Comments on: America's Cheapest Family http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/10/23/americas-cheapest-family/ Green and Natural Parenting Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:28:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: isabelle http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/10/23/americas-cheapest-family/#comment-8162 isabelle Thu, 22 Jan 2009 07:51:48 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1545#comment-8162 I agree absolutely about vegetables and fruit. At the moment I'm buying what is cheap and seasonal, cabbage, carrots, parsnips and swede (rutabagas). Fruit is bananas (great cut into home made meusli) and oranges. I also agree about not eating much processed food, so much of it tastes so vile anyway. I do think people get a taste for it though, then 'real' food can taste bland to them, they have to re-educate their taste buds. The only problem we don't have in the UK is healthcare to pay for. Interestingly, in France you can buy wonderful fresh and seasonal food - the organic demand is very low. However the French east a lot of fruits and vegetables and despite their relatively high intake of high fat food - cheese especially - and alcohol - although that tends to be wine - they live longer average lives than the UK or USA. An American study followed women recovering from breast cancer, half ate 5 portions of F & V a day (checked by blood testing) and the others ate 'ordinary' diets. Guess which group had a greater number of recoveries, substantially greater. Yes, the 5 a dayers! I agree absolutely about vegetables and fruit. At the moment I’m buying what is cheap and seasonal, cabbage, carrots, parsnips and swede (rutabagas). Fruit is bananas (great cut into home made meusli) and oranges. I also agree about not eating much processed food, so much of it tastes so vile anyway. I do think people get a taste for it though, then ‘real’ food can taste bland to them, they have to re-educate their taste buds.

The only problem we don’t have in the UK is healthcare to pay for.

Interestingly, in France you can buy wonderful fresh and seasonal food – the organic demand is very low. However the French east a lot of fruits and vegetables and despite their relatively high intake of high fat food – cheese especially – and alcohol – although that tends to be wine – they live longer average lives than the UK or USA.

An American study followed women recovering from breast cancer, half ate 5 portions of F & V a day (checked by blood testing) and the others ate ‘ordinary’ diets. Guess which group had a greater number of recoveries, substantially greater. Yes, the 5 a dayers!

]]> By: Momma http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/10/23/americas-cheapest-family/#comment-8161 Momma Mon, 27 Oct 2008 02:31:39 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1545#comment-8161 what a great book review. I am going to have to try to find it at my library! what a great book review. I am going to have to try to find it at my library!

]]> By: Katharyn http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/10/23/americas-cheapest-family/#comment-8160 Katharyn Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:45:03 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1545#comment-8160 Thank you for the book review! As my husband I are moving to Arizona in January, at which time we'll be living off of just my income while Paul finishes school I think this book could be of great help, and thus had been added to my library list. P.S. no fresh fruit or veggies for two weeks... yeah we'll skip that part. Thank you for the book review!

As my husband I are moving to Arizona in January, at which time we’ll be living off of just my income while Paul finishes school I think this book could be of great help, and thus had been added to my library list.

P.S. no fresh fruit or veggies for two weeks… yeah we’ll skip that part.

]]> By: Nikki http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/10/23/americas-cheapest-family/#comment-8159 Nikki Sat, 25 Oct 2008 16:13:54 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1545#comment-8159 Although I hate to hear it, I'm glad to know I'm not alone on the grocery bill. Over the last few mths I stopped buying processed food and started buying fresh produce. My grocery bill has doubled and I have had the realization of how costly it is to eat good food! It really makes you mad when you want to do something good for your kids, then realize you can't afford to live that way! Does anyone have any favorite sites to find coupons for organic and healthier products? Unfortunately, I can find tons of coupons for the types of foods I'm trying not to buy! Although I hate to hear it, I’m glad to know I’m not alone on the grocery bill. Over the last few mths I stopped buying processed food and started buying fresh produce. My grocery bill has doubled and I have had the realization of how costly it is to eat good food! It really makes you mad when you want to do something good for your kids, then realize you can’t afford to live that way!
Does anyone have any favorite sites to find coupons for organic and healthier products?
Unfortunately, I can find tons of coupons for the types of foods I’m trying not to buy!

]]> By: Jackie http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/10/23/americas-cheapest-family/#comment-8158 Jackie Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:37:31 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1545#comment-8158 I have started to menu plan a few weeks ago and I have seen my grocery bill go down. I agree - I don't like to buy processed foods, so I have been trying to plan my meals around what fresh stuff is on sale. I think menu planning has definitely helped us to bring down our grocery bill : ) I am also being strict too where I only go to the grocery store once a week and no longer make my stops during the week for 1 or 2 things (which always turns into more - LOL) I have started to menu plan a few weeks ago and I have seen my grocery bill go down. I agree – I don’t like to buy processed foods, so I have been trying to plan my meals around what fresh stuff is on sale. I think menu planning has definitely helped us to bring down our grocery bill : ) I am also being strict too where I only go to the grocery store once a week and no longer make my stops during the week for 1 or 2 things (which always turns into more – LOL)

]]> By: kendra http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/10/23/americas-cheapest-family/#comment-8157 kendra Fri, 24 Oct 2008 14:53:12 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1545#comment-8157 I love reading about frugality, but that grocery shopping stuff always gets to me. We don't eat processed things either and we do love fresh produce, so we can't take part in some of the major bargains that I read about. Plus coupons are pretty much all for processed foods. I think we could get our grocery bill down if we menu planned better and ate less meat and dairy. Maybe I need to make that a goal in November, to menu plan. Hopefully that would take a chunk out of that huge expense. I love reading about frugality, but that grocery shopping stuff always gets to me. We don’t eat processed things either and we do love fresh produce, so we can’t take part in some of the major bargains that I read about. Plus coupons are pretty much all for processed foods. I think we could get our grocery bill down if we menu planned better and ate less meat and dairy. Maybe I need to make that a goal in November, to menu plan. Hopefully that would take a chunk out of that huge expense.

]]> By: Mrs. Not the Jet Set http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/10/23/americas-cheapest-family/#comment-8156 Mrs. Not the Jet Set Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:06:00 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1545#comment-8156 Amber bet me to it! You do sound like a Dave fan. If you have not read his books you should read The Total Money Makeover. You would really enjoy it as well. It seems hard to live green and on a budget but once you start thinking about it you CAN live a thrifty green life. Now that we have done it so long it seems natural! www.notthejetset.net Amber bet me to it! You do sound like a Dave fan. If you have not read his books you should read The Total Money Makeover. You would really enjoy it as well.

It seems hard to live green and on a budget but once you start thinking about it you CAN live a thrifty green life. Now that we have done it so long it seems natural!

http://www.notthejetset.net

]]> By: Angela http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/10/23/americas-cheapest-family/#comment-8155 Angela Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:35:11 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1545#comment-8155 You really don't have to have phone service. Just call the phone company and change it to a stand alone dsl service. You really don’t have to have phone service. Just call the phone company and change it to a stand alone dsl service.

]]> By: Maria http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/10/23/americas-cheapest-family/#comment-8154 Maria Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:04:27 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1545#comment-8154 How weird, I've been reading this book recently too! I got it from the library, which is free :) My husband is back in college, and we're living off just my income, so I've had to cut everything that isn't absolutely necessary from the budget. I eat a mostly vegan diet (I am a vegetarian and I can't have dairy products) and it is HARD to find vegan, organic, healthy food on a budget. It helps to have go-to recipes that your family likes that are cheap and healthy. In the book, they do encourage buying seasonal produce, which is usually better for your budget. Trying to eat well on a budget has really opened my eyes to what a luxury it is to be able to go to Whole Foods, buy all fresh, organic produce and high quality groceries. I'm lucky to have a decent income, I can't imagine a family trying to buy healthy, organic food on a minimum wage budget. How weird, I’ve been reading this book recently too! I got it from the library, which is free :) My husband is back in college, and we’re living off just my income, so I’ve had to cut everything that isn’t absolutely necessary from the budget. I eat a mostly vegan diet (I am a vegetarian and I can’t have dairy products) and it is HARD to find vegan, organic, healthy food on a budget. It helps to have go-to recipes that your family likes that are cheap and healthy. In the book, they do encourage buying seasonal produce, which is usually better for your budget. Trying to eat well on a budget has really opened my eyes to what a luxury it is to be able to go to Whole Foods, buy all fresh, organic produce and high quality groceries. I’m lucky to have a decent income, I can’t imagine a family trying to buy healthy, organic food on a minimum wage budget.

]]> By: Amber http://naturemoms.com/blog/2008/10/23/americas-cheapest-family/#comment-8153 Amber Thu, 23 Oct 2008 22:52:56 +0000 http://www.naturemoms.com/blog/?p=1545#comment-8153 Sounds like you'd like Dave Ramsey! ;) Thanks for the book recommendation. Sounds like you’d like Dave Ramsey! ;) Thanks for the book recommendation.

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