In a recent post, I talked about sustainable living and part of that entailed food shopping. It's wonderful to want to adopt new and better ways to live in our changing world, but what about costs?? Many of our wallets haven't grown with our conscious for putting more thought into what and where we buy!! Right?? If we take the time to put into living with more responsibility to our world, where do we acquire the extra cash to adapt reasonably?; after all time is money! :-()
Clearly the production of livestock counts for almost half of world's agricultural production. Included in this is dairy, meats, fish, eggs and cheese. It obviously has a pretty big effect on our planet. Our foods are being 'modified', injected with garbage, the government has its's dirty little hand all up into our food production, :o including 'organic' labeling; we as a people have never been more separated from the natural beginnings of our food. This makes the connection to why, how & what we out on our plates matters. But all hope is not lost for those of us who aren't related to the Rockefeller's! :-[}
[ No only has eating out effected the Crew house budget, it's effected some of the ladies with food allergies health. They're making changes one step at a time. ]
One important thing I had to adapt to living with food allergies is to prepare meals and snacks at home. Making our own frees up our wallets and our imaginations!! Choose the best ingredients that YOU can afford. If that means locally, that would be really awesome. :) When you're able to connect with local farmers you can ask first hand about their food production! I try and do this whenever I can. To be perfectly honest, many times I just forget, because I'm so used to running out to my local markets! :-0 New habits take time and dedication, but don't stress about it, do what you have time to do to make safe and healthful meals for your family. :/
Many of our local markets get their items from local farmers, bakeries etc... so you are still buying local, but most of your dollars are going to the larger markets. Again, it's okay, we are doing what's best for OUR families!
[ Become informed on your food production so that you can take control of your health! ]
The Dirty Dozen: www.ewg.org is a running list of the produce that are the most pesticide laden. At least you can have this information on hand, there's an app for both iOS and android too; so that you can shop informed. I don't always buy all of my fruits and veggies on the list but I do get what I can afford and use a fruit wash or soak my produce in White Vinegar and Water, most everyone has this on hand! :0
**Mix 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar in a spray bottle
**Spray onto produce, some like toilet it sit in this mixture for a few minutes or simply scrub well then rinse.
[ The LivingThruGrace Crew are gearing up for better health by weekly prepping their meals more often so they aren't just grabbing for anything when hunger strikes! ]
Meal Planning is a Life saver!! When you know what you're going to prepare you can buy what you need [ although, many, many a time my hubby and myself come out of the market with unplanned items that we want to try! LoooL! ] If you can be disciplined in this area, it can really save money!
Purchase Dry Goods in bulk. This too can be a life saver for you're always prepared with whole real food ingredients for your meals. Dry goods include beans, peas and other legumes, grains, even seeds and nuts because they can be stored in your fridge or freezer, as they don't freeze.
Freezing produce, this one was a fall back for me when I first overhauled my diet some years ago. Washing chopping and freezing produce like cucumbers, ginger root, various greens like kale etc... provide you with options for healthy meals and snacks like smoothies. Freezing meals [ in bulk if you have the space, we recently bought a second freezer and it's been a huge blessing, now we have healthy foods that are just steps away! What took us so long? :-{] ] can be great, especially for those hurried days or nights when you're too busy to prepare them. This action alone can reduce those trips to fast food stops!
[ Plant based meals are colorful as well as delicious, you may find that you don't miss the meat1 :() ]
Making meat the side dish instead of the main dish. this cuts down on the consumption of meat and cuts Cost's from your budget! Try replacing one full day of meat based meals with plant based ones. Your both your body and wallet will thank you.
[ Roxanne chose her treat a rice crispy bar Yum, carefully. She made sure that it was Gluten Free and that she could recognize the ingredients! ]
Remember to Read those Labels! Being forearmed about what's in our food allows us to make better safer choices for our families. If you're still buying processed foods such as cake mixes, or chips, salsa etc.. be label smart and buy better Quality processed foods, they're out there now, at most local markets.
If you're looking for better quality meat, search, farmer's markets online farmers such as www.wellnessmeats.com there are many others who sell certified organic or grass fed meats and fish. Even many local markets these days sell 'upgraded' meats!
Seasonal eating is another helpful way to cut costs while shopping. Seasonal an (preferably) local means less or no shipment costs and we take advantage of the bountiful harvest we are blessed with! Who doesn't love hearty roasted root veggies like potatoes and squash in the winter and a much crispy lettuce salad or steamed asparagus in the spring? :()
[ We are Health Warriors! We can all help one another walk through the crazy maze of modern foods and come out winning! ]
I realize that some of these tips may take up a little more of your time, but the saying time is money for me translates into Time we put into our health is Time we help our immune system fend off disease, and illness. We are actually investing in ourselves, and that's the most important investment we can make! So grab one or two of these tips, or all if your'e feeling up to it! Habits take time to form, at least 21 days, but honestly, for many of us myself included it's going to take the time it takes! LOL You are so worth the time put into your and your family's health and well being. Connivence is nice at times, but in the long run hard work always pays off!
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
~ 1 Corinthians 10:31
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