Food - Processed, Home Grown, Local And Money

[2dream]

There are lots of threads here about buy local, grow your own, buy organic, saving money, and staying away from processed food.

Sometimes the money issues out weigh the more expensive organic, local grown alternatives. Add in people trying to stock up for emergencies and some folks just stocking for if/when TSHTF.

Example: Even though I know that processed foods are not the best in the world and that Kraft Mac and Cheese has no cheese at all I still have them set back. Several boxes of Mac & Cheese, 8 boxes of Powered Milk, etc. These things are stored in food saver bags and then in air tight containers. In order to rotate and keep fresh supplies on hand I end up using these things and buying more to replace.

Other things I keep on hand for quick emergency foods.
Canned Ravaloi
Canned Soups
Canned Chili
Several Boxes of Cereal
Several Bottles of Cheap Cooking Oil. (Yes I know its bad but we are talking emergencies or just can't afford different).

What kind of NOT GOOD FOR YOU things do you keep on hand.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

a 5 pound bag of M&M's....and i keep 'rotating' them so they stay fresh!
;-)

interesting thread...thanks for starting.... it got me thinking... hum....

 

[freemotion]

This was an interesting series on eating well on a budget. I am a firm believer that it can be done. It takes more thought and creativity, but well worth it. http://nourishedkitchen.com/food-stamp-challenge-faq/ This link is the first in a series on eating healthy foods on a tight budget.

I am one of those fortunate enough to have a healthy stash of wheat berries, oat groats, and home-canned and dehydrated and frozen food, and more "on the hoof" out in the barn and coop, not to mention lots of wild turkeys, rabbits, groundhogs, and squirrels out back.

Really, all of these items are WAY cheaper than most of the stuff on your list, except maybe the mac'n'cheese and the oil. For example, organic oat groats come on sale for $.99 per lb, and the cheapest cereal, devoid of nutrition, is more than that. Same with canned things like ravioli, soups, etc. You can can your own beans and tomato sauce for a fraction of the price of storebought. Dry beans are easy to store for those who don't can. If you don't have a grinder, you can even cook the whole grains.

Sorry, this isn't the point of the thread, I know, but I'm just sayin'..... I used to have all that stuff stored, too, and eventually realized that real food CAN be cheap, too, it is just a little more work. If there was a real emergency, I feel I would really need to have food that can sustain energy and health and not just fill my belly.

Now for my confession: I have some 62% chocolate squares in a gallon jar!!!! Busted! And always have 5-10 lbs of white sugar in jars. I use it for making kombucha primarily, but am known to make a batch of cookies or brownies on occasion...

 

[Javamama]

Minute rice. Sometimes I just want fast, white rice.
Pasta. Eh, I LIKE pasta. Not interested in making my own. Takes too much brain work. I'm a Type A person, so the shapes would make me crazy.

WalMart Dill pickles. They are cheap. They are the best tasting. I tried growing my own and the bugs won. I gave up.

Oats, dried beans, all types of flour, though not in huge quantities.

I love Trader Joe's dark chocolate baking bars and keep several on hand for emergencies. (reminds me- I'm out! EEK!)

I do not stock large amounts of anything for long term.

 

[frugal_me]

I joined this site not to long ago. I joined because I have a goal for 2010.
Im 40, live below the poverty level, and very over weight. My goals for 2010 is to be living better financially and have a healthier mind, body. and spirit. And I know with hard work and dedication it can be done.
Growing up a hard- headed me didnt listen to my elders telling me that processed foods were bad for me. My great grand parents lived on farms and grew most of the things they ate. Up until 5 years ago I had 3 centenarian women living happily in My family. I may not see 100 but I would like to see my senior years.

By the way.... why is powered milk a bad thing? I know its process but it is vitamin fortified.

 

[freemotion]

The proteins in powdered milk are denatured and become neurotoxic.....that's your brain! And the vitamins that fortify processed foods are rarely in a form that your body can use. It is an advertising deception.

I am glad to be able to store my milk in the goat! But I will be freezing some for use when she is dry, and next year hope to overlap the pregnancies of two goats so there will be no dry period.

 

[Wifezilla]

a 5 pound bag of M&M's....and i keep 'rotating' them so they stay fresh!

Bwwaa haa haaa!!! Smart girl!

I was stumbling around the net a while back and a survivalist type said something that really put things in perspective for me.

It is better to have a cheap flashlight than NO flashlight because TSHTF while you were waiting to get the money together to buy the perfect, high-dollar high-end flashlight. Same with food. Better to have mac & cheese than nothing.

As a low carber, getting the exact perfect food that will store long term is a bit expensive (ok... A LOT expensive). There are several things that, while not low carb (or only sort of low carb), will sustain us in a long term emergency, are inexpensive and store well.

Here is what I have in my stash...
Dry beans of all types...lentils, chick peas, navy beans, pinto, etc...
Dry corn (It's PURPLE! Got it at the Mexican grocery store )
Dehydrated vegetables including carrots, tomatoes, and onions. (I get baggies of these at Vitamin Cottage)
Spam
Canned chicken breast
Cans of tomato paste (I don't can, so I go with the store bought with the least additives)
Cream of chicken mushroom soup (lowest carb content of all the campbell's soups)
Steal cut oats (something I wouldn't normally eat because of my blood sugar issues)
Quinoa (same here)
Chia seeds
Sprouting seeds
Cans of table cream (Nestle brand)
Spice mixes and salt

Now I do keep meat, butter, and other veggies in the freezer. That list above is dry goods. All of these things were purchased a bag here and a can there. It is the only way I can do it due to my budget.

I also have to keep something else in mind. If the food in the stash in any way resembles something easy and instant to cook, my son and husband will raid it and scarf it all down. I would LOVE to have beef jerky in there, but that would last about 10 seconds

P.S. Hey free, any suggestions on my dry goods stash? If we can't get whey, what do I soak those darn grains in??)

 

[Javamama]

You can soak in vinegar if there is no whey or lemon juice or for dairy allergies.

 

[freemotion]

You can also soak in plain water (not chlorinated.) My dad fermented whole oats for our pigs when I was a kid, as his own dad did. Just soaked in a bucket of water until fizzy. Pigs loved them, and they were cheap, bought right from a farmer down the road. Or in the case of my grandfather, he was the farmer who grew the oats.

I would add cans of fish, especially sardines for the oil. And how about something green and dried?

WZ, how 'bout some ferments like kraut that are ultra high in Vitamin C, which is the main problem with a dried and canned diet, especially in winter when fresh stuff is not available? Live foods are very important, even in tablespoon per day amounts.

 

[Wifezilla]

I do have quite a few ferments. Still experimenting to see what we like. I am sure I will have some of that on hand. I also forgot to add that I have lard in my stash (non-hydrogenated of course )