[jeffo]

Thanks Carter,
I have been actually thinking about buying half a bison. Here in MT, every now and then I catch a good deal.
Thanks for the input

[John M Berardi]

Amanda Graydon, who works with us and also runs her own local business - Healthy Kitchens Makeover - is the master of helping folks save money while eating well.

She takes people to the store, shows them where they're overspending, and helps them SAVE money while following PN-style eating.

She has dozens of before and after grocery bills to show just how much money the average person and/or family saves while eating PN-style and keeping their heads up in the grocery store.

You'd be amazed at where you're absolutely wasting money!

After seeing her results, all this talk of PN being too expensive is absolutely moot - unless you were eating tuna out of a can and mac and cheese beforehand.

She's currently working on her Healthy Kitchens Makeover program for those who aren't in the GTA (greater toronto area). It will likely be released in 2007.

In the meantime, keep your heads up for where you can save a few bucks (no-name brand vs. name brands; farmers markets; less expensive grocery stores).

In fact, by doing the following 2 things: buying all my produce and mixed nuts in a farmer's market in chinatown and buying the rest at a less fancy grocery store (No Frills vs Loblaws), my GF and I have cut our grocery bill from $180/week to $100.

(That's $100/week in downtown Toronto (expensive cost of living) for 2 very active, high calorie eatin' people.)

We've cut our grocery bills nearly in half and we're buying the same exact things!!!

[msmogreen]

You guys are scaring me! My PN package is due to arrive tomorrow. I have been reading the forums but have not yet formally introduced myself. My budget supports a food bill of $150 or less per MONTH. That is just for me. And I don't really have any areas to cut back on. Am I going to be able to do this?

[dex]

Originally Posted by msmogreen

You guys are scaring me! My PN package is due to arrive tomorrow. I have been reading the forums but have not yet formally introduced myself. My budget supports a food bill of $150 or less per MONTH. That is just for me. And I don't really have any areas to cut back on. Am I going to be able to do this?

I wouldn't get worked up about it. It's totally do-able, as long as you're willing to shop smart. I do my grocery shopping once a week and I generally spend about $40. Throw in the occasional purchase of protein powder (from wherever I find the best price), fish oil (from Costco), and a greens supplement (from Trader Joe's) and I probaby spend right around $150-175 a month, and there are things I could probably do to bring that down a little but because I don't *have* to, I haven't tried to.

Scan the produce section for veggies and fruits that are on special, the same goes for cuts of meat. Most groceries run new specials every week, so as long as you have an idea of what foods you should eat, it's pretty easy to quickly eliminate and/or identify things while you shop. The bulk section is also your friend in saving money on things like oats, quinoa and beans. Oh, and frozen broccoli and berries available in larger bags from places like Costco and Sam's are good to have on hand if you have the freezer space for them.

Asian/ethnic markets are good places to look for lower prices on produce and sometimes meat, if you happen to live in an area that has one. (I'm in Seattle, so an Asian grocery is almost always only a short distance from wherever I happen to be.)

Also if you have a Trader Joe's near you, it's a good source for eggs, yogurt, frozen berries, natural peanut butter, olive oil, and canned chick peas. I also happen to love their whole wheat couscous, because it's something quick I can make for a post-workout meal if I've failed to soak my oats ahead of time. It's also good to have on hand if I have unexpected guests and need to make something relatively healthy, while still fit for company and don't feel like getting into a long explanation/discussion about my chosen eating habits--I know a lot of vegetarians and vegans, so this keeps them happy while keeping me away from religious wars over the relatively low (compared to them) amount of carbs in my diet.

The first few weeks will probably take some extra time planning/prepping/getting used to shopping a little differently, but once you've earned what to buy where, it's pretty simple and quick. Roundtrip (from leaving the house for the store to returning and putting away my groceries) my normal weekly shopping takes about 45 minutes, and I might spend 10-20 minutes before I leave the house (if I've remembered to do it, usually I don't) flipping through grocery store sale flyers from the newspaper. If there's anything extra that I need that I couldn't get during that regular shopping trip, I just find a way to work it into my other errands.

You can do this (within a budget and in reasonable amount of time) as long as you commit to the planning/learning up front. Just my experience. And good luck!

Edited to Add: I get into the "time" issue above because the biggest complaint I get from people who ask how I do this is that it's either too expensive or too time consuming to shop for proper eating. Mind you, these are usually the same people who can be found sitting at a coffee shop engaging in mental masturbation over a five dollar latte or posing at a hipster bar with a ten dollar drink in hand for hours at a time. (Not that I'm opposed to coffee shops or pricey drinks, but come on...)

[msmogreen]

Okay, I feel better now. That really helps...I was beginning to panic. I do most of my shopping at Costco, already by the big bag of frozen berries, spinach and my protein powder there (6 lbs. for $25). I buy the Omega 3 eggs and regular eggs (for the whites) and they are dirt cheap. I have a few local sources for bulk grains...unfortunately, still waiting for them to open a Trader Joe's in the neighborhood (keep hearing rumors that its coming soon).

I think this is going to work for me. Thank you so much!

[jeffo]

Thanks everyone for the input. I Like the shopping around thing infact my wife and I did that today hit 2 different stores. $100, we shall see how far that lasts. :)
But Living in MT, albiet one of the best places, lacks variety. And the Farmers market closed up shop last weekend. I appreciate eveyone chiming in. It helps get the creative juices flowing, to help each other out.
Thanks again
Jeffo

[stickrm]

Originally Posted by SunshineWoman

Also, not all your fruits and veggies need to be organic. There's a list I'm sure you can find (I think it's 10 that you should always buy organic) of what is and is not acceptable from a pesticide standpoint if you buy conventional. That should help a bit.

Hi all -

Could someone either direct me to or post this list of 10 foods you should always buy organic? Thanks very much --

[dgaetano]

Originally Posted by stickrm

Hi all -

Could someone either direct me to or post this list of 10 foods you should always buy organic? Thanks very much --

http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php

[Focused1]

jeffo, have you considered going to a natural food store to buy your protein? Where I live we have one that you can buy unflavoured protein powders in 5 lbs and 10 lbs bags from the owner. It may not taste the greatest but if you throw in some fruits into a smoothie it could dramatically cut down your costs by buying in bulk like that. You probably will save $10 per 5lbs compared to a name brand at retail.

[stickrm]

Thanks for the link dgaetano!