<p>I am addicted to vacations, not going to lie. We take one major one and 2 minor ones a year. This year I traded our 2 bedroom condo timeshare in San Diego for a 2 bedroom condo in Paris (Disney), and we are flying coach. We are planning to eat out for lunch and cook most of our dinners.Yes, we are going to know Paris’ public transportation very well. I may even spend more time at Le Louvre rather than at Galleria Lafayette.</p>
<p>If there were a Whole Foods around here, groceries would be cheaper</p>
<p>don’t they call it * whole paycheck?*</p>
<p>I don’t care for lobster or crayfish that much- I do like salmon though ( line caught and wild of course) ;)</p>
<p>ek-
See oldfort’s post # 115</p>
<p>Woah 1 person 50k a year…try 5 people at 51k a year that’s how we’ve lived the past few years. I can’t remember the last vacation I took…probably 5 years ago to Texas…</p>
<p>I’m not a parent though this thread caught my eye.</p>
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<p>I know but it is still cheaper than local health food stores. lol</p>
<p>ek-
See oldfort’s post # 115</p>
<p>:o I know- I was trying to edit it- but we have dial-up and the connection crapped out on me.</p>
<p>I actually shop pretty regularly at our local Whole Foods. Some things are relatively inexpensive, especially their bulk stuff and their house brand. I really like their house brand of peanut butter; the only ingredient is organic peanuts. No salt, no anything else. </p>
<p>However, you can easily spend a lot of money if you want to. Buying cut-up fruit or fancy cooked stuff works well if that’s the goal.</p>
<p>dmd- thats cause you don’t live by Ballard Market.Best. ever.
I would agree that Whole Foods has some good priced items- but it is the books and the shoes and that fancy skin creams that would suck me in- buying a couple jars of nutritional supplements at $38 ea. makes my weekly budget wonky.</p>
<p>Columbia Student - feeding a family WELL on $70/week ! I am not going to discuss WELL, as it is obvious that it means something different to each one of us. We have never had a hamburger helper and the only canned food in my pantry is diced tomatoes :)</p>
<p>Sueinphilly - I am only now realizing that your budget is for a single person!</p>
<p>As for buying locally and organic - like I have said I am not a fanatic but I try to buy locally as much as possible. I do not worry about the carbon foot print, I simply believe that the produce that has been picked up a day or a couple of days ago is better for me than something that has been shipping for a week or more. Same reason I try to buy fresh and not canned/frozen, although there are exceptions. Same goes for milk.</p>
<p>In the last year, I’ve been having a lot of fun experimenting with cornmeal. Lots of soft polenta, tamale pie, corn pancakes, and hot cornbread. It’s amazing that you can make something people are <em>excited</em> to have for dinner for about a nickel a head.</p>
<p>Hanna,</p>
<p>Care to share the tamale pie recipe?</p>
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<p>WELL is definitely relative. Lots fresh fruits/vegetables. Meat purchased fresh daily. I tend to follow USDA guideline. Don’t forget my garden is my pantry. I never have to buy vegetables, ecept onions and garlic in the winter because mine are still growing in the garden.
For example, for Christmas dinner, I picked brussel sprouts, broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas,& 2-4 lbs fresh salads just hours before I have to eat not days. </p>
<p>As for hamburger helper, do you really eat that stuff? eww</p>
<p>^^that makes for a huge difference, owning your own produce supply 
You are very smart to be taking advantage of your growing season. My garden is snow covered 
I just went to Coscto the other day and spend more than $40 on spinach, lettuce, strawberries, raspberries and nuts!</p>
<p>Kelowna, if they’re fresh, why buy strawberries and raspberries now when they’re out of season?</p>
<p>Not everyone is lucky to live where gardens can produce year round. If I were buying only the “in-season”, local produce right now, we would not be eating any fresh veggies or fruit all winter long. Nothing grows when the ground is either solid frozen or soaked.</p>
<p>Strawberries and raspberries just seems odd in the context of this thread, which is in part about trying to cut down on food expenses. I live in California, and even here our winter fruit diet is pretty much apples, pears, bananas, and some citrus. Fresh berries are just too expensive right now, not to mention that they’re a pale imitation of what we get at the height of the season.</p>
<p>SlitheyTove- I drove through Oxnard on my way back from LA at Christmas. I was surprised to see strawberries growing. I bought a basket last week at the farmers market. The price was not much over the summer price. I do agree the quality wasn’t as good. Different variety of berry. Harder and a more oval shape. The seedless tangerines are starting to appear at the farmers market. My kids can’t wait for the short season for the pixie tangerines.</p>
<p>I posted this on another thread I think- or was it this one? but in Seattle I grow beach strawberry as well as raspberries and blueberries ( not to mention huckleberries)</p>
<p>I also just planted some pear trees- ( this is on a 5000 sq ft lot) but I am going to try and raise mason bees as well to help pollinate them.</p>
<p>I may also save money when my D goes to India for three months ( starting in Feb) and then to the UK for two months- however- I am going to try and give her what we would spend on food- she is paying for her other costs.</p>
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<p>Like was said earlier - it is all very relative.
My personal reason for buying produce out of season locally (but in season in Mexico) is a kid with oral allergy syndrome.</p>
<p>Spinach, cabbage, lettuce and other greens I do buy all year round, as most others I believe :)</p>
<p>maysixxmom, I never use a recipe for tamale pie. I usually just put my own vegetarian chili in a casserole and cover it with a simple cornbread recipe (cornmeal, flour, leavening, eggs, a bit of honey). Then I bake it at 375 or so until it’s golden on top. For a different texture, you can whip up some cornmeal mush on the stove instead (whisk a cup of cornmeal into 3 or so cups of boiling salted water, simmer for 5-10 mins.) and then pour that over the filling and bake. If you’re not watching calories, throw anywhere from a teaspoon to half a stick of melted butter into the topping before you pour it on. Chopped chili peppers, corn kernels, and/or shredded cheese can be mixed in or passed at the table. Add a salad and you’re done.</p>
<p>The only thing you really need to worry about measuring is the leavening if you’re going the cornbread route. Otherwise, use one egg or use three; mix the cornmeal and flour 90/10 or 50/50…it’ll be different, but good, each way.</p>