How your eating is being affected by the recession?

[Danceruk]

Seems a lot of people are fine..still eating plenty, drinking plenty and enjoying supplements?!

Shocking really as life in the UK goes down the pan fast.. sure everyone worldwide is feeling the strain!

Whats had to change/go since the recession hit(is hitting hard)?

For me, luxury items: vegetables, variety of foods, having PLJ/Other sugar free drinks..OUT

Now I keep it simple, continuing with LC the best I can without starving. Simply cannot afford food in these times.

Any changes to your/your families diet in these times

Dont tell me its just us brits!! (Sure it isnt)!

[jaels]

Honestly I think this WOE is helped by the recession (except for an all time low a few months ago when I was having difficulty buying meat). The main effect is that I only eat out very rarely. I plan my meals more in terms of how I shop. I try (I'm still not there totally) not to cook too much in one go and throw things out. I live alone and this can be difficult for me.

I still buy vegetables as I don't consider them to be a luxury but rather a necessity. I am lucky to live in the 'market' area of town filled with cheap veggies and fruit all year round.

[Tiffany2288]

Originally Posted by Danceruk

Seems a lot of people are fine..still eating plenty, drinking plenty and enjoying supplements?!

Shocking really as life in the UK goes down the pan fast.. sure everyone worldwide is feeling the strain!

Whats had to change/go since the recession hit(is hitting hard)?

For me, luxury items: vegetables, variety of foods, having PLJ/Other sugar free drinks..OUT

Now I keep it simple, continuing with LC the best I can without starving. Simply cannot afford food in these times.

Any changes to your/your families diet in these times

Dont tell me its just us brits!! (Sure it isnt)!

Can I be nosey and ask you what you eat as a vegetarian if vegetables are a luxury? Or do you mean the more expensive ones like asparagus?

[VanjaJames]

Veggies have always been expensive for me and I've accepted the fact that I don't ilke 'em that much anyway...I just eat at home a lot more, and for the items I order a lot of, I actually used a wholesale account to get a discount. (At least on Tropical traditions, anybody can do that.) Helps a little. And i use coupons, comparison shop...get meat where it is cheapest. Cutting out on JUNK food and "snacks" is really the best way to keep costs down.

[Danceruk]

was referring to more exspensive ones. Right now theres just 0 for anything.

People are really have to choose travel to work or eat? HEATING or eating?

It is very hard indeed. Deffinately stick to eating LC no matter what...just amazes me many varied menus/questions about supplements in this time...

[Tiffany2288]

We skimp on the fresh veggies when times are tough and stock up on the canned ones when shop rite has their can can sale.....we load up on green beans like crazy bec that's one veggie we both love and never get sick of. We also eat alot of eggs when money is tight and don't eat out as often.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Danceruk

...Any changes to your/your families diet in these times

Hi Danceruk...
Has not affected how we eat, or travel, or live.

[Dedee62]

Since on my plan I only eat 500 cal. day, I can say no, it hasn't. However, I could see how it could. Veggies still seem a bit high to me.

[sprinklesmom]

I've always found my grocery bill much lower when I eat on plan. However, the grocery bill has gone up. What used to cost me around $40 a week now costs me around $60 a week. And I shop at the least expensive market in the area. And that's just the basics - no luxuries.

An extra $20 does make a difference when you are the only breadwinner at home.

[debkeversole]

more carbs

[kkristen1]

hasn't affected me at all.

[mom2twoboys]

I have not felt to much of a strain yet. Although the Christmas season has stretched the money tigher than usual. The only thing I have stopped right now is the Organic milk for the kids 6$ a gallon vs 2.59 for the regular hormone filled version. I have been working hard to plan meals and not waste.

[iakaren]

Has made it very easy to quit buying pop and bottled water. Only changes here.

But we raise our own meat, so I have 500# in the freezer......and chicken breasts are 99 cents a lb, so that adds variety to beef.

[LoraJR72]

It hasn't affected me at the moment. Maybe in a few months.

[auntiesocial]

Eh.. I plan better.
I make a menu for the week based on what I already have in the house.
I've been picking up meat that's on "manager's special" whenever I see it lately.
As a result, my official "grocery bill" for this week was only like $35.

[flatferenghi]

on my last 2 trips to the market, the prices on London Broil & chopped meat were astronomically obscene. I am a dyed in the wool CARNOSAURUS. I am definitely hurting!!! Love & Profits: FLATFERENGHI

[Doggygirl]

* We rarely ate out before, but we really never do now (and I'm fine with that - would rather have what I cook at home anyway!)

* Mr. Doggy is more "aware" of his day time expenditures at fast food joints for breakfast and lunch, when he could eat a HEALTHIER meal for less $ at home, and I will even fix it for him. So this is actually turning out to be a positive change as well.

* We have switched to anti-biotic and hormone free meats. We are in process of having a side of beef and a 1/2 hog and 10 chickens butchered to our specs. This is WAY more cost effective than buying all this stuff at Whole Foods / Trader Joes. We will also be eating more of the less expensive cuts than when I can "pick and choose" in front of the meat counter window.

* We are very careful to avoid waste and even Mr. Doggy is getting trained to eat leftovers. (he never used to eat left overs even of something he LOVED, much less of something that was just "OK") I'm grateful to have this economic opportunity to train him. (ever looking for the positives in a bad situation)

* We have joined a CSA for next year and while that meant writing a check now, I believe we will save $$ in 2009 as part of the CSA cost is me working a bit on the farm. Compared to the price of organic produce in the grocery stores, I believe we will come out ahead. And I hope to learn something and start doing a bit more gardening here at home and also canning / freezing produce for the winter time.

I am grateful that we haven't (yet anyway) had to take such drastic budgetary measures like being forced to go back to hormone / anti-biotic laden meats, etc. So we just do our level best to keep the quality high while making the most of each grocery dollar.

DG

[annamazing]

I eat more cause I'm depressed about it!

[skg]

When I go to the grocery store I go to the meats and look for the ones that are marked down, I got 3 steaks, pork chops & chicken today. I freeze them right away unless I will use it that night, tonight I am going to make chicken stroganoff with the chicken I bought. I buy frozen or canned veggies unless I get a really good deal somewhere. Definitely need to start watching my pennies and do a better job at planning and using what I have in the freezer.

[Danceruk]

Amazing so many are unaffected, really lucky in that respect

about $40 a month is what I spend at the moment its tough.. but doable for sure!

Thanks for all the great replies all!

[afuentes]

Originally Posted by Danceruk

was referring to more exspensive ones. Right now theres just 0 for anything.

People are really have to choose travel to work or eat? HEATING or eating?

It is very hard indeed. Deffinately stick to eating LC no matter what...just amazes me many varied menus/questions about supplements in this time...

Me too. I buy the bare necessities of my vitamins and that is all I can afford.

[skg]

I get my vitamins where I buy one and get 1, 2 or 3 free so that helps stretch a penny also.

[PSU Fan_516]

We eat out less, which is good for my waistline and my wallet!

[thestreets]

not at all, and i'm a full time student.

food is a priority for me, so i cut out other stuff a long time ago and still eat the same way. plus i hate eating out and i only need a small amount of high quality food to be satisfied so it;s not really that expensive. and i only drink water.

i think like many that this can be a time to actually get healthier, by cutting out expensive processed foods and sodas, meals out.

[thestreets]

also buying supplements online makes them soooo much more affordable. just google around, there are many sites with amazing discounts and low/free shipping.

i know i can get stuff that is half price compared to a health food store.

[jacksmixedtape]

No, nothing has changed for me, but I'm on a student budget. Grassfed meat seems a bit higher in price lately, though.

[sugarless4life]

I'll do away with other things before I'll sacrifice nutritious healthy food.

But I am grateful to be able to say, at this point, no effects.

Betty

[jill72]

Originally Posted by Danceruk

Seems a lot of people are fine..still eating plenty, drinking plenty and enjoying supplements?!

Shocking really as life in the UK goes down the pan fast.. sure everyone worldwide is feeling the strain!

Whats had to change/go since the recession hit(is hitting hard)?

Nothing has changed for us, but we live in an area (Texas) that is economically sound (TX is a right-to-work state).

Of course, anything is subject to change, but judging from the packed parking lots at the malls, restaurants, etc. and the help-wanted signs I see everywhere, I think we've been very lucky so far.

There's a Whole Foods that opened a few blocks from me not too long ago and it's always jam-packed. I sometimes shop there, but I also think there are excellent selections at Kroger, HEB, and Randall's (Safeway to the Cali folks), and just enough competition to keep prices in line. I got beautiful, large fresh shrimp at HEB a couple of weeks ago for $4.99/lb. and jumbo red and yellow bell peppers 2/$1.00!

Hopefully the economy will trend upwards for our cousins across the pond soon!

[CherryCola]

I don't think it's affected me *that* much. However, I have cut back in other areas specifically with gas prices being substantially lower now then in the past (saving about $25-30 a fill up), in the end I think it seems to balance out for me.

[Pookie324]

for me it's the stress which triggers depression and i have to really really watch and be conscious when i eat. the 'fake' meat/cheese is more expensive and thus i eat about 1/2 of what i used to when it comes to that which is really find because that stuff is very refined. as far as veggies i will buy a lot of what is on sale and use canned/frozen as well.