Food is getting expensive
We all GOTTA Eat.
Make sure your food is good for you. No Junk Food!
Well ya, it sure is.
I never thought my second post would be about food, but going to the local grocery store can be mind-boggling. So that is what I decided to write about. What is down below is how my wife and I eat here on Crescent Hill Farm, perhaps you do as well. I know that we have cut back on some things we eat and we are looking closer at what things actually cost. Along with this, we are also looking at the quality (health quality) of what we eat. Things are getting so expensive that I am planning a large garden for this spring and summer. Usually, I shut down in the winter, but that is about to change as well.
I am starting out this post on some ways to save money feeding yourself or your family. I realize it’s not about gardening, but there will be plenty of that later. It looks like inflation is killing people’s food budgets, So that is why I am starting with food tips.
Of course, the best way to save money is to grow your own food and become your own grocery store.
Yes, Walmart Roasted Chicken. My wife and I eat up to three meals
from just one chicken. Here is how:
-
Just eat the chicken. My wife and I like legs and thighs and wings. We save the breast meat for
-
Mexican Quesadillas.
-
We boil what is left in water (Bones and all) with some chicken broth. She then adds some celery, garlic, and onions. After cooking she makes flour dumplings. Things like a small salad or Mexican rice with all of this are great.
-
Also if there are leftovers, dump into a large pot and add chicken broth. Now you have a soup.
Eat Asian.
If there was one food that I would eat for the rest of my life, it would be Asian food. Asian food can have a bit of meat in it, but very little. With meat prices hitting the roof of my budget, small is good. Then add rice or noodles to the mix. My wife usually makes a stir-fry with the meat and vegetables which we use over the rice or noodles. I especially like rice noodles. If you have a large family to feed, then Asian is a good way to do that. I have become an expert at making vegetable egg rolls. My kids beg for them. A bit of ground chicken goes a long way in them as well. Guess what we are having for Christmas dinner? Yes, Egg Rolls! Happy family.
Eat Indian.
I spent some time in India, and Indian people are as wonderful as their food. I especially was attracted to Curry dishes which are high in vegetables. Some can be a bit spicy, but that is up to what you add to your food. I am also attracted to foods made with lentils. I usually make a large pot of lentil soup and store it away in containers in my refrigerator. Also, rice goes with many Curry dishes. Then there are the potato and pea Samosas, Chana masala, or chickpea curry. Wow, tasty and good for you. If you do not care for vegetarian, then you have never investigated Indian food.
Make and bake your own bread.
I now make all my own bread. There are all types I could make, but I like the simple recipe that I have used for years. I think a loaf of wheat bread is now $3.25 or more and It lasts forever which should tell you something right! My bread uses 3 cups of flour, 1 1/2 cups of warm water plus two teaspoons of yeast. Three teaspoons of salt and three teaspoons of oil. I also make pan bread which is similar. I keep refrigerated because of no preservatives. This is so much better than store-bought bread.
Make your cakes and sweets at home.
Don’t purchase all that junk food. Raisin Oatmeal cookies are the best and most healthy for your kids and you.
Eat Beans, Pasta, and Rice.
Yes, these are the mighty storage three. These three will last for years if stored in a dry place and even longer (15 years +) if stored in Mylar Bags with an oxygen absorber. If you are stocking up, I would suggest you get large amounts of these three items while they are available cheaply (sort of cheaply)! Just make sure you have plenty of seasoning to spice up these rather mundane-tasting foods. Also, Lentils could be added to this list.
Processed Foods.
Forget Processed Foods. These types of foods contain highly processed GMO products and are responsible for the poor health of people who consume them. Ya, they are tasty, because of the sugar content. Just take a trip to Walmart to see the results of eating these deadly life-robbing foods. If you want sweets bake them at home. Breakfast foods like grits and eggs and homemade biscuits are ideal, Also oatmeal. Think Oatmeal — Raisin cookies to repeat a suggestion. Keep away from chips and cookies too. Actually, much of what is sold in a grocery store (85%?) that is labeled food is not all that good for you.
Chickens and Eggs.
What came first, the chicken or the egg? Well, you know that both are tasty and good for you. With the coming global food shortage and inflation, you will need chickens. five (5) to eight (8) chickens would be ideal for a small family. If you live in the city forget roosters. More if you have bunches of people to feed. Besides the food (don’t eat your chickens) they are great composters and will eat most anything. Table scraps, weeds, and bugs are their favorites. Just keep them out of your garden. Rhode Island Reds are my favorite chicken, Very productive and laid back (Ha Ha) type of chicken. Be sure to provide some sort of grit to help digestion.