# Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution



## SpooOwner (Oct 1, 2010)

I feel so sad when I watch Food Revolution and see how hard it is to change people's feeding habits, even when they know their food choices are hurting them. If people won't do it for themselves, why would they do it for their dogs?

Moderators - Feel free to move.


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## eternalstudent (Jul 22, 2010)

I can only speak for myself here, but I would never put my puppers on a diet as unhealthy as mine!!!!!!

I started out with parents who taught me how to eat and cook healthy and gave me tasty food for every meal, and when I go home I do exactly the same for my Dad, and any others who are also at home. However, when on my own???? eg. My dinner tonight will consist of:
Cheese, coffee, and an ice-cream as its june 

My dog started out life on kibble as I thought that was fine for dogs. 3 - 4 weeks later I was convinced that it was not :-(

She now has a species specific diet that has put her in a great state health and wellbeing.

People care for animals much more than themselves, a fact I am glad of.

However, J. Oliver has been on a quest to show the people the right way to look at things and he has done a great job over here with Jaimie's School Dinners, where he managed to change school dinners right throughout the country. 

I hope people watch it so they can make an informed choice as to whether or not to feed themselves badly.


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## bumblegoat (May 12, 2010)

To me, it is much MUCH easier to get my pets on a good diet than to get myself on one. If I'm going to eat better, I will have to battle some serious sugar addiction. Compared to that, feeding my dog raw is incredibly easy.


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## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

Our dogs eat way better than we do. 

We try to eat a variety of fresh fruits & veggies and limit the junk food/processed food but a big part of it for us is cost. If I ate like I wanted to eat I'd be broke, I'd have nothing left. Food is SO expensive and it sucks that it costs more to eat healthy than it does to eat garbage. Its convenience & cost I believe for a lot of people, as sad as that is. 

I watched Food, Inc. for the first time a few months ago and a big portion of the movie was based on how its just impossible for most people to eat healthy foods b/c of cost. Which is also contributing to the increasing population with diabetes.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Northwoods10 said:


> Our dogs eat way better than we do.
> 
> We try to eat a variety of fresh fruits & veggies and limit the junk food/processed food but a big part of it for us is cost. If I ate like I wanted to eat I'd be broke, I'd have nothing left. Food is SO expensive and it sucks that it costs more to eat healthy than it does to eat garbage. Its convenience & cost I believe for a lot of people, as sad as that is.
> 
> I watched Food, Inc. for the first time a few months ago and a big portion of the movie was based on how its just impossible for most people to eat healthy foods b/c of cost. Which is also contributing to the increasing population with diabetes.


Same here!! I TOTALLY know where the OP is coming from though cause that is how my in laws are:sad: But for us I would be SOOOO broke if I ate all the healthy foods that I want! While at the same time I would rather not eat but one meal a day to keep good food for my boys!!:wink: :smile:


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

we just got home from shopping and i'll be juicing the fruit we bought and honey will be making the salad. the proteins are cooked separately. and we eat no starches, no grains.

let me tell you how refreshing it is to eat this way. and then let me tell you how boring it gets.

for my health, especially, we eat this way....but on the weekends, we take a day for treats, like muffins and bread and even dare i say, cookies....that one day kills us. but it tastes so good, because eating healthy every single day when there is chocolate and ice cream....is boring.

by monday, we both feel like crap, and we start the whole thing all over again....both of us have low blood pressure, our cholesterol is good....we are overweight from having no thyroids and we gave up smoking...but both of us walk 1/2 mile to a mile a day....and we are believe it or not, fat healthy people...whilst i have things wrong with me that won't change.....i believe the way we eat during the week keeps me from getting worse...same with honey.....

i watched jamie oliver, i have since his cooking shows...and he tries, he tries so hard...but how do you compete with snack and soda machines in schools...and when did that happen anyway? wasn't there when i went to school....

and the only reason we are able to do this, is we do not go out to eat, we don't go to movies, we have netflix......we had to give up some things in order to put the money into fresh foods...and that's the shame of it. that fresh veggies and fruits cost so much......and junk is cheap..more importantly, we don't have skin kids.


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## SpooOwner (Oct 1, 2010)

So this intrigues me. In learning about nutrition for dogs, has that encouraged anyone to be more conscious of their own nutrition?


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

who was it on the boards...we were talking about how we got to raw....and the poster said he/she learned about raw from her vets...and then it tripped into her own way of eating...whoever that was, please come forward.....

bubba's behavioural issues got me started on the boards and i quickly went to the food sections, and that's when mandy pug on petlovers.com and curbside prophet and rawfeddogs on dogforums.com got me started thinking about raw....'course, we all know rawfeddogs as bill, the moderator from here....it was his unwavering, inflexibility that really got me studying raw for dogs....and it has intensified my study of both human and canine nutrition.....

what we feed is one ingredient for the dogs. that got me thinking about what we eat. and now it's the least amount of ingredients that make up a product.

so, a steak is one ingredient. cabbage is one ingredient. that's what we shoot for --


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## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

SpooOwner said:


> So this intrigues me. In learning about nutrition for dogs, has that encouraged anyone to be more conscious of their own nutrition?


I like to think it has. While I'm not eating as healthy as I should be, I'm eating much healthier than I have in the past. And I hate to make excuses, but really the big factor for us is the cost. If money wasnt an option, I would like to think I'd be eating just as well as my dogs!


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## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

I used to live on hot dogs and mac&cheese out of a box. And pickles and coffee. For almost two years those were my staples. When I moved out of that life I vowed to eat healthier, and I figured anything was a step up from that. 
When I got Wallaby a few weeks later and started feeding him raw, seeing the change in him inspired me to step-up my own diet.
It is expensive to eat healthy but it doesn't have to be outrageously so. I only eat one meal a day most days. I used to eat breakfast lunch and dinner whether I was hungry or not, whether I had exercised that day or not. I am able to afford to eat the way I do because I don't eat a ton like I used to. Most days all I need is one helping of a normal-sized dinner. Sometimes a smoothie or some raw juice in the morning. As a rule I try to make at least half of everything that I eat raw, and I personally never buy processed foods anymore. I do eat it on occasion [like at a friend's house or something] but swearing off buying it has had a huge impact on my extra "fluff".
Also I juice a lot. I just bought a juicer but I used to just do it with a blender, a strainer and some cheesecloth. Worked fine, it just took longer.


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## mischiefgrrl (Oct 28, 2010)

I just don't understand how fast/junk food is cheaper. I know it can be cheap, but for me cooking was always way cheaper than that. I've been a single mom for 18 years with no support from anyone but myself. When I come home from work at night, all eyes look at me and say "I'm hungry."

School lunches were a HUGE challenge for me. They're horrible with nothing healthy and I had one very picky kid. With lunch at noon or later, it was very difficult to pack things that wouldn't be spoiled or disgusting by the time she got to it. I started making bread. It's very easy, quick and cheap to make it in the bread maker every day. My daughter got a peanut butter sandwich (she didn't like jelly) a banana and 50 cents to buy milk. Doesn't sound like much, but it was all she needed and was much better than the "chicken" nuggets they served for $2 at the school. 

I don't shop at the big chain grocery stores like Albertsons, Safeway, etc. I shop at Trader Joes, Top Valu, Smart and Final and the 99 cents only store. My $300 a month grocery budget would easily double if I shopped at the big chain stores. 99 cents only stores have fresh produce now so there really is no excuse to say that fresh produce is too expensive! 

I work 6 days a week and use the crock pot a lot. Most Saturdays I start a nice big batch of soup in the crock pot that is done by the time I get home from work. That feeds us all weekend and costs me about $4 to make with a fresh loaf of bread that is less than $1 each to make. 

I also use coupons. I'm not a freak like that extreme couponing show, but I do clip them and then check for sales. I noticed Rite Aid has a buy one get one free sale on a type of toilet paper that I have 3 $1 off coupons for and a reward for $10 off my next purchase if I buy $20 worth of this product (before coupons). So in the end I'll spend about $5 for 6 12 packs of toilet paper.

Anyone who says they can't afford to eat healthy, just doesn't want to.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

mischiefgrrl said:


> I just don't understand how fast/junk food is cheaper. I know it can be cheap, but for me cooking was always way cheaper than that. I've been a single mom for 18 years with no support from anyone but myself. When I come home from work at night, all eyes look at me and say "I'm hungry."
> 
> School lunches were a HUGE challenge for me. They're horrible with nothing healthy and I had one very picky kid. With lunch at noon or later, it was very difficult to pack things that wouldn't be spoiled or disgusting by the time she got to it. I started making bread. It's very easy, quick and cheap to make it in the bread maker every day. My daughter got a peanut butter sandwich (she didn't like jelly) a banana and 50 cents to buy milk. Doesn't sound like much, but it was all she needed and was much better than the "chicken" nuggets they served for $2 at the school.
> 
> ...


I just have to say, that is NOT true for everyone! I want to eat healthy I REALLY do(I grew up on healthy food and SOOO miss my Mum's cooking!)...and I coupon and such, however the getting to the smaller stores would take far too much from my budget via gas then I can afford, so I am stuck shopping at Safeway, and trying to find deals at grocery outlet(which sadly has jacked up their prices to be nearly identical to safeway) and our little "5 dollar store." I live in a small town, was laid off from my job last May and we only have 1 car, I do what I can to save money for food...but sometimes a scramble with eggs and hash-browns or tater tots and hotdogs is the only meal we can afford! Veggies are hella expensive as is fruit and meat that I can/will eat(I dont eat red meat or pork!) I dont eat breakfast or lunch because of saving money and the fact that the foods that we can afford go to husband's lunch and to dinner....I dont complain much, or bring up my/our finances to very many people, but when someone says a blanket statement like you did...it rubs me the wrong way!


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

so then the question becomes why can't we eat as healthy as our dogs?

is a single grilled/baked/broiled protein plus a salad out of realm?


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## mischiefgrrl (Oct 28, 2010)

Scarlett_O' said:


> I just have to say, that is NOT true for everyone! I want to eat healthy I REALLY do(I grew up on healthy food and SOOO miss my Mum's cooking!)...and I coupon and such, however the getting to the smaller stores would take far too much from my budget via gas then I can afford, so I am stuck shopping at Safeway, and trying to find deals at grocery outlet(which sadly has jacked up their prices to be nearly identical to safeway) and our little "5 dollar store." I live in a small town, was laid off from my job last May and we only have 1 car, I do what I can to save money for food...but sometimes a scramble with eggs and hash-browns or tater tots and hotdogs is the only meal we can afford! Veggies are hella expensive as is fruit and meat that I can/will eat(I dont eat red meat or pork!) I dont eat breakfast or lunch because of saving money and the fact that the foods that we can afford go to husband's lunch and to dinner....I dont complain much, or bring up my/our finances to very many people, but when someone says a blanket statement like you did...it rubs me the wrong way!


I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you.

However, when you say scrambled eggs with hot dogs and hash browns or tater tots for a meal... right there I can help you. Forget the hot dogs, that's just a waste of $1. There's nothing nutritional in them at all. You can buy an actual bag of potatoes for what you're spending on the processed ones. Have scrambled eggs and a baked potato instead.

Believe me, I've been on a budget that made me skip meals and I've learned from it. For years I had $15 a week to feed myself, my daughter and my two cats. Give me your menu and I'll show you how to do it better with non-processed foods for just as cheap if not cheaper.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

the one meal a day or 'starvation is healthier' and it's better to be thin is a myth and is undoing the wonderful things people do to be healthy and thin.

the brain needs food.......and we don't digest like dogs do, so the one meal a day, whilst it works for them, does not work for us.....what we were taught was just plain wrong, with the three big meals a day......we're supposed to graze....eating five or six 'snack like foods a day' in terms of portion...

i know there are those who do what you're doing and they feel great, but it will pay you back....especially if you exercise...your body if it doesn't have enough nutrients going in...will start to feed on your body...believe it or not. might take years, but that's what will happen...

when we juice...(You're gonna love it, silverbeat)....we usually combine about four fruits when making a fruit juice or four veggies when making a veggie juice...

the only juice i don't do myself is carrot juice because i can get it raw and only lightly pasteurised and we drink that with our vitamins...

today we're making apple,peach,strawberry,mango.

if we don't juice, we buy 2 kinds of fruit. but we buy it from costco. we know it's not organic, but that is what we can afford...and we take vitamins to make up the difference.


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## mischiefgrrl (Oct 28, 2010)

I know it can be hard to hear that you're not doing it right. I've been that person. I've been in that hopeless situation where I thought I was doing everything I could. I was there when it came to switching my dog to PMR. I was doing everything I could to make him better and I just didn't want to accept that I could be the one causing his problems by NOT feeding him raw.

It's the same with Jamie Oliver - people don't want to hear that there is something else they can do with their diet, that they are in control of it. None of us want to admit that it's our fault we're in a bad situation. It's not about placing blame but about helping you to open your eyes to another way of doing things. 

I'm offering up help to anyone here who wants it on how to eat well on the cheap. I understand if no one wants to put their financial difficulties in a public forum so please PM me and I'll talk to you privately. This is a very sensitive subject for a lot and I understand that. I don't judge anyone.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

mischiefgrrl said:


> I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you.
> 
> However, when you say scrambled eggs with hot dogs and hash browns or tater tots for a meal... right there I can help you. Forget the hot dogs, that's just a waste of $1. There's nothing nutritional in them at all. You can buy an actual bag of potatoes for what you're spending on the processed ones. Have scrambled eggs and a baked potato instead.
> 
> Believe me, I've been on a budget that made me skip meals and I've learned from it. For years I had $15 a week to feed myself, my daughter and my two cats. Give me your menu and I'll show you how to do it better with non-processed foods for just as cheap if not cheaper.


Sorry I should have clarified, I dont eat the hotdogs unless I can get turkey or meatless ones for cheap, and "real hotdogs" only come into the house when they are given to us (and are for husband anyways)....oh and one of the things that my mum gave me when I moved out was her potato shredder, so the hash-browns are all home shredded!:biggrin: So I have a bag of yellow, red and sweet potatoes all in the pantry waiting to be shredded or baked!LOL



magicre said:


> the one meal a day or 'starvation is healthier' and it's better to be thin is a myth and is undoing the wonderful things people do to be healthy and thin.
> 
> the brain needs food.......and we don't digest like dogs do, so the one meal a day, whilst it works for them, does not work for us.....what we were taught was just plain wrong, with the three big meals a day......we're supposed to graze....eating five or six 'snack like foods a day' in terms of portion...
> 
> ...


Oh I know my one meal a day isnt healthy, I didnt mean to make it sound like I thought it was, sorry! However there are days that I wake up and I cant keep anything in my stomach at all other then water, so that it when im stuck to just dinner. I do however have a bag of broccoli frozen and a few of salad fixings that the in laws were going to throw out because none of them would eat them that Ive been munching on all month...and those have, thankfully, kept my weird stomach at bay!:happy: 


And ah...fruit, now your making me hungry!LOL I wish I could afford it, there are times that I bend the budget a bit and get a bag of frozen mix...but that is only if the 3 stores here localy have them on sale, other wise I just cant afford fruit...it makes me sad! Im hoping that with the different seasons coming that our local farmer's markets will be cheaper then here in town!!


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## eternalstudent (Jul 22, 2010)

I regularly get told that people don't have enough money to eat healthy but they are able to eat junk. I know for a fact that here at the least it is cheeper to eat real food than take-away-junk.

Simple things like planning makes a huge difference, and putting the effort into to shopping. 

I get fresh chicken for $0.80 lb. We only need to be eating 2 - 4 oz of meat a day, fresh vegetables are less. Ok so you need to have some other things to make roast chicken and veg taste nice but overall I can feed myself for about $1 / day.

Yes it takes time, (yes I can't be bothered) and yes it takes effort, but it does not stop it being possible.

For me, I am young enough to still be, stupid enough to think that it won't harm me, and at the same time I know perfectly well that it will :-(.

I have provided nutrition and diet advice for competitive teams yet I don't bother to follow them myself, which I know is daft!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think our drive has shifted from living healthy to giving the impression of living healthy (especially the with back up of the NHS), and wanting to spend time with other things. Social aspects have also changing. How many times do people go out for dinner instead of having a dinner party, or romantic dinner at home. 

For me I hate paying for food that is no better than I can make, and to be honest I find my own house far better to talk and eat and for the saved money - drink fancy ales, cider and wine 

ETA: Damn that was long (was only meant to be a shot post) oops sorry.


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

I've always found it pretty easy to eat right, it's harder to get kids to like it!!! 

I'm the cook, my gf loves it the kids... eh depends on what i'm making i suppose, generally consists of a grilled meat product, chicken, beef, lamb, turkey...
Pasta, or potatoes(boiled, baked, mashed, grilled)
and a vegeatable... we keep it simple nothing too amazing or fancy which also keeps it pretty cheap, for two of the smallest kids i've seen in my life, metabolisms like wildfire...

I get alot of ideas from foodnetwork.com and then go from there, sometimes chicken stuffed with asparagus etc just as an idea.

The hardest part is finding good deals around here, people don't really care like they do where i'm from so it reflects in what you can purchase.
There are the occasional crazy nights when we have macncheese with hotdogs or something, but again homeade pasta sauce is (cheese,milk,butter) once it's melted just drizzle it over and we use turkey franks as well.. not great but not horrible.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Scarlett_O' said:


> Sorry I should have clarified, I dont eat the hotdogs unless I can get turkey or meatless ones for cheap, and "real hotdogs" only come into the house when they are given to us (and are for husband anyways)....oh and one of the things that my mum gave me when I moved out was her potato shredder, so the hash-browns are all home shredded!:biggrin: So I have a bag of yellow, red and sweet potatoes all in the pantry waiting to be shredded or baked!LOL
> 
> 
> 
> ...


but you can afford it...you live in the same state i do..and there is trader joe and costco and sam's in south king county....all near each other....

the other way to save money is to make a list and stick to it.

here is a sample

buy one get one free london broil.....
1 ten pound bag potatoes 
wilson eggs at costco - 18 count ( can be brekkie, egg salad for lunch, egg sandwich for dinner)
bread (two pack loaf from costco)
1 bag frozen mixed veggies - costco
1 bag frozen mixed fruits - costco

their fruit is by the case.....i know trader joe's is set up as a discount store too....and you can shop when hubbie gets home, if you're down to one car...

even if you can't eat, you can have a glass of juice....costco sells apple juice by the two pack and it's not expensive at all...

there are ways, honest....i know food costs out here are through the roof, but if you make a list of proteins, fruits, veggies, and starches, skip the desserts.....it can be done on a 300. per month food budget...

i wasn't targeting you about the one meal a day. i was saying it in general......sorry i worded it like that. don't know what i was thinking....


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## mischiefgrrl (Oct 28, 2010)

Tobi said:


> There are the occasional crazy nights when we have macncheese with hotdogs or something, but again homeade pasta sauce is (cheese,milk,butter) once it's melted just drizzle it over and we use turkey franks as well.. not great but not horrible.


Oh gosh, last month I went through a craving for mac and cheese like no other! I made it myself with whole wheat pasta, homemade cheese sauce (with a dash of pepper sauce) and vegetarian bacon bits. YUM!


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## mischiefgrrl (Oct 28, 2010)

I also made an observation last weekend when I went shopping for the furkids at Top Valu - a chain here that is modeled after the grocery stores in Mexico. While I was picking up meat for the furkids, I also loaded up on produce since it's half the price it is at all of the other grocery stores.

I was in line for a LONG time and I had time to look at the carts around me. All of the the other customers were of Mexican decent and ALL of their carts were full of produce. Even the single men who were carrying a case of beer, had a few bags of produce in their hands as well. These customers are typical of the lowest paid workers. Maids, seasonal workers, handymen, dishwashers, etc. I remember one of my best friends who comes from a Mexican family telling her teenage sons "If you have to have fast food, go to a taco shop because at least the food is fresh and there are real vegetables." 

If you want to know where to find cheap produce and fresh food, follow the Mexicans! That is not a racist comment, but a complimentary one - I swear!


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## Mollygirl (May 14, 2011)

When I was working, I didn't feel like coming home to cook so we ate alot of takeout. Now that I'm unemployed and living on one salary, it has came down to me cooking everything. And I don't buy stuff in the box that you just mix together. I used too so when I did cook it was easier. Now if we want any of that stuff, I cook it by hand and it really isn't taking a lot of time. I make my own biscuits, cook my own cakes and not buying those processed foods is helping with the budget. I can buy fruits, I go to stores real early in the morning when they have marked down stuff because it is getting ready to expire. I find bags of fruit, veggies, and meat. We eat a lot of rice and potatoes and noodles. I don't cook much mac and cheese as that box stuff just isn't that good. I get on Supercook: recipe search by ingredients you have at home and put in what I have and it comes up with all these recipes. I love that site. I can buy a bag of rice for nothing and it will last for several meals. My son is really picky but I just gave up at trying to satisfy him, I cook what we like and if he don't like it he doesn't have to eat, but usually there is at least one thing on the table he will eat. He is not a junk food eater either, he doesn't like chips, cookies, or candy. He didn't want to go trick or treat this year because he said he doesn't eat the candy anyway. He could eat pizza and burritos everyday, but the budget doesn't allow frozen pizza.

Keeping a list is really helpful too, that is what I do now. I used to not, I would just go buy whatever that appealed to me. The list is what we need to eat for the week, nothing extra. My husband takes his lunch everyday so I make sure he's got stuff to go in his lunchbox. Since school is out my son loves helping me with the list and he keeps me on it. He takes if from me and reads down the list, then if I'm looking at something that is not on it, he will tell me all about it "That is not on the list". It really helps him doing that and he is only 10 and feeling like he is really helping.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

magicre said:


> but you can afford it...you live in the same state i do..and there is trader joe and costco and sam's in south king county....all near each other....
> 
> the other way to save money is to make a list and stick to it.
> 
> ...



I TOTALLY didnt think that you where targeting me...sorry if it came across that way, I just didnt want anyone to think that I thought it WAS healthy! 




mischiefgrrl said:


> I also made an observation last weekend when I went shopping for the furkids at Top Valu - a chain here that is modeled after the grocery stores in Mexico. While I was picking up meat for the furkids, I also loaded up on produce since it's half the price it is at all of the other grocery stores.
> 
> I was in line for a LONG time and I had time to look at the carts around me. All of the the other customers were of Mexican decent and ALL of their carts were full of produce. Even the single men who were carrying a case of beer, had a few bags of produce in their hands as well. These customers are typical of the lowest paid workers. Maids, seasonal workers, handymen, dishwashers, etc. I remember one of my best friends who comes from a Mexican family telling her teenage sons "If you have to have fast food, go to a taco shop because at least the food is fresh and there are real vegetables."
> 
> If you want to know where to find cheap produce and fresh food, follow the Mexicans! That is not a racist comment, but a complimentary one - I swear!


That is SOOO true!!! Some of the best veggies in my home town can be found in the Mexican markets!! (That is where my parents and grandparents shopped, even though we couldnt talk to anyone!  )


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

Ya it can be done Magicre, keeping costs down is what we strive fore while keeping it healthy, we use alot of coupons now, we usually save about 100-150 a month on our totals.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Tobi said:


> I've always found it pretty easy to eat right, it's harder to get kids to like it!!!
> 
> I'm the cook, my gf loves it the kids... eh depends on what i'm making i suppose, generally consists of a grilled meat product, chicken, beef, lamb, turkey...
> Pasta, or potatoes(boiled, baked, mashed, grilled)
> ...


ok....here's my challenge to you....try what you're doing without processed foods, dairy, starches (pasta, rice, etc.) and see what you can come up with...


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

we couldn't afford it 

and i would run out of ideas.


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## tem_sat (Jun 20, 2010)

One of my all time fav's:

Warm ___[fill in whatever meat or fish you like here]___ salad with a great glass of wine:

I will use chicken breast as an example.

Chicken breast (pre-seasoned with Greek seasoning and brushed with olive oil. Grill on stove top or bbq. Keep warm or grill right before serving. Serve a generous amount.)
Salad greens (add anything you want that is green - herbs, parsley, baby greens)
Red Onion
Optional: Jicama, Sliced Avocado, etc.
Toss salad with your choice of vinagrette (I use Martinique made in Louisiana or make your own).
Arrange salad on large dinner plate. Slice warm chicken breast right before serving and arrange on top of salad. Serve with yummy wine and maybe some really great French baguette.

I have done the same with: steak, large shrimp, scallops.

I could eat that every day until the end of time.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

but actually u can think of ideas. the the trick is in the seasonings and the method of cooking....there are a gadzillion veggie combinations as well as differently prepared veggies...grill them, saute, boil, bake....etc....so, tem sat's greek chicken with any number os grilled veggies.....or make satays....or slow cook ribs with a dry rub or braised beef or chicken with lots of different veggies...or a stir fry....

fruits can be made into all kinds of desserts without adding dairy or sugars and processed stuff....

they are even perfect made into a salad....with bits of dark chocolate shavings....just as an example....

and something i learned....

there are so many combos to be made from a protein or combo of proteins combined with a zillion varieties of veggies and fruits

doesn't mean there can't be treat days.....but as a staple, it's actually cheaper to have a satay of chicken with onion, tomato and zucchini grilled than it is for a creamy spaghetti sauce...

ps. good ideas become favorurites...and honestly, home cooking is not a restaurant where the menu has to change all the time...i think you're alowed to repeat...


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

lookie what i found.

http://dogfoodchat.com/forum/general-talk/7525-recipes-humans.html


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## Northwoods10 (Nov 22, 2010)

I'd be curious to hear what most of you spend on HUMAN groceries per week.

We CAN NOT get out of the grocery store w/o spending $115+ per week. Its impossible. 

And thats for 2 adults. Heaven forbid we ever had kids to feed on top of it (besides the fur babies!). 

That consists of mostly meats, fruits, veggies and the rest is pastas & processed stuff.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

We spend $100 per week for 2 adults and two teens. Dogs are about $120.00 - $160.00 per month.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

Northwoods10 said:


> I'd be curious to hear what most of you spend on HUMAN groceries per week.
> 
> We CAN NOT get out of the grocery store w/o spending $115+ per week. Its impossible.
> 
> ...


does that include paper products, laundry, household?


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## SilverBeat (Jan 16, 2011)

My mom and I spend $70 a week between us. I usually buy $20 worth of greens for my fluctuating number of rabbits [2-5] and my three cavies.

Also, on days that I exercise more I do tend to eat a small, additional later meal [so my day would be juice in the morning, dinner in the evening and then a late-night salad or something for a "snack"]... But I had some problems when I was eating a full breakfast lunch and dinner. I do much better with only one, occasionally two meals a day, later in the day.


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## mischiefgrrl (Oct 28, 2010)

For food only for humans - $80 a week for two adults. This includes my Two Buck Chuck indulgences.
For dogs - $50 per month
For non-grocery household items like razors, toiletpaper, detergents, shampoo, etc. $20-50 per month depending on if I'm using coupons and paying attention to sales. This month my TP, razors and dental hygiene items are free since I have coupons from last months purchases.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

Northwoods10 said:


> I'd be curious to hear what most of you spend on HUMAN groceries per week.
> 
> We CAN NOT get out of the grocery store w/o spending $115+ per week. Its impossible.
> 
> ...


I've been following this thread all day on my phone, but I hate doing long replies on that thing, and this is the first this weekend I've felt well enough to actually get up and sit at the PC. so here goes!

A grand total of five days ago (don't you know changes always start on Mondays?! lol) I kind of did a diet overhaul for hubby and me. 
It's mostly fruits, veggies, and lean protein, but I do eat some nuts, whole grain bread and pasta in there, and yogurt/milk in small portions too. 
Breakfast is generally a smoothie, with a handful of spinach thrown in. 
I don't really have "lunch" but rather pack raw snacks to munch on ALL day long. Cucumber, carrots, grapes, blueberries, raspberries, avocado, almonds, etc. I eat as much of them as I dang well please, and probably more sugary fruit than I should. I try to do raw through the workday, because if it's there, I will eat it. If it's not, I'll go grab something. It's the easiest time of day to have the discipline to get them in.
When I get home, I generally make some kind of lean protein, like tilapia or chicken, and season it to my heart's content. I'll side it with some cooked veggies. broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, etc.and if I really feel the itch for another snack, yup, I might snack on more raw veggies. I tend to overcook for dinner, so that if I really am itching for more "substance" during the day (I imagine being more of a temptation on my days off) I have it there at the ready. 

I've been really sick, nearly go-to-the-ER-sick, for the last three days, so really, I don't have a good feeling for any differences other than bloat. Holy cow, I had no idea how bloated I really felt all the time, until I didn't feel it anymore. For me, the secret is all in the planning. If I don't plan for it, I'm screwed. If I don't pack healthy snacks, then come my lunch break, I'm off to grab the quickest, cheapest thing I can. 
I'm sure it would do me some good to cut starches, and I know I probably eat too many fruits right now, but it's certainly progress from my dollar-menu diet I adopted after coming into the hectic life that is business ownership.
I guess the kicker for me was really the fact that I have not ovulated since 2007, and I DO want kids in the next couple years. I need to get healthy, and quit putting myself last all the time. If I can afford spontaneous trips to Montana, Idaho, and Denver... I certainly can afford to spend a little more on my diet. And I want to raise healthy kids, and those habits start with my husband and I. I'll be damned if I predispose my kids to the diabetes that runs so rampant in my family, and gestational diabetes is something that could certainly prevent the natural home birth I'm determined to have for the welfare of myself and my children. 

Wow, what a ramble. Sorry, I suppose the topic of this thread really hit close to home for me right now. 

Cost? 
Based on the first shopping trip I made around the perimeter of my store, it will cost me and hubby roughly $100 per week, soo $400 per month. Considering our tab for feeding our 7 dogs, and 2 cats is pushing $700, I'd say it's reasonable.

ETA: Small lifestyle changes can make a huge impact. My husband and I generally have "date night" once a week. Dinner and a movie type stuff. Well, we're forgoing our dinner night out, and challenging each other to cook offs, coming up with new stuff with whole foods, followed by a walk in the park across the street for training purposes for the dogs. It might not make muchof a difference in our routine, but that skillet queso, avocado burger, and paradise pie cut out every week just might save me! lol.


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