OT- We're Number Two!

erin3213 wrote:
I live in the midwest, I definitely see where the statistics are at. Every restaurant in this area is 80% fried food.

Notice how fresh foods, produce, organics, etc are higher priced than a can of spaghettios? Now, don't get me wrong, I'm down for Chef Boyardee, but the nutritional content will vary from a meal of fish, salad and wild rice, etc. When the economy is tough, you tighten the belt.

There are waaaay too many pre-prepared foods at our disposal. Go shop at a grocery store where some are really trying to stretch their dollar, their shopping carts look a little different.

We went to the store today and were having this very discussion! LOL

How much is rice? How much are generic noodles? How much is generic frozen vegetables?

No, a person on a budget cannot afford fresh vegs and fruits. Nor can they afford to eat meat (chicken/seafood either) every single night. We can afford it and don't eat it every single night. Those items (meat, seafood, chicken) tend to be once a week sort of things.

The frozen vegs are not the best option but it's better than reaching for that $10 bag of Tyson Chicken Nuggets which are pure crud BTW (Purdue makes a better lightly breaded alternative that costs the same or even better go for the unbreaded frozen chicken strips and throw them in with some frozen vegs, a bit of soy sauce, and put the whole thing over rice with an hard fried egg and you have a good and cheap meal).

You can also make your own bread (another way to save money).

We determined that it is possible to eat well on a limited budget but that it requires some creative alternatives.

(Our food bill ranges from $600 - 800 a month for a family of 3 but we are not on a budget. When we were first married, 15 years ago we were on a budget and kept it down to $200 a month for a family of 2 by trolling Big Lots and other discount stores for food).