Whether
therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory
of God.--1 Corinthians 10:31
|
[Home] [Recipe Index] [Frugal Food Storage] [Good-Carb] [Biblical Womanhood] [Links] [New Blog] [Old Fashioned Education] [Prairie Homemaker] [My Mother's Blog] |
|
|
|
May 15. Blog. Update on Status of My Familys Diet & GFCF Bread, again May 14, Blog. Fried Rice & Link to Gluten Free Frugal Blog May 13, Blog. Maggies First GFCF Homemade Yeast Bread May 13, Blog. GFCF Day 5--Pizza & Preacher Cookies + Pics May 11. Blog. GFCF Day 3 May 10. Blog. GFCF Day 1--updated, Picture of food. |
|
In the Frugal Food Storage section you'll find information and recipes for food storage or provident living. In my family our income fluctuates by as much as 33%. We call this a Feast or Famine lifestyle. One of the coping methods I've devolped is buying extra food during times of feasting to see us abundantly through times of Famine. Some easily stored foods require specialized recipes and cooking methods which I've addressed in this section. I've also tried to make room for some of my favorite hobbies such as serving God, sewing, wearing a headcovering and dressing modestly. These can be found in the Hobby Room and on the Biblical Womahood page.
Our Healthy Diet.
You may be wondering why I have concluded this way of eating is the
cheapest and healthiest. On the health front a Pescatarian diet is
lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than the Standard American
Diet (often refered to by it's initials: SAD). Plenty of protein is
provided by whole grains, legumes [beans], milk, cheese and
eggs. Fish and seafood provide additional protein plus yummy, healthy
omega-3 fatty acids. These are found most abundantly in fatty
fish such as mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, tuna and
salmon, many of which are available inexpensively in canned form.
Omega-3 fatty acids provide several health benefits, including
a reduced risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, healthier
arteries (less plaque), decreased risk of blood clots and lower
triglyceride levels (this is related to "bad" or LDL cholesterol). Pescatarian diets place extra emphasis on nutritious, low-cost foods such as whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables and small quantities of nuts and seeds. These provide fiber, healthy fats, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals until they're coming out of your ears. Low-fat dairy products such as powdered nonfat dry milk supply calcium, of great importance to pregnant, lactating and menopausal women. Cultured dairy products like yogurt and buttermilk can improve digestion while providing as much calcium as milk. Eggs used to be considered bad-guys in the food kingdom because of their cholesterol content. New studies prove that the cholesterol in eggs does not increase one's LDL cholesterol. In fact, some studies suggest eggs actually help reduce cholesterol! Besides being a cheap source of high quality protein, eggs contain a substance called choline which contributes to brain health. Whole eggs also contain carotenoids which improve eye function while helping to prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. If you love eggs like I do, this is wonderful news. A website called the World's Healthiest Foods has lots more information about the health benefits of eggs.
Not that it was all kittens and sunshine. I did experience some resistance, especially from the children. Whole wheat pasta wasn't popular at first. I stopped cooking any pasta at all for a full month. When I finally did make up a batch of spaghetti they were so happy to have pasta again that there wasn't much grumbling about it being whole wheat. Now they eat it without a second thought, but it wasn't always that way. Another area we've struggled with is eating fish and seafood. Fred and I love it, but the boys still prefer to avoid it. They are both willing to eat shrimp (frozen tiny shrimp are especially cheap), and tuna is relatively popular, but anything more exotic is still met with suspicion. Partly for this reason and partly because of it's extra cost, we don't eat as many fish meals as we would in my ideal world. For the most part I focus on inexpensive main meals including lots of vegetables, grains, beans, TVP, eggs and moderate amounts of cheese. This keeps the boys happy for the most part, and keeps our grocery bill low.
How Much Should It Cost?
When folks ask me how much money they should be spending on groceries
during these inflationary times I find myself at a loss for words.
There are so many variables including family size, the local cost of
food, whether or not you garden, the value of any public assistance
you receive like WIC or Commodity foods, the amount of time you are
willing to devote to meal preparation and the types of food your If you have a standard family of 2 or 4 the Thrifty Plan is a good guide. If you have a large family it will take a little arithmetic to figure out the recommended costs. At the time of this writing (November, 2007) the official cost to feed a family of 4 is about $128 per week. I use this as my upper level. It represents the most I should have to spend to feed my family every week. My personal goal is to come in well under this limit. On this amount--$128 per week or less--usually $100 or less--I strive to feed my family wholesome, healthy foods that meet all their dietary needs, allowing their diet to improve their health, rather than subtract from it. I work diligently to keep the quality optimum and the cost minimum. It's challenging to be sure, but infinitely satisfying as well.
DISCLAIMER. I am a regular mom and homemaker. I make mistakes just like everyone else. Anyone expecting perfection will be sorely disappointed. Nothing on this website should be construed as medical advice. Use any suggestion with common sense and an eye towards safety. |
|
[Home] [Recipe Index] [Frugal Food Storage] [Good-Carb] [Biblical Womanhood] [Links] [New Blog] [Old Fashioned Education] [Prairie Homemaker] [My Mother's Blog]
Power By Ringsurf
The Christian Counter
©
FrugalAbundance 2007-2008 John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. |
|
|