When food prices began rising this summer, my family’s weekly grocery bills jumped from $150 to $200. (This amount does not include what we were spending eating out, but does include expenses for diapers, paper goods, and other sundries.)
The sudden increase was alarming, especially considering that my wife and I were also forced to spend more than $600 a month to commute from our small farm to our jobs. At first, the amount we were spending on groceries seemed absurd for a family of four. We buy our groceries at one of two discount supermarkets. Plus, we were subsidizing our diet with vegetables from our garden and meat from two pigs we slaughtered last winter.
So we began looking at every purchase in earnest, trying to shave $50 off our weekly grocery expenses (we have also killed our restaurant budget entirely). I had assumed we were eating too high on the hog. But when I threw out the occasional splurge on gourmet coffee, red wine, and a block of Irish cheddar (as much as $7.98 for 7 ounces), I discovered our grocery list wasn’t that out of whack and couldn’t easily be pared back without a serious change in diet. Here’s a sample from June, a $116 tab that was one of two trips we made to the grocer that week.
• Meat: $26
• Dairy: $22
• Fresh fruit and vegetables: $15
• Canned and frozen vegetables: $12
We spent half our budget on whole foods and mildly processed staples. The rest was going to diapers ($15), oatmeal (pennies), soft drinks ($6 a week), dog food, and allergen-free products ($20) for our youngest.
To cut back on costs, we’ve already made some changes to our list. We’re buying less expensive (often fattier) cuts of meat. We’ve dropped anything with organic or grass-fed on the label. We’ve cut the Irish cheese completely and we’re drinking wine (gasp!) from a box.
Beyond that we’re struggling to make any significant reductions in our spending. I don’t want to start loading up our basket with high-caloric processed foods. It’s not good for my diabetes or our children (even if our son with food allergies could eat processed foods).
The low cost of energy-dense processed food is one reason there’s an inverse relationship in the United States between poverty and obesity. Even though the poor in Alabama (where we live), for example, have less money to spend than the more affluent, they are more likely to be obese. If my family suddenly begins filling our calorie counts with cheaper food products instead of the fresh fruits and veggies we normally consume, what are the long-term consequences to our health?
I’m honestly stumped. We need to save money and we need to buy food that’s healthy. Are those two goals incompatible? I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions for saving money on food.
In the meantime, my wife and I will cut back not on what we eat, but on how much. Maybe a little belt-cinching on our budget can have the same effect on our waistlines. And we’ll let the kids keep eating high on the hog.
(PHOTO: FOTOLIA/HEALTH)
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Comments (5)
Eat less meat. It’s what you spent the most on, and it’s what most Americans eat too much of. A serving of meat is only three ounces, which is less than a quarter pound, and you only need two to three servings of “protein” a day. Protein can also be cheaper items, like eggs (for those who can eat them), beans, dairy, and more. It’s better for the environment, too, for us to eat less meat and thus need less livestock. I wouldn’t say you need to turn vegetarian, but reducing meat portion sizes and going meatless once or twice a week will likely save you money. It’s a healthier way to go than adding more processed foods to your diet, too.
Your family’s circumstances (son’s allergies, your diabetes) present some challenges. I can understand why you do buy a lot of meat, since nuts and soy are out of the question. But what about black beans, lentils, chickpeas, and split peas? Is your son allergic to those? My husband makes thick vegetarian soups from those ingredients, and they’re hearty enough as a meal in themselves. They also have a lot of protein and fiber, and they’re gentle on blood sugar. Can your son eat tahini (sesame paste), a key ingredient in hummus? I have easy recipes for all of these things if you’re interested.
For what it’s worth, the relationship you describe between poverty and obesity is direct proportionality. The inversely proportional relationship is between income and obesity, not between poverty and obesity.
One of the more time consuming way to trim some of that cost is to buy the old fashioned cloth diapers and wash them. It’s better for the child, better for the environment, and better for your pocketbook.
Hangover Cure that works. Even in stressful economic times.