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>This is the final recap of food purchased (or otherwise acquired) for the month of December. The previous total spent was $460.66 (week 1, week 2, week 3, week 4). We didn’t need very much this week.
We are increasing our cow share so we can get 2 gallons a week. I paid half of a cow share this past week (and will pay two full shares next time) for $13.50. Only one store stop this week for olive oil, store milk, and onions for a total of $14.47 and we picked up Subway one night (when our power was out) for $22.05. I did not acquire any ‘free’ food this week.
Our total for the month was $510.68 for two adults, two teen girls and one baby full time plus 2 additional adults who eat with us about 50% of the time (my daughter and her husband are staying with us. They buy some food for themselves to eat when they do not want what I’m making and also for their own lunches).
Keeping track of our purchases this last month, I noticed quite a few areas for improvement which we plan to work on in the coming year as our budget allows. Something I’m excited about is Cooking Traditional Foods forum is doing a series called “Baby Steppin’ to Traditional Foods”. Each month KerryAnn will list 2-4 things to help with switching over to a traditional way of eating. I plan on following along and filling in any gaps that we might have.
Some food related goals that we would like to accomplish for 2010:
- Cut down on sweets. I’m all for the occasional treat but we have a habit of going overboard. Our goal is to plan one ‘dessert’ a week for now and hopefully cut down from that (the dessert will not be made from refined white sugar).
- Eat more wild game that we process ourselves (this will involve adding a few kitchen tools such as a grinder and maybe a smoker).
- Increase my chicken flock so we can meet all of our egg needs (right now we have 5 hens and a rooster. You can read about my chickens at my family blog).
- Have a garden. We tried one when we moved here in May but did not have good results (I harvested 4 radishes and 2 handful of collard greens). Now that I have been composting and we have a few other soil (sand) amendment plans I think we will do better.
- Eat food that gives us the most nutritional bang for our buck. This will probably mean adding more organ meats and creative use of bone broth.
- Daily fermented cod liver/butter oil. We buy it but I sometimes forget to dish it out. Right now we have it 3 or 4 times a week.
- Joe and I would like to continue with the weight loss that we have started. Joe tells me he wants to lose another 30 pounds over the next year. I would like to lose 15 (okay, I’d really like to lose 30 too but I’d be happy with 15).
I hope you will join me in 2010 on this continuing mission to incorporate more nutrient dense, real foods on a budget.
>As you know my baby steps are smaller than yours, but we hope to continue cooking/making our own food at home. We've really done quite a good job since October and now when we eat out it really is a treat for everyone and nobody complains about where we're eating (both kids used to argue about where to eat out, now they are just happy to have the treat).
I also would really like to plant a very small garden this summer-cucumbers, tomatoes, squash/zuchinni-hopefully it will happen.
>We plan on purchasing a meat grinder so that we can do more with our wild game. We are also going to process meat chickens this year. That one's a hard one for me, but we can't afford organic chicken…one store-bought organic chicken is around $14! For the 8 people still living at home, that one bird doesn't go very far.
Your goals are good ones!
>You did great on your budget in December! Wild game and gardens are major cost cutters. We already have a big garden and chickens, but I'm considering adding a goat to the mix for milk and meat from her kids if I can convince my husband it's a good idea. We want to add bees and rabbits in the Spring, too, but we might not be able to afford it until DH can find another job.
>Cyn,
I love when you share your progress! The eating out 'joy' has happened here too. It is now a special occasion intead of the norm and the girls really seem to appreciate it.
Kim,
We thought about raising meat chickens too (and still might) but for now I'm happy to get them from my friend with a hobby farm and I also found a place about 2.5 hours from here that sells pastured chickens for $8 each. I think it would be worth the drive if I bought enough at one time to last many months. BUT I need to get a separate freezer before that can happen. You are right, one chicken doesn't go very far with large families.
KerryAnn,
My husband isn't keen on goats either. I keep praying that he will change his mind. Bees would be great! I've researched that a bit but no one in my house thinks bees are a good idea but me. And I'm not sure how good of a beekeeper I would be since they freak me out a bit 🙂
>We're wanting to continue to find healthier alternatives to the foods we enjoy. Keep experimenting with new additions. Incorporate organ meats (Jason just told me yesterday that he's will to at least try them now!!!!! He forgot that I took the turkey innards and made grave with them and he liked it over Thanksgiving!! Did it again last night with chicken innards!)
I'd say we need to cut back on eating out, but we've only eaten out once in the last 10 months lol
I'd like to use my Nourishing Traditions book a tad more often than I do.
We're wanting to have some sort of garden this year … even if it's in containers (which is what we'll have to do living in this place).
Jason and the family member that I told you about that's moving out here and getting land with us? They're wanting to get bees when we get our land too. I'd LOVE the honey, but they better find a place to keep them far, far, faaaaaaar away from the main part of our land cuz I'm allergic to bee stings lol
>Brandy,
Yeah, I think you probably don't need to cut back too much on eating out 🙂
You could grow alot in containers on your deck and maybe around the house. I might do some containers too just because of the soil and water here.
Good job on the gravy! I grew up eating that kind of gravy and never thought anything of it. Didn't even KNOW what I was eating. I just remember it being very rich and yummy.
>Eating out was one of the first things to leave our budget. At first out of necessity … then just because it's more fun to cook at home LOL
Container gardening is what I'm planning … I've got PLENTY of space on the front porch …. and the backyard, which we hardly use. Should be able to at least do the stuff we use up the most. 😀
The first time I ever made that kind of gravy while living on my own was this past Thanksgiving. In our house, that's the only time we ever made that kind of gravy was at Thanksgiving. And I had a hankering for it again lol. It's REALLY good!!