13 ways to combat rising food prices

Have you noticed the jump in food prices lately? The other day while shopping in the produce section, I noticed that many items were 20-30% higher than they’ve been in the past year. Avocados, green peppers, fresh green beans, zucchini.all have had a price hike. Similar to the gas situation, I noticed yesterday that gas was $3.55/gallon. If you think the correlation between gas and food is going to change anytime soon, think again.

What’s the antidote? With peak oil past and the demand for oil still high, those of us who rely on gas for our transportation and the distribution of food need to reevaluate how we use gas and spend our dollars. While some household living bills are rather fixed, our food budget can vary significantly depending on our choices. Continue eating out and buying gourmet ingredients and our food bill can quickly become unmanageable. Hence, here are 13 ways to maximize your food budget without compromising on nutrition:

1.) Eat lower on the food chain. Many people in this country consume vast quantities of animal protein: beef, pork, poultry, or-what the heck, let’s throw in fish while we’re at it. With per pound prices ranging from $2.00-$10.00 on up a pound, it doesn’t take a math genius to realize that beans and eggs and whole grains are a much cheaper option at $0.50/pound. Yes, you may be attached to the habit of eating meats of varying types for your whole life and it may be a big change…You can opt to make the changes gradually if you can afford a more lengthy transition. Substitute one animal protein meal a week, or a day, for starters. Check out some recipes with legumes to give you ideas, or just substitute your favorite bean in a casserole or stir fry in place of what you’re accustomed to using. The non-meat options are quite varied. Some of my favorites are: eggplant parmesan, vegetable stir fry with rice, vegetarian spring rolls, Mediterranean salad with garbanzo beans, hummus with fresh cut vegetables, black bean/corn/onion enchiladas. The options are endless…truly.

I’ve come to realize that some people think that having a diet high in animal protein as a superior diet and hold the position that a diet with more legumes is somehow ‘less than.’ Here’s a site that displays what people around the world consume and how much it costs them.http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1626519_1373675,00.html

2.) Eat simpler: Basic vs. Gourmet. OK, I admit, I have a food snob attitude about certain things. I like trying new, exotic foods whenever I have the opportunity. However, I’ve been rediscovering basic ingredients with a new mindset. Do I really need to only eat high grade gourmet mustard or can I savor French’s yellow mustard some of the time? You know, it tastes good. Crunchy fried potatoes dipped in a bit of yellow mustard packs quite a taste punch!

3.) Eat local food. There are people who grow or raise their own food in your locale. Because they don’t need to ship it long distances, there’s no need to inflate prices due to the high gas prices to distribute it. When you consciously support your local market, it’s one way of getting more nutrients for the mile; and it’s a way to protest Big Oil.

4.) Seek out alternative markets. Asian grocery stores and vegetable markets offer many of the vegetables and staples you’re accustomed to-at a much lower price. The freshness is there too; however, not all discount markets maintain the highest freshness standards so be on the lookout for that too. You may have a chance to try new items as well. Ask your friendly sales clerk and she’ll be happy to give you quick tips on easy ways to prepare the new food. Try it! You could be delighted.

5.) Buy in bulk. For those items that you know you’re going to need a steady supply of, make a list of them and make a once a month trip to your local bulk box store for those purchases. However, when traveling up and down the aisles, don’t get tempted to buy the deal if you know you’re really not going to use it up in a reasonable timeframe. If you have to throw out half of it, you’re not really saving, are you? Also, just because it’s available at the bulk box store, doesn’t mean it’s cheaper than your regular store offerings-check prices. By practicing awareness and discipline, though, you’ll be able to navigate through the temptations and not be scalped at the cash register.

6.) Exchange food with friends and neighbors. An upside to economic hard times is that people often turn to each other in creative ways to navigate through economic troubled waters. As in eras past, it’s not too late to build community with friends and neighbors. If you have a pear tree or a peach tree that produces more than you can manage or preserve, offer to trade some to your neighbors and friends. See what they offer back; they may not feel they have anything to offer, but maybe they’ll offer to mow your lawn or trim the unwieldy trees. This produces good karma on your side of the balance sheet. Even when there isn’t a direct exchange-person to person-oftentimes, there’ll be another unexpected offering passed your way when you least expect it, but probably need it most.

7.) Buy items on sale or seasonally. The words, CLEARANCE, seem like a beacon of hope when I have little to spend. I gravitate to the display and say to myself, “I wonder what lovelies are waiting for me there today?!” More often than not, I find some unexpected treasure that will work with what existing stuff I already have. Additionally, don’t buy watermelon in January, unless you live somewhere where watermelon is ‘in season’ in January. I recall buying berries off season once upon a time. They had been shipped half a world away. Even though the price was fair the berries were so bitter. They had to have been picked long before they were even close to being ripe. Who knows what they had been gassed with to ensure their ‘freshness’ along the way? If you want food that tastes good, is not too expensive, and still has nutrients in it, buy it when it’s in season and nearby.

8.) Have more potlucks. Have you ever noticed

that you don’t have to go through a lot of work or expense to enjoy a nutritious, delicious meal with friends when you have a potluck? The Stone Soup story lives on. If you’re bored of cooking for yourself or your family, crank it up by hosting a potluck or participating at one at your church or social connection group.

9.) Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Many CSAs offer a signup period before the season starts, so start looking to buy in early.  A CSA is a farm operation, usually small, that grows food for local consumption. Veggies, fruits, eggs, and some even offer meats, poultry, pork, and are offered on a per share basis. If you invest $1,000 and are going to receive deliveries of food every week for 25 weeks-that’s $40 dollars per delivery.  Many of these CSA growers are organic, so you will be getting more natural foods. Many also pick the best for their customers and sell the leftovers at the local farmers market.  If you are getting 20 pounds of food a week, the cost is only TWO DOLLARS a pound!  Try finding that in your local supermarket!  Look to Google to find CSAs in your area. Also, get thee to a Farmer’s Market and ask questions. You might find local knowledge at your Agricultural Extension Service-a Federal office with local roots-they often can provide you with exactly what you are looking for. If not, email me atjanesaun@gmail.com.

10.) Form a food buying co-op with coworkers, church members, your school or neighbors. Food co-ops are not a new thing. They rise up every decade or so when food prices start their upward spiral-like now!  By combining the buying power of group purchases, many more items become available because of the lower per item cost. These co-ops could use the community room at any number of places to divide the purchases.  Many hands make for quick work.  Set up a delivery day for the purchases and some of the distributors will drop it right at your site.  Community meal times could be centered around the distribution day. A good time will be had by all.

11.) Make food from scratch rather than buying processed foods. I remember learning some years ago that for every process that is done for you the expense of the food increases. The more steps you do for yourself, the less money it costs to enjoy the food. My mother raised five children on a meager income. Our family enjoyed wonderfully fresh, nutritious meals every day, every meal. We never felt deprived, because we weren’t. My mom made food from scratch and it was heavenly, a tradition that I have tried to carry on for my family as much as I could over the years.

12.) Eat at home as opposed to in restaurants. This is linked to step 11. It doesn’t take much to really hike the food costs when you find yourself in a restaurant as opposed to making the food at home. Try to limit your meals out to once a month or for special treats only. This may take some getting used to if you are accustomed to eating out frequently, but once you make the transition and no longer view it as a hardship, you’ll come to appreciate all those home cooked meals and the savings that go along with them.

13.) Grow your own food. Gardening is such a joy. It may seem daunting and you may have no experience with gardening, but there are lots of guides, books, how-tos, and even, eBooks available in addition to videos that can show you everything you want to know. Start with where you’re at. Have you never gardened before? Try container gardening as a beginning step. Do you have very little space? Try vertical or indoor gardening to get started. Have you been gardening for years, but half-heartedly? Enlarge your circle of contacts to include Extension service agents or master gardeners who can provide you with enough new information to enable you to take gardening to the next level. Did you know that you can garden year round with very little expense? Look further on this blog to learn about hoop house gardening in the winter. It really works and the results are worth it!

My friend from Kansas is the one writing this page. I did a bit on CSA’s, and the co-op work but this is mainly her stuff. She has raised her children to eat healthy and shares a rural upbringing with most our age. 

And she is a very talented writer.  In case you missed most of her gardening stuff go here, http:blog.learnyourtruth.com and take a look at the change in her little yard in the past 8 months or so. 

Bon Appetit!

And of course, be well; peace…dan