There's an excellent post over at Eat Local Challenge entitled "What's Best for Your Body is Worst for Your Wallet" by Julie Cummins. After noting that many people view eating locally produced food as expensive, elitist and snobby she asks a fine question:
"How could eating locally grown food--something that was once a given--now be so out of reach that it's called elitist?"
"How could eating locally grown food--something that was once a given--now be so out of reach that it's called elitist?"
I just discovered the wonderful Like Merchant Ships. The blog's author challenged The Aldi Queen to an "Iron Chef Moms" challenge in which they were to prepare five evenings of meals (four servings each) with the goal of spending the least amount of money. They came within $1.02 of each other, spending a cumulative total of $16.40 and $15.38, respectively. That's a maximum of $.82 per person per day--WOW! These women are on their game.
I could try, but I would never win an Iron Chef Moms challenge. I used to shop loss leaders, warehouse clubs, and rebates, but I am more compelled these days toward local and organic food supplies. If I buy meat, I buy "happy cow," which is what I call local, pasture fed beef. I've seen a few feed lots. The image--and horrible stench--lurks in my mind when I see ground beef at the supermarket. I can't support the large scale feedlot businesses and that means no bargain priced ground round for me. We don't eat much beef, actually. At all.
Same for pork and poultry, fruits and vegetables--not that we don't eat much (!)--but that I'm trying--repeat, trying--to buy local. It helps to purchase items that are in season (most economical). It's tricky in the winter.
Sigh. I'm just trying to pay attention and do right by my niggling conscience. The Iron Challenge competitors are phenomenal savers and multi-talented thrifties (read their blogs!). They inspire me to dig deeper, to think harder, to be more resourceful in stretching our dollars, and I will continue to follow their adventures in thrift and frugality. I'll be over here doing my own foody frugal thing, but I will never win an Iron Moms challenge unless I get some of my own chickens and start raising cattle.
Hey, that's an idea. . .
p.s. Check it out: Low Mileage Food. I have not thoroughly investigated this site, but I'm working on it.
I could try, but I would never win an Iron Chef Moms challenge. I used to shop loss leaders, warehouse clubs, and rebates, but I am more compelled these days toward local and organic food supplies. If I buy meat, I buy "happy cow," which is what I call local, pasture fed beef. I've seen a few feed lots. The image--and horrible stench--lurks in my mind when I see ground beef at the supermarket. I can't support the large scale feedlot businesses and that means no bargain priced ground round for me. We don't eat much beef, actually. At all.
Same for pork and poultry, fruits and vegetables--not that we don't eat much (!)--but that I'm trying--repeat, trying--to buy local. It helps to purchase items that are in season (most economical). It's tricky in the winter.
Sigh. I'm just trying to pay attention and do right by my niggling conscience. The Iron Challenge competitors are phenomenal savers and multi-talented thrifties (read their blogs!). They inspire me to dig deeper, to think harder, to be more resourceful in stretching our dollars, and I will continue to follow their adventures in thrift and frugality. I'll be over here doing my own foody frugal thing, but I will never win an Iron Moms challenge unless I get some of my own chickens and start raising cattle.
Hey, that's an idea. . .
p.s. Check it out: Low Mileage Food. I have not thoroughly investigated this site, but I'm working on it.
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chasethestars
chasethestars