In the 3 weeks since I officaily completed this challenge I have tasted many foods that just can't compare to what they once were.My much desired carmel macchiato, yeah, not so good anymore! Even ordering it with 3 "pumps" less syrup then the recipe suggests I am having a hard time enjoying it's sweetness. Funny thing is I have ordered it that way for quite awhile and am just now realizing it is still too sweet. I shutter to think of what it would be with all the syrup.
I have also noticed that greasy foods are not appealing, and my body totally rejects them. I think it is odd that with just 1 month of clearing out the garbage my body is still making it well known what it wants, despite what my tastebuds may say.
Friday, July 16, 2010
Sunday, July 11, 2010
The cost of good health
The most common questions I was asked during this experiment were about the cost of this type of diet. Beyond my own experience I did a little research to help answer this and here is what I have found.....
For starters, My grocery bill went down in the month I bought nothing processed. The week prior to starting I spent a bit more on groceries then typical to stock my pantry with ingredients new to my kitchen (agave nectar, masa harina, brown rice flour, rolled oats etc.) Some of these ingredients were a bit pricey but, as I have come to include them in my list of pantry staples I am finding them to be easy to incorporate into my regular budget.
I also noticed that a diet built completely upon processed foods, especially if you shop at a discount grocery store, was much cheaper. When you can buy 4 cans of veggies for $1 or sugar laden boxes of cereal for #1.99 and hot dogs or chicken nuggets in bulk for under $10 it is easy to see how some families keep a monthly grocery bill extremely low. There is no was financially to compete with that.
HOWEVER, my most shocking discovery was that the highest budget was a combination of the 2 extremes. In my findings it seems that if you buy half your food processed and half fresh your bill will be highest. I am assuming that is because most of us don't have time to shop 2 or more stores. We simply find a store that offers the fresh produce and meat we like and pick up "a few" processed things while we are there. In doing so we pay more for the box of rice mix, or canned soup then the discount grocery stores.
Every grocery budget is different just like every families list of groceries is different. I would challenge you to look at your groceries or family staples and pick 1 item a week to convert from processed to "homemade". This could mean making a loaf a bread, or your own rice mix, or even buying fresh ground peanut butter (many stores offer this now and the kids LOVE watching the peanuts turn into PB).
I believe subtle changes happening at a consistent rate will change the typical American family diet. Few of us are ready or able to convert from 1 extreme to the other but if we change out 1 item at a time before you know we will have a new generation of people cooking at home and avoiding the dangers of additives and preservatives in our food.
This is such a huge topic that I will revisit it often with more ideas and facts I find to help answer the questions I get on how expensive it is convert from a processed foods diet to a fresh "natural" foods diet.
here are just a few of my price findings at a local grocery store over the past few weeks....
Black Beans name brand 15oz can $1.59
organic brand 15 0z can $2.79
store brand dry beans 4 lb bag $6.39 (cooked makes appx. 16 cans)
Corn name brand 11oz can $1.09
organic brand 15 oz can $2.39
frozen 16 oz $2.50
frozen organic $3.69
fresh $0.20 per ear (appx. 4 ears = 1 can of corn)
Peanut Butter name brand $3.89 for 17.3oz
organic brand 2.99 18oz
natural brand (just ground peanuts) $3.69 16oz
Basil dry name brand $7.09 for 1.25oz
fresh 3.99 16 oz (appx. 3 cups of fresh basil equals 1c.(about 4 bottles)dried
Just a little food for thought!!!
For starters, My grocery bill went down in the month I bought nothing processed. The week prior to starting I spent a bit more on groceries then typical to stock my pantry with ingredients new to my kitchen (agave nectar, masa harina, brown rice flour, rolled oats etc.) Some of these ingredients were a bit pricey but, as I have come to include them in my list of pantry staples I am finding them to be easy to incorporate into my regular budget.
I also noticed that a diet built completely upon processed foods, especially if you shop at a discount grocery store, was much cheaper. When you can buy 4 cans of veggies for $1 or sugar laden boxes of cereal for #1.99 and hot dogs or chicken nuggets in bulk for under $10 it is easy to see how some families keep a monthly grocery bill extremely low. There is no was financially to compete with that.
HOWEVER, my most shocking discovery was that the highest budget was a combination of the 2 extremes. In my findings it seems that if you buy half your food processed and half fresh your bill will be highest. I am assuming that is because most of us don't have time to shop 2 or more stores. We simply find a store that offers the fresh produce and meat we like and pick up "a few" processed things while we are there. In doing so we pay more for the box of rice mix, or canned soup then the discount grocery stores.
Every grocery budget is different just like every families list of groceries is different. I would challenge you to look at your groceries or family staples and pick 1 item a week to convert from processed to "homemade". This could mean making a loaf a bread, or your own rice mix, or even buying fresh ground peanut butter (many stores offer this now and the kids LOVE watching the peanuts turn into PB).
I believe subtle changes happening at a consistent rate will change the typical American family diet. Few of us are ready or able to convert from 1 extreme to the other but if we change out 1 item at a time before you know we will have a new generation of people cooking at home and avoiding the dangers of additives and preservatives in our food.
This is such a huge topic that I will revisit it often with more ideas and facts I find to help answer the questions I get on how expensive it is convert from a processed foods diet to a fresh "natural" foods diet.
here are just a few of my price findings at a local grocery store over the past few weeks....
Black Beans name brand 15oz can $1.59
organic brand 15 0z can $2.79
store brand dry beans 4 lb bag $6.39 (cooked makes appx. 16 cans)
Corn name brand 11oz can $1.09
organic brand 15 oz can $2.39
frozen 16 oz $2.50
frozen organic $3.69
fresh $0.20 per ear (appx. 4 ears = 1 can of corn)
Peanut Butter name brand $3.89 for 17.3oz
organic brand 2.99 18oz
natural brand (just ground peanuts) $3.69 16oz
Basil dry name brand $7.09 for 1.25oz
fresh 3.99 16 oz (appx. 3 cups of fresh basil equals 1c.(about 4 bottles)dried
Just a little food for thought!!!
Recent discoveries
In the past 10 days since my child has started to eat "normal" foods again I have seen a 2 asthma flare ups. During the 1 month when no processed foods were allowed into our diet despite allergies and a cold (both proven in past to send K to hospital with severe asthma attacks) no asthma flare ups occured. It is a bit disturbing to me that within 3 days of stopping the strict regimen of all homemade foods K had breathing issues unaccompanied by any other known trigger.
I am not a doctor, but, it is seeming to me that this needs to be considered by our team of doctors. Although food allergy testing was done and no conclusive allergies found I am beginning to believe that K may have an allergy or at least a sensitivity to a food additive ro preservative.
So, with this new information I am determined to dig deeper and see what this may turn up! For now, although I am accepting some help from store bought items I am paying close attention to what ingredients are listed and if it is not something I could make in my kitchen I am not buying it. Hopefully this alone will prove beneficial to K and if not, we will cut back totally again and see if we can pin point a precise trigger. Wish us luck!!!
I am not a doctor, but, it is seeming to me that this needs to be considered by our team of doctors. Although food allergy testing was done and no conclusive allergies found I am beginning to believe that K may have an allergy or at least a sensitivity to a food additive ro preservative.
So, with this new information I am determined to dig deeper and see what this may turn up! For now, although I am accepting some help from store bought items I am paying close attention to what ingredients are listed and if it is not something I could make in my kitchen I am not buying it. Hopefully this alone will prove beneficial to K and if not, we will cut back totally again and see if we can pin point a precise trigger. Wish us luck!!!
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