[CoachMike]

Originally Posted by ffb

tell her medical bills cost more.

BINGO - you can pay now in installments or down the road in a whacking lump sum medical bill . . .

There is no greater predictor of our medical future than our current lifestyle !

[jlakem]

Do I understand correctly? Your wife is down 15 pounds and she is not happy with the diet? I can't imagine that. People spend lots of $$$ to lose 15 pounds on fad, unhealthy diets that are not "lifestyle" "lifegiving" changes. PN is one of the most nutritionally sound ways of dieting/eating I have found. It's easy, tasty, not boring, easy to adhere to. Not to mention the net effect of good health and feeling great! I hope she agrees! Good luck!

[jeffo]

Well, we have prioritized food for the last year, year and half. Like everyone says, better than medical bills. Our food bill has always been around $600-700 a month. But starting PN this last month shot it up even more. I was just wondering what some members do to cut costs. Trust me, the only payments I make a month; 1 car, mortgage and FOOD. We buy nothing else. My wife is in total agreement with food as our # 1 priority.
And when I said she was pissed, more sacrastic than anything. But concerned our food bill shot up $400.

Just seeking any tips you guys/gals might have.
Thanks,
Jeffo

[Ike]

Ditch the organic stuff.

[andyc]

Hi Jeffo,

I find frozen vegetables to be the best option in terms of price and quality. It also saves preparation time, especially when I'm eating 1 kg of it a day.
In relation to protein, lean ground beef and turkey is a lot cheaper than whole fillets.

Regards,
Andrew

[jeffo]

Thanks,
I eat mostly ground beef and chicken. every now and then I eat some sirloin. maybe 1 ever 2-3weeks.

[CoachMike]

Originally Posted by Ike

Ditch the organic stuff.

I'd be more apt to keep the organic foods and minimize the supplements . .a whole food diet, especially organic, can provide more than adequate micronutrients.
Fish oils excepted unless you have a penchant for the oily fish and flax meal

[Marilyn]

I agree. Every time I look at how much our grocery bills have gone up since going on PN, I shudder. I think they have likely doubled.

I wish there was some way to cut down on our bills too, but I haven't figured it out yet. I get all my fruits and veggies at Costco, I buy our chicken breasts in bulk. The only two supplements I use are PP, and fish oil. I price around for the protein powder, my fish oil comes from Costco.

I know it is an investment in our health but still...it is so darn expensive to eat this way.

[Tenacity]

I buy organic or no hormone/no antibiotics meat when I can get it on sale. Then I try to stock up. I will buy organic veggies if the price is comparable to conventional, which it sometimes is. Buying eggs instead of egg whites can save money, and I do not buy organic eggs just for the whites. Most contaminants, I believe, are found in the fatty part of the food anyway, in animal products.

We have a large family and a very limited income, so although I do consider healthy eating an investment, I try to balance my decision making so that we can eat well without going into debt! I would rather eat the PN way and give up a little organic food, than to stuff myself with starchy carbs and eat a higher ratio of organic foods. In some of our cases, there must be a choice.

[Carter Schoffer]

On the topic of how eating as per PN can be further viewed as an investment, consider this. Your child (or children) is, in the ultimate grand scheme of things, the epitome of investment given that procreation is our number one innate biological drive. By eating in the fashion you have been and by extension having your child do the same, you're ensuring the best return on your principal investment. Your child will be healthier, have a large, well-developed brain and physical attributes that ensure athletic prowess - at least to the extent that your genes allow. This will allow financial independence at an earlier age (maybe even scholarships) and potentially a monetary return on the investment when he/she buys you a beach house to retire to.

But clearly you're sold on eating well so the above is just added fuel (and fun). As for solving the issue of expense, one way to lessen the burden is to go to the source. In other words, find the farmer that's supplying the market / grocer and buy directly from him/her. Along these same lines, buy from the farmer in bulk - a whole cow that you can put in the freezer for instance.