I’m not sure about you but trying to teach myself how to cook, clean and manage a household all while balancing what this world has to offer is tough.  As I look back to my life before having a family I realize that I was much more prepared for the corporate world than the kitchen.  Over the past couple of years I’ve needed to dig in my heels and dive head first into the world of raising kids, living with food allergies, and living off the land all while maintaining a budget.  Let me share with you a few of the things I’ve learned along the way.

Many of the foods we were eating left us full and satisfied for a short period of time but we were hungry and snacking a lot in between meals.  By evaluating our diet we realized that the meals we expected to be ready in 60 seconds were high in saturated fat, sugars and salts.  Replacing those with foods that were nourishing and healthy for us actually decreased the amount of foods we were eating, we felt better and life became simpler.

Defining Real Food

Whole foods in their most natural state including fruits, vegetables, milk, whole grains, seafood, meats.

Natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup and all natural fruit juice.

Snacks like dried fruit, seeds, nuts, and popcorn

Beverages like water, milk, all natural juices, coffee & tea.


Those extras at the grocery store may seem like a good deal when priced individually.  But take into account what they add to your weekly budget and the fact that many kids will eat less of their “real” meals and you realize you aren’t really saving much.  Here is an example of what the extras used to cost us each week:

Juice Boxes, 2 Bags of Chips, Breakfast Bars (or energy bars), Fruit Snacks, 12 pack of Coke, 2 Cans of Condensed Soup, Frozen Pizza, Corn Dogs, and a box of cookies Total Cost:  $35 + (often much more)


Simplify Breakfast, Lunch & Snacks

The most important thing I did for our budget was to get control of our breakfast, lunch and snacks.  This is where I was seeing the most over consumption and waste of food for our family.  Walking the cereal aisle at the store proves that we are used to a wide variety of options for breakfast!  But the truth was that with a little self-control we were able to minimize our options at home and save time, money and waste.

Here is an example of a week’s groceries for the first two meals of the day, including snacks (for a family of 6).

Breakfast (Cereal, Oatmeal, Eggs, Smoothies)

Grocery list:  Coffee, Milk, Oatmeal, Cereal, Eggs, Orange Juice, Spinach, Bananas  $22

Lunch (Sandwiches, Wraps, Sliced Fruits/Vegetables)

Grocery list:  Sliced Bread, Wraps, Chicken, Beef, Sliced Cheese, Peanut Butter, Fruit $32

Snacks (fruits & vegetables, Protein “grab and go”)

Grocery list:  Apples, Oranges, Pears, Grapes, Peaches, Bananas, Carrots, Dried Fruit, Mixed Nuts, Hard Boiled Eggs, Peanut Butter $28

 

Managing Dinner

When you are buying in bulk, stocking up on in-season fruits and vegetables and learning to use what you have on hand you are able to save money through eating dinner at home more often.  Take into account that most families will only need a freshly prepared meal 3-4 days a week and that there is often leftovers!  I’m listing a few of our go-to meals that help us save time and money.

Italian Night-Start with a base of homemade spaghetti sauce (or a healthier store bought option) and expand to one of these:  Chicken or Eggplant Parmesan, Ground Beef Spaghetti, Sausage Spaghetti, Lasagna, or Pizza Night  $12

Crock-pot Meals-Start with a good cut of grass fed beef, chicken or pork.  Add a couple cups of chicken or beef broth and your favorite veggies like potatoes, green beans, carrots, and onions.  $10-15

Skillet Meals-Start with chicken, beef or sausage and add your favorite vegetables like squash, zucchini, peppers, and onions.  Cook on medium heat until tender.  Serve with tortillas, over pasta or over tortilla chips.  $12

Breakfast for Dinner:  Sausage or Bacon, Eggs, Fresh Veggies, and whole wheat pancakes $12

Total Grocery Budget $132 (Keep in my mind that this can be a lot less for those with fewer family members).

Make More with Less

Drink a glass of water and finish it with 1-2 oz. of juice (or your favorite beverage).

Use cooked lentils to make ground beef and sausage go further in chili, soups and burgers.

A hard-boiled egg, spoonful of peanut butter or slice of ham can tide hungry kids (or yourself) over until mealtime.

Buy in bulk, freeze or join a meal-sharing group.

Eat leftovers as often as you have them!

Grow a garden and learn how to cook and preserve fruits and vegetables for use in the winter.


Real Food Resources

Kentucky Proud recipes and food availability charts www.kyproud.com

Small Steps to Health & Wealth  Pick up this free publication from the Warren County Extension Office.

The Kentucky fresh Cookbook by Maggie Green 

Find local food through farmers markets, CSA’s & On-Farm Markets: www.marketmaker.com, www.localharvest.com

Several years ago Nathan thought it would be fun to grow a few Heirloom Tomatoes...and if he had enough he would try to sell them at a local farmers market.  What started as a couple of rows has now increased to over 26 different varieties and a passion for bringing back "tomatoes with taste"!  In many ways Heirloom Tomatoes represents a respectful look at the past while moving forward with the rest of the world.

We are blessed to be able to do something that we love and to share that with our children while teaching them the benefit of hard work and determination!  While we are not an organic farm we are pledging to be as sustainable as possible in both production and as stewards of God's earth.  Nathan is a researcher at heart and continues to move towards varieties that require fewer sprays and less irrigation while continuing to produce tomatoes that are enjoyable to use and marketable.  Sustainability is important to us and we respect that it is a priority for many of you as well.  This year we began a chemical-free garden with a variety of heirloom vegetable varieties including a few tomatoes and we are committed to increasing that garden in size each year. 

Our families journey has just begun and we invite you to come alongside us for what we believe will be a timely addition to the community effort to bring back local food into the everyday lives and kitchens of Kentuckians.  The Heirloom TomatoFest comes to you as a community effort and would not be possible without our wonderful friends, members of the Community Farmers Market, our church family, neighbors, the local birth community and our 4 young but hard working children, yes even Adaline is working on patience as she works along side us.

Come on out and join us for Tomato Ice Cream Sundaes, Tomato Basil Sourdough Bread, Tomato Tarts, Lots of Heirloom Tomato Dishes, and a taste of over 20 Heirloom Tomato varieties.  Nathan will also be sharing Instructional Demonstrations on Staking, Trellising, Pruning, Suckering and all of the other techniques that make Heirloom Tomatoes possible here in Kentucky!  There's plenty of room for the kids to run free, places to lay down a blanket and live music starting at 8!  Ya'll Come!  Thursday July 21st 6-whenever the cows come home!

The Howell Family

Juice Box Ingredients  (water, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, orange juice from concentrate, pineapple juice from concentrate, vitamin c (ascorbic acid), citric acid, natural and artificial flavors) compared to an apple and water.

I still remember how the gravel felt beneath my shoes as I walked the small path between the road and hillside.  My mother and I would walk to the city bus stop every two weeks to make our grocery trip.  Living in California without transportation we had to buy light, highly processed foods that would last.  I mastered the art of balancing groceries on my arms as we walked home while developing a taste for “convenience” foods.  There is another memory from that time that has carried with me.  I’ll never forget the large wooden bowl filled with fruit and my neighbors home.  Because they had a no snacking rule we were not allowed to eat the fruit when I was there to play, but on one afternoon as I was getting ready to leave her mom asked me if I would like to take a piece of fruit with me.  I leaned over the bowl and looked at each and every piece until I decided on a beautiful kiwi.  I can still remember how the outer, prickly skin felt in my hands.  I can see the bright, green flesh, taste the tartness on the tip of my tongue, and feel how the seeds crushed between my teeth.   Fresh food, when given the chance, can change you.  To this day I always have a bowl of fruit on my kitchen table.

From Fake Food to Fast Food

A little older, and what I thought wiser I started thinking about my health and more particularly, my weight.  What seemed like the logical thing to do was start the cabbage soup diet and wash it down with a 12 pack of slim fast.  My teen and college years were spent living one fad diet to the next.

After getting married my husband and I were busy with physically and mentally challenging jobs that kept us in a constant level of survival mode.  Our diet and health began to prove this as we gained weight and always felt tired. Fast food and frozen meals were easy, tasted good and required no learning curve. 

First Real Food

The real change in my thinking and approach to food was when my second child refused a bottle, even for occasional feedings.  Having supplemented and started solids early with my first child I began to slow down and think about how important the foods we eat are to our overall health. I like what Dana Bennett (Dietitian and Certified Lactation Consultant) has to say about National Breastfeeding Week (August 1-7),  “Breastfed babies eat local every day, every time no matter what’s in season”.   It’s still a journey and I have a long way to go, but I’m hopeful to be developing healthy habits that will come even easier to my kids once they are adults.

This awakening to real food made me a label reader once she started solids.   I was shocked at the ingredients in most “kid friendly” foods and drinks.  I started with small steps like replacing juice boxes that have over 10 ingredients with an apple and a glass of water.  No matter where we are on the journey it’s never too late to get back to the basics.

 
Local Food and Community

Living on a small farm we have access to lots of fresh produce all summer long but one of the areas that I was struggling with was finding local fresh milk, meats, and eggs throughout the year.  When you are meal planning and on a budget you need to know what is going to be available and when.  About that time I met Linda Lewis who owns Stoney Creek Farm with her husband Bill.  We were soon enjoying fresh milk from our own herd share, farm fresh eggs and a variety of pork, chicken and beef.  Linda was willing to share tips and ideas for preparing foods that made it more realistic for my family.  There is something valuable in knowing where your food comes from and building relationships with those who work so hard growing that food.

Local foods are simple ways to reconnect to a food system that is formed by basic foods like fresh milk, raw fruits and vegetables, humanely raised meats, fresh brown eggs, and healthy herbs. It is less about a new fad and more about a way to reduce your grocery list to foods in their truest form.  Farmers markets in particular make it even more convenient to purchase a wide variety of real, local foods all in one place.  Stoney Creek Farm joins other vendors who are committed to helping busy families re-connect to real food through education and community outreach at Community Farmers Market in Bowling Green.  For more information visit the “Market Booth” each Saturday at the market from 8-1.  Community Farmers Market is located at “The Old Mall” Campbell Lane entrance (intersection of Rt. 31W and Rt. 231).

 
Stoney Creek Farm
stoneycreekfarmmeats.com
You can find their quality products at these locations:
Community Farmers Market (Bowling Green)
Bounty of the Barrens (Glasgow)

Linda Lewis and my daughter Lilah feed the calves at Stoney Creek Farm.  For more photos, a product list and recipes visit www.stoneycreekfarmmeats.com

Simple Steps to Real Food

Our journey has been full of small, simple steps toward eating a healthier diet full of real foods.  When we get off track, like when a new baby joins the family or we come out of the holidays I use these tips to bring us back.

1.     Buy a couple of fresh fruits that your family enjoys and put them in a place that is accessible to everyone.

2.     Stop buying processed and frozen foods so that you have more room in your freezer and pantry for real food. Don’t feel guilty about eating the foods you already have, but be determined to replace them with better choices.

3.     Start shopping at a local farmers market, road-side stand or in the fresh food sections of your grocery store.

4.     Simply add smoothies and salads to your daily eating choices.  Both are easy ways to get the fruits and vegetables you need.

5.     Drink plenty of water (at least 8 glasses a day).  When you are dehydrated you are more likely to crave unhealthy foods.   Consider limiting your beverages to water and milk.