaurants use tons of processed foods so how would you eat out and call it "real food".

We buy our meat still walking, from local farmers. We package and freeze it after it is butchered by either my grandpa and his friends or another local butcher. We buy organic fresh fruits, flash frozen and fresh veggies (organic preferred), have a garden in the summer, can and freeze our harvest. We actually spend less per person to eat. I stay away from most highly processed sweeteners, foods ready to eat and frozen. We get more from our food this way, needing less IMO. If I eat a hearty fresh stew I'm going to be satisfied as opposed to cardboard box meals cooked in a microwave. I will eat less! You will spend less and feel better. Crave more healthy stuff. Since switching to organic and adding so much more fruits and veggies to our diet I find I crave things that are good for me and almost never drink a soda anymore! I just don't like it. It costs to get started, canning stuff, freezer containers, an extra freezer, juicer, blender, ect but so worth it.

MamaG 01-17-2013 03:43 PM

I spend like all of Saturday or Sunday in the kitchen. It's so tiny we can't stock up on things easily. I spend the day juicing, blending, prepping the meals. I have each ingredient ready to go in my stew pot or crock pot in a ziplock bag. Either in fridge or freezer. Same for lasagna and pasta dishes. I use glass cookware that converts from food storage, to oven, to freezer. No plastic Tupperware. Sauces and juices go into mason jars. One day I have our meals preped for the week, including day care meals.


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