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nylon

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 10:29 am

Also, high carb diets have been implicated in insulin resistance and diabetes. If, like me, you have insulin issues, you can't rely on carbs to provide 90% of your dinner (and while beans have protein, they also have starch, and I have to count them just as I do rice or pasta). The pendulum is swinging back a bit on carbs vs. protein.

nylon

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 10:33 am

OOTbubby, Seraph's point was that if you calculate by available weight (excluding bone and skin), the bottoms are no longer cheaper. The way I serve, that may or may not be true. If I serve leg quarters, I serve one per person. Thighs are tricky because depending on the size, it may be 1 or 2 per person (1 for my 4yo). Chicken breast is cheap if I make a stir fry or something where I use less meat, not so cheap if I am frying schnitzel which will all be eaten.

I calculate my costs based on what it costs me to cook and serve that meal, not the price per lb. A broiler can be anywhere from 2.5 - 4 lbs, and that will play with the calculations. If I roast a chicken, I roast a chicken, whether it cost me $8 or $11.

We use all cuts of the chicken, though I only use wings for fricassee really.

HindaRochel

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 10:53 am

~re what nylon said:

Which is why advice in the end must be taken in and weighed against one's own life.

MamaBear, it may not work for you to have anything but legs. It may be better for you to make other cuts in your grocery budget, or other areas of your life period, if you are trying to save money.

Weigh what is important and necessary to your life, listen to what others say and then decide if it is right for you or can be amended to make it right for you.

If I were eating alone, soups would be the answer. I love soups and I could eat them for lunch and dinner.
But that wouldn't satisfy my family. One child doesn't like soup that isn't potato (from this list) chicken soup, or tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwich. It doesn't generally pay for me to mix in peas with anything because peas get picked out. I've fussy eaters!

saw50st8

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 11:21 am

HindaRochel wrote:

~re what nylon said:

Which is why advice in the end must be taken in and weighed against one's own life.

And while the typical American diet does include more protein than absolutely necessary (although, as a pregnant and nursing woman, I'm allowed extra :-D), there are other sources of "bad diet syndrome" in America that I would tackle first, if we are going the health route. Like soda. French fries being one the most prevalent "vegetable" in a toddler's diet....

Mama Bear

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 11:21 am

I serve soup too, as the appetizer. Smile

JAWSCIENCE

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 11:26 am

sarahd wrote:

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

JAWSCIENCE wrote:

Since I am the only person who showed up to work today I felt justified in giving myself a little break. I went to the grocery Smile

The whole wheat loaf will cost 4.50 but it's not really the size of a whole loaf. More like 3/4 of one. The latest trend in Manhattan is to keep price the same but put in less product. Our cereal boxes are also not the usual size.

1/2 gallon milk if you buy the non-organic generic 2.39 (no chalov yisroel option, organic is 3.50 when it is on sale)

small cottage cheese 3.89 (again no chalov yisroel options)

bananas are 79 cents a pound. I do not know how much five bananas would weigh. lol

sweet potato 90 something cents a pound or if you want organic 2.49 a pound

2 bags shredded lettuce: 6 dollars for the cheapest brand (none of this is bodek. The best we've got is Dole)

Farfel 1.99 a box

So if you are willing to buy generic, non organic, chalav stam, not bodek products where I live your order would be something in the 25$ range

WHERE DID YOU SHOP? Those prices are OUTRAGEOUS!!!
Bananas at my local kosher grocery are 59 cents/lb (I based my estimate on what 7 bananas cost me approximately) -- other groceries are 49 cents/lb

3.89 for non CY cottage cheese?! On sale, non-CY will cost 1.89, a bit over 2 if not.
90 cents/lb sweet potatoes? This is insane.
1.79 or so for Dole per bag here.

Jaw, just to make you feel better, bananas cost me $1.40/lb. .95/lb on sale. Sweet potatoes, which I hardly buy because of the price, cost $2.50/lb. They never go on sale. CY milk is $2.90/qt., unless you get the shelf-stable milk, which is $2.60/qt. Nine oz. of cottage cheese cost $5.

Imo anochi batzorah. This is why I think everything is very location dependent. Tips and tricks for Israel may not work in the U.S., what works in flatbush may not work in manhattan and what works in manhattan may not work in Europe. We can say what works for us and hopefully posters from similar locations get something from it but posters from other locations cannot judge.

Here frozen produce is often cheaper than fresh (even when in season). You have to assess each vegetable. I know in other places the reverse is true. Meat is outrageously priced here because it is viewed as a specialty item and little is stocked, however cheese sometimes is cheaper because it is a regular cheese that just happens to be kosher. They don't bring it in special for a "kosher" section. In other places dairy might be more than meat.

Kosher.com is not reflective of meat prices in most of the U.S. I but from there only when things are on super sale and stock them in my freezer. If I lived in brooklyn or boro park I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole because even the super sale is a little more costly than good prices in those locations.

HindaRochel

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 11:27 am

Mama Bear wrote:

I serve soup too, as the appetizer. Smile

So IF you are trying to cut back on spending maybe dinner isn't the place to do it?
You might be able to cut back in terms of breakfasts/lunch/snacks.

OR you might need to look at other areas of your life.

That's IF and only if you are trying to cut back.

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 11:38 am

saw50st8 wrote:

French fries being one the most prevalent "vegetable" in a toddler's diet....

In all fairness, I do tend to believe kosher keeping children don't fit into that statistic, not being able to rely on McDonalds and Burger King.

saw50st8

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 11:43 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

saw50st8 wrote:

French fries being one the most prevalent "vegetable" in a toddler's diet....

In all fairness, I do tend to believe kosher keeping children don't fit into that statistic, not being able to rely on McDonalds and Burger King.

OK, potato kugel and schnitzel :-D

I agree though - in many ways its easier to have a somewhat healthier diet as a Jew because you can't pick up your food everywhere.

shnitzel

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 1:42 pm

hannah95 wrote:

I don't understand the pleasure there is in being frugal as a contest, just for the sake of it. If you can offer your family chicken in a sensible proportion each day, I don't see why not. Scraping is not fun for me. I do it when I need to, not because it makes me enjoy my life more.

Fun?
Yeah I think it's a blast being terrified that I won't have enough food to feed my family. I don't think people who are earning enough to feed their families easily are posting in a thread like this.

We eat chicken/meat on Shabbos and once in a blue moon during the week. My nutrition education is not from online or weight watchers but from college. A vegetarian diet can be balanced and I think most of us who are carefully soaking beans and lentils and are trying to buy free range eggs and organic produce for cheap are not those that are at risk for insulin resistance and diabetes.
Beans have a low glycemic index which is what you worry about for insulin resistance not total carbs. Eating beans and rice is nothing like eating white pasta or cake or sugar cereals regardless of total carbs. If you makes sure fat is added to the meal you slow down how fast your blood sugar rises even more.

Mama Bear

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 1:43 pm

HindaRochel wrote:

Mama Bear wrote:

I serve soup too, as the appetizer. Smile

I didnt say a word about planning/wanting to cut back on meat at all. If I cut back, its on snacks and impulse purchases, and making sure less food goes to waste, as well as keeping a tighter inventory on my food. Just this sunday I bought a package of frozen broccoli and a package of frozen peas. later that night I found 2 half opened packages broccoli and half opened package peas. ditto with pasta, I always buy new pasta and find six half oened packages in the freezer. etc.

Tamiri

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 1:49 pm

saw50st8 wrote:

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

saw50st8 wrote:

French fries being one the most prevalent "vegetable" in a toddler's diet....

In all fairness, I do tend to believe kosher keeping children don't fit into that statistic, not being able to rely on McDonalds and Burger King.

OK, potato kugel and schnitzel :-D

I agree though - in many ways its easier to have a somewhat healthier diet as a Jew because you can't pick up your food everywhere.

Oh no? Trust me, a Jew in Israel who keeps Rabbanut can pick up food just about anywhere. There is a Kosher McDonalds near my parents so Savta sometimes offers the kids "a treat".

shnitzel

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 1:52 pm

Jawscience,
The Fairway in Harlem has better prices than the Fairway on 74th, when I lived in the heights I would pay for a carservice there and that saved a lot of money on groceries.

There are ways to shop relatively inexpensively in Manhattan but it is a huge schlep and you do need to shop at multiple grocery stores.
Fruit stands save a lot of money its 4 or 5 bananas for a dollar.

flowerpower

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 1:53 pm

I didn't read ten pages but my family spends like $800 a month or more no matter how hard we try. The kids don't eat lunch at home during the week (just baby goes to sitter with a packed bag). We eat healthy and healthy costs a lot.

HindaRochel

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 2:02 pm

Mama Bear wrote:

HindaRochel wrote:

Mama Bear wrote:

I serve soup too, as the appetizer. Smile

I meant if you were asking how to cut back on your grocery bill or spending period. I've lost track of who asked what. So if you are fine with your spending who cares!

Mama Bear

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 3:28 pm

HindaRochel, I'm not particularly looking for tips on cutting down Smile

. I knwo them all, I jsut have to put them into practice! thanks.

Seraph

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 3:40 pm

Mama Bear wrote:

HindaRochel, I'm not particularly looking for tips on cutting down Smile

. I knwo them all, I jsut have to put them into practice! thanks.

Why comment on this thread then?

Mama Bear

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 3:55 pm

My initial comment was that I'm amazed at how little HY is able to spend. I dont know why I made the 2nd comment, I think I wnated to price compare but ended up not following up.

Seraph

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 4:04 pm

Mama Bear wrote:

My initial comment was that I'm amazed at how little HY is able to spend. I dont know why I made the 2nd comment, I think I wnated to price compare but ended up not following up.

Ah, I hear. You can also spend that little if you want to. :-D

JAWSCIENCE

Tue, Dec 28 2010, 4:54 pm

shnitzel wrote:

Yeah I find that if I go out to the "bad neighborhoods" I get much better prices. Harlem is my favorite for this, but the Pathmark has better prices than the Fairway and is closer for me to reach by mass transit from my location. The produce isn't great but I buy produce from the cart guys. This way I can do a large Pathmark trip for staples once every five months and go to the cart guys for produce on a more regular basis. Meat and cheese has to be purchased in bulk from Brooklyn and frozen or bought on the big sale from kosher.com and then frozen. It is the only way it is reasonable.

I keep my grocery budget really low. I agree with you it is a schlep. But it is worth it. This is why I think for people who live in areas where it would not be such a schlep it is definitely worth trying. You don't have to cut out meat etc. if you can afford it. Just try and be knowledgeable about getting a good price. Nobody likes to feel like they are getting ripped off.

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