Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I work in a fairly small office environment (10 employees). Even so, there's enough "events" happening, and junk food people want to get rid of, that there's never a shortage of opportunities for consumption of unhealthy calories here at my workplace. Think: free donuts every Friday, birthday cake every few weeks, random cookies someone baked at home and wants to unload now and again...
Seeing half of someone's leftover birthday cake brought in to the office this morning got me thinking about this strange dichotomy: I generally value eating healthy food, exercising a lot, and treating my body right. I also value financial frugality. In some cases, these can go hand-in-hand (for example, rice and beans, or carrots). There's no shortage of threads where people discuss saving money on healthy foods. Unfortunately, you can't really beat free. Seeing the cake this morning helped it dawn on me that I could probably get a majority of my caloric necessity for "reduced cost" by planning around when these treats happen to arrive in the office. On the other hand, I might run the risk of decimating any semblance of health I manage to maintain. A lot of (financially) smart people I know will boast of how they'd never touch any of that office junk food, and are more than happy to offload gifts of Christmas cookies at the office. On the other hand... isn't that tantamount to tossing money down the drain?
Where do you draw the line on spending on food, and your food choices? Do you choose to save money in other places, so you can spend it on "quality" food, supposedly investing in your body? Do you partake now and again in free office junk food, trying to walk the line between exercising it off, cooking healthy when you can, and enjoying life a little bit when there's something too tempting to resist? Or do you buy this finding, suggesting that calories are calories, maybe we can all survive on donuts and vitamin pills, and maybe it's possible to pay $5 / month for food while acting like the office garbage can? Nothing but Whole Foods shopping, or would you dumpster dive for Little Debbie if it'd save a buck?
Seeing half of someone's leftover birthday cake brought in to the office this morning got me thinking about this strange dichotomy: I generally value eating healthy food, exercising a lot, and treating my body right. I also value financial frugality. In some cases, these can go hand-in-hand (for example, rice and beans, or carrots). There's no shortage of threads where people discuss saving money on healthy foods. Unfortunately, you can't really beat free. Seeing the cake this morning helped it dawn on me that I could probably get a majority of my caloric necessity for "reduced cost" by planning around when these treats happen to arrive in the office. On the other hand, I might run the risk of decimating any semblance of health I manage to maintain. A lot of (financially) smart people I know will boast of how they'd never touch any of that office junk food, and are more than happy to offload gifts of Christmas cookies at the office. On the other hand... isn't that tantamount to tossing money down the drain?
Where do you draw the line on spending on food, and your food choices? Do you choose to save money in other places, so you can spend it on "quality" food, supposedly investing in your body? Do you partake now and again in free office junk food, trying to walk the line between exercising it off, cooking healthy when you can, and enjoying life a little bit when there's something too tempting to resist? Or do you buy this finding, suggesting that calories are calories, maybe we can all survive on donuts and vitamin pills, and maybe it's possible to pay $5 / month for food while acting like the office garbage can? Nothing but Whole Foods shopping, or would you dumpster dive for Little Debbie if it'd save a buck?
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I don't buy that finding. While I'm no organic food maven I do believe that a decent diet is important to things like having a good fiber content and similar balances in a diet. Such things are important for prevention of certain cancers over the course of a lifetime.Mirn wrote:Or do you buy this finding, suggesting that calories are calories, maybe we can all survive on donuts and vitamin pills, and maybe it's possible to pay $5 / month for food while acting like the office garbage can?
As far as food frugality, my DW is extremely frugal that way. It ties into her strong moral belief against wasting food.
Last edited by Ged on Mon Nov 10, 2014 9:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Negatively affecting your health is also tossing money down the drain. Money is just the means to have a high quality of life and not an end itself.
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I personally draw the line at rice and beans.
Rice or beans is not acceptable, no matter the sacrifice in other spending, although in a pinch lentils can stand in for the beans.
Somebody else's rice, combined with yet another person's beans, does the trick.
Hope that helps with the free birthday cake dilemma.
Oh, and one more thing: welcome to the forum!
PJW
Rice or beans is not acceptable, no matter the sacrifice in other spending, although in a pinch lentils can stand in for the beans.
Somebody else's rice, combined with yet another person's beans, does the trick.
Hope that helps with the free birthday cake dilemma.
Oh, and one more thing: welcome to the forum!
PJW
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Type II diabetes is expensive!
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I don't think it's expensive to eat healthily. The problem is time, skill (in cooking), and personality.
Time-wise, it's really about the opportunity cost of your time. I used to cook all the time, but now if I have the choice between a meal for $8 and an hour of my time, I think of it as paying $8 for an hour of my life.
You can cook in bulk. While in graduate school, I used to make huge pots of curries as needed, and then stuff them into multiple Pyrex dishes in the refrigerator, so I could take them out when I had to bike to my night and or weekend jobs. Overnight curries actually taste better (I swear!) I calculated that the cost per meal was about $2. I only gave up because my roommate (also my best friend) ended up helping himself to everything (lol) even though it really wasn't very good cooking, and also because I sometimes got so engrossed in my work I accidentally burnt three pots, and the smell lingers forever, which pissed him off.
But I don't think it's smart to eat cakes, burgers or potato chips just because a calorie is a calorie. What you save in food costs now you might very well pay in health costs down the road. And anyway, it's not really a financial issue because without your health, all the money in the world isn't going to matter.
I only buy organic where it might matter. Things like blueberries or strawberries are pesticide-laden and among the "dirtiest" fruits, so if I eat those, I get organic.
Time-wise, it's really about the opportunity cost of your time. I used to cook all the time, but now if I have the choice between a meal for $8 and an hour of my time, I think of it as paying $8 for an hour of my life.
You can cook in bulk. While in graduate school, I used to make huge pots of curries as needed, and then stuff them into multiple Pyrex dishes in the refrigerator, so I could take them out when I had to bike to my night and or weekend jobs. Overnight curries actually taste better (I swear!) I calculated that the cost per meal was about $2. I only gave up because my roommate (also my best friend) ended up helping himself to everything (lol) even though it really wasn't very good cooking, and also because I sometimes got so engrossed in my work I accidentally burnt three pots, and the smell lingers forever, which pissed him off.
But I don't think it's smart to eat cakes, burgers or potato chips just because a calorie is a calorie. What you save in food costs now you might very well pay in health costs down the road. And anyway, it's not really a financial issue because without your health, all the money in the world isn't going to matter.
I only buy organic where it might matter. Things like blueberries or strawberries are pesticide-laden and among the "dirtiest" fruits, so if I eat those, I get organic.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I draw the line at dumpster diving!
Actually I am frugal in many areas, but spend rather freely on food.
Actually I am frugal in many areas, but spend rather freely on food.
Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Canned smoked baby oysters...
calories.
calories.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Trying bringing in a fruit tray and set it next to the donuts one Friday and see how it goes. You might find people would eat better if there was an alternative. Eventually the hope is your officemates would put 2+2 together and bring in less junk food.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I try to avoid the high sugar treats in the breakroom at work. Too much sugar and I feel horrible for the rest of the day. It also impacts my productivity. I can eat reasonable food pretty cheaply. I bring my breakfast and lunch to work every day. I think those 10 meals cost me about $20/week. That is $1k/year. If I ate free junk food instead, I bet that would impact my pay by much more than $1k/yr.
At home I normally will not buy meat that is more than $6/lb. I prefer to stay under $3/lb. I do this by mainly buying whole pork loins and chicken.
At home I normally will not buy meat that is more than $6/lb. I prefer to stay under $3/lb. I do this by mainly buying whole pork loins and chicken.
52% TSM, 23% TISM, 24.5% TBM, 0.5% cash
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I don't think I am particular frugal about food, but I don't spend a lot as well. I use portion control more than anything else, but also stopped eating massive amounts of carbohydrates. I am not CHO free, but I will not cook nor buy rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, chips, etc. I eat some rice with Mexican, Chinese, Thai, and Japanese food.
Last night in a restaurant, I had a chunk of asahi tuna on a bed of salad. This past weekend I ate Chinese take-out for 6 meals (remember portion control?). Lunches are homemade spinach salads as I have mentioned several times before. Basically, the only thing I cook nowadays myself is oatmeal and I had a post on that. Sushi doesn't need cooking.
I also avoid buying organic unless it is cheaper.
I would eat anything in the lunchroom at work, but I would just exercise any excess calories away.
Last night in a restaurant, I had a chunk of asahi tuna on a bed of salad. This past weekend I ate Chinese take-out for 6 meals (remember portion control?). Lunches are homemade spinach salads as I have mentioned several times before. Basically, the only thing I cook nowadays myself is oatmeal and I had a post on that. Sushi doesn't need cooking.
I also avoid buying organic unless it is cheaper.
I would eat anything in the lunchroom at work, but I would just exercise any excess calories away.
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
LOL as I just dropped all our left-over Halloween Candy off at the office.....
Food is the one place where we don't go cheap. We will buy basics at every day grocery-stores and discount stores but believe in quality fresh meat and produce so typically buy those at Whole Foods. We buy a share at a local farm for in-season vegetables (which turns out to be cheaper AND higher quality).
Food is the one place where we don't go cheap. We will buy basics at every day grocery-stores and discount stores but believe in quality fresh meat and produce so typically buy those at Whole Foods. We buy a share at a local farm for in-season vegetables (which turns out to be cheaper AND higher quality).
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Since I really started to get into self-maintenance through exercise, nutrition, etc., I don't try to save money on food, but won't turn down acceptable opportunities to save when they present themselves.Mirn wrote:Do you choose to save money in other places, so you can spend it on "quality" food, supposedly investing in your body?
What has balanced out the increased grocery budget is that I rarely ever eat anything out anymore.
If I were wealthy;
1. I'd only buy organic produce to limit pesticide/herbicide exposure and potentially avoid soil depletion from large monoculture operations (would have to look into that)
2. Get regularly screened for trace mineral deficiencies (Mg, Zn, Cu etc)
3. Get regularly screened for Vitamin deficiencies (Bs, D, etc)
4. Regularly get full hormone panels (eg. cortisol, full thyroid; TSH, T3, T4, fT3, fT4, rT3)
5. Hire a real personal trainer (not the flunky down at the gym)
6. Hire a personal chef
7. Hire a nutritionist
As it stands, all I can afford to do is try to save money on medicine rather than food.
Last edited by Chip Spoons on Tue Nov 11, 2014 9:10 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I had a discussion several years with some of my BILs cycling friends, who used to "dumpster dive" in a major east coast city. What this actually involved was knowing when restaurants discard their just-expired, relatively non-perishable food. Think 2 day old bread from the bakery, or muffin bottoms a-la Seinfeld.StevieG72 wrote:I draw the line at dumpster diving!
Actually I am frugal in many areas, but spend rather freely on food.
They certainly did not need to do this financially, but were by no means wealthy either. It was more of a statement on not wasting perfectly edible food.
Personally, I don't think I could do this. We try to get most of our food from the local CSA. I don't pass up leftover Halloween Candy, however.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I will spend money on good coffee and good beer.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
We are not frugal with our food. We enjoy good food, both cooking ourselves and eating in restaurants. It's not an area we target for savings.
Dave
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I consider free office junk food as dangerous and damaging as free seminars by insurance companies. Actually more so, because it's easier to avoid going to a seminar than to avoid walking the aisle where junk food is laid out. My defense is as follows:
(1) not try it at all, because resisting the first bite is far easier than resisting the next bite
(2) have healthy food alternatives so that I don't feel hungry
(3) use a blanket explanation that I don't eat carbs and don't make exceptions.
Victoria
(1) not try it at all, because resisting the first bite is far easier than resisting the next bite
(2) have healthy food alternatives so that I don't feel hungry
(3) use a blanket explanation that I don't eat carbs and don't make exceptions.
Victoria
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Frugal doesn't mean miserly or stingy. From the Frugal Gourmet - "People criticize me for enjoying good food when I use the word frugal. Frugal doesn't mean cheap. It means you don't waste your money. They haven't read my books. They don't know the meaning of the word."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Smith_(chef)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Smith_(chef)
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Fast food at the usual suspects - which I used to enjoy and is of course cheap but probably not worth it in the long run.
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Health, fitness, and nutrition are my career and have been a huge part of my life since I was in my teens. We (wife, 2.5yr old daughter, and I) eat almost no highly processed food, but at the same time do not consider buying organic worth our money. We eat healthier/cleaner than 99% of families you'll meet, but based upon similar past threads, our food costs are also lower (usually dramatically lower, to the point where people don't believe me). A lot of this is thanks to a very cheap local grocer and the fact that we virtually never eat out. IMO, it is a misnomer that it is expensive to eat healthy; our family food costs are ~$250/month.
Last edited by stoptothink on Tue Nov 11, 2014 9:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
[Mainstream] food is too cheap in this country. After visiting Norway and tasting their quality food, I decided to double my grocery budget for quality food.Mirn wrote:Where do you draw the line on spending on food, and your food choices? Do you choose to save money in other places, so you can spend it on "quality" food, supposedly investing in your body?
Harry Sit has left the forums.
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
We spend a ton on food, mostly due to eating out a lot.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Rationalizing eating junk food because it is free is not something that registers with me. That seems like an objectively poor financial and health decision. We're talking about what, $6 here maybe? If one feels peer-pressured to eat this way, just ignore it.
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I guess I'm lucky in that my office has a fruit table that is regularly replenished. I definitely partake in that as often as I can. I guess that is the benefit of having a VP that is a fitness nut.
I don't really agree with that whole a calorie is a calorie nonsense. There are a lot of vitamins and minerals that our bodies require. I'm not exactly sure you can get all of those from birthday cake, but I may be wrong.
I don't really agree with that whole a calorie is a calorie nonsense. There are a lot of vitamins and minerals that our bodies require. I'm not exactly sure you can get all of those from birthday cake, but I may be wrong.
**Insert witty and/or insightful quote here**
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Stoptothink, that's really impressive. Would you mind sharing how you do it? Examples of what recipes you use, how often you cook (do you eat out for lunch because of work? Cook for two or three days in one go?) and how you manage to spend so little and eat a balanced diet. The biggest issue for me is time. I don't enjoy cooking but if I could get my food costs down to what it is for you, I would be tempted.We eat healthier/cleaner than 99% of families you'll meet, but based upon similar past threads, our food costs are also lower (usually dramatically lower, to the point where people don't believe me). A lot of this is thanks to a very cheap local grocer and the fact that we virtually never eat out. IMO, it is a misnomer that it is expensive to eat healthy; our family food costs are ~$250/month.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Fair enough, but I don't think that reflects the common usage of the word. The fact that Jeff needed to clarify that point only serves to emphasize that the common usage includes a strong element of being cheap or miserly, which is in fact the alternate definition of frugal.gatorking wrote:Frugal doesn't mean miserly or stingy. From the Frugal Gourmet - "People criticize me for enjoying good food when I use the word frugal. Frugal doesn't mean cheap. It means you don't waste your money. They haven't read my books. They don't know the meaning of the word."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Smith_(chef)
It's also not likely that many would admit to wasting much money on food.
Dave
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
There are several previous food threads where I detailed how we eat so cheaply; feel free to search for them, I'm not really in the mood to be told by several other posters that I am lying or that it isn't possible in their area. We have a very cheap local grocer (I have to posted their weekly special links because other posters say I am lying), but I have done it for similar cost in four different areas of the country (including Southern California). Without going into too much detail, 90% of our meals are a protein (chicken, eggs, tuna) and a green vegetable, we buy in bulk (for instance, last week I bought 40lbs. of chicken breast for $49) and eat the same things pretty much every single day, and we literally never eat out (twice a year at most). I think the most important thing is that we are very cognizant of food costs; in my experience, people will say that they try to compare costs and shop cheaply, but it isn't really the case (at least to the extent that I do it).Caduceus wrote:Stoptothink, that's really impressive. Would you mind sharing how you do it? Examples of what recipes you use, how often you cook (do you eat out for lunch because of work? Cook for two or three days in one go?) and how you manage to spend so little and eat a balanced diet. The biggest issue for me is time. I don't enjoy cooking but if I could get my food costs down to what it is for you, I would be tempted.We eat healthier/cleaner than 99% of families you'll meet, but based upon similar past threads, our food costs are also lower (usually dramatically lower, to the point where people don't believe me). A lot of this is thanks to a very cheap local grocer and the fact that we virtually never eat out. IMO, it is a misnomer that it is expensive to eat healthy; our family food costs are ~$250/month.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Free food at work has a cost on your body. It's not worth it to plan your meals around the cake, donughts, etc.
If you're feeling especially frugal (and adventurous), check out Soylent. It's essentially trying to be a "medical food." I don't know if it's any good, but I ordered it in June (I'm still waiting on a shipment due to backordering!). http://www.soylent.me. Read some reviews before trying. I end up not eating breakfast and having a protein shake and fruit for lunch, so it's likely going to be a good deal for me.
If you're feeling especially frugal (and adventurous), check out Soylent. It's essentially trying to be a "medical food." I don't know if it's any good, but I ordered it in June (I'm still waiting on a shipment due to backordering!). http://www.soylent.me. Read some reviews before trying. I end up not eating breakfast and having a protein shake and fruit for lunch, so it's likely going to be a good deal for me.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Live a little and enjoy a piece of free cake once in a while. It's delicious.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I guess the three themes I'm hearing are: 1) investing in food is a choice many folks have made; while it may cost more, it's worth it, and in the greater perspective, may be less expensive (by avoiding negative long-term health consequences); 2) eating well/healthily CAN be cheap 3) You crazy?! Junk food is junk food, everyone knows that, don't put that s--t in your body, didn't you ever listen to your mother??
I think my original point was that, the less one spends on food, the more calories one can potentially buy (McDonalds conundrum), but it comes at a cost. Seems like two things folks on this forum would understand wanting to optimize.
A point that seems to have evolved out of the discussion: Do we really need to eat oranges and spinach (hyperbole!) for every meal of every day, in order to get the necessary vitamins for our bodies? I guess this is quickly getting into nutrition science, and maybe that's not a discussion for here, but I thought that we could get the actually-necessary vitamins from a very minimal amount of "healthy food" eating.
Re: dumpster diving: I've had housemates that have dumpster dove for our house before; like many things, it's a continuum. For us, we were hitting grocery store dumpsters that were chucking out peppers with a single blemish, bread that was day-old, or crackers just past their "expiration date", but all still in packaging. On the other end of the spectrum is... what many folks think of when they imagine dumpster diving. If you're in that group, I urge you to re-evaluate your assumptions. Did any of us have any modicum of financial pressure to do this? Naw. Did we feel like it was maybe minimizing a bit of food cycle waste, with a bonus of minimizing cost? Sure.
Finally: I choose to buy organic (for the things that matter) because I choose to believe the long-term-health side of the argument. I cook wholesome, home-made meals because I value that as an experience. As a vegetarian, semi-pro athlete, with very smart nutritionists and trainers telling me what to put in my body for peak performance, I trust that they're not crazy when they say, "If you want to maximize X, you need to consume Y." And so I do. But all of this doesn't necessarily jive with my experience, having done a 2200-mile thru-hike, that calories are calories and energy is energy. You can't deny there is a large market contingent heavily invested in having people believe a certain set of assumptions about food (namely: higher cost = better).
I think my original point was that, the less one spends on food, the more calories one can potentially buy (McDonalds conundrum), but it comes at a cost. Seems like two things folks on this forum would understand wanting to optimize.
A point that seems to have evolved out of the discussion: Do we really need to eat oranges and spinach (hyperbole!) for every meal of every day, in order to get the necessary vitamins for our bodies? I guess this is quickly getting into nutrition science, and maybe that's not a discussion for here, but I thought that we could get the actually-necessary vitamins from a very minimal amount of "healthy food" eating.
Re: dumpster diving: I've had housemates that have dumpster dove for our house before; like many things, it's a continuum. For us, we were hitting grocery store dumpsters that were chucking out peppers with a single blemish, bread that was day-old, or crackers just past their "expiration date", but all still in packaging. On the other end of the spectrum is... what many folks think of when they imagine dumpster diving. If you're in that group, I urge you to re-evaluate your assumptions. Did any of us have any modicum of financial pressure to do this? Naw. Did we feel like it was maybe minimizing a bit of food cycle waste, with a bonus of minimizing cost? Sure.
Finally: I choose to buy organic (for the things that matter) because I choose to believe the long-term-health side of the argument. I cook wholesome, home-made meals because I value that as an experience. As a vegetarian, semi-pro athlete, with very smart nutritionists and trainers telling me what to put in my body for peak performance, I trust that they're not crazy when they say, "If you want to maximize X, you need to consume Y." And so I do. But all of this doesn't necessarily jive with my experience, having done a 2200-mile thru-hike, that calories are calories and energy is energy. You can't deny there is a large market contingent heavily invested in having people believe a certain set of assumptions about food (namely: higher cost = better).
Thanks! Like many, long-time lurker, but finally saw something that I couldn't exactly find a previous discussion on, and it made me curious what other folks thought.Phineas J. Whoopee wrote:Oh, and one more thing: welcome to the forum!
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
stoptothink wrote:There are several previous food threads where I detailed how we eat so cheaply; feel free to search for them, I'm not really in the mood to be told by several other posters that I am lying or that it isn't possible in their area. We have a very cheap local grocer (I have to posted their weekly special links because other posters say I am lying), but I have done it for similar cost in four different areas of the country (including Southern California). Without going into too much detail, 90% of our meals are a protein (chicken, eggs, tuna) and a green vegetable, we buy in bulk (for instance, last week I bought 40lbs. of chicken breast for $49) and eat the same things pretty much every single day, and we literally never eat out (twice a year at most). I think the most important thing is that we are very cognizant of food costs; in my experience, people will say that they try to compare costs and shop cheaply, but it isn't really the case (at least to the extent that I do it).Caduceus wrote:Stoptothink, that's really impressive. Would you mind sharing how you do it? Examples of what recipes you use, how often you cook (do you eat out for lunch because of work? Cook for two or three days in one go?) and how you manage to spend so little and eat a balanced diet. The biggest issue for me is time. I don't enjoy cooking but if I could get my food costs down to what it is for you, I would be tempted.We eat healthier/cleaner than 99% of families you'll meet, but based upon similar past threads, our food costs are also lower (usually dramatically lower, to the point where people don't believe me). A lot of this is thanks to a very cheap local grocer and the fact that we virtually never eat out. IMO, it is a misnomer that it is expensive to eat healthy; our family food costs are ~$250/month.
I agree complete with you. In most areas, if you take the time to shop around, take the time to prepare your own meals, you can very nutritious food for a fraction of what MOST American families.
Of course, that means, few stops at restaurants, no convenience foods, cooking from scratch, and the like. It also means no stops at Whole Foods, Fresh Markets and the other expensive markets.
It was easy to do in Cleveland and Chicago. It has not been as easy in Tucson but give me a few months to the locate all the local food opportunities.
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I have a real problem with the definition of junk food. Why people call McDonalds "junk food", just because they are tasty and they give a sufficient amount in each meal? (so you cannot control your intake?) Why people call Subway as "healthy food", because they taste not so good and you really have no appetite to eat a lot?
IMO, if want to control your weight, you can just control how much you eat. By the way, I do not drink the free coffee at my office, not because I do not like coffee, but because I do not like too much sugar and milk (which I must have in my coffee).
IMO, if want to control your weight, you can just control how much you eat. By the way, I do not drink the free coffee at my office, not because I do not like coffee, but because I do not like too much sugar and milk (which I must have in my coffee).
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Because their food is junkflyingaway wrote:I have a real problem with the definition of junk food. Why people call McDonalds "junk food"
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I wish I work at your office.
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Because it offers very little nutritional value per kcal. I don't know many who consider Subway a "healthy food," and those that do have a much different definition of healthy than do I. Still, you can pile on the veggies and at least get something there which isn't completely empty calories.flyingaway wrote:I have a real problem with the definition of junk food. Why people call McDonalds "junk food", just because they are tasty and they give a sufficient amount in each meal? (so you cannot control your intake?) Why people call Subway as "healthy food", because they taste not so good and you really have no appetite to eat a lot?
IMO, if want to control your weight, you can just control how much you eat. By the way, I do not drink the free coffee at my office, not because I do not like coffee, but because I do not like too much sugar and milk (which I must have in my coffee).
Absolutely agree that the greatest factor in weight control is how much you eat, but there are definitely other nutritional components which influence weight status as well. If you eat 2k kcals of McDonalds per day, you are going to feel a lot more sluggish, a lot less satiated (making it more difficult to not eat more), suffer from much greater blood sugar peaks and valleys, etc than if you would have consumed 2k of whole nutrient dense food.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
That's what I was thinking as I read about the cake, etc. - all that sugar, fat, and calories. Eating healthy is not expensive and can even be cheap. It's as simple as that, or at least it should be.stungerz wrote:Type II diabetes is expensive!
"Yes, investing is simple. But it is not easy, for it requires discipline, patience, steadfastness, and that most uncommon of all gifts, common sense." ~Jack Bogle
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Calories are calories.Mirn wrote:Or do you buy this finding, suggesting that calories are calories, maybe we can all survive on donuts and vitamin pills
That doesn't mean you should eat half a cake, then skip meals for 4 days.
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
What people?flyingaway wrote:Why people call Subway as "healthy food"
Remember the "people in the commercial" don't count...
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
flyingaway wrote:I have a real problem with the definition of junk food. Why people call McDonalds "junk food", just because they are tasty and they give a sufficient amount in each meal? (so you cannot control your intake?) Why people call Subway as "healthy food", because they taste not so good and you really have no appetite to eat a lot?
IMO, if want to control your weight, you can just control how much you eat. By the way, I do not drink the free coffee at my office, not because I do not like coffee, but because I do not like too much sugar and milk (which I must have in my coffee).
I think it's more that it can so easily turn into a few times weekly "bad habit". I agree MCD's and others of that ilk are no worse than the typical fat-laden, low fiber sit-down restaurant/diner food but it's cheap, ubiquitous and so easily accessible with the drive-thru's and being everywhere.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Hi, new poster here, and a frugal one, though not a miserly one -- especially when it comes to my health.
Food is becoming an increasingly bigger part of my budget unfortunately, but nothing will keep me from trying to get fresh, whole foods -- preferably organic -- to the extent possible, and minimizing the consumption of junk food. It's not just diabeties and other degenerative diseases to consider but also dental bills! Since I don't care much for junk food anyway, it's not much of a hardship -- except for the social pressures of a small office environment. It gets awkward constantly turning down cakes and cookies.
Even if strapped for cash, I would never consider eating junk food as a low-cost substitute for meals. Vitamin supplements may be great, but there are too many new substances being discovered....usually in fresh fruits and vegetables. Perhaps eating donuts followed by broccoli will balance everything out, but I'd rather have a healthy reserve of good body chemistry rather than constantly try to balance the junk with the good.
I admit though, this gets harder when even going to Trader Joe's produces sticker shock. It wasn't that way just a few years ago.
Food is becoming an increasingly bigger part of my budget unfortunately, but nothing will keep me from trying to get fresh, whole foods -- preferably organic -- to the extent possible, and minimizing the consumption of junk food. It's not just diabeties and other degenerative diseases to consider but also dental bills! Since I don't care much for junk food anyway, it's not much of a hardship -- except for the social pressures of a small office environment. It gets awkward constantly turning down cakes and cookies.
Even if strapped for cash, I would never consider eating junk food as a low-cost substitute for meals. Vitamin supplements may be great, but there are too many new substances being discovered....usually in fresh fruits and vegetables. Perhaps eating donuts followed by broccoli will balance everything out, but I'd rather have a healthy reserve of good body chemistry rather than constantly try to balance the junk with the good.
I admit though, this gets harder when even going to Trader Joe's produces sticker shock. It wasn't that way just a few years ago.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
We have an entire thread on that: Soylentx35864 wrote:Free food at work has a cost on your body. It's not worth it to plan your meals around the cake, donughts, etc.
If you're feeling especially frugal (and adventurous), check out Soylent. It's essentially trying to be a "medical food." I don't know if it's any good, but I ordered it in June (I'm still waiting on a shipment due to backordering!). http://www.soylent.me. Read some reviews before trying. I end up not eating breakfast and having a protein shake and fruit for lunch, so it's likely going to be a good deal for me.
(Please avoid discussing medical benefits (medical advice), which is off-topic here.)
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Off topic, but this thread made me think. Is it becoming the "in thing" to order dessert before the entree these days?
I've seen it a handful of times over the past year or so - maybe I can be on the front end of a trend if I get in on it now...
I've seen it a handful of times over the past year or so - maybe I can be on the front end of a trend if I get in on it now...
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I remember this from some other thread. Stoptothink lives in some area where food is basically free compared to other areas of the country.stoptothink wrote:There are several previous food threads where I detailed how we eat so cheaply; feel free to search for them, I'm not really in the mood to be told by several other posters that I am lying or that it isn't possible in their area. We have a very cheap local grocer (I have to posted their weekly special links because other posters say I am lying), but I have done it for similar cost in four different areas of the country (including Southern California). Without going into too much detail, 90% of our meals are a protein (chicken, eggs, tuna) and a green vegetable, we buy in bulk (for instance, last week I bought 40lbs. of chicken breast for $49) and eat the same things pretty much every single day, and we literally never eat out (twice a year at most). I think the most important thing is that we are very cognizant of food costs; in my experience, people will say that they try to compare costs and shop cheaply, but it isn't really the case (at least to the extent that I do it).Caduceus wrote:Stoptothink, that's really impressive. Would you mind sharing how you do it? Examples of what recipes you use, how often you cook (do you eat out for lunch because of work? Cook for two or three days in one go?) and how you manage to spend so little and eat a balanced diet. The biggest issue for me is time. I don't enjoy cooking but if I could get my food costs down to what it is for you, I would be tempted.We eat healthier/cleaner than 99% of families you'll meet, but based upon similar past threads, our food costs are also lower (usually dramatically lower, to the point where people don't believe me). A lot of this is thanks to a very cheap local grocer and the fact that we virtually never eat out. IMO, it is a misnomer that it is expensive to eat healthy; our family food costs are ~$250/month.
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Donuts, cookies, let me at 'em It's not like I live on cookies, but I won't turn one down if offered.
Cake, okay but not if it's a store cake with frosting made with shortening.
Moderation in all things.
Cake, okay but not if it's a store cake with frosting made with shortening.
Moderation in all things.
- Phineas J. Whoopee
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
That's the nature of the anchoring cognitive bias. Sticker shock is when something costs a lot more than one expected. We see a price, and expect it to be the price forever. The effect happens when we revisit an item later and interpret it in isolation, instead of as a part of our wider economic context. It can't happen unless there were non-sticker-shock experiences a few years ago.frugalguy wrote:...
I admit though, this gets harder when even going to Trader Joe's produces sticker shock. It wasn't that way just a few years ago.
Oh, and, welcome to the forum!*
PJW
* Twice in one thread. Sweet!
Last edited by Phineas J. Whoopee on Tue Nov 11, 2014 5:19 pm, edited 2 times in total.
- Phineas J. Whoopee
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I won't argue with you, but I personally prefer moderation in most things.lululu wrote:...
Moderation in all things.
One should, after all, hardly ever say never.
PJW
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I don't say no to free food but then again my family all have good genes. We don't get fat ever. It doesn't matter what we eat. We eat all day long and still skinny. My doctors told me I'm lucky.
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Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
Except for the fact that I have had extremely similar food budgets over the last 6yrs in Southern California, Houston, and Mesa as well...yes, food is essentially free here in Utah.lululu wrote:stoptothink wrote:There are several previous food threads where I detailed how we eat so cheaply; feel free to search for them, I'm not really in the mood to be told by several other posters that I am lying or that it isn't possible in their area. We have a very cheap local grocer (I have to posted their weekly special links because other posters say I am lying), but I have done it for similar cost in four different areas of the country (including Southern California). Without going into too much detail, 90% of our meals are a protein (chicken, eggs, tuna) and a green vegetable, we buy in bulk (for instance, last week I bought 40lbs. of chicken breast for $49) and eat the same things pretty much every single day, and we literally never eat out (twice a year at most). I think the most important thing is that we are very cognizant of food costs; in my experience, people will say that they try to compare costs and shop cheaply, but it isn't really the case (at least to the extent that I do it).Caduceus wrote:Stoptothink, that's really impressive. Would you mind sharing how you do it? Examples of what recipes you use, how often you cook (do you eat out for lunch because of work? Cook for two or three days in one go?) and how you manage to spend so little and eat a balanced diet. The biggest issue for me is time. I don't enjoy cooking but if I could get my food costs down to what it is for you, I would be tempted.We eat healthier/cleaner than 99% of families you'll meet, but based upon similar past threads, our food costs are also lower (usually dramatically lower, to the point where people don't believe me). A lot of this is thanks to a very cheap local grocer and the fact that we virtually never eat out. IMO, it is a misnomer that it is expensive to eat healthy; our family food costs are ~$250/month.
I remember this from some other thread. Stoptothink lives in some area where food is basically free compared to other areas of the country.
- Phineas J. Whoopee
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- Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2011 5:18 pm
Re: Food Frugality: Where do you draw the line?
I had doubted stoptothink's claim to have been called a liar. Up until here.stoptothink wrote:Except for the fact that I have had extremely similar food budgets over the last 6yrs in Southern California, Houston, and Mesa as well...yes, food is essentially free here in Utah.lululu wrote:...
I remember this from some other thread. Stoptothink lives in some area where food is basically free compared to other areas of the country.
Stoptothink - I'm not calling you a liar. I'm willing to call your situation unusual, but not to attribute bad motives to you.
PJW