Image via WikipediaI was over at my father in laws last week. He was reading an email with quotes from 1955. The one that stuck out to me was " soon food is going to cost so much a week's worth of groceries will be more than $10 dollars!". Wow, how true that is. I consider myself blessed if I get out of the grocery store having only spent $60 dollars, and honestly that doesn't include meat since I buy that in bulk twice a year. I have noticed over the past few months the prices of food climbing slowly and steadily. I'm not talking cheap packaged food that one can use coupons on, I am talking organic veggies, fruit, whole grains and grass fed pastured meats. Despite these slow but steady price increases it is still possible to live on a grocery budget of around 300 a month. When I take into account the meat we use that I buy in bulk it ranges from 350 to 400 per month. If we are really tight for money I can do it for less, but with the accountants raise and me babysitting part time this is the new budget we decided on. We lived on less last year, but this year with the raise in the grocery budget, cooking has been a little bit more fun and varied. I still like to try and make it out of the grocery store having spent less than 60 dollars though!
This week this is what I bought:
Organic Red Leaf Lettuce $2.50 (on sale)
Organic bunch of carrots $2.00
Organic Balsamic Vinegar (the real stuff not the died white wine vinegar) $8.00
3 Pounds of Organic Apples 3.50
Organic Rolled Oats 5 pounds $4.50
Pasture raised ground turkey 3 pounds $9.00 (on sale)
Coconut Kefir for baby 2.99 (on sale)
1 pound of fair trade organic coffee dark roast $8.50
32 ounces of raw grass fed half and half 6.99
Organic Russet Potatoes 6 pounds $5.00
Cultured Sour Cream, Organic 2.99$
1 pound of raw almonds $5.00 (on sale)
1 pound of organic Thompson raisins (2.99)
2 dozen pastured eggs $8 dollars
Total spent : $76
Menu for the week using above ingredients and what I already had:
Coffee 2-3 times per week and cream ( I have a casein allergy but seem to be able to tolerate small amounts of raw milk products when taken infrequently)
Oatmeal or Egg Dish for breakfasts. I usually put toppings of coconut milk, maples syrup, almonds and raisins on the oatmeal, eggs come in the form of omelette's, breakfast wrap or sandwich, eggs on toast and so forth
A
Salad a day for lunch for me, left overs or sandwiches for the accountant and Olivia
Dinners:
Steak and peas
Turkey burgers
Chicken Soup
Baked Potatoes with ground turkey and sour cream for the accountant
Stir Fry (veggie leftovers)
Grilled Sauerkraut Sandwiches
Dessert:
Vegan Thumbprint Cookies Homemade
The key to eating organic on a budget? Make it from scratch, plan ahead and stock up on sales!
Image via WikipediaI was over at my father in laws last week. He was reading an email with quotes from 1955. The one that stuck out to me was " soon food is going to cost so much a week's worth of groceries will be more than $10 dollars!". Wow, how true that is. I consider myself blessed if I get out of the grocery store having only spent $60 dollars, and honestly that doesn't include meat since I buy that in bulk twice a year. I have noticed over the past few months the prices of food climbing slowly and steadily. I'm not talking cheap packaged food that one can use coupons on, I am talking organic veggies, fruit, whole grains and grass fed pastured meats. Despite these slow but steady price increases it is still possible to live on a grocery budget of around 300 a month. When I take into account the meat we use that I buy in bulk it ranges from 350 to 400 per month. If we are really tight for money I can do it for less, but with the accountants raise and me babysitting part time this is the new budget we decided on. We lived on less last year, but this year with the raise in the grocery budget, cooking has been a little bit more fun and varied. I still like to try and make it out of the grocery store having spent less than 60 dollars though!
Image via WikipediaAs the accountant and I have pursued a more "green", thoughtful and back to basics life I have come across many books and blogs talking about the "simple life". Saying the simple life romanticizes this desire to live on the land, raising our own food, driving old cars, living off one income, having as natural a birth as possible, staying home with my children and so much more. But honestly it's not simple, not in the true definition of the word. 
