This weekend started my new outlook on grocery shopping. I tried a new place which is an international Farmer's Market. Absolutely amazing. The prices were fairly decent for produce and the variety was nothing I have ever seen. I felt as if this is the first time I have shopped for fruits and vegetables. My husband and I were very excited to know that we can now broaden our horizons for international cuisine. We have Chinese and Stir Fry cookbooks that was previously limiting because we didn't know the place to get a certain type of cabbage or root vegetable. This had it all, we could make Chinese, Spanish, Indian, Mexican, etc, food everyday. AND most importantly start getting away from meat dishes every night. This time around we did stick with our "normal" fruits and veggies (except I have never seen a Sweet Potato the size of my head prior to this purchase). We will find some wonderful recipes and go back to get our "new" veggies. I will post when we come up with some great ones. In the meantime, making stir fry with whatever veggies are around with some terryaki and little soy sauce works very well.
The best part of it all was that although I thought we were getting carried away grabbing such a variety of items we didn't blow our budget. My $50 a week plan is intact with about $35 going towards produce.
Over the past week, I have had three meat free dinners. Two of them were unintended due to kinks in the "menu", but look forward to the approaching Lenten season as we will be definitely doing meatless Fridays with a goal of Meatless Wednesday at the very least also.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Day 1 - Mission 1
Determine what my family should be eating on a daily basis based on USDA Pyramid and meal plan accordingly.
According to mypyramid.gov our family breakdown is as follows:
My results 6 ounces Grains, 2.5 cups Vegetables, 2 cups Fruits, 3 cups Milk, 5.5 ounces Meats/Beans
Hubby's results 9 ounces Grains, 3.5 cups Vegetables, 2 cups Fruits, 3 cups Milk, 6.5 ounces Meats/Beans
Toddler's results 3 ounces Grains, 1 cup Vegetables, 1 cup Fruits, 2 cups Milk, 2 ounces Meats/Beans
Initial thought on these results is that it seems a little measily but of course that is part of this excersice, to eat what we are supposed to not what we have learned to. The milk thing will be a problem for the hubby since he doesn't drink it but the alternatives like yogurt, ice cream and cheeses add the unneccesary sugars or fats that we are trying to avoid also. There is the Stonyfield Organic product that I will have to look into.
For budgeting and shopping purposes I have calculated that I will need about 14 oz total meats/beans a day. Adding the infant into the picture who will soon enough be eating 1-2 oz a day it is about a pound a day. Striving to only use meat about 3-4 days a week, buying 4 lbs of meat won't kill the budget if trying to go organic...but I will have to price this out to confirm.
8 cups of milk a day equals a HALF A GALLON - WOW. Now that will put a damper on my plan of organic milk. 3-4 gallons of milk a week at $6 a pop - WOW. Maybe I will look into cost savings for using Soy Milk in addition to cow's milk.
Tonight's meal is Tilapia and Baby Spinach with Balsamic Vinaigrette. http://www.bhg.com/recipe/seafood/fish-fillets-with-spinach-red-pepper-and-onion/
The link is close enough to the recipe I found in the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook I've had for about 5 years or so. It is a new recipe for us and instead of the red pepper jelly I am substituting pure honey. It will count as most of our lean meat consumption for the day as well as two vegetables...looking forward to this new step.
According to mypyramid.gov our family breakdown is as follows:
My results 6 ounces Grains, 2.5 cups Vegetables, 2 cups Fruits, 3 cups Milk, 5.5 ounces Meats/Beans
Hubby's results 9 ounces Grains, 3.5 cups Vegetables, 2 cups Fruits, 3 cups Milk, 6.5 ounces Meats/Beans
Toddler's results 3 ounces Grains, 1 cup Vegetables, 1 cup Fruits, 2 cups Milk, 2 ounces Meats/Beans
Initial thought on these results is that it seems a little measily but of course that is part of this excersice, to eat what we are supposed to not what we have learned to. The milk thing will be a problem for the hubby since he doesn't drink it but the alternatives like yogurt, ice cream and cheeses add the unneccesary sugars or fats that we are trying to avoid also. There is the Stonyfield Organic product that I will have to look into.
For budgeting and shopping purposes I have calculated that I will need about 14 oz total meats/beans a day. Adding the infant into the picture who will soon enough be eating 1-2 oz a day it is about a pound a day. Striving to only use meat about 3-4 days a week, buying 4 lbs of meat won't kill the budget if trying to go organic...but I will have to price this out to confirm.
8 cups of milk a day equals a HALF A GALLON - WOW. Now that will put a damper on my plan of organic milk. 3-4 gallons of milk a week at $6 a pop - WOW. Maybe I will look into cost savings for using Soy Milk in addition to cow's milk.
Tonight's meal is Tilapia and Baby Spinach with Balsamic Vinaigrette. http://www.bhg.com/recipe/seafood/fish-fillets-with-spinach-red-pepper-and-onion/
The link is close enough to the recipe I found in the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook I've had for about 5 years or so. It is a new recipe for us and instead of the red pepper jelly I am substituting pure honey. It will count as most of our lean meat consumption for the day as well as two vegetables...looking forward to this new step.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Cliches and goals
Okay so how cliche is it for a stay at home mother to have a blog...and think that they have something so witty and wise to say that others will find themselves glued to the computer and changing their ways? I know it is. Heck I probably won't even give out the blog except maybe to my husband so he can see what we are having for dinner or where I am spending the money.
I want to start this for two reasons, to track my journey as I try to make a change for me and my family and to see if I stick to my goals.
Lately, I am finding myself more unhappy with life, not so much my life but the way the general public live. Conversations with some mothers revolve around buying and wanting things. I feel disconnected with these people because I could go weeks without buying clothes, electronics, or random stuff without noticing I haven't gone shopping. I don't spend nap time shopping online, I don't know the hottest labels for kids, and I don't wait for the UPS guy to come with my newest package. Maybe that mindset will make this project easier.
Some of my goals are to prove or disprove that my family can be perfectly happy without being consumers for the sake of being consumers, live a healthier life and live within the means we set for ourselves. I want to expose my children to a more "natural" lifestyle while being socially aware. This doesn't mean that I won't indulge in some yummy not so good for you foods with *gasp* words I can't pronounce or that sometimes that piece of clothing may just come from a suspect manufacturing plant....This is suppose to get me to see if I can make as much food and products in my home as possible knowing every ingredient in them without giving up the precious time I have with my toddler and infant. I want to be accountable for researching companies to make sure that KIDS aren't making my "got to have" new shirt or clothing for my children and most importantly I want to be able to stay with my kids every day living out a new adventure or memory.
We will see if this blog even come to fruition. I guess the first step is to make a second post, then go from there.
I want to start this for two reasons, to track my journey as I try to make a change for me and my family and to see if I stick to my goals.
Lately, I am finding myself more unhappy with life, not so much my life but the way the general public live. Conversations with some mothers revolve around buying and wanting things. I feel disconnected with these people because I could go weeks without buying clothes, electronics, or random stuff without noticing I haven't gone shopping. I don't spend nap time shopping online, I don't know the hottest labels for kids, and I don't wait for the UPS guy to come with my newest package. Maybe that mindset will make this project easier.
Some of my goals are to prove or disprove that my family can be perfectly happy without being consumers for the sake of being consumers, live a healthier life and live within the means we set for ourselves. I want to expose my children to a more "natural" lifestyle while being socially aware. This doesn't mean that I won't indulge in some yummy not so good for you foods with *gasp* words I can't pronounce or that sometimes that piece of clothing may just come from a suspect manufacturing plant....This is suppose to get me to see if I can make as much food and products in my home as possible knowing every ingredient in them without giving up the precious time I have with my toddler and infant. I want to be accountable for researching companies to make sure that KIDS aren't making my "got to have" new shirt or clothing for my children and most importantly I want to be able to stay with my kids every day living out a new adventure or memory.
We will see if this blog even come to fruition. I guess the first step is to make a second post, then go from there.
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