Recession-proof foods: Healthy groceries to splurge and skip

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  Posted by maureen Tue Jun 24, 2008 4:44pm PDT

  Eating healthy costs money. We don't try to save money on food most of the time. That means fresh vegetables, good cuts of meat and not very many snack items. For a family of three it is running about $1,000 a month or more. Eating healthy is very important for your overall health and fruits, vegetables and high grade protein like steak, chicken breast or shrimp adds up quickly.

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  Posted by kaliluna Tue Jun 24, 2008 5:32pm PDT

  One way my husband and I buy healthy is we buy locally grown organic meat. It can be rather expensive, but we know people who have farms and raise their own animals and we've gone in on purchusing half a pig or a quarter of a cow with friends so the cost is split, but you still get a lot of meat. We also get organic brown eggs this way, they taste so much better than white eggs you buy in the store! We only buy organic milk, even though it's expensive, but it's definitely worth it. I also try to buy organic fresh produce whenever possible. My husband and I are definitely into the "quality over quanity" thought when it comes to good food.

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  Posted by D A Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:54am PDT

  Eating shrimp more than a few times a month is probably not a great idea (especially for children) as there is still a relativly high risk for mercury exposure.

  Heart healthy meats, like turkey & chicken would be better choices. Also meats from animals raised on all natural feed.

  http://www.thelunchtimeblog.com/2008/05/diggin-on-swine.html

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  Posted by Bruju Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:55am PDT

  Try going meatless a couple of times a week and using beans and/or tofu to sub in for the meat. A one pound block of tofu usually costs less than 2 bucks and can make about 6 servings of food if you add veggies and rice or pasta or beans. Buying key produce like peppers, onions and mushrooms that I can use over for stirfry, tacos, pasta, etc also helps. Picking 2 kinds of fruit for the whole week, usually green apples and bananas, keeps the produce bill low.

  The one thing I DON'T skimp on or cut back is nuts! I buy whole almonds and eat a small 1 oz. serving every day. I buy them in bulk and a $10 bag usually lasts me and my boyfriend a couple of weeks.

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  Posted by dawomn Wed Jun 25, 2008 2:31pm PDT

  Organic eggs and chichen are my splurge. The smell of regular chicken will turn the average person's stomach once they have tried 'real' chicken. A co-worker used to sell fresh eggs at work. These eggs came from a variety of her husband's pet hens. They came in all sorts of colors, pink, blue, green. brown, etc. The flavors were as varied as the colors. I moved from the area but low and behold I went to a local farmer's market a couple of weeks ago and there they were in all their colorful glory. $4 a doz. is not cheap but oh what a treat!

  Camas, WA

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  Posted by springtime Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:39am PDT

  Some foods, including organic, lose their nutritional value very quickly during trucking... such as fresh spinach. Now vegetables straight from the field are flash frozen, and contain more nutritional value and are cheaper. Even if you pay for the pricey organic foods, they will spoil quickly if not stored quickly and properly and prepared within a reasonable time frame. For example, asparagus can be stored standing upright in a cup of water. Potatoes and onions should not be refrigerated and should be out of direct light. Tupperware makes a product called FridgeSmart® for the storage of fruits, vegetables and herbs They will keep produce fresh for weeks. This is a wise investment for any cook who finds a produce bargain but cannot prepare it all at once.

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  Posted by Suzanne Thu Jun 26, 2008 9:50am PDT

  One thing I do is on some products, I don't insist that the label say "USDA Organic". If it says no hormones, no pesticides, etc etc, depending on the product, I generally trust it. Sometimes the USDA guidelines for organic can be a bit odd. From what I understand, they don't even let farmers use water to spray bugs off of their plants, since water isn't an approved pesticide. This is the case with 2G Roses, my favorite place to buy flowers. They are absolutely superior quality to any flower I've ever purchased, but not certified by any government agency. www.freshroses.com

  But back to food, one thing I do is buy some of my foods at "ethnic" places. For example, I use brown rice sometimes, but when I want white rice, I love basmati rice. It's so aromatic, and not as heavily processed as most white rice. But at the grocery store, it's INCREDIBLY expensive! You'll pay $7 or $8 for a small container. So instead I go to an Indian or Pakastani grocery store and pick up a ten pound bag for about $11. It's delicious, inexpensive, and the bags usually have instructions for preparing it in English.

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  Posted by MeganB Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:04pm PDT

  I always buy rice no matter how expensive it may get. I also save money by buying frozen organic vegetables and fruits. I know you here how your not supposed to do this, but I also open the sales paper when I go and what ever is on sale that week, like meet or starches, is what I buy. Also protein meal bars are inexpensive and have everything you need in them(if you get the right kind)

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  Posted by Midwest Chick Fri Jun 27, 2008 4:20am PDT

  We bake our own bread. it's cheaper, healthier, and more fulfilling. we also go to the farmers market on every other saturday to buy organic fruits and veggies, as well as a cheapie 5.00 bundle of flowers that tends to last far longer than we hope for...at least two weeks. with things like green beans and asparagus, we blanche them and store them in reusable bags.

  we cook a full meal and bake one dessert dish together as a family, usually on sundays when everyone is at home. we usually snack much less when we cook together, and eat less too. i've also gone back to the habit of prep cooking our meals (frying or baking meat or prepping chopped ingredients, then freezing). when we're ready to eat, we just reheat. it takes a little effort, but is MUCH better microwaving homecooked meals than the death packets of sodium and fat at the supermarket.

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  Posted by Niccyclean Fri Jun 27, 2008 7:28am PDT

  I splurge on Salads that I don't have to make myself once a week from the restaurant of my choice. Outback's Chicken salad is very expensive but so good with that fat free tangy tomato dressing. Ghassans also has a Greek chicken Salad to die for. Other than that I splurge on organic watermelons this time of year and those organic cherries are excellent too.

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