I would love to learn how to eat healthier and wanted to know if "organic" is really any better than say....Buehlers meat,fruit and veggies?
Is it more cost efficient to purchase 1/2 a cow or pig and fill your freezer that way instead by the week from Buehlers (I would look at the weekly sales flyers for the best prices).
The reason I'm asking is for a few reasons:
1. I don't use coupons. I never remember I have them, and I'm very disorganized (my purse is in shambles!) LOL
2. I want to plan a bi-weekly menu that way I'm only going shopping 2x a month and not every other day. I want my menu to have a balanced meal...sounds easy but its not!
I already know we go through 31 rolls of T.P. , 30 loads of laundry soap/liquid softener, 8 rolls of paper towels, 2 packages of lysol and pledge (we can't use spray cans because they make Sav. very ill)...ect
Would love to hear how you ladies do this :)
Love yas! Merry Christmas!! Steph
8 comments:
So far I've found this website very interesting! http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/menuplanning.htm
The Cow
I have a friend who buys the cow or half the cow, I guess...I think she and her sister do this. I don't know if she's saving money, but I think it gives them peace of mind maybe about where their meat is coming from and how its been fed.
Organic & Food
Organic foods are known to cost more. Thats one reason I can't get into it too much. Have to keep to low cost but I do consider quality.
I usually buy food that is on sale or where I can buy low cost. I prefer NOT to do too much processed foods too often as they may be linked to cancer as smoked meats from what I've read. I know, can't believe everything you read, but I'd rather do more natural. Hard with picky eaters. At least my boys will eat PBJ. I really cut back on hot dogs after I heard that they may be linked to cancer like luekemia in children.
Paper Towels
I got sick of throwing money away on paper towels and started buying cheap Walmart white washcloths for less than $4 for 18 I think? We use these and on RARE occasions use paper towels. We aren't going through them nearly as fast. I think in about 3 yrs I've only bought two packs of washcloths. I use these on my Swiffer mop, spills, washing up kids, etc... and then I can bleach them in the washer for sanitizing and use them till their really rags!
Coupons/Rebates
Unfortunately, I don't know that there will be any replacement for coupons and rebating. I can save so much doing this. And it is a chore for organizing and I don't have a great system down pat, in fact my "system" changes now and then but for example... In the past few weeks I've saved so much money and have more coming back to me... You really should try to do it, it takes some effort, but is very much worth it. Get a subscription online to refundcents.com and they have links to explain how to use them and stack them where you can get things free etc. It seems like a pretty easy site to read and packed w/ info! I stock up on toothbrushes, toothpaste and shampoo on rebate deals or other deals. I don't trust the dollar stores for buying toothpaste...whether its true or not, I just don't know if its safe.
Vegies
In the fall I got a really good deal on carrots and got some cabbage also from a Farmer's stand. Chopped and bagged it and its in the freezer. Usually we eat frozen vegies anyways. I'm really liking the steamers! If they stay affordable, or I find enuf coupons I'll be buying them.
Menu Planning
I don't do it...just haven't progressed that far in organizing my meals. But Lori is the one to talk to for into. I talked to her via the phone about a few months ago and she shared her ways. Now, if I could just do that...
Clothing
I know some people aren't comfortable with this but I am so into using used clothes. I like them broken in and I can find great deals on clothes for me and the kids. Joel usually gets new - but he doesn't "need" clothes as often and me and the boys.
Freecycle.com
I've given away lots of clothing on here (& other stuff) and rec'd some kids clothing free through this also. Very worthwhile. Its a local community thing, keeping usuable stuff out of the landfill.
:) Tracy
I know lots and lots about menu planning and creating balanced meals. I also know a fair amount about organics as we do choose organics when we can. This is all sort of my "thing". Organic meat is way better than regular meat. Regular meat is injected with growth hormones. A lot of people believe that these hormones are the reasons our girls are developing and hitting puberty much faster than they used to. Free range is the best way to go...but it is expensive. We can't afford it yet. It is much much much cheaper to buy a cow and or pig and fill your freezer than to buy meat at each shopping trip. If you can go in half with someone it works even better. Paul and Carla Thomas raise and slaughter their own pork and beef each year. I believe they go in half with his brother.
Have you considered making your own laundry soap. I believe the Duggar's have a fairly simple recipe out there for this.
Hillbilly housewife is a great website but I don't think her meals are all the balanced. Cheap yes...balanced not so much.
I have so much more I can say on all these topics but we are getting ready to walk out the door. Gotta head out to Flower Factory for some last minute stuff.
By the way for supper I just had organic lemon grass soup with organic bread topped with organic bruschetta. Then for dessert organic peppermint joe joe's. Joe Joe's are like Oreo's. The peppermint ones are filled with cream with crushed candy canes!!! I love me some Trader Joe's. One of the best things about moving. It's a very very affordable grocery store that is ALL organic.
There is so much I want to say but we have got to go. Can you tell I'm passionate about nutrition?
Lori
One more quick thing before we leave:) Shop the OUTSIDE of your grocery store aisles. The inside aisles are filled with processed junk!! Stay away from white flour. I make my own bread and treatd with whole wheat flour. High Fructose Corn Syrup is the Devil:) Try and avoid it.
Okay really gotta go now!!
A couple more thots from me...
since your fam is so big, maybe a membership at Sam's club or BJ's would be worth the fee as long as you buy in bulk. This could save you alot of time shopping. We had a BJ's membership once but never renewed cuz it just wasn't worth it for us to do so.
On the nutrition part...sometimes I add Milled Flax Seed to meals, like as a rule I always add it to my pancake mix- its healthy for you, can sprinkle it on pbj, icecream, bake w/ it...etc. I have bot wheat flour and various nuts, make my own trail mix from the health food store we have here in Canton...The Raisin Rack.
:)Tracy
Oh this great stuff sisters! I have added wheat flour to our pancakes in the past. Darrel just found out he has high chlosteral so I'm needing to figure out how to feed him, but that's ok because we could all eat healthier ;)
Are there any websites with free recipes for eating healthier? Like recipes for adding whole wheat, flax seed, ect?
Tracy, I'll check out the coupon website too!
Thank you all!! Steph
Type in certain words like "Flax Seed recipes" etc. in the google search and you will find lots of neat recipes....just type in the main ingredient along with "recipe" and Mr. Google will help ya....Mom
I don't know of any coupon sites where you have to pay for for memberships...refundcents is a lot more than coupons its people sharing their tricks, etc and the money helps cover related costs I believe... just google whatever coupon you're looking for or sign up at Coolsavings.com... thecouponmom.com and you'll find more sites too. Also, you can (and I do) sign up for some brands newsletters if they're offering something of interest to me... try P&G, Betty Crocker, Scotts, CoffeeMate. I think you may have to sign up (free) on their website to get their coupons. So, its good to have an extra email address for this kind of junk mail. I have 3 email addresses. One dedicated to this type of stuff and other misc emails I don't want to worry about reading all the time. You'll find plenty of free coupons!
-T.
Also- just fyi...when reading labels for food ingredients...any word ending in - ose...is probably some form of sugar. Fructose, whatever -ose...that is my understanding so that will help you avoid extra sugars. Also, just cuz bread says its "wheat"...doens't mean its as healthy as you think. Look at the ingredients and also, check the fiber content...the more the better.
I think for high cholestrol you need to feed Darrell more fiber...like ....is it Quaker Oatmeal or Cheerios??? thats has that 30 day thing where you're cholestol is likely to drop if you include it in your diet for at least 30 days?
The enemies are...white flour, sugar, white rice...go for whole grains, brown rice, whole wheat, limit the sugar....
Baby steps...focus on one thing at a time if its easier then it will become natural to you when you are meal planning.
And- a balanced meal doesn't have to be hard... go for natural (no sugar added) applesauce (the only kind I buy) as a fruit in a meal, if you want canned fruit, try to get the ones in water or light syrup, not heavy syrup, try to avoid added sugar.
Add cold cut vegies for snacks, etc...even though we eat our share of junk...there are things I just don't buy much if at all.
If you have a blender try making simple smoothies with orange juice and frozen fruit, if you need a little sugar, just add it. Try banana in there too and some milled flax.
luv,
t.
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