What "cheap food" items do you think you can use safely?

[ha98ed14]

Well, I don't do all organic all the time, and I feel comfortable with the non-hormone milk rather than organic. I do organic ground beef only, but I'll get other meat that is not organic, but still hormone free. If you don't want to go that far, what about doing organic for your DD, but not for yourself or your DH? Sorry you guys are going through this.

Oohhh, Now THERE's and idea! Never thought of that! Something like, "Here DH is your meat budget for you. Buy whatever you want for yourself. DD & I will eat less/ no meat, but what we do will be organic or near-so." I never thought of letting him feed himself differently from me and DD. But I could see it going like this: ww pasta w/ sauce. DD & I have mozzirella (sp?) and he has meat. He will probably go for this because it gives him control, and our fights are always about how I control the purse strings...

Also, I'm with you, we *already* buy the hormone free milk from TJs, but not the organic. This was a cutback, but I am not going to drink crap milk.

[brittone2]

On the frozen veggie front, I've been buying the Costco organic frozen green beans this winter. From the US and I think it is like 1.30 or so per pound. Do you have access to Costco or anything like that? (not always great deals, but just trying to think of what you have available to you).

[AnnieW625]

We aren't all organic, but I am anal about hormone free dairy. I will splurge on organic whole milk once DD2 starts drinking milk too. I will however only do organic soy milk.

One easy thing for me is that I still buy Foster Farms chicken breasts at Costco or the whole fryers, and I usually buy my ground beef from Costco also. I would love to be able to buy all organic or free range, but it's pretty cost prohibitive. We honestly we eat way less meat now than we used to because I am picky about where my meat comes from so it's usually Foster Farms chicken, turkey, and Costco ground beef (hasn't been part of a recall so I am happy). Foster Farms was local to me growing up so I trust the brand and it's still good tasting chicken, or turkey breast. If there was a organic or free range meat CSA in our area I'd be the first to sign up. I buy all of our dairy at Trader Joes, and sometimes I'll buy parmesan, and regular cheese (Tillamook) at Costco.

I am thinking of joining this produce delivery service called Farm Fresh to You, and they have a nice variety of organic veggies for what looks to be a decent price, my daycare provider is very happy with the service (plus their HQ in Nor Cal is near my home town, so in a sense they are still local to me), and their produce is still from within California, and organic.

I have had milk delivery (Rockview Farms) in the past but when I found out that their milk was also sold at Trader Joe's as their label (and I believe Stater Bros., although I don't think they carry the organic line) I canceled and just started buying at Trader's. I am just as happy and can't really drink any other line unless it comes from a glass bottle (this is the freshest tasting milk from a plastic bottle ever!)

If I think of anything else that hasn't been mentioned I'll post again.

[barkley1]

Have you ever heard of E-mealz? I started it about 6 months ago and have saved a TON of money and TIME (yay!). I would never go back to my old way again, b/c this is so easy and cheap. My friends at work have started using it too, and we just go on and on about how you can go to the grocery store, leave with hardly anything in your cart (compared to how you used to shop) and have seven meals ready to make!!

there are several options, like Low Fat, weight watchers, gluten free, etc. And, it's grocery store-specific, but I don't pay attention to that. i might save a few extra bucks a month if I went to one of the ones it lists, but I get the Walmart one b/c it lists the prices of the items you're to buy and I can compare it to my store brands, etc. No, it's not perfect...sometimes there are meals on there I just don't have any interest in fixing. but, you get 7 for the week, and we really only need 4-5 with eating leftovers, pizza night, etc.

http://e-mealz.com/amember/go.php?r=121353&i=l0

[ha98ed14]

Also, please do not take this the wrong way, but if your DH has gotten another pay cut, do you think maybe you would qualify for WIC? I'm sorry that you are going through this stress.

Ha, I'm not offended! Trust me, I've checked! I wish we did qualify for something! We've paid in over the years, so I wouldn't feel any shame in taking the help if we qualified. While our income is low enough to be on their charts, our family size (3) makes us too rich by their standards. I remember realizing I would have to have 3 more kids to qualify. NOT HAPPENING! (cf. Boolady's concurrently running thread.)

Everything is based on family/household size. I looked into getting reduced rates for gas and electric, but nope! We were too small of a family. I think family size is an asinine way to measure how much money someone has available to pay their bills because our housing payment does not change if I have more kids. It is what it is. Same with heat. It costs the same to heat your house no matter how many people live in it. But whatever.

I try to remind myself that we have WAY more than some people, and we do. There are people living in incredibly overcrowded conditions in apartments on the other side of the RR tracks. I have space and privacy and a good vacuum with a HEPA filter, Netflix, a dishwasher. These things make my life easier and I am grateful for them.

[karstmama]

i'm sorry you're having to tighten your belt yet again, and you've gotten some good thoughts.

i'd like to put in another vote for dried beans. with a ham hock or half a ham steak (or some smoked turkey or sausage, whatever y'all like), they'd have the meat taste but really stretch the $$. sorta the same for soup/stew, but more protein.

[hellokitty]

Ha, I'm not offended! Trust me, I've checked! I wish we did qualify for something! We've paid in over the years, so I wouldn't feel any shame in taking the help if we qualified. While our income is low enough to be on their charts, our family size (3) makes us too rich by their standards. I remember realizing I would have to have 3 more kids to qualify. NOT HAPPENING! (cf. Boolady's concurrently running thread.)

Everything is based on family/household size. I looked into getting reduced rates for gas and electric, but nope! We were too small of a family. I think family size is an asinine way to measure how much money someone has available to pay their bills because our housing payment does not change if I have more kids. It is what it is. Same with heat. It costs the same to heat your house no matter how many people live in it. But whatever.

I try to remind myself that we have WAY more than some people, and we do. There are people living in incredibly overcrowded conditions in apartments on the other side of the RR tracks. I have space and privacy and a good vacuum with a HEPA filter, Netflix, a dishwasher. These things make my life easier and I am grateful for them.

I agree, it stinks that it is by family size, b/c even small families struggle. I'm sorry that you've checked into some of these programs and you don't qualify. It seems like they should be something in place for families that are on the fringe.

[Tanya]

Our house goes through a lot of milk. I buy the kids organic, but dh and I just get regular milk. I can't afford organic for all of us.

Coupons and sales also help save money. I cut coupons and load electronic coupons on my store card.

[elephantmeg]

have you read the tightwad gazette books? My library had them and they wre helpful

[JustMe]

I have not read all the replies so sorry if this is a repeat or irrelevant, but we love our brown rice and beans here. We do not use organic, but I would still think you'd be getting off pretty cheaply if you bought the organic kind. If you feel the need, you could have cheese with that. (and a veggie, of course)