Day 16: Not very hungry, which is good because I can't afford more food!

[Brooklyn]

Hello,

 

I've been reading a lot of posts with people eating more than I am, and learning they are still not eating enough. I haven't in any way restricted what I'm eating, I'm eating totally to code, and feeling satisfied, but it isn't "a lot" of food.

 

I really appreciate the Whole30 info on what to prioritize when spending money on groceries, because eating like this is really expensive. (I know, in the long run, compared to health care costs to treat illness that this preventative nutritional care is cheaper, but still.) I'm not sure there's a question here, because there's no magic grocery fairy or lottery fix, but I am curious how other people are affording this, and I wonder if eating this way is a priviledge that only the affluent can do properly.

 

So, ultimately, I'd like to eat more, to follow the rules precisely, but in the meantime, two eggs will feed me, not four. You know?

[amberino21]

it definitely isn't cheap to eat like this - or "healthily" in general. we've had a similar diet for a long time (although with limited grains, some rice/quinoa, a bit of dairy, protein supplements) and it is expensive. we often wish we didn't know so much about food, or eating for better health because we'd have a whole lot more money living off pasta and carb based food.

 

we wouldn't swap it for the world though! we make sacrifices in other areas to eat how we do.

 

I would opt for cheaper cuts of meat (usually require slow cooking), in season vegetables, and looking around for the cheapest options (whether that is finding a great market, or a good grocer with specials, direct from the farmer, growing your own etc)

[mydisciprin]

You are not alone. I just finished w30 and it's put my food budget severely in the red, I've basically already completely spent September's budget.. the good news is I had a lot of brown rice, lentils etc. (my usual diet) purchased before I started w30, so I have a few weeks of eating covered at least, but for after that I'm going to have to carefully consider how /what I'm going to eat.

[KitchenWitch]

Our food costs have been through the ceiling. I mean $21 for a whole organic, free range chicken!  My sister and I have been on the Whole30 for 15 days and Whole Foods Market is celebrating. $ 480.....in two weeks.  Our Farmer's Market here in Santa Fe,NM would be about double that amount.

[d.t]

I read an article regarding organic, grass fed meat vs regular meat.  The article stated it's better to eat regular meat than not eat the meat at all due to the cost.  I try to buy grass fed meat and organic veggies/fruits, but it's not always possible.  

 

For example, I went to the store to buy some veggies.  I picked up some organic cauliflower which is $1.89, I thought $1.89 for the whole thing because it was on sale.  I get to the register and it's $7.48.  I put it back and bought non-organic.

 

So many people do not eat fruit and veggies because of the organic craze.  It's better to buy non-organic and wash it with lemon juice than not to eat them at all.

 

Know what I'm saying...

 

When you're feeding a family of 3 or 4, eating healthy will bankrupt you if you follow organic and grass fed only foods.  

[MrsStick]

My husband and I both had a discussion about our long-term budget for food and how to save ourselves some money. For us, our meals aren't whole 30, but we had to think about how to best make the most out of our resources (we're saving up to buy a house, not sure when, but we're trying to save for it anyways). 

 

1. We stopped eating organic everything. We aren't skimping on our beef, though - we just bought in bulk. We'll have half a grass-fed cow to ourselves in the next few weeks. We buy cage-free organic eggs (still trying to find a farmer who has eggs that we can buy...I want REAL cage-free eggs from chickens on pasture, not "cage free kept in a big barn with all the other hens and only fed grain" but it's what we have right now. We still do regular chicken, but I'm trying to get away from that. At least antibiotic free chicken would be better, but it's really hard to argue with "2.5 lbs of chicken for $4, already cut up and off the bone" and justify getting "1 lb of chicken for $4, already cut up and off the bone."

 

2. Shop cheap veggies. Beets this week were $0.88 per pound, as were rutabagas. Parsnips, our usual favorite, were $3 per pound. 

 

3. Every time you shop, go over your receipt at the end. As we're driving home, we go over what we spent more than $5 on. It gives us an idea of how we spend. 

 

Our way forward has much less meat for us (we eat meat at dinner/supper), and eggs or other protein sources (nuts, nut butters, etc.) and plenty of fat for breakfast/lunch. The rule isn't hard and fast, but it's a compromise for us to be able to get the more expensive foods, like higher quality meat or veggies (let's face it, potato chips are super cheap, but I don't want to be eating them as often). I'll let you know how our budget works out for this - it's only been 2 weeks and our grocery bills have been wildly different! Granted, one week had Larabars and alcohol included...but a week of $250 followed by a week of $75...yeah.

[sheba-kitty]

When I compared my dining out money spent plus my grocery from before Whole30 it ended up being pretty close to what I now spend on groceries. But We ate out a lot! Big change. I don't buy organic everything. Buy in bulk at Costco. And get to the farmers market on the weekend, best deals there! Going to miss that when it ends this month.

[Tallulah Wolf-Angel]

It can be expensive, but now that you know the principles of the Whole30, you can apply them to whatever you eat. It still works with regular meat and veggies. You may not get quite as many nutrients as eating organic, and of course you should limit your exposure to toxins like herbicides as much as you can, but the object is not to break the bank. Follow the meal template, buy the best quality of food you can afford, and don't worry about it. This is a way of eating that you may want to continue for the rest of your life, so it has to fit within your resources. Take advantage of sales and seasonal fruits and veggies. It would be nice if we could all afford Kerrygold butter and grass-fed beef, but some of us can't. I've been making my own ghee from generic supermarket butter, or Target butter, and stocking up on veggies at the farmer's market. We have a neighborhood butcher who sells really good meats that are not certified organic, but are wholesome and reasonably priced. And if all you can afford are supermarket meats, then go ahead and eat those!

[Delaine Ross]

My argument is we can spend a little more now, or a lot on medical bills later.

 

And it can be a fun game trying to find the best prices!

[Ruby]

For various reasons my husband and I are doing the vegetarian version of the Whole 30 this time around. Our grocery bill is literally less than half of what it used to be. Of course, we only can do this comfortably because during our last reintroduction we found that things like tofu, tempeh, and lentils don't bother our systems. But it might be something to consider.

[MrsStick]

My only problem with the "a little on food now or a lot on medical bills later" is that it doesn't exactly work out that way, nor does that mindset help those who have little to no money later.

 

Yes, eating healthily can help you avoid preventable medical issues later in life. I don't deny that. It won't necessarily stop you from getting, say, cancer, though - and you might end up spending a ton on those bills despite spending more on food before.

 

Also, my health insurance is provided through my and my husband's workplace. We're guaranteed a job at least through the next 5 years (contract) as long as one of us doesn't do something really stupid to get fired (read: cheat and get caught, break the law, etc.). I don't pay out of pocket for it at all, so I'm not going to pay more in the future if my health goes bad from eating crap for food.

 

In the end, there are plenty of people who have $0 extra to spend on their food bills per month (already eating lentils and the cheapest real foods out there to stretch small budgets, unwilling to go to the food bank because it's not real food...Chef Boyardee and boxed MSG-filled crap). Yes, that's a somewhat extreme example, and most people have at least one area of discretionary spending they can tap into, whether it be eating out or a hobby, but just saying "you can pay less on food now or more on medical bills later" isn't the way to help people see the W30 as something to strive to be able to do someday, if not today.

[Susan W]

Actually the saying is "pay the farmer now or the doctor later" and it was an actual farmer who said it. You can poke holes, but basically, it means invest in real foods grown locally and therefore do yourself a medical favor. How can you argue that?

[d.t]

This post really triggered a bad taste in my mouth for Whole 30.  I'm on a strict budget and I'm buying food from Kroger and Tom Thumb.  I do not buy all organic and grass fed meat.  I can't afford to pay $12 for 3 chicken breasts or $8 for a head of cauliflower. I buy organic veggies if the price isn't outrageous.  I splurged the other day and bought 3 organic chicken breasts for $11.  

 

For those of you who can afford all organic and grass fed meat, kudos to you.  But you need to give those who cannot a break because it could cause a few people to go off Whole 30 or not start it all and stay away from the forum which is most helpful.

 

I believe there has to be some leeway in Whole 30 and as long as you are eating healthier than you have been eating, then you're on your way to a better you.

 

JMO and thank you for listening. 

[Ruby]

Totally, soamoanprincess! Eating conventional meats and veggies is leaps and bounds better than when we were eating conventional meats and veggies on pasta. Like Voltaire said, "The perfect is the enemy of the good." Not being able/not seeing the point in buying organic should never deter someone from undertaking a Whole 30 or healthier ways of eating.

[Robin Strathdee]

This post really triggered a bad taste in my mouth for Whole 30.  I'm on a strict budget and I'm buying food from Kroger and Tom Thumb.  I do not buy all organic and grass fed meat.  I can't afford to pay $12 for 3 chicken breasts or $8 for a head of cauliflower. I buy organic veggies if the price isn't outrageous.  I splurged the other day and bought 3 organic chicken breasts for $11.  

 

For those of you who can afford all organic and grass fed meat, kudos to you.  But you need to give those who cannot a break because it could cause a few people to go off Whole 30 or not start it all and stay away from the forum which is most helpful.

 

I believe there has to be some leeway in Whole 30 and as long as you are eating healthier than you have been eating, then you're on your way to a better you.

 

JMO and thank you for listening. 

 

I'm not sure what post turned you off... I found that most of the posts above are agreeing with you that organic/grassfed may not be doable all the time and that's okay...

[Darla]

What hit me hard in the beginning was the pantry items: Coconut oil, ghee, EVOO, some vinegars, spices, etc. For this stuff, I got what was recommended and some of them will last long after my Whole30 is over. Next time I'll try making clarified butter, and might not be so strict with label reading, but then again I might because my budget won't be hit all at once. Also, now that I have the jars, I'll buy spices and perhaps coconut oil from the bulk section.

 

Meat/Seafood/Eggs: Good quality 90% lean hamburger was on sale at my favorite local healthy store (New Seasons in Portland) just before I started so I bought 10 pounds and froze it in packages of 4, 5, and 6 ounces each. I watch their sales for fish and buy enough of that for a few meals. Raw shrimp I buy frozen but whatever size is on sale. I bought a small free range chicken for less than $4 on sale and it lasted four meals (for me). For steak, I buy flatirons for $6.99/lb. They are FABULOUS grilled and I've been eating a bunch of those! They are from my local Kroger store and probably aren't grass fed, but they are lean and affordable. I bought healthy cage free eggs on sale which only added another 20 cents per meal over regular eggs. 

 

Produce: All I can say is I'm thankful for my seasonal timing as a lot of the things I like have been on sale. I deliberately shop on Saturday night to stock up on sale items for the next week before the price goes up the next day. Of course I also shop on Sunday to pick up that week's sale items. Organic is generally just too expensive but sometimes it can be cheaper than regular. I've also been lucky that I grew waaay too many pepper plants and those are definitely organic.

 

Olives: Watch your sales and stock up! There's an odd assumption out there that olives from olive bars are somehow better than canned, but they also are canned! So... just save some $$ and buy canned olives!

 

In summary, yes, your food budget definitely takes a big hit but it can be minimized if you watch the sales and stock up. Whole30 is for 30 days. After that I'm guessing I'll be eating more dried beans than ever before.

[beckysefco]

I hear you. I have bought very little grass fed, free range, organic, etc. etc. products. The Whole Foods and Trader Joes are a good half hour away from our house, and you can't beat prices at the commissary. As much as I'd like to, and I hope to someday, buying all these products isn't really an option. Which is unfortunate because we still aren't cleansing our bodies of pesticides, hormones and antibiotics. Sigh. Oh well! I just the best advice here is to trim the fat from meat, thoroughly rinse produce, buy organic from the "dity" list, etc. Although you've probably heard this advice before.

I'm not sure if this suits your lifestyle, but when my husband gets out of the military and money is tight, I plan to only buy things that are on sale only (at multiple grocery stores) and make meals with those items. I don't do this now, but we don't need to. I have a feeling when the time comes it will be helpful, because I do not want to sacrifice the quality of food we are eating when we don't have as much coming in.

Is this something you can try? Scour all the ads on the weekends and pick up what's on sale and meal plan accordingly? Do you have Aldis where you live, or Costco? Or maybe there's something in your life that you could do without to help? Do you have a Netflix/Hulu subscription you never use? Or try switching to off brand necessities like cleaning products, hygiene products to lower the cost of your grocery trips? Good luck.

[Revived]

This is a huge concern of mine and I'm still trying to figure out a balancing act. Not only am I short of money, but also time so I don't have the option of going to multiple stores or multiple times a week in order to bargain shop. I think those are great ideas but not gonna happen for me right now.

I think it's important to not have an all or nothing attitude which is exactly how my brain works. I can get so easily discouraged from not being able to afford the best quality stuff that I'll just give up and say well forget it, I'll just eat twinkies. So I'm not letting myself do that. Right now I'm just concentrating on staying compliant however I can make it work in my budget. So none of my produce is organic right now. The eggs I'm getting are cage feed but you know, not top of the line most of the time. If I can make any upgrades I get grass fed ground beef and hormone free chicken which is not the same as free range chicken but you can get a pack of 6 or 7 at Walmart for like 11. Which is not that much more. It's not ideal. I honestly hate Walmart. Loathe myself for stepping foot inside it. I hate that I'm not in a place in my life where I can live my my morals in this sense and support local agriculture but I just can't. Our car got repossessed in June and we still don't have another vehicle. Some people just can't. And if I have to get regular ground beef, like I just did, well that sucks, but I know that just saying screw it and living on Ramon noodles is worse. So I'm doing the best I can now and as our situation improves, my grocery budget will be the first thing to improve because I do believe in the value of eating local and organic. Another thing I did was start my own garden but turns out I barely have time for that either or any clue what I'm doing so my little garden is kind of pathetic and not that helpful but it's an option and one that I plan to try to improve on.

You can get a lot of mileage out of spaghetti squash, cauliflower, sweet potatoes and ground beef. My meals are not very exciting at all right now but I still believe the sacrifice is worth it. By sacrifice I don't mean the whole pay the farmer now or the doctor later thing. I actually hate when people say that too. Its true for sure and maybe there are people who just need to reprioritize but I'm not one of them so it just feels trite and flippant to me. (Not trying to stir the pot, just saying I can relate). What I mean is if you have to eat factory farm ground beef and commercially grown veggies every night, you're still gonna be further ahead than eating out of a box. Bored maybe but healthier. And the more this becomes habit, the more you'll stumble upon little shortcuts to make things easier. And hopefully, your situation will improve at some point and you can make improvements. (That's what I keep telling myself)

There is no magic answer which is really frustrating for me too. But maybe just knowing there are others who struggle and still persevere will help.

[Psirene]

I shop solely by what's on sale. We hit Sprouts yesterday, and for $150, we got 

 

soft goat cheese/yogurt

Beef roast, 1 ($2.99/lb)

sirloin tip steak, 2 ($2.99/lb)

ground beef, 2 ($3.99/lb)

pork chops, 2 ($1.79/lb)

whole chicken, 2 ($1.29/lb)

Chicken tenders, 1 ($2.49/lb)

Prosciutto, 1 pk

Onions, bag

Avocados, 4 ($0.98 ea)

Roma tomatoes, 1-2 lbs

Broccoli, 2 heads ($0.88/lb)

Celery, 1 bunch

Sweet potatoes, omg lots

Apples, gala, 10 ($0.98/lb)

Plums/pluots, 6 ($0.88/lb)

Peaches, 3 ($0.88/lb)

Zen greens, 2

Spinach, 1 

red potatoes, 6

zucchini, 5

tomatoes, 3 lbs

peas frozen

pearl onions

green beans, frozen

garlic

golden raisins

Applesauce

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Almond milk (whole foods)

Kombucha, 5

Bread (regular, for husband)

Udi's bread

canned tomatoes

 

I hit up TJ's for eggs, because they're the cheapest for the best quality. You can get them cheaper at your regular grocery store, but I get the decent brown eggs for like $2.19/doz.

 

I make my menu plan based on the sales, then bulk up the menu to figure out what else I need/can use, then refine my shopping list.

 

The above will feed me and my husband, for all three meals, for 1-2 weeks. Especially with the roasts, I'll have enough extra that I'll freeze some, and we can rehash it later.

 

Yes, I do have some stuff in the fridge/freezer already (a dozen eggs, maybe a thing of sausage in the freezer, maybe some canned tomatoes). But still. By shopping by sales, I save SO much money. And the key is meat. Buy meat only when it's on sale. Stock up, even if you won't use it that week. Put it in the freezer. All my crock pot recipes go in frozen, cook all day when I'm at work, and are perfect when I get home. 

[Psirene]

And for example, these are most of the meals I built from what's on sale. 

 

Chicken, soup, or fricassee

Chicken dumplings (grains reintro)

Beef roast with onions and tomatoes, mashed potatoes (white or sweet), broccoli

Sirloin tip steak, grilled tomatoes, smashed potatoes, butternut squash?, avocado

Burgers, with greens, catsup, relish, pickles, onions, omg everything, onions

Beef pasta thing – ground beef, zucchini, tomatoes, red sauce, other veg, maybe over zoodles?

Pork chops, cabbage and peas indian thing, cucumber raita (soft goat cheese or yogurt)

Pork chops with paprika and cumin and salt, smashed potatoes, glazed carrots

Pork roast, apples, pearl onions, cinnamon applesauce mustard glaze +fig? (wine in mustard)

Roast chicken, applesauce, rice, green beans

Harvest chicken with plums, peaches, onions, garlic, mashed sweet potato, broccoli

Honeyed chicken (golden raisins, apricot, honey, glaze), green beans w bacon?, something with almonds, sweet potato

[Revived]

@psirene we dont have a sprouts here so I'm not familar with them.  Just curious - is that all organic, a mix or no organic?

 

$150 is what we are giving ourselves for a weekly budget for 4 people. 

[Psirene]

Mostly not organic. Sprouts is kind of a "natural foods store", so their meat is all antibiotic free, but not organic. I don't think most of the veg is organic. I try to look at the dirty/clean list, but don't always manage it. 

 

We just can't afford all organic. Any dairy I do get is clean as possible, I try to choose good eggs balanced by price, and I try to choose good meat (like Sprouts vs Fry's/Kroger, I can really tell a difference). If the organic is less than a dollar difference, I try to get it instead. But when it's more, it's hard to afford. As a middle ground, like, I don't buy grapes or strawberries unless I'm willing to foot the bill for organic. I don't buy things out of season (more reason for them to be pesticided). I try to buy things at normal season peak, as *I* _think_ it'll be cleaner. 

 

Where are you? Maybe you'll have a Sunflower or Henry's Market? I think they're the same as Sprouts.

[Veggie Girl]

If the vegetarian whole 30 is a possibility for you, it's easier to do on a budget. I posted a hypothetical compliant vegetarian meal plan for $52 per week on the vegetarian forum.

http://forum.whole9life.com/topic/13533-compliant-vegetarian-meal-plan-for-52-a-week/

[Revived]

@Psirene - I'm in Athens Georgia.  Nothing like those places here.  We have Earth Fare, Trader Joes, tons of CSA's and farmer's market/ co-op options but none of them are cheap.  Which is a shame because my heart's desire is to support local agriculture but i just can't afford it right now and there's no way around it.  

 

I even tried to do my own garden but it turns out i suck at gardening.  

 

I thought about doing the vegetarian plan but I've got issues I really want to sort out and I wanted to follow the whole30 down to the letter to try to figure it out.  But I think that once i finish the 30 days, I'm going to try to add back in legumes and see if I'm ok with them and then try to incorporate them more so help make things a bit more economical.