I’ve had a conviction
We should be eating better in the department of variety, less chemicals and artificial hormones, and more fruit and veggies. And oh, less Chick-fil-A kids meals. Leave my wine out of this, I can buy organic.
We used to be total vegetarians. Yeah. Miso soup. Kombu. Wheat germ on our 2 year old’s cereal. Made my own yogurt, bread and grew my own sprouts. Live food, baby, live.
Then you know what happened? I got pregnant with number three. And all I wanted for 5 days straight, and got, dammit, was a Wendy’s cheeseburger and fries. With a chocolate frosty, thankyouveryMUCH. That was tell tell, I tell you. And 6 years later? We’re average. Well, above. But not great. I watch the sugar. Very few sodas for the kids. I encourage water. We have a platter of raw cut veggies nearly every night. Of course, it’s always just carrots, cukes, and cherry ‘maters, but that’s better than Cheetos. And we are occasionally suckers to pizza delivery. It’s just soooo easy. Does it count if you order veggies on it?
So this is what I did. Forewent my weekly Aldi trip, where I get scadoodles of groceries for about $125, and went to Whole Foods, where I got 3 items for $897.37. OK, not really. But let me just share.
Whole Foods - 4.5 bags, packed moderately with groceries
items like: organic frozen edamame, sea salt pita chips, chick peas, organic cheddar puffs, oranges, grapefruit (which are gooood!), a persimmon (I’ve never had one, I don’t recommend), organic yogurt, parsnips (Private 2 loves them), veggie egg rolls, Boca chicken patties, avocado, flax oil, and wheat germ. Some tea, and turkey sausage.
Total? $172.19 OhMyGOSH.
At Aldi, weekly, I get more bags than I can fit in the cart, filled to the brim with foods, for about $125. Frozen chicken breasts, low fat beef, and yogurt. Crackers. Nuts. Canned stuff. Rice, and pasta. Paper goods (chaps your butt, but it’s cheap - and I am starting to feel bad, even my children are complaining). But they come with the hormones, and chemicals. Sure, eggs are .79 a dozen, but what the heck are they feeding those birds? We get lesser fat things, but they’re all with sugar, and trans fats, and hoodly boodly, and all that. We can eat for that money for a week or more, but what are we eating?
Blue’s favorite apple cinammon oatmeal from Aldi:
whole grained rolled oats, sugar, dehydrated apples treated with stuff I can’t pronounce, salt, cinnaomon, guar gum, some B vitamins I’ve never heard of, and pryidoxine hydrochloride.
Blue’s fav apple cinnamon oatmeal from Whole Foods:
whole grain rolled oats, germ of the wheat, dehydrated apples, succanat, concentrated apple juice, and, and, and…NOTHING ELSE.
So what do I want to give my 5 year old 3 packets of every morning of his life, and sometimes for lunch and dinner? I think that’s obvious. But the price? Aldi - $1.29, Whole Foods - $3.79. And when you go through at least 2 boxes a week, it begins to add up.
Milk from Aldi? $2.69. From Horizon Organic at Whole Foods? $4.29. We go through 3 gallons a week. The list goes on and on and on. Why should we be forced to choose budget over health? It’s ridiculous. If I want to feed my family coupon purchased Hamburger Helper and 30% fat ground beef 5 nights a week, we’d spend about $30. But fresh produce? Organic? Natural? Get a loan, baby. And go ahead and win Let’s Make a Deal if you want to purchase eco-friendly house products.
I’m just ticked. And I’m just saying I am. It shouldn’t be that you must be wealthy to feed your family well. Maybe there’s room in the budget if I buy less wine….Naaaaaaaaaa.
Have you been to Costco lately? We get all our food there (well, 99.9% of it), and they really have a lot of healthy options now (then, say, four years ago when we belonged last). It saves us *so* much money. I could never do my daily shopping at Whole Foods either…no way, no how.
Comment by Rie — May 21, 2006 @ 7:48 pm
I SO feel your pain.
In this house, Whole Foods has been renamed Whole Paycheck. Also known as Black Hole #2 (Black Hole #1 would be Target)
It’s such a tradeoff and it makes me MAD. Why is junk cheap, why do the “rich” get to eat healthy and need less health care in the long run? Frusterating. Our average weekly amount spent on produce alone is $30-$40. SIGH. It’s pricy. I try to tell myself that it’s a long term investment in our health…but still! The $$ has to come from somewhere.
Comment by Wren — May 21, 2006 @ 10:02 pm
One more thing…since you are oatmeal fans…here’s an interesting link for you…
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/oatmeal.html
Comment by Wren — May 21, 2006 @ 10:09 pm
The more I learn about what I have been feeding my kids and myself the more my jaw drops. Why haven’t I realized this sooner? I have been buying organic since February and it is costly, but I just can’t see myself going back, knowing now what I didn’t know then.
Comment by DJ — May 22, 2006 @ 7:32 am
I know the pain. we are as organic as we can be and the budget - she hurts. and then add in the $88.00 a session at least three times a week for our 4 year old with CP and we. have. no. money. But buy as much as you can in bulk, freeze and prepare ahead of time. One of my favorite gadgets is my FoodSaver Vacuum Sealer. It is awesome and so worth it. One more option, that we have done recently and it has helped the budget, is to join a food co-op. We have two in our area and you can get some really good buys even if you don’t buy in large quantity. Of course the larger quantity you buy the better the savings. find someone you can split purchases with and you do even better. It’s worth the consideration and hey, then you don’t have to load them all up to go to the store (because even on their best behavior I don’t like taking all mine with me - it just takes too long that way).
Comment by SmockLady — May 22, 2006 @ 11:11 am
Preach on, sister. I am right there with you.
Comment by Traci — May 22, 2006 @ 10:04 pm
It makes sense that obesity is a disease of the poor in NOrth America doesn’t it. With Kraft Dinner at $0.30 a box it’s no wonder those on low incomes are over weight and under nourished.
I COncur with the buy bulk advise and buying Coops. THere are also ways to make your own stuff, say oatmeal with out paying for the pre packaged. Becuase the prepackaged healthy food will cost at least three times as much as making it yourself. I buy it all bulk and then pre mix into jars when I get home and it’s almost as convenient. We have no budget, but we won’t buy crap, at least lentils are cheap, and rice.
Comment by carrien — May 23, 2006 @ 8:56 pm
OH yeah, and making your own yogurt is super simple once you figure it out and costs about a dollar a litre, with organic milk. I know, you’re busy, but maybe it will help.
Comment by carrien — May 23, 2006 @ 8:58 pm