Sorry for the hiatus. I’ve been in crisis mode. Times are tough for a lot of people and as we scrounged up some money for groceries it was almost my first impulse to think that we needed to buy cheaper foods. Which is something that goes against my every belief. So then, why did that thought even cross my mind?
I talk about food a lot and I hear people say all the time that it costs a lot of money to eat well. I’ve even agreed with them. But I’ve changed my mind. Yes, it’s true that food that is better for you costs more than food that isn’t so good for you. My grocery store wants $7 for the tiny wee box of Kashi cereal, opposed to the $4 for a big box of Cocoa Puffs. It really ticks me off that grocery stores under price foods that are not good for us at all and that have been shipped from all over the planet. Making people believe that eating well is for the financially secure, and in order to get the most bang for our buck we need to gravitate toward these inexpensive foods.
I happen to believe that with proper planning, foresight, and knowledge anyone could eat quality foods without increasing their food budget.
Planning: It’s not that it’s hard work, but you have to work hard at it. Preparing some weekly seasonal menus with overlapping ingredients – as many as you can, and a variety of tastes and textures will serve you well.
Foresight: Buy produce when it’s in season – locally. Also, take a look at what days you will need a quick fix meal, or what days you can take a little longer with a meal.
Knowledge: Know how things are packaged in the stores (quantity-wise), or know how to use leftovers differently, or even when to splurge on certain foods and when not to.
My dear friend Linda, whose daughter lives with an intellectual disability, said it was a common misconception that support workers felt that because [her daughter] lived on a disability pension and a minimal food budget that she needed cheap food. On the contrary! In order for [her daughter] to perform at her best, mentally and physically, she needs quality foods. Linda says, [her daughter] may need to give up something else to be able to eat properly instead of lowering the quality of what she’s buying.
And this whole thing about humans being so reluctant to give up our unhealthy ways – well, that’s just a subject for another time!
Filed under: The Food Issue Tagged: | budget, cheap food, eat well, grocery, inexpensive food, meal planning, planning
