i told you several days ago about our ambitious new undertaking to eat well.
it's not like we ever ate terribly, i just knew there was absolutely room for improvement...
like using whole grains and whole wheat flours, buying local produce, cutting out frozen meals and anything processed...
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and for about ten days we ate really well, like everything from scratch minus some organic cheese and pizza sauce.
and now we're sick, wouldn't you know it. we're pretty good at getting ourselves into some quagmires.
nonetheless, i'm just going to be plain honest with you... most of the recipes i made were gee.ross. this smoothie was not in that category (flax seed, spinach, frozen organic berries, frozen natural plain yogurt, fresh bananas, skim organic milk); i confess i could live off of the fruity goodness with vegetables in disguise smoothies for life.
being the female that i am, i can often look past the taste of things if i know it's really good for me and my figure.
newsflash: men cannot do this same thing. or at least mine cannot.
not to mention the costs. i hate to sound all failure-like, but a $75/week budget does not support all organic, all food made from scratch eating.
example: i normally buy a box organic crackers or cheerio-like cereal for the kids for snacks. the price usually runs about $2.99 and the box will last for a week. i was going to make my own crackers, but after pricing out the ingredients and realizing it'd come to about $5 for 24 crackers (in addition to eating up precious minutes of my time to make the things) i said heck no.
it was most assuredly one of the most stressful weeks in my kitchen. i felt like i was poisoning my kids if i let them eat normal cheerios or even wheat ritz crackers.
i had to find balance, let certain things go, be wise about the money God has given for groceries, and fill these bodies of ours with as much healthy as we deem fit.
so we've come up with some compromises...
yes to...
...fresh produce and healthy, natural snacks.
...chicken, ground turkey, and fish (if i can find it fresh and not farm-raised).
...organic, when possible, within budget (the dirty dozen for sure: apples, celery, strawberries, peaches, spinach, nectarines, grapes, bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries, lettuce and kale).
...whole grains, greek yogurt, organic milk, soy milk (if you're scared of soy, read this).
...home-made: breads, doughs, some sacues, salad dressings, granola.
no to...
...processed frozen meals.
...prepackaged cookies, and many processed snacks (although, organic or whole grain crackers and cheerios are totally allowed).
...switching to all whole wheat flours. gasp. i know. we're rotten. i made this mac and cheese with wheat noodles, a whole wheat roux, and organic cheeses. i'm not even going to price out how much all that cost... i'd cringe too sharply. it was okay, but really, it wasn't melt in your mouth, this tastes so naturally fresh and creamy delicious like i had hoped. and if i'm going to spend $5+ (or something like that since i refuse to add it up) on mac and cheese it better be darn good.
let me introduce you to something that is good. this apple pumpkin butter and goat cheese ensemble take the place of my preferred snack or meal with whole-grain crackers ~
all in all, we're taking a more realistic natural approach that conforms to the needs/desires/tastes/budget of our family.
and i'm not losing sleep over making five thousand items from scratch everyday.
win-win.
how are you doing with eating?
-carissa
30 {comments}:
That's a good plan. We do about the same thing that your doing. I do agree with you on the hubby not eating just because it's good for you. I have a terrible time with that too. Also thanks for the soy link my sister in-law is always ragging on me because I eat soy based burgers crumbled up in my salads for lunch. I will definitely be e-mailing her that link.
I am right there with you. If a person is going to go completely organic and all natural they either have to have lots of money (or at least more than I do) :) or maybe growing most of it themselves. But aiming to be healthy is the most important thing and you certainly seem to do that! I always tell my husband "If we were rich I would buy all organic food"...or at least more gourmet foods but as it is, we do the best we can! :)
i knew of a family that juiced religiously, ate only fresh organic foods and constantly battled sickness. have no idea if there is a connection there or not, but it was really weird how they were ALWAYS sick.
i think balance is key. certain fruits and veggies are a must to buy organic, but some you can skip on. you just have to pick and choose or seriously it could break the bank.
It's all give and take. There's no way we could afford to go completely organic either. All of our produce is organic (from our organic buying club) and we do whole wheat everything as well. I'll pick up organic eggs, but we simply can't do organic milk (unfortunately) because we go through three gallons a week here, and we just can't afford it. It does cost more to go 100% organic/all natural, and it's definitely more time consuming - there's no way I could spend hours upon hours in the kitchen to make crackers, etc. from scratch. I'm like you, something's got to give for our budget and lifestyle.
I think you made some wise choices, and I say kudos! And I don't blame you for not wanting to make crackers. I bought Q a box of cheezits the other day, and you would have thought I bought him a cookie. It was hilarious!
We don't do whole wheat pasta, either. If you do want to try something more whole grain, try a Kamut pasta. It's got more whole grain, but tastes like regular pasta.
Buuuut (soapbox time) I still don't buy that soy doesn't affect hormones. Considering that soy is a hugely profitable crop for agriculture, cheap, and in everything, personally I'm still leery. Soy producers say their product is safe, just as much as the commercial beef industry says consuming moderate quantities of their marketed beef doesn't increase the amount of hormones in your body. The only industry to admit potential for problems is the dairy industry, which now labels if their farmers "promise" not to use added hormones. I just want to know why little girls are starting their periods at 7, 8 and 9 (all of my nieces!!!) instead of 12-14 like it used to be.
The scariest thing about soy, in my opinion, is that nearly 100% of all soy grown in the United States is genetically engineered. http://www.ers.usda.gov/Data/biotechcrops/
That is what creeps me out the most.
*climbs off soapbox* ;)
Now, must make some pumpkin butter and get a log of goat cheese, because that sounds INCREDIBLE!
I think it is important to see what works for you and to be able to balance it all out for your family. Good for you for keeping it real and realizing what you can and cannot do. Think of that week as an experiment. We are first simply trying to cook at home more and I have stopped eating frozen meals. The frozen meals was hard because they are so easy to take to work. I just have to plan to make a little extra at dinner to take the next day. My Jamison decided that instead of the rice crispy treats that I was going to make for her to take to school on her birthday, she'd rather take apples and grapes. Love that girl.
This is a perfect plan. It sounds a great deal like our plan. We use produce that's in season, I do NOT make crackers. Well, I've made some gluten free ones for Samuel but it takes 20 minutes to make 20. Too labor intensive when I can buy a box.
It's all balance and working within your budget. And I think you have a good grip on it.
Smoothies like that are a favorite at our home -- I love tucking the spinach in there -- in fact, my kids only like it when it has the green flecks!
Friend, you are inspiring. Thanks so much to be you and to share this journey with us.
Love ya.
Rachel
i love how honest you are. it's super refreshing. and just do your best. that's all we can do. skipping those icky processed frozen things is great! if you can buy some organic, great! just do your best...that's what i've decided with feeding my family. i don't want to spend a million dollars on groceries a month...yuck!
Go girl! Glad you found your balance! I sometimes feel guilty about the way I cook, but like you said men can't get over it sometimes. I can't make salads and fresh, girly things every night. I have a burly man that has to get full! I can relate :) Keep it up! I think you are doing a great job by picking and choosing and staying within budget!
This was so encouraging and affirming to read. This is almost exactly where we have landed (and I've made two of those smoothies this week-all the same ingredients, minus adding the milk!). I'm actually enjoying baking bread, tortillas, and pizza dough and it's been easier than I anticipated. I actually tried making crackers this week-also fairly easy, but I haven't calculated the costs yet.
Good for you...finding balance! I try my hardest to buy fresh produce from the farmers market or from our own garden and plan meals around that. I spend money on organic where needed...like LB's milk but for the most part I buy what our budget allows and try to cook healthy around that. I love soups and they are a life-saver for stretching the budget and making our organic produce count. I have started making my own stocks too so that way I don't have to pay the high price for organic.
Thanks for continuing to share your journey with us and hopefully the sickies will leave you all soon!
I'm a vegetarian and I'll admit it's hard. I know I should be super healthy eater because after all I'm eating vegetables all the time. But in reality - it's hard not to turn to potatoes and bread. I'm gonna keep trying to! Thanks for the help!
We have the same grocery budget you do per week, and I was thinking how in the world we would do this on that....so yeah. we can't haha.
i'm trying to look for ways to improve our diet's but honestly....having two little babies in addition to my 3 year old right now...crazzzy.
Is it bad to say I am just gonna put some of it off until they are easier?! eek.
What an experiment! Kudos for actually trying it out. Being a college student, my eating habits are unstable... Unfortunately more often on the go then actually sitting down to enjoy a meal.
Hello! I'm a fairly new reader, and I like you :)
I've been thinking more and more about how my family can change our eating habits to include more real food and less processed food, and I am so encouraged to hear that you agree that balance is key!!
Carrissa - I am so glad to read this... cause it means I am not alone :) I was so excited to read your earlier post for eating naturally but as I perused the website, I just knew I couldn't do it. At least not all the way. So I am like you picking and choosing which ones I can actually fit into my life realistically. My own post on this will be coming soon.
Have a great weekend!
I know just what you mean! It drives me nuts that it has to cost an arm and a leg just to eat healthy! I have so many food allergies, but to actually eat the way I should would cost a fortune because of all the crazy stuff I would have to buy. Not to mention all the TIME to make everything from scratch... no thank you. Now I just compromise where I can and rest well knowing that we go to sleep each night with full bellies and that's a blessing in itself. :)
Carissa, My family and I were just talking about this recently. The good thing is that God knows we want to do what's best for our bodies and our families. He also knows we have limited resources, and/or limited access to the things that are "better" for us. We can only do what we can do. He will take care of us :)
We did this exact same thing about a year ago. It lasted about a month before we realized our grocery bill had SKYROCKETED and we just couldn't justify it! Now we eat as healthy as we can without spending a fortune!!
You've got the right approach for sure. With kids and a budget, it's very difficult and so time consuming to literally make everything from scratch. Do what you can, and do what will have the biggest impact.
First, I commend you on wanting to keep your hubby happy and well-fed. Mine would agree with yours that taste is of utmost importance. (John also was the one who said that he'd rather eat happy and die a few years early :)
Second, within our community we know A LOT of very herbal, strictly natural families. In all honesty, and I say this completely objectively from observing these people for years, they are also struggle with some big health issues.
It's kind of like our bodies are saying - I Need Balance! (like you said too :)
Yes, we try to eat healthy overall, but you would find Doritos and (gasp!) a bag of store-bought cookies in our pantry. We also have a very small grocery budget (soon to be 10 people, frugal is the KEY!) and being a good financial steward is honestly a higher priority to me than being everything organic/natural.
Btw, we do use a lot of whole grain for breads, pizza dough etc but it's super cheap because we grind our own wheat. I mix it with some white and use dough enhancer to make it much more palatable. :)
I can't believe you!!
Just kidding, I completely get the need for balance!! And why not?! Its ok to find that buying something isn't going to kill you vs making it from scratch. I'm all for eating healthier and keeping as much processed foods out of my belly but darn if they truly make it hard for you with the cost of the 'good stuff' being sooo expensive.
I'm pretty sure they relish the fat America. Any hoo...I've been keeping myself away from the whole packaged cookies thing...and then the darn oreos were directly across the chicken broth I was buying and I blame Walmart for that trickery of putting them in the same isle!!! (who does that?!) so 2 count 'em 2! kinds dove in my cart. *sigh*...now I must eat them all so others won't have the nasty ingredients in their bellies. I must sacrifice my own for the greater good.
(but seriously, I never buy packaged cookies for that reason alone...just had a weak moment.)
Emily w/Amazing Grapes
Oh Carissa! I am probably on your "bad friends list" as we are having a completely frozen meal for supper *cough*. Yep - frozen chicken casserole and frozen garlic bread. But what can I say? My mother is off from 4:30 until 8:00ish and doesn't have time to cook. Maybe we can still be friends? ;-)
I am in total agreement with you though about the whole organic food eating. Our family has a square foot garden and grow our proudce organically. Processed food is just a *little* bit scary...especially when you look at the ingredients. We would be all for purchasing organic food if #1 Whole Foods was a LOT closer and #2 We had the money.
What I don't get is why processed, crappy food is less expensive...and organic is more expensive. *taps foot*
Enough with my rambling, "AMEN" to what you have said and that is about it. :)
Oh Carissa...this is why I love you and your blog! You keep it real. Let me first say that my hubby would be right with yours. He's not about sacrificing taste for health at all. And like you said, the grocery budget just doesn't work with all natural and organic. We try our best....but honestly, right now in life, the budget is more important to us. I plan on doing a lot more organic with Adeline when she's here. Thanks for sharing how your family makes this work!
carissa, it's OK. really :) no one thinks badly of you, and if anything, i admire you MORE because you were real with us in your journey to better eating. so thanks!
Bravo to you for an honest review! {not that I would expect anything less from you :)}
I am right there with you and I like your basic plan, too. Way more realistic and doable in this economy and with small children, etc.
Now that my husband's triglycerides are 498 (and he is only 38) and he refuses to go to the doctor, I am going to buckle down on what I cook!
I'm totally with you on being able to eat something that isn't so great if I know it is healthy and my husband not being at all like that. He doesn't care how good it is for you, if it doesn't taste good he doesn't eat it. I'm impressed with your healthy food choices though. I am trying to head that direction, but it's a slow process.
ive given up the organic thing for my family except milk (even that is soooo $$$) but on a budget for 7 it's not possible.
i thought if i made my own bread (which i love doing) would save us money...but the time it took and the cost was insane. not to mention the loaf once cut didn't stay fresh but 1 day and the slices were tiny...the boys ended up eating a loaf before the day was over. i couldn't keep up nor want to.
when my kids are out of the house we'll eat better again hahhahahahaha
as for the looks bad/taste but good for me...nope ...i'm like ur hubs....i eat with my eyes. my hubs doesn't ...he could eat tar
its tough but i feel better when i eat better. no grains, legumes, sugar, and i limit my dairy. i feel so much better for it. anytime i cheat usually bread, the next day i feel horrible. ive also been doing bodyrock workouts.
keep it it up girl, its so worth it.
Love the post, Carissa! Eating organic is pricey! Having a garden and a few fruit trees help a little ... hope next year, a lot! I've switched to prob 80% organic and 90% less wheat/grains and sugar in my diet (inflammation and blood sugar reasons). That's no fun because I do a lot of baking - now more sharing! Can't do soy (thyroid patient). I've been reading a LOT of stuff about nutrition. I do a lot of smoothies, juicing and raw foods. I feel so much better than I have in years!!! I love, love, love pumpkin butter!! You are making good choices!! Knowledge is power!!! I lean a lot on Psalms 32:8!!
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