Quote Originally Posted by momofnerds View Post
well, I'm like the others, when things go really cheap then we stock up alot and add that with coupons its an extra bonus.

I don't buy organic, because-this is me, I don't believe that they are truley organic unless I grow them out of my garden (which needs to extended even bigger-darn kids lol) or we go and pick it ourselves.

I live in the country so we have fruit stands everywhere. But in the fall we pick alot of apples, we go strawberry picking-but now have pots with my own.

also, alot of veggies can be frozen, so when you can get them cheap then stock up and freeze. Also, frozen veggies and fruit at the store have the same nutrients as fresh as long as they are not in butter sauce or any sauces, its just that the frozen fruit is sometimes mushy.

see if your grocery store has a dietician, I brought my girl guide group 2 weeks ago to a grocery store and she went thru so many things, its was crazy how much stuff and info is out there.

also, if its cheaper to buy it than make it then buy it. I wont' make granola bars which has the because they don't last long and to make them would cost way to much. Also, our school has to many allergies so lots of stuff cant be sent in.

cookies would be great to send in but in my house your lucky if they last an hour. Also muffins are great or breads are great too.

also, I go thru the flyers and only cook for the week what i can buy from the flyers, this has cut down on alot.

I will say that you can't try to save money and buy high quality food, it just doesn't work that way, like going to a butcher kwim.

I think you need to sit down and really look at what you are buying for the week and what you are making and say, is it cheaper to make it or buy it. I know you want to do everything homemade, but your going to end up burning yourself out. I always have quick meals in my house like hotdogs (when on sale) or nuggets (again on sale) when I'm running out the door for an activity.

I make breakfast every morning, and they have a good supper. Lunch is a bit harder because the school has way too many allergies, and warm yogurt and droopy cheese isn't something my kids are too crazy.
I live in Niagara Region with lots of fruit stands but they are heavily sprayed so I am picky as to what and where I buy from. I buy some frozen veg, specifically corn as I buy non gmo, fresh corn is so bad for you unless you can find non gmo which is really rare. I appreciate peoples difference in opinion when it comes to Organic and you are right, it isn't 100% unless it actually says 100% organic which even certified organic isn't, but its still a hell of a lot better than conventional produce. Organic product can not contain GMO so theirs a huge health benefit right there if nothing else, and that is important to me and my childrens wellbeing.

I make extra portions and freeze them for convenience and quick evening meals when we have lots of activities, but over my dead body will I feed my guys nuggets and hotdogs etc. I know what they are made out of and they just are not even remotely good for you. Beggers can't be choosers but I have to draw the line somewhere. I make burgers from scratch and freeze them. I also make pancakes of varying varieties and freeze them inbetween parchment and then the kids can just pop them in the toaster.

I buy frozen berries for my daughters smoothies, I can barely stand to buy them fresh to be honest as within 24 hours they already spoil and its just a huge waste of money in my opinion.

I have studied nutrition from home and also know a lot of nutritionists. Dieticians have a different approach and are legally obliged to stick to the Canada Food Guide which is not something I follow as it just isn't healthy so really wouldn't be of any help to me.

also, if its cheaper to buy it than make it then buy it. I wont' make granola bars which has the because they don't last long and to make them would cost way to much. Also, our school has to many allergies so lots of stuff cant be sent in.
SERIOUSLY!?! I understand that I have a budget to work within, and I have to make some major changes in order to meet it and that will take time and trial and error, but I'm not going to just feed my kids stuff that is cheap if it means feeding them unhealthy foods. My granola bars are made every 2 weeks and last the whole time, I could probably freeze them too. They are nut free, dairy free and gluten free so no worries with allergies there beyond any other food which isn't a common allergen. They are loaded with healthy superfoods too, so not only do I eliminate the garbage going into my kids bodies, but I replace it with healthy nutritious food.

I want to get my cost down as much as possible but there is a difference between cheap....which often means low quality although I understand not always as no names are frequently the same product as brand names, and inexpensive. I am hoping to go to school without the need for any student loans so hopefully I can figure out what works for me and my family within the confines of my budget. I need to figure out what I am willing to compromise, and what I am not.

I have recently started with pcplus points and price match with the other flyers. I don't save heaps but it feels good to save and the pcplus points add up really quickly. There are a suprising amount of coupons out there but unfortunately not to many that are for foods we eat. I buy things that are on sale and in the flyers, but I don't buy an item just because it is on sale unless I would eat it normally. I use a lot of coupons for toiletries and cleaning products though.