Dear Middle-Class America: Guess what? I make my own chicken stock.
I even blogged about it. I buy organic, free-range chicken carcasses to make it with, and that’s pretty well the extent of what I am able to afford from our organic/grass-fed/free-range/humane meat supplier as of late. Yup, we eat a LOT of soup, brown rice, and lentils.
You see, I am a stay-at-home mom. I’m due to give birth to our third beautiful babe any day now, actually. My husband is a new flight instructor and makes approximately minimum wage when his paid vs non-paid hours are all averaged out. We are also slowly paying off significant debt from his flight training costs which finished last summer.
The bottom line? We’re poor.
Honestly, I hate to use that word to describe our situation because it is often used glibly to detract from the harsh realities of third-world poverty, but please know that I mean it only speaking relative to my own culture, and not on a global scale. I am grateful that we are not dying from starvation or lack of shelter, but yes we do have trouble making ends meet every month.
We have been struggling financially ever since two and a half years ago when we quit our (ie. hubby’s) job and moved halfway across the country so that he could pursue his dream career of aviation. It’s been worth it, yes, and it’s been difficult. The last few months have been the roughest so far, and I’ve been desperately avoiding talking about it on my blog because to be perfectly honest – our family and closest friends read my blog, and I know that they will probably either freak out and admonish us for not asking for help, or else just pity us, and I don’t know which is worse. (For the record, living this way is hard, but we are so grateful that God has provided for us and blessed us in so many ways, and don’t regret our choices).
We’ve visited the local food bank twice in the last couple of years (Separate but related rant? The total and complete crap that is handed out at food banks). Once was less than a month ago. I have stood in my kitchen crying into my husband’s shoulder because my stomach was rumbling, grocery money was depleted until the next payday, and I was so damn tired of struggling to figure out something appetizing to make from the random things left in my pantry and fridge. I’ve scrimped and saved and watched sales and planned and packed food for our day trips to the city. I’ve tried dozens of new recipes for beans and lentils. I’ve felt guilty for the cheese I give my kids as an easy snack because $10 for a block of cheese is very expensive when it gets used up in a week. Same with nuts, fruit, and any other nutrient-dense or protein-rich unprocessed snack.
To be totally honest, I’m not completely perfect in my planning and spending habits (who is??), but you can be damned sure that I’m trying my very best to feed my family healthy and nutritious food with as little money as possible.
That is why when I read comments like these ones in response to the question “How do you respond to the idea that organic food is too expensive?”… I get just a *little* fired up. (For starters? For some people it’s not “an idea”, it’s a fact).
The vast majority of the comments left on that status are condescending, sanctimonious, ignorant, and presumptuous, and if I had any stronger words, I’d use them.
Here are some of the comments and my responses to them:
Many, many people snarkily noted that they’d respond by saying that “cancer costs more, duh”, or some variation thereof. Whether you’re talking about actual medical bills (which is not the same for me, living in Canada) or cost of losing your life – the point is the same.
I’d like to address this by saying: of course I know that cancer sucks. Do you think I want cancer? Or any other host of diet-related illnesses? Of course not. Even if I had to pay for medical bills – I can’t very well go cash in on my doctor’s bills from 20 years in the future and use the money instead to buy all-organic food now. Some people literally don’t have the luxury of choosing to pay more now in order to potentially save significantly in the far-off future. Also? Not all cancer is caused by an unhealthy diet. I believe it can definitely play a part, but to say that it’s a direct cause and effect thing is extremely ignorant and, I’m sure, offensive to those who try to eat as healthy as possible and still end up with cancer or other illness.
The trite bit about ‘cancer costs more’ aside – the presumptuousness of the other comments really made me angry. The general consensus was that those who claim that organic food is too expensive are:
– Uneducated and uninformed (I actually consider myself extremely informed when it comes to nutrition, which is why I feel such sorrow at not being able to provide my family with a nutritionally optimal diet that is low in empty carbohydrates and high in protein and healthy fats, all from grass-fed, organic, fresh ingredients. You could say it’s a sore spot… so assuming that I’m just uneducated is extremely insensitive).
– Making poor shopping choices (I agonize over each and every item that goes into my cart at the grocery store. I do the best I can with what I have, and have a very few things that I won’t compromise on, like always buying real butter over margarine, or eating eggs for breakfast instead of cheap cereal. I buy hardly anything processed at all except for some condiments – I make my own salad dressing and sauces – and occasionally some rice crackers for cheap snacks on the road to avoid eating out. I also buy almost nothing that is a convenience food – if I can do it myself, I do. I don’t buy pre-shredded lettuce or cheese, etc).
– Eating processed crap that costs more and doesn’t provide any nutrition (This is just a totally ignorant thing to assume. Just because I say that organic food is too expensive for us does not mean that I am buying all processed junk. The vast majority of our diet consists of homemade bone broth soups, legumes and rice, frozen veggies, local-bought farm eggs that are only slightly more expensive than the grocery store, and the occasional ground beef meal at supper time. We snack on fruit or cheese when we can afford it, boiled eggs, homemade yogurt, raw almonds, and fresh farmer’s market veggies which are a “sometimes” treat in the summer. I simply don’t buy things like kraft dinner and boxed cookies, so please stop assuming that I can just cut those out and buy organic apples instead).
– Choosing to spend money instead on “beer and smart phone bills, going to movies, having cable, concerts, expensive cars, regular starbucks trips, eating out weekly, fast food, bottled water, soda, and processed foods, going to the movies weekly, getting your nails done every month, fancy new clothes, fancy designer coffee and a jumbo bag of cheetos…” (Yes, those were all mentioned specifically. As it happens, not a single one of them applies to us. We have cut our budget down in every way we can think of – we recently sold hubby’s smartphone in order to save $40/monthly, we don’t have a TV, and we live in a cheap rental that is enough but nothing fancy. We drive a used mini-van, wear old clothes with holes in them and haven’t bought new shoes in about five years other than the ones we got at Christmas. My son needs new sneakers and doesn’t have any summer PJ’s that fit, and we’ve carefully saved up $100 for a trip to a local children’s second-hand store in order to get those things. We don’t drink anything but water and home-brewed kombucha at home, and our definition of a splurge is a $1.70 fancy tea when we’re in the city for my midwife appointment, and even then, we share!).
– Simply not planning well enough (If I planned any more carefully for the times we are out and in need of food, my head might just explode. We bring an entire bag of packed snacks/meals when we go to the city for the day, and sometimes it’s still not enough. Sometimes I haven’t had the time or energy to make granola bars from scratch, and the kids have eaten all we brought and are simply still hungry with a few hours to go before we head home. It’s not as simple as you might assume).
– Choosing to not make their health a priority (This one really irks me. I think my points above are all related to this one. Sometimes choice is a luxury that only the middle/upper class can enjoy).
– Not sacrificing enough (I think I’ve adequately covered this one. Let’s just say this is one of the most pompous and self-righteous things I’ve ever heard).
– Not already eating from scratch (As mentioned already – we do more than almost everyone we know in this department, and we’re still struggling).
– Not creative enough (How creative is a meal of brown rice and dried black beans, soaked and cooked with some dented cans of diced tomatoes from the food bank, some spices, cheese, and steamed carrots on the side with homemade honey-sweetened yogurt for dessert? What other creative brilliance am I missing? Please, enlighten me…)
– Unaware of how to cook legumes, rice, and healthy grains (sorry, not true in the slightest…)
– Unaware that the answer lies in simply growing your own food (I agree that gardening is a great idea and can potentially save some people a lot of money… but we’ve moved 3 times in the last two years in a poor-soil area with a cold climate and very short growing season. I’m also 40 weeks pregnant, and it’s June. Suddenly, gardening doesn’t appear to be our perfect solution…)
– Not already saving money in other household areas (Don’t bother with this one – we already make our own cleaners, buy very little cosmetic and body care items, use cloth diapers, don’t buy paper towels ever… I could go on…)
***
To quote several of the particularly condescending commenters: “it can be expensive if you are not willing to put time into cooking from scratch…but if you fail to plan you plan to fail!” … “it’s never too expensive if people care about their health” … “no valid excuse” … “you can’t say it’s too expensive, I really believe anyone can do it you just have to make it a priority.”
***
I want to acknowledge that these comments may indeed be applicable for some people. Some people do have messed up priorities (read: different than yours…), are uneducated about nutrition, and don’t know how or have time to make many things from scratch that would ease the costs… BUT…
Let’s not assume that all folks who say they cannot afford organic food are stupid, lazy, and making bad choices, lest you find yourself one day in the position of having to choose between eating Chef Boyardee and Oreos* from the food bank or going hungry…
Instead, when someone says that they cannot afford to eat organic, I would suggest a healthy dose of compassion and gentle offerings to help, getting to actually know the person and their situation, and perhaps even dropping off a bag of that farmer’s market organic produce that you find so easy to come by.
***
Dear Middle Class America: A little less condescension and little more understanding would probably do us all a world of good. Please don’t make me want to throw my homemade yogurt in your face because it’s my kids’ favourite snack and milk costs a lot of money.
Sincerely and with respect,
Beth
* We did in fact receive Chef Boyardee and Oreos in our pre-made boxes of stuff from the food bank (we had almost zero choice about what to take) but passed it on to some young students down the street that willingly took it. We kept things like canned tomatoes and tuna, and the $50 voucher for produce at the grocery store that got us through to the next pay day.
Michelle
Yes, yes, yes. Times a million.
The guilt placing and frustration of this topic is infuriating for me. I do have the Internet and consider it a huge luxury for us! But my husband needs it currently for school.
We also cloth diaper… Build fires in the fireplace… Eat a lot of rice that I bought in bulk… You know.
It is frustrating to be judged for our economic situation, even unintentionally, when it is largely not in our hands to change right now. Someday. And I hope when that someday comes, I remember to share what I can with those who are where I am now.
Audrey
I don’t have time to read all these comments, so forgive me if I repeat a suggestion someone else has offered. But when we were struggling and I couldn’t even feed my children, I bartered for food. It worked beautifully and we received an abundance of food from people who wanted other things I could offer. Just curious if you have skills or things you don’t need that can help you build up a better stock of staples and fresh food and allow your grocery budget to go further. It felt like a huge blessing to me and at the same time I was able to bless someone else who had a lot of food but not any cash. Took away a lot of stress and helped cover the bulk of grocery expenses for nearly a month as we received some free range chicken, home canned fruits and vegetables, cheese, a ton of milk and frozen veggies too. We also received about 40 lbs of winter squash from one barter with a farmer! It all came about because I heard you could sell your hair for a small fortune and I put an add on Craigslist. A woman responded offering a barter instead and wanted me to keep my hair and while she was struggling financially, her family helped with food and she had an abundance. I had a Moby Wrap she really wanted and I no longer needed mine. Changed my life during the worst financial crisis of my marriage.
tonya
I prayed for you and your situation this morning. i am so encouraged by your words and all the comments that follow. our family is in the same situation and we have six children. my husband decided to start his own business here at home because we barely made anything at his job and then the money that we lost from the taxes that had to be taken out and the gas it took to get the it was hardly worth going. so we started our business at home and it is nice to have him here. we don’t make a lot of money but we also don’t have to answer to someone and spend most of our money to get to work. my secret ,for survival, is God. he doesn’t give me everything butHe does provide for our needs. i pray and ask him for what we need and i ask him to give me wisdom to use what we have well. i also ask his blessing over our food like never before .his blessing and my faith i believe can make my butterball turkey bone broth nourishing to my body:) at least this is what i believe. i choose wisely and do not purchase ho hos or twinkies, if you can buy that stuff you can purchase wholesome food just as easily. i also pray over my food as i make it. i pray that God would nourish it to our bodies and fill everyone. one thing i like to remember is that historically we have more food than anyone ever has. all through out time people have lived with less and surviVe we are used to having too much and studies show that people live healthier lives with less when the food is nutrient dence . if i was in hard times i would try to grow kale and green onions. because if you have those and some salt and lentils,you can make some great soup. onions and kale are so good for you! and they grow in cold! find a little spot that is sunny make a small green house out of sticks and walmart bags,ask your local farmer for a bucket of poo and plant some kale:) it is easy to grow,it grows like a weed,is full of vitamins,minerals ,and i throw it in everything as our green stuff:) also,go to the library ,look on line,pray for a friend that knows about what weeds you can eat our the yard because seriously there are a lot! we eat quite a bit og things from our yard. dandilion ,chickweed ,purselane ,and things that are edible. just think how much more prepared you and yours will be when hard times come. you are doing great! you are doing what most people don’t even know is possible !
Angie
Also, we do not use cell phones, except a pay as you go Trac-fone that is for emergencies only. Our home phone is a package that has internet and unlimited long distance bundled into it for a much much lower rate. We don’t do cable/satellite tv services, nor netflix or any other movie services. We have board games, dvd’s (cheaper ones that are family friendly), radio, books, and imaginations.
Organic can be done if you grow your own, when seasons allow. I have my herbs inside for the winter, have fresh basil, parsley, thyme, etc for the winter to spice up the rice and beans. 🙂
Keep your head up and be encouraged–you’re not alone!
Angie
To be honest, I don’t bother to try to find all organic, grass fed, all natural meats or veggies. It is simply too expensive for our budget. I have $300 at the most per month on good months to spend for groceries for 2 adults and 3 children, and it has to stretch to cover meat/veggies/ingredients to make breads/etc. I make my own breads, biscuits, sweets, cook almost all from scratch, have bone broth soup in the fridge right now and keep bones in the freezer on hand for another round whenever I feel like another batch. We eats lots and lots of rice, beans, etc. Hubby and his family are Cuban, so working with Cuban recipes, there’s lots of flavor with little meat needed. We use a lot of biscuits and gravy with a little bit of meat in the winter months to help fill empty bellies as well. Most often I will skip a meal or two a day in order so the kids have a good meal at night. Hubby often follows my routine, drinking off brand home brewed coffee and teas to fill the gap.
Hubby is disabled, has been an RN for over 15 years and got hurt on the job. He still chooses I stay home and do as much as i can from scratch and by hand rather than work outside if at all possible. I cook from scratch just about everything and have learned how to make big meals out of next to nothing. I also make my own laundry soaps, wash my family’s laundry all by hand on a washboard and line dry year round to save on laundering costs (yes, it freezes down here too, but things do dry). I sew a lot of clothing for myself and the family, patch up what can be used, etc. Our vehicles are old, mine was bought new with cash 7 years ago and all the miles on it are ours, hubby’s truck is 20 years old, we’ve had it 2 years, and it is paid off next month. We live in a rental, big enough, it’s a roof and walls. When worse comes to worse, I even mow the yard with a reel mower and we have a good sized yard. Leftovers from the kitchen go to help stretch dog food for the beagle. He loves my baking.
I keep a small garden patch in the summer, and buy what I can fresh and put back in the freezer. I buy in bulk when possible, and make do with what is available. We’ve been to the food pantry a time or two, and we don’t qualify for food stamps (I’m in the US) by $8, despite that we have less income than what the guidelines say we need–the formula is different for folks who are disabled.
But, all that said, God provides for our every need, and while we don’t buy organic/grassfed/etc I do buy from farmer’s markets and such when it’s an option and we have the money. I’ve even sold at farmer’s markets fresh baked breads and goodies. I really don’t like the condescending attitude I get from folks who are into the organic movement, as I make do with what is available to us with the amount of $ we have and make meals stretch for our family. Folks make organic use a god and worship that style…that’s not right.
CJ
I could have written this comment. lol. I sew clothes for my daughters and I out of sheets on clearance or nice ones from the thrift stores. No one knows and think I’m buying $50.00 dresses for my littles. 🙂
becki pyatt
Well-said and I can relate. I ran out of my FMLA time and lost my job while I was pregnant/gave birth to a 9 week old preemie who was in an incubator in NICU for an extended period while I stayed at The Ronald McDonald House. Dealing with CP symptoms, my hubby and I thought it best I stay home and help our baby as much as possible, while he works a small “poorman’s” wage. We are struggling but we are so grateful for our children, our home and learning to do the best we can with what we have. I would shop so differntly if I could afford all things organic and raw! Thanks for sharing your story and keep blogging!!!
Heather
I feel you, Beth. I also gave up clicking on those “30 ways to save money on your bills” posts on Pinterest, because they never give me anything new that I’m not already doing and it was just kind of depressing.
Nat Davis
I wasn’t going to comment because of the long list of comments already, but I just had to say THANK YOU. So many people just don’t understand. No one wants cancer or any other disease, but sometimes there’s no choice. Cancer is bad, but hey, so is starvation or not paying the rent. I’d hate to have to say that my kids are freezing out in the cold because I didn’t pay the rent, but hey, at least they have organic food!
Organic or fresh would be nice, but sometimes it isn’t an option. Sometimes, Wal-mart is the only way to go. Sometimes we are limited by area (I’d never even heard of a Whole Foods store, and Trader Joes is just a rumor), and sometimes by availability. EBT food stamps doesn’t cover fresh foods from the local farm, and if I could afford out of pocket, I wouldn’t have welfare. And not everyone on welfare is splurging on other things like cable- we do have a TV, an old one that was given to us, but the only channel we get is the Spanish channel through the old cable left by the previous renters. It makes for a good joke, but not much more. We have a smartphone, which was necessary at the time for my work, but is now being downgraded to a minimized data plan, which is about as far as we can go and still allow me to do some work.
I have to say thank you- this was definitely a much-needed post! I admit I’ve been feeling very down lately, being unable to provide how I’d really like to. I get my meats at the store because it’s the option I have, like everything else. I make what I can at home, but I’m only just starting my food journey, so not everything is an option. In the meantime, I look to God to protect my children, taking faith in that He knows what I have to work with and He can take care of the rest.
So just… THANK YOU! This was definitely an encouragement and just what I needed.
Joy at The Liberated Kitchen
I love this post and agree. I have been there at times, too… not having the money and just having to choose to eat foods that don’t fit my ideals or health needs.
But I do want to say that this cuts the other way, too. Right along with the whole thing about eating organic and from scratch is a frugality mindset.
Truth is, our family has been going deeper and deeper into debt in large part because we refuse to compromise on the food we eat until we really have absolutely no resources (even borrowed) in order to make that happen.
We could eat for probably 1/3 the cost if we put grains and legumes back in and didn’t eat all organic. (We’re on the GAPS diet which you can read about on our blog and are strictly gluten-free). We DON’T have the money we’re spending on all this food.
Kelsy finally has a full time job after about 3 years, and it’s her first job with insurance and a salary – and there is all that school debt to pay. I was also out of work and then in school the past few years after losing my job. Now I have a small business, but “small” is the operative word. It is not enough money, and I work it around the kids’ needs.
Many of the same people who like to point fingers about not buying organic also like to point fingers about finances.
We all get to choose our own priorities. For those of us who struggle financially, those choices can be a lot harder to make. Yes, I realize we’re struggling financially in part because of these choices, and we’ll be paying for it eventually. We each get to pick our own battles.
There’s no sense in judging other people for what they decide their top priorities are.
Ruthie
I have a feeling that a lot of us will be joining your present station in life with the way the economy and debt is being mishandled. You keep up the good work and never let ignorance and rudeness of others discourage you! I’m sure a lot of us will be looking to you for advice as well…
Ruthie
I have a feeling that a lot of us will be joining your present station in life with the way the economy and debt is being mishandled. You keep up the good work and never let ignorance and rudeness of others discourage you!
Deb Berning
I have always lived with little but never had it as bad as you have for your family. You cna container garden anywhere as one poster said. I gardened 40 wks. preggo. it is very possible. Then with a very colicky baby still canned and froze from that garden. Then I also gardened and etc. with a baby and small toddler more than once. it is definitely possible. We went without new stuff but wow we all survived. We buy second hand clothes, sometimes, shoes and boots. No one needs new stuff because the style is gone. As for food stamp people getting steaks, there’s absolutely no reason for that to be allowed. I can’t buy that so why do my tax dollars buy it for someone who is getting free food? I’m sorry but all candy, pop, cookies, chips, alcohol, etc. should NEVER be allowed to be bought with food stamps. If this were so more people, those able to, would get off their butts and go to work because they want that. My tax dollars puts it in their carts but I cna’t put it in mine. I garden, forage, take extras from others to put up for winter and can’t afford good grass fed meats. If food stamps were cut back then I could afford to buy the grass fed stuff as I’d have more money in my pocket from less taxes. But good luck with your family and I hope you have better times soon. It sounds as you’re doing a great job with your family.
catherine
I don’t think you could buy much with what you’d save in taxes if food stamps were gone. only 3 dollars of every 100 dollars you pay in taxes goes for food stamps and welfare.It’s a really tiny part of the budget And refusing to let food stamp recipients buy candy and soda’s etc isn’t going to make the disabled less disabled( most of us already won’t touch that crap anyway, not with our health problems) or the full Walmart employees suddenly won’t be paid what they are worth( an actual living wage) just because of the punitive measures you suggest. I think you are extremely ignorant and jealous and bitter.
If you qualify for food stamps, I suggest you take them. You paid into a program that you choose not to use out of pride. But don’t be bitter then if someone else DOES use it if they need it.
However I do agree food stamps shouldn’t pay for crap. Absolutely. But you know WHY it pays for crap? To make food stamps recipients happy? NO! To make the public tax payer happy? NO! It pays for crap to make Little Debbie and Hostess and Pepsi happy. THEY are the one’s standing in the way of regulation. Corporations rule America, indirectly they pick our presidents and make our laws. And you want to talk about WELFARE…look at what they are getting in your tax dollars, and a lot of that creates more consumers for them. Don’t think they don’t know it either.
Jenn M
Oh friend, you are preaching to the choir! I agree and can relate to your many different points in this post. I am right there with you raising our family of 8. It’s been a struggle and *gasp* we eat regular ol’ supermarket chicken. Not for lack of desire for organic, mind you, but there has to be a line somewhere!!! I already spend way more than I’d like to as it is.
The same thoughtless and ignorant comments you mention make my own blood boil, but I don’t have the energy to “go there” anymore…so with that, I am here to lend my support!
janutee
I think a lot of the organic food movement now has an elitist feel to it actually. Kind of a class/wealth separator which is so wrong, considering its roots. Organic food is always such an expensive choice and when money’s tight, it has to be forsaken in order to purchase enough food to feed your family. You have certainly eliminated a lot of the myths and assumptions around being unable to buy organic. For some of us, it costs too much. But the industry knows their target market of foodies and wealthier classes have no problem paying the extra $.
Rebecca
I wanted to add my thoughts to this… regarding extreme couponing…. I read articles and have seen TV shows where people get grocery carts full of groceries (over $400 when added up) for mere pennies as a result of the coupons.
Well, sure, that is all fine and dandy, but it is all JUNK. Why would I want to feed my kids that processed crap? It isn’t fair that all the coupons in the Sunday paper are for processed food. And all the non-food items are name brand items (like toilet paper, tampons, etc) and you can get the generic brand for the same price as the name brands, without the coupon.
I shake my head at the folks who pile their carts full of junk, with 3 screaming kids surrounding them. I should not judge, especially after reading this article, because 1) they may not be knowledgeable about how bad that food is for their kids (but my motto is “ignorance is not an excuse”) and 2) they may know but may not be able to afford organic food choices, and may have as hard a time buying this stuff, knowing that it will make their children sick…
Catherine Miller-Smith
Oh Beth darling, you make me feel like such a piker for not doing more for my family! We are in a similar situation in that the hubby doesn’t make much $, we have cell phones but they are the cheapest around at about $20 every couple of months, we have basic/free TV, don’t go to movies, rarely eat out and then only at the $1 menu (actually a good, plain burger with veggies) and I work really hard to get the bills paid. I don’t, however, go to your extremes of making yogurt or any of the many other items you mentioned and I wish I did. We are fortunate enough to have soil, property and fruit trees. I will only plant organic, non-treated seed in the garden (side note, try tubs to plant in next year, you can move them if you have to, can wrap in plastic hoop to start earlier/go later and veggie seed is pretty inexpensive for what you get … you can use an old piece of gutter to grow lettuce in … I have lots of low cost, mobile fixes when you decide to try growing. I know it can be daunting but so worth it and the little ones will love pulling carrots and beets!) I wish you were closer, I would be happy to teach you easy ways and you could get some fresh produce while you were at it. We have finally decided the only way we can afford organic is to grow it ourselves so next spring we will be building another coop (we have hens for eggs now) and try our hand at raising meat birds and pork will not be far behind … this sping, maybe the following. Best of luck to you, I hope and pray your hubby’s business starts booming! And congrats on the soon to come new baby! I mean it, do msg me if you would like some transportable veggie growing ideas. 🙂
PS-I really admire your tenacity to do the best you can for your family. Keep hanging in there, I don’t know how but I’m guessing things will soon get a lot better. Bless you and your family.
Samantha Meshack-Hart
I think you are doing a remarkable job with what you have been given! Home made food is so much better for us, whether organic or not, so give yourself a lot of credit for the hard work you do, trying to feed your children healthy food, and make ends meet too, especially when your husband is starting out in his career. There’s no shame in utilizing your resources, including the food pantry. some day you will be looking back on all this, and will be able to see just how much you grew as a person, mother, wife, etc. It all has a purpose I think. And I like to say I’m not poor, I’m just broke 🙂
Wendy Gay
Love this so much! I am not in the same boat as you; we have money to buy organic and usually do. (In fact, just tonight when I was shopping with my daughter and nephew, I commented about how grateful I was to be able to afford to buy the food that we buy. It wasn’t that way when I was a kid, or even 15 years ago as an adult.)
I would just like to make the point that I promise you, you eat healthier than almost all of those commenters. Seriously. If you’re cooking beans and lentils from scratch as often as you do, the high fiber and protein is doing more for your health than any amount of organics. Like you said, it isn’t a direct cause and effect. When I buy extra groceries for my daughter’s school’s food pantry, I try to keep health in mind, canned beans and canned salmon, but there’s only so much you can do with non-perishables.
I would also like to point out that not everyone is as contentious and capable as you when it comes to food and cooking. I have a distinct feeling that if I were to include dried beans in my donation, many families would be very unhappy with the offering. Even if it was my absolute favorite heirloom varieties that taste AMAZING when cooked with just some water and a leaf of sage, it still takes hours to turn into anything edible and I doubt they have the time. Anyway, take care! Your family is in good hands.
beth brent
There is a wonderful documentary called “DIVE” that you and your husband should watch. I am also a SAHM w/ a husband who is self employed and has extremely variable income…feast or famine for us, though we really don’t feast, we pay off debt. Anyway, this documentary opened our eyes to the extreme waste of America in light of some of the extreme poverty and hunger than many Americans face. The film talks about ways that we, as individuals, can help reduce and reuse some of that “waste”. My family, as well as a few of my friends, spend the winter months “diving”, using, storing up, and donating the food we rescue (we are in a southern climate, so its important to do this during the colder months). We bought a deep freezer off of Craigslist for $25 to help manage our finds. Oh, and I should mention that we dive only at the healthier food store chains and most of what we get is fresh produce, eggs, meats, and dairy. I realize our methods are a bit extreme, but I honestly spend about $25 a month on groceries for a family of 4 during dive season! I think you can watch the film online…check it out!
TAZ
I’ve seen this and have heard about it for a while. In some areas of the country this is almost impossible because the dumpsters are literally locked behind gates with security cameras on them. Isn’t that nuts?
cindasana
I’ve been poor…oon welfare in Winnipeg – being on welfare in different cities means different things, financially – and going to the food bank on a regular basis. Please do post that rant about the quality of the food handed out at the food bank, by the way…I’m sure I’d find it highly satisfying. 😉 Now I, and my husband, qualify as middle class.
I do buy organic whenever it’s possible. I also buy pastured meats, but there’s no way I can afford those on our side of the border….I have to go to upstate NY for that, where we can access pastured, humanely treated meat for the same price as what you’d pay for “conventional”/industrial meat at the grocery stores here in Ontario. If I could find a source for raw milk down there (or up here), I’d buy that too.
I think it’s criminal that what, as the meme says, our Grandparents called FOOD is beyond the reach of many in our country. I sure as hell couldn’t afford this when I was poor! In fact, I am keenly aware that with every dollar I spend or don’t spend, I am voting. I wish I could afford to have more of a voting “voice” in this manner, and spend money on small farms that produce pastured meats in our own country, but I can’t. Organic, and small-farm produced organic especially, will have to suffice for now. Frankly, it would be much cheaper to grow my own, come to think of it. lol However, it would seem that the only way for organic food (REAL food…prepackaged junk food masquerading as real food need not apply, regardless of “organic” designation) to become the norm, once again, and for the prices to decrease, is for people who can afford to do so, to vote with their dollars.
How can people who must subsist on $100 for a family of 4 do so??? They can’t. It is up to those of us who can, to try and turn the tide and finally make it a possibility for ALL, not just SOME. And, in the meantime, how about more community gardens, some way of hooking up the poor with farmers for the sake of charity and, better yet, how about some of those community gardens or charity organizations being administered by the folks in charge of the food bank, rather than sending people home with shite???
annie @ montanasolarcreations
Wow, reading this brought tears to my eyes. Now that I’m a SAHM/WAHM we struggle with the same food issues and it is SO hard. I too feel like my head is going to explode with all the planning and packing of snacks to head out of the house and be able to stick to a budget. Some people are so rude and condescending and really need to check their egos. Thank you for writing this awesome post!