Economic woes hit American stomachs

[Quiver0f10]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/04/11/economy.food.shopping.ap/index.html

 

One thing that shocked me was this bit: "Nationwide, a family of four on a moderate-cost shopping plan now spends an average of $904 each month for groceries, an $80 increase from two years ago, according to the USDA."

 

That's a lot more than I spend for 3 times the people. It's an interesting article though and it makes me wonder if things are going to get worse before they get better.

 

I am curious what changes have you made in your diets because of the food prices?

[elegantlion]

That's over double of what I spend for a family of 3, plus two pets. If I had 904 to budget, we'd eat out every day.

 

We are eating less full meals. We eat oatmeal at least twice a week for dinner. Our groceries have really seen an increase lately. We're working to make everything item stretch more. 70.00 a week used to do groceries, now it's closer to 100.00.

 

My blessed dh works physically hard all day. He could eat a lot (and never gain an ounce) but even he has stopped asking for bigger meals.

[Quiver0f10]

To answer my own question LOL we are using a lot less meats, dairy and fruits. I was cooking vegetarian a few times a week for health, but we are considering going full time for health, but cost is a definite plus too. I had started buying alot of our baked goods but went back to cooking from scratch or not eating certain things like bagels, which my kids love. We are eating more oatmeal instead. We have been mixing whole milk with powder 50/50 and using the powder in baking, which we have always done, but now I am more stict with it.

[Jennifer in MI]

Is dry milk a lot cheaper? I've never priced it. I just buy milk when it's on sale and freeze it.

 

What I've been doing - planning my meals around what's on sale at the grocery store. Clipping coupons. Making my own yogurt, bread, and tortillas (and baked goods, but realistically, that's only about once/month). I plan out ALL my meals and snacks. We're going to plant a garden this summer. We're planning to go blueberry and strawberry picking this spring/summer so we'll have those frozen for the winter.

 

I think that's about it! I went for what I thought would be a cheap trip to the grocery store last week. I already had all of our meat, cheese and milk. I spent $170!!! That should last us about 1 1/2 weeks though. But, I seriously thought it would be a lot cheaper!!

[hsmom]

I spend a lot on food, but I also live where it is expensive. Like a gallon of milk is $5, a loaf of bread is $3-4, and so on. So, my grocery bills are high no matter what we eat. I tried the veg. meals, but dh was not to happy with me.LOL

Also I have found that making my own breads and such is A LOT cheaper.

[Antonia]

Well, I don't know what that "family of four" is eating, but it must include a lot of filet mignon! We are a family of four, and I spend less than half that amount.

[Audrey]

To answer my own question LOL we are using a lot less meats, dairy and fruits. I was cooking vegetarian a few times a week for health, but we are considering going full time for health, but cost is a definite plus too. I had started buying alot of our baked goods but went back to cooking from scratch or not eating certain things like bagels, which my kids love. We are eating more oatmeal instead. We have been mixing whole milk with powder 50/50 and using the powder in baking, which we have always done, but now I am more stict with it.

 

Sounds to me like you're doing well with that. One thing that we did (for costs more than health, although it's a benefit) is to cut back on dairy. Here dairy products are very expensive. Most cheese costs more per pound than most meat!

 

I must admit that I've never considered using powdered milk though. It's a personal issue, really. I only ever got powdered as a kid and I truly detested it. I still won't drink milk straight -- even whole, real milk. lol! If you do like your dairy, though, there are ways to make your own cheeses. I enjoy making cheese! It's a fun hobby trying different types. The results are so delicious, too, and far less in expense than what we'd pay in any store.

[Quiver0f10]

Sounds to me like you're doing well with that. One thing that we did (for costs more than health, although it's a benefit) is to cut back on dairy. Here dairy products are very expensive. Most cheese costs more per pound than most meat!

 

I must admit that I've never considered using powdered milk though. It's a personal issue, really. I only ever got powdered as a kid and I truly detested it. I still won't drink milk straight -- even whole, real milk. lol! If you do like your dairy, though, there are ways to make your own cheeses. I enjoy making cheese! It's a fun hobby trying different types. The results are so delicious, too, and far less in expense than what we'd pay in any store.

 

They don't like pure powder, but half and half they tolerate it LOL. I refuse to pay $3.50+ for a gallon of milk. How much milk does it take to make a pound of cheese? How much time does it take?

[hsmom]

They don't like pure powder, but half and half they tolerate it LOL. I refuse to pay $3.50+ for a gallon of milk. How much milk does it take to make a pound of cheese? How much time does it take?

 

I would pay $3.5 a gallon if they offered it here.LOL

[Unicorn.]

Quiver- maybe you should host a summer camp for WTM moms. We could come spend a week w/ you and learn how to really make more for less. I thought I was pretty frugal, and I am, but I think I'm going to have to try that 50/50 thing. We go through 1-1 1/2 gal. of milk a day here. Thanks for posting that!

[mcconnellboys]

Thanks for this; very informative. We have a family of four and I don't spend this much on our groceries, eating out and household supplies all combined for the month. But I do live in the "south", and I think it's still cheaper than some other areas of the country.

[Maria from IN]

With my food allergies, I pay $4.69 for a simple loaf of bread, so I'm learning to live without that and many of the other natural foods that are so much more convenient. I eat a lot of the frozen veggies that are on sale here at Kroger all the time, and I'm doing a lot more cooking and freezing than I used to.

 

I could still use a frugal-food-allergy-camp, though!:001_smile:

[elegantlion]

Maria, I have a wheat allergy and I almost cried in the store the other day. Everything I wanted had wheat! I can't even afford most of the gluten free options, which are limited in our stores.

 

I seriously just wanted to give up eating at that moment, it was so frustrating. Either that or live on Cliff Z bars for kids for the rest of my life.

[Jenny in Atl]

I could still use a frugal-food-allergy-camp, though!:001_smile:

 

Can I come too? I cry when I read how cheaply many hear buy their food. With two Celiac kids... food is one of our biggest expenses.

[Tina]

Just thought I'd share a new forum for gluten intolerant people. Taste of Home (magazines) started a new forum for this March 31st. Hope this will be helpful.

 

http://community.tasteofhome.com/groups/

 

Look for the Gluten-Free Zone

[Lakeside]

In the article one woman said that she has cut back on meat, fruit, vegetables and snack food in order to save money. What are they eating?

[Jenny in Atl]

Just thought I'd share a new forum for gluten intolerant people. Taste of Home (magazines) started a new forum for this March 31st. Hope this will be helpful.

 

http://community.tasteofhome.com/groups/

 

Look for the Gluten-Free Zone

 

 

Here is another great support group. With the numbers of people being dx way up, hopefully prices on GF items will drop.

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SillyYaks/

[Quiver0f10]

I am lucky that none of us have allergies and feel for those of you who do. I'd love to have you all come on over :D

[Audrey]

They don't like pure powder, but half and half they tolerate it LOL. I refuse to pay $3.50+ for a gallon of milk. How much milk does it take to make a pound of cheese? How much time does it take?

 

For 5 gallons of milk, I can get 6lbs. of hard cheese, or about 7 to 71/2 lbs. of softer cheeses. Hard cheeses take longer in general. You can make a great, simple cheese from yoghurt in about a day using little more than a piece of cheesecloth, or you can invest in some very simple equipment and crank out very fine artisan cheeses (which obviously will take a lot longer).

 

Here is my favourite site on everything cheesemaking. Fankhauser's Cheese Page There, you'll find recipes and techniques for the most simple cheeses to more complex ones.

[Bess]

Well, that makes me feel a WHOLE lot less guilty for what we spend in groceries every month!:D

[Ravin]

We've got it easy in the food allergy department. DD's just allergic to eggs, peanuts (not severely), and codfish. Cooking with vegan recipes, (sometimes with dairy sub'ed back in) and using Ener-G Egg Replacer in baking isn't all that tough. It also means I can afford to buy free range organic eggs since I don't go through them as fast as I would if I baked with them and fed them to DD.

 

Sunflower seed butter has gone up in price, though organic milk is holding at $6/gal. here. When conventional is running upwards of $4/gal, it's not such a big leap to get the organic anymore.

 

We've been eating out way too much lately, but really it doesn't seem a big deal to me to spend more on food these days after a couple of years of having to really really scrimp and eat on the cheap.

 

Next big-lump purchase on my list after DD's K curriculum and dentist visits is meat, though. Last summer I bought a lamb and it's about all gone. I refuse to eat cheap industrial meat but don't really want to go veg or pescatarian again, so I need to find a good source here for some grass fed meat. Harder to do than it was last summer in TX, when a friend of my mom's had some spare lambs.

[Quiver0f10]

For 5 gallons of milk, I can get 6lbs. of hard cheese, or about 7 to 71/2 lbs. of softer cheeses. Hard cheeses take longer in general. You can make a great, simple cheese from yoghurt in about a day using little more than a piece of cheesecloth, or you can invest in some very simple equipment and crank out very fine artisan cheeses (which obviously will take a lot longer).

 

Here is my favourite site on everything cheesemaking. Fankhauser's Cheese Page There, you'll find recipes and techniques for the most simple cheeses to more complex ones.

 

Thanks, I will check out the link!

[asher]

Well, I don't know what that "family of four" is eating, but it must include a lot of filet mignon! We are a family of four, and I spend less than half that amount.

:iagree: I agree, and we eat all natural and primarily organic!

[paula j]

That does seem like alot of money but I have noticed prices creeping up. I heard by summer a gallon of milk and loaf of bread will cost $12!:glare:

 

I do the 1/2 whole 1/2 powdered thing too. I also try to use the powdered in baking and things like gravy. The hillbilly housewife website used to have lots of recipes for powdered milk. Some of her ideas are a little off the wall, for instance I wouldn't like hotdog stirfry, but she does have some good ideas for saving on groceries.

 

Another thing I like to do is to keep sourdough starter going in a crock on my counter. You feed it and then make bread twice a week. I got bored with regular so I usually make plain loaves on one day or a loaf and some rolls or hotdog or hamburger buns and then on the other day I make at least one loaf into yummy cinnamon raisin bread and drizzle glaze over it. My whole family thinks this is a treat.

 

Thank you for the cheese making ideas, I have been wanting to try this.:)

[Maria from IN]

Maria, I have a wheat allergy and I almost cried in the store the other day. Everything I wanted had wheat! I can't even afford most of the gluten free options, which are limited in our stores.

 

I seriously just wanted to give up eating at that moment, it was so frustrating. Either that or live on Cliff Z bars for kids for the rest of my life.

 

Girl, I hear you. I'm allergic to corn, wheat, rye, barley, oats, soybeans, and mushrooms, and shopping in the natural foods section has become a nightmare! EnerG Tapioca loaf is $4.69, Larabars are 1.49 (you wouldn't believe how many companies stick oats in everything!), there are literally only three kinds of cereal in the whole store I can eat, and really anything else that's made of organic or obscure ingredients costs an arm and a leg here...and I live in Indiana! I can't imagine what you all on the coasts and in the metro areas are going through these days!

 

I always tell people I would graze, but I'm allergic to the pollen, too!;)

 

The only good thing that will come out of this is possibly I can lose some of that weight that's been creeping up on me over the last few years.:001_unsure:

[Nestof3]

My Dad was very pleased when he calculated what they spent on groceries, toiletries, etc. for one month -- $500.00. This did not include cash purchases, and it's only for 2 people.

 

I didn't say anything, but that seems really high to me.

[Nestof3]

I pay $3.12 for a gallon of milk at BJs. They just raised it from $2.99.

[Old Dominion Heather]

In the article one woman said that she has cut back on meat, fruit, vegetables and snack food in order to save money. What are they eating?

 

Beans?

[GailV]

When we moved a couple of years ago our grocery bill made an instant 40% jump. So I'm very wary of claiming I'm a good or bad shopper based simply on what I spend each week or month. It depends so very much on the area.

 

I'm just grateful we have access to well stocked groceries with plenty of fresh produce. So many people don't.

[Nestof3]

l

[Lakeside]

Beans?

 

Beans are vegetables.

[triadofchaos]

we spend about half that right now for our family of 5. we have cut back on meat and eat veg*n about 50-60% of the time. the grass fed meat we do buy, we purchase in bulk directly from the rancher. i've also found better produce prices at the farmer's markets than at the store- logical since it took less fuel to grow it, package it and get it to sale. i make all our baked goods and our own yogurt, ice cream and cheese which helps also. i buy dry beans in bulk, make large batches in the crock pot overnight and then freeze two cup portions for easy use later. i also buy grains in bulk too.

 

i wish i had $900 a month for groceries. i'd prob still only spend about $500 of it on food and use the other $400 to fund some seriously crazy homeschooling related adventures/materials!

[Tabitha]

Wow...I haven't read all the posts yet. I read dh that opening line in the OP post and he just said "we spend a heck of a lot."

 

I don't know what we spend.

 

We do a cow/hog share. We just spent just under $800 for 1/2 steer and 1/2 hog. It's all butchered and in our freezer. That meat will last us for over 1 1/2 years or more for ourselves....but about 1 yr if we have lots of people over and cook a lot for church pot lucks. I do not buy meat from the grocery store, with the exception of chicken breasts.

 

I have another cowshare I do, and we get raw milk ($6.50 gallon, but we only use 1 gallon a week - we drink lots of water), pastured eggs, stewing hens and pastured boilers from there. I usually only go once a month for this max., and usually every other month. I spend from $40 - $80 pending what I get.

 

We make bread a few times a week (got a bread maker for Christmas)...anywhere from 1-3 loaves.

 

Then we spend about $200 in the months that I order, about every other or every 2 months, from an organic food co-op and we get the bulk of our other groceries from there.

 

I only go to the grocery store for fruits, veggies, and condiments...hotdogs. We rarely do snack food...no pops at all...occassionally apple juice. We use a juicer lots in the summer/spring/fall. For the past few years have grown a nice garden each summer.

 

So...if I do $200 with the organic food...$80 for the milk and such...3x week to the fruit market at $40 and then about $150 at the grocery store...I can spend upwards to $550 in food for our family of 5. I guess that would be about right. Most times I think it's less than that.

 

I cook about 5 nights a week. We usually go out once a week or once every other, but watch how much we spend on that. Sundays we often go out for lunch. Then I do leftovers for 1-2 nights. I do breakfast for dinner occassionally as well.

 

After getting our meats so cheap right from the processor...and they are all pastured animals...basically organic without the certification...I cannot stomach to buy the disgusting meats at the grocery store nor their high prices. We couldn't eat like we do if we paid that kind of money for our meats.

[Tabitha]

For 5 gallons of milk, I can get 6lbs. of hard cheese, or about 7 to 71/2 lbs. of softer cheeses. Hard cheeses take longer in general. You can make a great, simple cheese from yoghurt in about a day using little more than a piece of cheesecloth, or you can invest in some very simple equipment and crank out very fine artisan cheeses (which obviously will take a lot longer).

 

Here is my favourite site on everything cheesemaking. Fankhauser's Cheese Page There, you'll find recipes and techniques for the most simple cheeses to more complex ones.

 

 

Oh, how cool. I would so love to make our own cheeses!

 

Thx,

Tab

[mom2abcd]

Another thing I like to do is to keep sourdough starter going in a crock on my counter. You feed it and then make bread twice a week. I got bored with regular so I usually make plain loaves on one day or a loaf and some rolls or hotdog or hamburger buns and then on the other day I make at least one loaf into yummy cinnamon raisin bread and drizzle glaze over it. My whole family thinks this is a treat.

 

QUOTE]

 

Paula, can you share your recipes? I have some dried out sourdough starter in my frig. I know there's a way to revive it, but haven't taken time to figure it all out. Sourdough is so good for you and so yummy!!!!

[*anj*]

This winter I started buying more frozen vegetables in order to save money. I don't buy all of them frozen (we don't like frozen broccoli), but I buy corn, green beans, peas, and spinach frozen now.

 

I stopped buying alcohol. Hard to believe, but true!

 

I stopped buying trash bags. Now we use the plastic grocery store bags in a little bucket.

 

I've been making my own bread for several years, which helps a lot. I have been making my own burger buns more often, and we stopped buying bagels every other week.

 

Popcorn has become a very common snack for us.

I bake pretty much all desserts, etc.

 

I make all of my pasta sauce from scratch, soups too. I stopped buying the Annie's mac and cheese that my kids love. I make it from scratch more often now.

 

This summer we will plant a small garden in addition to our farm membership. We're actually splitting the farm share with another family this year (again, to cut costs) and I'll plan on growing lots of tomatoes to put up, plus green beans and a few other things.

[Audrey]

I've been making my own bread for several years, which helps a lot. I have been making my own burger buns more often, and we stopped buying bagels every other week.

 

We love bagels here, too. I learned how to make them at home from this. It really is very easy. Give it a try and see how you like them.

[*anj*]

We love bagels here, too. I learned how to make them at home from this. It really is very easy. Give it a try and see how you like them.

Thank you so much for posting this link. I've thought about learning how to make bagels but I've never taken the plunge. I'm going to give it a whirl. :001_smile:

[umarider]

I had started buying alot of our baked goods but went back to cooking from scratch or not eating certain things like bagels, which my kids love. .

 

Why not make your own bagels? I did when we lived in Japan and I had a craving for bagels! They aren't hard to make. I'd gotten the recipe from a bread machine cookbook.

[Quiver0f10]

Why not make your own bagels? I did when we lived in Japan and I had a craving for bagels! They aren't hard to make. I'd gotten the recipe from a bread machine cookbook.

 

 

LOL I just made a batch yesterday and they came out great. I have done them before, but I was running low on time. I am making a committment to start a dedicated baking day. I used to do that years ago and don't know why I stopped.

[In The Great White North]

"In the article one woman said that she has cut back on meat, fruit, vegetables and snack food in order to save money. What are they eating?"

__________________

 

 

What are they eating? I would really like to know. No meat, fruit and vegetables? Rice and pasta isn't exactly a balanced meal. Where are the vitamins? The minerals? The protein? (as Shannon said, even beans are vegetables.)

 

Food is really expensive here, but I do feel a need to serve healthy meals. Illnesses and broken bones cost even more.

[KristineIN]

This winter I started buying more frozen vegetables in order to save money. I don't buy all of them frozen (we don't like frozen broccoli),

 

I don't care for most frozen broccoli either, however I found some awesome frozen broccoli at Sam's Club, right now, I've been able to get a 4 pound frozen bag for about $4.27 and it's all heads. Dh even comments how good it is. It's the only frozen broccoli that I buy now. Anyway, just thought I'd give you a heads up in case you want to try it. Most frozen broccoli is nasty because it's all stems.

 

Kristine

[LaMere Academy]

we're a family of 6 and spend between $900-$1000 a month on food, household items, probably another $50-100 depending on what we need to restock up on each month. I try to shop the sales mostly, but I'm not very good about it.

 

We hardly ever eat steak anymore...mostly chicken and hamburger, pork chops...I buy whatever meat is on sale for the week. Same with veggies and fruits...if grapes and apples are what is one sale, those are the fruits for the week. I know I could cut down another $200 a month easily and still not be deprived. I'm lucky I don't have to buy any cookies or crackers (like those are must haves anyway;) ) because DH works for Kraft, so we get all that stuff for free and it does help a bit.

 

I did cut down on the milk usage in my home because I've read that milk isn't really good for you anyway, so I've limited the milk drinking to one cup a day per child and I've noticed we're using much less.

[LaMere Academy]

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/04/11/economy.food.shopping.ap/index.html

 

One thing that shocked me was this bit: "Nationwide, a family of four on a moderate-cost shopping plan now spends an average of $904 each month for groceries, an $80 increase from two years ago, according to the USDA."

 

That's a lot more than I spend for 3 times the people. It's an interesting article though and it makes me wonder if things are going to get worse before they get better.

 

I am curious what changes have you made in your diets because of the food prices?

I'm going to print this article for my oldest son's current events report. I think it's good for him to read about this. Thanks for posting it!

[GailV]

Beans are vegetables.

 

Yeah, but the person who made the original comment probably wasn't thinking in those terms. People tend to get sort of a whacky view on what food groups things are in, depending on their sense of diet.

 

A couple of weeks ago the Brownie troop I help with was doing food pyramids, and several of the girls kept putting potatoes in with the grains/breads, I guess since potatoes are starchy. At least the girls had an excuse, though, since they were in 2nd and 3rd grade.

[In The Great White North]

I could never convince my mom that French Fries were a vegetable either.:)

[Caroline]

I could never convince my mom that French Fries were a vegetable either.:)

 

Ronald Reagan said that ketchup is a vegetable.

[lighthouseacademy]

I feed 5 (2 of the kids eat like adults though) on a 75% organic vegan diet. I have been working on building up a supply of food for preparedness sake. With all that, we spend about $600 per month. We eat at least 65-75% of our food raw too so that means nuts, seeds, fruits and veggies. We only have a SMALL veggie garden in the summer.

[Deb in NZ]

The cheapest prices I can find when I shop are:

Milk- $3.20 / 2 liters

cheese- $9.99 / kg

butter- $3.70+ / 500g (~1 pound)

cheap white bread- $1.09 / 600g loaf

somewhat more healthy bread- $2.10 / 700g loaf on-sale

 

I make what I can from scratch & we buy little meat. We were given 3 1/2 sheep just before Christmas & the meat is almost gone. We are all very sick of eating mutton. We have a garden & fruit trees & try to only buy fruit & veg. in season or frozen (on-sale). Groceries run around $1000 / month for our family of 5. I'd like to have 2-3 soup or no meat meals / week, but dh wants meat & veg. dinners as he works hard physically all day.

[Amy in Orlando]

I'm glad to read I'm not alone. I spent a lot of time last night talking to dh about trying to do more to cut food costs. How, really, how do you all find time to make bread and bagels? We use the bread thrift store. I'm just not a morning person (I've tried and failed) and I can't figure the bread thing out ... there are just not enough hours in the day for me. I should add that I'm not a good cook, I don't enjoy it, I do it because I have to feed my family. Adding bread-baking just makes me cringe, but if the savings are enough, I'll figure it out and work through my own issues.

 

We've cut WAY back on meat and dairy lately. So far no complaints. Everything I'm reading and hearing says gas prices will only be going up, so I"m looking for more ways to save. We have a tiny garden that dh started. I'm hoping we can go bigger next year, but in the meantime . . .