Well, I had decided to keep Veganomics going. Partly because last week’s spending was out-of-control, but mostly I want to continue this little experiment because it is starting to change the way I think about my lifestyle. When you add up all the little tips and tricks, it starts to become a big difference. And, truth be told, I find the project interesting and enjoyable.
Above: Fresh basil spruces up leftovers with a bright, earthy flavor.
Due to the holiday weekend and some outside circumstances, I am not tallying up the dollar amounts spent this week. Some nights were spent at home, others were spent out or making food at James’ house, so I am not even sure which reciepts go with what and decided to make this week a wash. I am still going to post recipes and tips in the veganomics category, but may not continue to track everything so closely.
I did notice, however, when I went grocery shopping today that my perspective has changed. I am no longer throwing things in to the shopping cart, but going in to the store with a plan and giving careful consideration to my puchases. This project has also showed me the potential my pantry has to help create a delicious meal without breaking the budget.
In the meantime, I am brainstorming and soliciting ideas for the next food project…stay tuned for more information!
Week Four was a little difficult, with a combination of factors contributing to a bit of a relapse. I also visited the Farmer’s Market and specialty stores.
Food purchases for June 22-28:
This week, I visited two different Farmer’s Markets in search of deals and locally grown produce. Here is what I found:
Bread ($5): Freshly baked by local bakers, this was a present for James.
Basil plant ($4): Showcased in Dried Herbs vs. Fresh Herbs. The amount of basil on the plant is the equivalent of two $1.99 packages from the grocery store, but every time I buy basil it goes bad before I can use it. The perfect solution is to invest in a plant that (hopefully) will stay alive long enough to use the basil.
Peaches ($3): This year, the stands at the Farmer’s Market have started marking where the produce was grown. The peaches, for example, were from Georgia. Michigan farmers will have more produce to sell in July and August.
Cherries ($3): From California, just like the grocery store.
Zucchini ($2): Five for $2 is a pretty good deal, and the farmer said his zucchini will be ready to cut next week. Hopefully, that means buying local for the rest of the summer (because you cannot have summer without zucchini).
Above: Zucchini from the Farmer’s Market, waiting patiently to become part of a delicious dish.
After my first stop to the Farmer’s Market, my second stop was the Fresh Market. The Fresh Market is one of my favorite stores, even though I do not shop there regularly. It is always great for picking up inexpensive spices and pantry staples.
Sea salt ($0.95): The Fresh Market has the best selection of spices for the cheapest prices. While salt is generally inexpensive, the other spices are sold for about the same amount.
Tri-color orzo ($4.99):On sale from $6.99, a combination of plain, sun-dried tomato, and spinach flavors. Speaking of tri-color…
Tri-color couscous ($6.49):One of my favorite products, I needed to restock. The price seems extravagant, but for over 5 cups of dried couscous, it is not a bad deal.
Another great find this week came from a surprising place. While visiting a discount store out of town, I discovered one of my favorite products (on sale!):
Smoked paprika ($2.99): One sale from $4, this smoked paprika is imported from Spain and is twice the size of a grocery store container sold for the sale price.
Most of my other grocery shopping was for normal items, with a few good deals:
Olive oil ($8.61): High quality extra-virgin olive oil on sale from $11.49.
Lipton tea ($2.39): Two packages, both $2.39 marked down from $2.99, of cold brew iced tea (one box of single size tea bags and one box of pitcher sized tea bags).
Above: A refreshing glass of orange pekoe iced tea from Lipton, perfect for hot summer days.
Total grocery bill: $82.47
Higher than usual, which leads me to wonder about price comparison from the farmer’s markets versus the grocery store. There were also some “gourmet” purchases from the specialty stores. My non-coupon savings, however, was $14.13. At least I was saving money somewhere.
On-the-Go Food Purchases: $61.91
Bombay Cuisine ($52.26): A special occasion dinner at an Indian cuisine restaurant (paid for both James and myself). This was three course with appetizer, main dishes, and dessert.
The rest of the food purchases were mostly at coffee shops, and once again I have a feeling I am missing receipts and this total should be higher. The purchases I made out of town are not included, because they will be reimbursed by my employer. Here are the totals for 28 days:
Four week food total: $323.74
Average daily total: $11.56
Unfortunately, my average daily total has exceeded my $10 goal. I am hopeful, however, that given another week I can bring that average back down. The project was set to end on June 30, but I am finishing out the week at least through July 4. I still have recipes and “lessons” to post as well, so hopefully I can bring the daily average back down under $10.
Above: Pork chops, on sale for a bargain of $2.19 for 3, with Spicy Paprika Rub.
Food Waste: Minimal
Not much to report here, most of my grocery shopping was later in the week. The only casualties were a package of ground chicken with freezer burn that was over 3 months old and a cucumber that tasted funny despite being purchased this week.
For next week: Continue the project until the July 4th weekend, in hopes of bringing down the daily average below $10, less eating out and more cooking with items already in the pantry or refrigerator. My grocery shopping schedule is a bit off, so I may not need to purchase much next week as I finish up things bought late this week. I will attempt to go “back to basics” and drastically cut my spending for the next few days.
Week Two went very well, but Week Three had a couple missteps. Mostly, on-the-go purchases that were avoidable, but sometimes I just can’t help myself. The recipes this week did contain red meat, but minimal amounts purchased at discount prices.
This week’s lessons included brushing up “green” vocabulary and determining my carbon footprint and ways to reduce it. The good news? My carbon footprint is less than half the size of the average footprint in the United States. The bad news? While my footprint is less than most in industrialized nations, it is more than twice the worldwide average. The ugly news? The worldwide average footprint is twice the size it needs to be in order to combat global warming.
Above: Per capita greenhouse gas emissions, courtesy of Wikipedia
Here are the food purchases for June 15-21:
Splurges:
Bing Cherries ($12.37): Couldn’t help myself. Enough said.
Greek-Style Hummus ($3.29): This is the first hummus purchase of the month, which is a bit hard to believe, because I love hummus. The brand I normally buy wasn’t available, so I decided to splurge on the “fancy” brand. This was not a good deal, however, and I did not like the taste. Which brings me to…
Plain Hummus ($2.99): A much better deal, considering it was a larger portion than the above mentioned Greek-style disaster. I went back to the store a few days later and returned to my old favorite. It’s plain, it’s cheap, and it tastes great!
Dark chocolate squares ($2.50):This was on sale 2 for $5. I only purchased one bag, and they are delicious. These will last me quite a while, especially since I cannot remember when I bought the bag I just finished.
Sweet Basil Marinara Sauce ($2.25): While this is not an outrageous indulgence, the store brand was $1 a jar, but this sauce tastes incredible. Sometimes the generic brand does not taste the same and you need to fork over the extra dollar for a quality product.
Above: Cherries, my biggest vice, was almost half of my grocery bill.
Saves:
Eggplant ($0.98): What a deal!
Egg noodles ($1.44): A large bag, on sale from $1.60, which will make several meals. An essential for stir-fry and a great substitute for rice. I try to purchase a bag whenever they are on sale, because these are such a multi-purpose pantry staple.
Microwave popcorn ($1.67):On sale 3 for $5, I only bought one box. Popcorn is a great, healthy snack with lots of fiber. Look for low-fat, low-sodium popcorn and sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese for flavor, or buy salty-sweet kettle corn.
Yogurt ($2.00): A large 32 oz container, which will last me about 2 weeks, marked down from the $2.69 regular price. Like a gallon of milk, this seems like a lot for one person, but it lasts long enough for me to get my money’s worth.
Italian sausage ($2.19): This was a steal for 5 sausage, on sale from $3.49 and I can spread them over 2 meals, which makes it about a dollar a dinner.
Other items:
Bananas ($1.25)
Animal crackers ($1.25)
Black grapes (back on sale, $1.67)
Mushrooms ($2.00)
Canned hash (a moment of weakness, on sale for $2.00)
Total grocery bill: $29.94
On one hand, my grocery bill was awesome this week (my non-coupon savings were $10.87). On the other hand, my on-the-go purchases were a little out of control. Honestly, I am not quite sure why. Maybe it was a consequence of trying to go cold turkey. Maybe it was because James had been paying for everything on-the-go and it was my turn. Maybe I was just a little lazy this week. At any rate, I cringed when I saw the final total.
On-the-Go Food Purchases: $42.55
Rogue River Tavern ($19.65): An appetizer and drinks for James and myself, along with a generous tip for the waitress. This would have been fine, but it started a dangerous trend.
Misc ($22.90):A combination of iced tea, snacks, and an ill-advised iced mocha throughout the course of the week. To be fair, this might not even be a complete total because I have a tendency not to ask for receipts.
I’m sure that most folks spend far more on food during the course of the week, but I was a little shocked to see the final number (image the wine I could buy for $40!). So, for a little perspective, here are the running totals:
Three week grocery total: $126.82
Three week on-the-go total: $52.54
Three week food total: $179.36
My average is $8.54 a day, which is lower than my goal of $10 a day.
Above: Steamed broccoli is a quick and easy side dish for a minimal cost.
Food Waste: Minimal This week’s food waste was mostly scraps of leftovers that were past prime. I did not toss the hummus yet, hoping that James will like it. After last week’s spoiled produce, I paid better attention to what was in the refrigerator and how long it would last.
For next week: Fewer on-the-go purchases, which will be difficult because I am out-of-town for a bulk of the work week. It does mean my grocery bill will be minimal, but also means I am on my own for dinner.
After a successful Week One, I headed into Week Two with gusto. Stoplight Pasta was a combination of pantry-scraping and seasonal produce, as well as utilizing leftovers to make a new dish. After some hit-or-miss attempts from Week One, I finally won James over with BBQ Chicken Stir-Fry and Spinach & Quinoa Salad. We are not trying to go meat-free, but meat-reduced and semi-vegetarian.
One lesson, however, from this week is reducing The Carbon Footprint of Food, which demonstrates that eating less beef makes more of an impact then buying local produce. Another lesson focused on Concentration: Think Green! inspired from a daily tip at Ideal Bite:
Above: Click for more info, sign up for daily email tips.
Here are the food purchases for June 8-14:
Splurges:
Bing Cherries ($8.07): I could not help myself! Last time, I found myself rationing cherries to get through the week, so I bought almost 3 pounds this week. Regardless, at $2.99 a pound, it is not a bad deal. These will probably never make it into a recipe, as I usually eat them before I get around to it.
Golden Raisins ($2.69): After how successful these were in the eggplant dishes from the week before, it was worth the investment to buy another box. These are great in salads, granola, yogurt, or spicy dishes. The expiration date is into 2009, so I’m sure I will find a use for them before then.
Milk ($2.50):A gallon of milk was still on sale, and I went through the last gallon much faster than I thought I would. Part of it is that I have been on anti-botics for almost 3 weeks now, and like to take them with milk to avoid an upset stomach. Also, I’m not buying daily lattes and mochas anymore, so I need to fill that calcium void.
Stir-fry Beef ($2.40):This actually didn’t seem like a bad deal, for almost a pound of pre-cut strips perfect for stir-fry. While I am trying to purchase less meat, finding a deal like this seems acceptable. The “sell by” date was the same day I purchased it, so it immediately went into the freezer so I could use it on my timetable.
Peanuts ($2.29):A large bag of unshelled, roasted, salted peanuts was a pretty good deal for the price. This was actually for James, so he would have something to snack on when he comes over, and because he bought us watermelon and pitas over the weekend.
Above: Stoplight Pasta also makes some tasty leftover soup.
Saves:
Green Beans ($0.95): This time I actually did buy green beans, because the bulk sugar snap peas looked horrible (especially for $3.69 a pound!). I did buy a half-pound package of snap peas for $2.69 instead, which isn’t a better deal but at least these looked edible. I refrained from buying my usual pound because of the price.
Canned Tomatoes ($1.24): The small can is $0.95 and the larger can is $1.24, so it made sense to buy the larger can. Even if I do not use it all at once, these will keep in the refrigerator for a couple days if stored in an airtight container. It’s not quite time to start trolling the Farmer’s Markets for tomatoes yet, maybe in a couple weeks.
Animal Crackers ($1.25):For the price, you really cannot go wrong with animal crackers. My mom used to keep tons of these in the house and take them to work (and I’m willing to bet she still does!), so they must be a bargin because she knows about those kind of things. Nostalgia aside, I like to dunk animal crackers in fat-free yogurt for a complete mid-day snack.
Chicken Breasts ($1.97): Less than $2 for a pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts? I dare you to find a better deal. These were even the “trimmed and ready” variety, from chickens raised without antibiotics. Again, the “sell by” date was the day I bought them, so into the freezer they went.
Red Grapes ($2.20): I pitched a fit last week for paying over $3 for grapes, so of course this week they were on sale. $2.20 isn’t exactly a steal, but at $0.97 a pound, it’s still a deal.
Again, many of my purchases were from the produce department. My list was much shorter this week, the only other items were:
Pine nuts ($1.42, on sale from $1.99)
Broccoli ($1.67 for a large head)
Bananas ($1.94)
Cucumbers ($2.00 for 3)
Orange juice ($2.00, on sale from $2.79)
Red lentils ($2.19 for 1 pound)
Orange juice is about the only juice I buy, but I will wait for a sale.
Total grocery bill: $39.47
This week’s bill is lower for a couple reasons. First, I had a better idea of the items I already had and what I needed to complete meals. Second, I filled up my gas tank before going shopping, and the $63.50 total was a little shocking. Fortunately, I can make it almost 2 weeks on a tank of gas, but it was still a little ridiculous. Now that I am paying closer attention to prices and sales, I noticed that I tend to shy away from anything above $3 unless I really need/want it. It’s a good rule of thumb to avoid expensive impulse buys.
Though I still divide the bill between “Splurges” and “Saves,” most of my purchases were good deals. The only real splurges were the cherries, golden raisins, and sugar snap peas; everything else was reasonably priced. In fact, the top of my receipt tells me the total savings were $11.69 by purchasing items on sale. I’ve started an “on sale” grocery list, which is a list of things I do not need immediately, but will in the near future. This way, I can scout sales and get a deal before I run out of an item.
Above: Cucumbers are inexpensive and a great addition to salads, sandwiches, and dips.
On-the-Go Food Purchases: $6.12
West Coast Coffee ($2.75): Local coffee house, I purchased an iced tea during a walk on a hot day. Then I treated myself to a gourmet salted caramel (more specific, a Sea Salt Caramel). It was delicious and I savored every bite!
Panera Bread ($3.37): An after dinner treat for James and myself, black coffee for him and lemonade for me. But, in my defense, we did walk there and back as well as reused the plastic cup from my lemonade.
Food Waste: Moderate A few things went bad before I could use them up, including fresh basil, mint, and bean sprouts. I love fresh herbs but can never seem to use them up in time, the unfortunately thing is they are only available in one size (too much). Also on the chopping block are 2 bananas that ripened much faster than I thought they would and some strawberries that look dangerously close to sprouting white fuzz. Hopefully, I can salvage these items before it becomes a lost cause.
Monitoring how much food I buy, eat, and throw away has given me a better idea of how much to buy in a given week. I have also adjusted my boxed lunches to avoid running out of snacks and preventing impulse buys.
For next week: Continue to reduce grocery bill and on-the-go purchases, as well as look for concentrated household items. When purchasing fresh produce, remember the shelf life and adjust the quantity if possible. Look for meat substitutions and other ways to reduce carbon footprints.
Bing Cherries ($5.95): At $2.99 a pound, I could not resist these dark, sweet treats and bought about 2 pounds. I can eat these by the bowlful, so nothing going to waste here. Cherries aren’t quite in season yet here in Michigan, but are in California, so I could not shop local this time.
Roasted Red Chili Paste ($3.79): Needed for Spicy Sesame Eggplant, hopefully I will continue to use this to make it worth the price. It will stay fresh for quite awhile though, so it should not go to waste.
Chocolate Soy Milk ($3.69): Required for Cherry Jubilee Smoothies, which I make most mornings to take on-the-go, so I can justify the price. I love the taste, the parent company is donating money to clean energy, and who doesn’t need more calcium?
Bag of Lemons ($3.49): A necessary evil, since all of my lemons were sacrificed to my Memorial Day Sangria. I tried to look for a better deal, but the loose/bulk lemons were all a little green, so the bag seemed my best bet.
Grapes ($3.35): For the longest time, grapes were about $0.99 a pound (practically giving them away!) but were $1.99 a pound this week. Now that summer produce is starting to trickle in, grapes and apples aren’t on sale, but the apples were only $1.87. These are my lunchbox staples, however, so I did not want to go without.
Above: Sugar snaps to the rescue, saving a dish gone wrong
Saves:
Ginger ($0.51): Ginger is seldom expensive, and a great cooking staple. One piece will last for weeks.
Cabbage ($0.56): A bargain, already cleaned and ready to be chopped, I could not pass this one up.
Sugar Snap Peas ($0.80): I’m sure you thinking “What a deal!” but the unfortunate thing is that the cashier rang these up as green beans ($0.99 a pound) instead of sugar snap peas ($3.49 a pound). I didn’t notice until I got home, but I also saw that she rang up my eggplant ($0.99 a pound) as the more expensive variety ($3.50 a pound), so I feel this was an even trade.
Zucchini ($1.29): At $0.99 a pound, I really couldn’t go wrong with zucchini. What usually gets me is that zucchini can spoil quickly, so this was purchased and used within 2 days to avoid waste.
Broccoli ($1.67): Large heads of broccoli are 3 for $5.00, but the beauty of those specials is that you don’t have to buy 3 to get the reduced price. Just one will be plenty, and while I will need to spend some time cleaning and chopping the broccoli, it is worth the extra effort.
A vast majority of my grocery bill came from the produce department, with only a few items from other areas:
Chocolate soy milk
Roasted Red Chili Paste
Chicken breast tenders ($3.00 for a pound, about to hit the sell-by date)
Gallon of milk (on sale $2.50, will last me two weeks)
Orzo pasta (on sale $0.99 a box)
Total grocery bill: $57.41
At first glance, it might seem that I spend a lot on groceries for one person (well, one and a half, if you count James), but I eat all of my meals from home. Breakfast is a smoothie to-go, lunch and snacks are prepacked, dinner and dessert are usually eaten at home, and I like to bring a large thermos of iced tea with me wherever I go.
This bill was actually lower than usual because there were some food staples like cheese, yogurt and hummus that I did not need to buy this week. I did need to make two trips, however, because the first time I went on Sunday morning the produce folks were still struggling to fill the Saturday-ransacked bins. There were no fresh cucumbers, zucchini, or basil so I returned on Monday for those items, plus I forgot the bean sprouts for dinner and needed more canned tomatoes.
Above: Garlic is inexpensive, healthy, and flavorful
On-the-Go Food Purchases: $3.87
This is a drastic decrease for me, as I avoided “impulse” buys and snacks throughout the day. This sole purchase was from Starbucks, which is somewhat of a weekend tradition for James and I. Fortunately, we like inexpensive items: brewed coffee for James, plain iced tea for me.
In all fairness, James did make some purchases for me this week, including a delectable brownie after the steamed eggplant debacle. Our usual trade-off is that I make dinner and he buys dessert or drinks afterwards, and he gets a bulk of the leftovers for lunch the next day. If I’m not cooking, we take turns paying at restaurants. Since we try to break even, I’m not going to count his food purchases in this project…yet.
Food Waste: Minimal
After the embarrassing amount of pre-Veganomics food waste from cleaning out my refrigerator and cabinets, I have a renewed drive to get the most for my money. I donated some leftovers from Moroccan Eggplant to James and his co-workers, and had the rest for dinner. Also, after the let down with Spicy Sesame Eggplant, I was determined to make it an enjoyable dish.
I also started turning to my pantry and substituting ingredients in recipes, taking advantage of items I’ve already purchased. For example, I purchased golden raisins and dried cherries for making granola, but they were also great in the Moroccan Eggplant leftovers. Then in reworking the Spicy Sesame Eggplant, I added quinoa purchased awhile ago but that I had no idea how to use.
Above: Dried cherries dress up some leftovers
For next week: Utilize more “forgotten” pantry items to improvise in recipes and avoiding unnecessary food purchases. Look for more seasonal produce items and locally-grown produce for recipes as well as snacks and boxed lunches. Continue to avoid “on-the-go” food purchases, which are usually more expensive and wasteful. My goal is to keep the food budget between $60-70 a week, or about $10 a day (which is more than some people spend on lunch everyday!).
Memorial Day has come and gone, and the beginning of June ushers in the unofficial start of Summer. To celebrate, I am launching a new, month-long project aimed at making the most of summer’s bounty of fruits and vegetables.
Also ushering in this Summer are the countless articles and reports of rising food prices, especially meat products. CNN recently ran a very informative report “Stretching Your Food Budget with Healthy Choices,” highlighting the somewhat conflicting needs for food that is healthy and a grocery bill that doesn’t break the bank.
The number one piece of advice? Shop the produce section, and look for fruits and vegetables that are in season. Also on the list is replacing meat in recipes with pantry staples like beans, utilizing other non-perishable items such as canned tomatoes, and checking your pantry before shopping to avoid over-purchasing and food waste.
Along with shopping for seasonal produce, another trend in food right now is shopping as local as possible. Farmer’s Markets have gained popularity in the past couple years, for both the reduced prices and the environmental benefits. Shopping locally reduces or eliminates transportation costs and uses less energy, making it part of the eco-friendly “Go Green” revolution that has been sweeping the country.
All of this leads me to my latest endeavour: Veganomics, a 30-day experiment celebrating foods that are good for your health, your world, and your pocketbook. These economically friendly and ecologically responsible recipes will also be excellent for your health. Who can ask for more?
It is important to note that these recipes will not always be “vegan,” which is devoid of any animal product. In Veganomics, I am attempting to make meat-free dishes, but will still use limited amounts of fish, poultry, and dairy products such as milk, butter, eggs, cheese, and yogurt. The CNN report advises that while dairy prices are rising, the nutritional benefits still outweigh the financial costs.
Speaking of financial costs, the report notes that the average family loses about $600 a year in expired food products. To track my own “food loss,” I will be purging my refrigerator and pantry today and taking stock of what I have on hand. Each week, I will summarize my food purchases, the overall costs, and any food waste. For each recipe, I will breakdown the following aspects: Economically Friendly, Ecologically Responsible, and Excellently Healthy. Also, for the bulk of the 30 days, I will attempt to shop locally and avoid eating out or on-the-go food purchases.
Another goal of this project is to reduce the amount of non-food waste I create, such as paper towels and napkins, disposable plates and cups, zip-lock bags, plastic wrap, and other food-related garbage. While “Go Green” has become somewhat of a marketing gimmick for some companies, green living simply refers to small things each of us can do to help the environment. Throughout the project, I will “test-drive” some green living tips and attempt to integrate them into my everyday life.
