3.04.2008

Hey Good Lookin', Whatcha Got Cookin'?

When Avery was a baby, she would inevitably get fussy around the same time I had to make dinner. My mom said it was her "witching hour". Now I realize it was the only time of the day that I had to put her down and turn my attention away from her. The first evening I held her while making dinner with one hand I thought I might just be OK at the whole mom thing.

The other night, Avery came in the kitchen while I was making dinner and went straight to the stove to stir the pot. I thought to myself, We've come a long way baby! It is such a pleasure to have help in the kitchen. Even Aidan has been getting in on the action by rinsing and drying dishes for me after dinner.

And while all is well in the kitchen these days, all is not well at the grocery store. I am experiencing a major case of sticker shock today after grocery shopping. Price increases have gone from subtle to startling. While our grocery bill isn't breaking the bank yet, I feel the need to really examine what I'm buying, what we are eating, and what we need to grow in our garden this year.

So how about you? Have you noticed an increase in your grocery bill, and if so, what are you doing to save money on food? Do I have to start clipping coupons? If so, I better make a cute fabric pouch to keep them in. At least that will be fun.

11 comments:

  1. I've done okay, but I'm careful about what we buy where. I do most of my shopping at Trader Joe's and Fresh & Easy because they have the lowest prices on dairy and other staples and I go to another local market for veggies, fruit and meat. We have definitely shifted our eating habits in response to price changes. I also go to the farmer's market more often.

    Isn't it nice to have helpers? I have those too and I love it.

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  2. Oh, boy... I JUST said the same thing to John about sticker shock. How did FOOD get so expensive and mediocre at that? So we have been doing lots more legumes, which we love. Rice, even tofu dishes. There are a number of farms around here so we try to eat local most of the year. Dairy seems to have had the biggest price increase. Bye bye cellulite?

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  3. I actually haven't noticed much of a difference. I have been watching the price on some of the things we buy regularly creep up for a long time, but we don't buy processed foods, for the most part, the dairy is all local, and I don't think it's gone up much, our freezer is still pretty well stocked with local meat from this fall, and it's not, yet, growing season, so we don't get a lot of produce and we're still eating veggeies we canned or have in the freezer.

    I think, though, that I will be in for a real rude awakening this summer - not looking forward to that at all!

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  4. We just started noticing the same thing yesterday. We live in an area where the best place to go for organics is Costco. Unbelievable I know. We don't have a co-op or any local farms. The farmer's market sells food grown in Fla. year round. We go to Wholefoods once a month, but it is a two hour drive. I would give anything for a Trader Joe's. Anyway the Maple syrup we buy went up $6, that's when i started noticing that everything was going up and there is less of everthing. I try to make most things from scratch, So I think that helps, but produce is getting really expensive.

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  5. groceries are INSANELY high...as is everything else (gas, etc.) too bad my pay isn't going up too!

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  6. I've been trying to use up more of what I have in the pantry instead of running off to the store. I'm really trying to cut down on those mid-week trips to the store. I've also not been going to Whole Foods as much--our other grocery stores have started adding sections that are comparable.

    But I can't wait for summer veggies! Last year was the first year we had a garden, and I can tell you it's going to be bigger this summer! I also plan to get to the local farmer's market on weekends and utilize the pick-your-own places around here more often.

    If we had the land, I would definitely get some laying hens...

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  7. Each year our vegetable garden gets bigger . . . and we get better and knowing what and how much we will eat. Plus, putting the food up for winter helps too. Buying local and in bulk helps too. Local organic eggs are $2 a dozen compared to twice that at the grocery. Same for milk, beef and pork.

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  8. Yeah, we have. But partly I think it has to do with our changes to eating better. Better quality meats. More vegetables. More local vegetables and eggs and meats. More whole grains. More sustainable dairy products from local places that come in glass. And we've recently moved, and the new grocery stores we use are definitely a bit more pricey. I try to grow some things in the summer, but this year the garden situation is different, and it may be smaller and less fruitful. I just don't know.

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  9. I have alway been a price watcher and coupon clipper, and then add a tight budget on top of that, it makes for some difficult choices sometimes when it comes to groceries. I have successfully cut out a lot of the processed foods we used to buy, and I stock up when there is a sale and I've got coupons on that sale item! It also helps to try the cheaper store brands, too. Sometimes they taste just as good as the name brand, but sometimes the name brand IS better. We're definetely looking forward to the garden this year!

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  10. Funny, Jerry just posted about planting our garden. I'm not sure if it's cheaper, but there is definitely some satisfaction in growing your own...

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  11. I have noticed my prices go up, simply because Keegan eats us out of house and home! He's a big boy.

    I do enjoy shopping at the farmer's market, even though it costs more. And I have noticed that I'm not buying as many boxed foods anymore so prices go up.

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