Funny how we notice the price of 'good' food

[Evansmom49]

And aside from the chips, chocolate, etc -- how about the savings of egss over breakfast cereal?

[Whatsername]

Well I notice the price of our grocery bill over all..Atkins or no Atkins. I have 3 boys (2 teenagers) and I spend soooo much money on groceries. I don't see that Atkins has made a huge difference in what I spend. If anything, I buy less milk, less cereal, bread/bakery items, etc.

I remember talking to my dh several months ago about our budget and he suggested $250/mo for groceries. I spend more than that in a week usually.

[liv]

I think there is a learning curve as we begin Atkins. In the beginning I spent a lot but now I have learned how to buy bulk of these protein items. I know where the bargains are and the freezer has become one of my best friends.

I also think about what you says Momto. I spend tons in vending machines. How much does those chips bag cost? For absolute no nutrients what so ever. But it was treat and I "deserved" it, so it did not count. Like eggs count. Silly. Adjusting that mindset too.

[Slapshot]

This thread reminds me of what my mailman-father used to say about some of the wealthy people we knew: "They know the price of everything, but the value of nothing." On Atkins, we're focusing on the value of our food dollar. Price is secondary.

[FwL]

Originally Posted by Slapshot

Price is secondary.

Not when you're struggling to make the rent.

[Slapshot]

Originally Posted by FwL

Not when you're struggling to make the rent.

Good point...

[MsUnderstood0000]

I really try to take advantage of the sales. We have Giant Eagle supermarkets here that run 2 for 1 deals. By roast get one free. They did turkey breasts, I bought two , got two free, they will do steaks. I make sure i stock up and when the next sale comes, do it again. One day i saved 85 dollars buying BOGO. It helps. I will spend the extra and scrimp somewhere else. We don't go out to movies but rarely. I dumped my premium channels on cable, etc. Its hard, I am single parent with 2 teenage boys, and I have had another homeless friend of my sons living with us on and off. My food bill is high.....way too high. My absolute goal is to waste no food. Freeze it, re use it in soups and take lunch instead of buy every day. We rarely eat out anymore. And whoever said, I would not blink an eye at spending 5.99 on a meal at mcDonalds, but hesistate to spend it on spaghetti squash , YEPPERS, thats me. Last SS I cooked I got six portions out of...........froze them for future use.

[SunnySmile501]

Originally Posted by Evansmom49

And aside from the chips, chocolate, etc -- how about the savings of egss over breakfast cereal?

It's scary crazy just how much a box of sugar-laden cereal costs!

This excerpt is from "13 Secrets the Food Industry Doesn't Want You to Know."

Secret No. 4: The carbo-loaded Corn Flakes
Kellogg’s doesn’t want you to know that its Corn Flakes aren’t as diabetes-friendly as the “Diabetes Friendly” logo on the box’s side panel suggests. Australian researchers have shown that carb-loaded cornflakes raise blood glucose faster and to a greater extent than straight table sugar does. (High blood glucose is the primary indicator of diabetes—if you suffer from diabetes or pre-diabetes, be sure to avoid any of the items on our list of the 20 most sugar-packed foods in America.) Beneath the logo, the cereal maker does provide a link to its Web site where general nutrition recommendations are provided for people with diabetes. But those recommendations are simply “based on” the guidelines of the American Dietetic Association and the American Diabetes Association, not endorsed by those organizations.

Secret No. 5:The sugar-packed "healthy" cereal
Quaker doesn’t want you to know that some of its “heart healthy” hot cereals have more sugar than a bowl of Froot Loops. One example: Quaker Instant Oatmeal Maple & Brown Sugar. Sure, the company proudly displays the American Heart Association logo on the product’s box. However, the fine print below the logo reads that the product simply meets the AHA’s “food criteria for saturated fat and cholesterol.” So it could contain a pound of sugar and still qualify. But guess what? Froot Loops meets the AHA’s criteria, too, only no logo is displayed. That’s because ...

Secret No. 6:The "pay to play" rules
The food industry doesn’t want you to know that companies must pay for a product to be an American Heart Association-certified food. That’s why the AHA check mark might appear on one product but not on another, even when both meet the guidelines.

http://health.msn.com/nutrition/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100238557&page=2

[imagood1]

now that the produce stands are open where I live it's nice to be able to go and pay less for the biggest part of my grocery bill.

Spaghetti Squash is .99 a pound, colored peppers are .79 each, radishes are .50 for a 1 lb package, lettuce - .39 a head, etc. It's amazing what $20.00 can do at these places.

I agree we waste no food in our home. I am the only Atkineer in my home so when we find pork roast and pork steak for .99 a pound we buy 3 or 4 at a time - cut each pork steakk in half and freeze them - the pork roasts are made into 3 to 4 meals each with the final meal being some sort of soup or cut up and made into a spread to eat in a lettuce wrap or put into a celery stalk.

I was raised that you don't waste things, we didn't have enough money to waste anything. When I was growing up we didn't eat out that often, when I was first married we had nothing so I carried my meals - even with I worked 2 jobs). A "big night out" would be cheeseburgers at McDonalds and sharing a medium fry.

We have had a garden for several years and I've learned to can and freeze everything I grow as a way to save money. Once you make up your mind to eat real food you'll find your meals not only taste better but you feel so much better. When people turn their eyes up when I tell them I'm eating the Atkins way I laugh at them because they have no idea they are missing out on the life changing program we've found.

I can't imagine ever not eating the Atkins way - I feel good, my diabetes numbers are wonderful, I sleep well at night, my clothes are smaller and my attitude has grown by leaps and bounds. With all that why would I ever want to go back to eating starches and chemical junk I can't pronounce?

[neihu]

Food prices have increased so much recently, so I do notive my grocery bill is higher than it was. I paid $4 for a cauliflower the other day and it wasn't even organic!

Our local farmers market opens today - so I am looking forward to shopping there. Hopefully there will be some great deals!