De responded to one of my posts and asked what my health challenges were that kept me from having a lower grocery bill. I know there are others here who face dietary challenges, lack of transportation or something else that prevents them from getting the lowest costs.

What challenge do you face when grocery shoping?

 

Here are the challenges I have to deal with:

I have to prepare meals that are low carb, low fat, low sodium, low acid, iron and calcium enriched. While our health issues are not extreme, the foods I have to buy to keep us healthy are not the cheapest.

• My husband has blood sugar issues and reflux.
  
• I am anemic and my doctor has told me I need more calcium. I also can't handle much salt.
• My 16 year old has blood sugar issues and is anemic.
• My 12 year old is underweight and has reflux.
• My 3 year old has reflux, sensitive to soy, dairy and other foods. The dairy products aggravate her asthma while fluid whole milk is something she has trouble digesting. 
  

 

 
 

 

My son is allergic to the whole cow: beef and dairy. He cannot digest either. When not having our own milk, his SoySilk is $2.79 a half gallon.

 Dh developed a problem a few years ago where powdered milk causes him gut distress, so we had to discontinue that although i can use it in cooking when we don't have fresh milk from the goats. Dh prefers i buy a nonhomogenized organic local milk in glass jars that are about $3.29 a half gallon plus $1.50 bottle deposit. Needless to say, our milk consumption goes way down at those times!

My DH is diabetic and has high cholesterol. It seems that most stuff on sale (with coupons of course!) is carb-heavy convenience foods containing a generous portion of added salt and fat.

"t seems that most stuff on sale (with coupons of course!) is carb-heavy convenience foods containing a generous portion of added salt and fat."

I have noticed that Gardengirl. A produce stand opened recently and I am seeing some savings on produce there.

   

I know what you are going to say but my grocery challenge is time. I work full-time and have two kids and a husband. I am also part of the PTO and I teach Religious Ed. I do crock pot meals once a week but many times it's six or six thirty before I can even begin to start dinner. I have gotten into the habit of giving the kids a snack at five fifteen when we get home but trying to make a good, healthy dinner and have it on the table by six thirty or seven is often very hard. Convience foods make it easier but are not healthy. I have a friend who is going to come over this weekend and we are going to make meals for the week for both of us to see if we can get more healthy foods that are quick to put on the table. (That our kids will actually eat!!!) I will let you know how it goes!

Colland, time can be a hard issue to work around. You can't add more hours to the day to solve it. Working less usually isn't a viable option either. I think a crock pot, cooking ahead and simple meals are likely your best options.

One of my quick meals consists of grilled (I have a George Foreman) meat, a salad and a veggie.

 

 

at this time-my challenge is trying to stick to tour diet.  Hubby and I are on a GREAT diet--losing weight--and WHY is it that the "healthy" foods--are the more SPENDY ones?  It is nearly like they make it CHEAP to be unhealthy.  One week fresh asparagus is 2.48/lb....the next it is 1.44/lb!  The "light" bread we are supposed to be eating is nearly a dollar a loaf MORE.  the soy milk is more spendy per gallon...

 

I could go on...

Oh--we are getting an ALDI in town soon....can't WAIT--they have fabulous deals on produce!  I don't live in an area where I can easily grow my own...

Yes, Squirrelchaser, they DO make it cheap to be unhealthy! Here's why, or at least, how:

http://www.worstedwitch.com/2007/04/22/you-are-what-you-grow/ 

Colland, I was thinking about your weekend cooking project and remembered a site. I found this one to be very helpful with menu planning and it offers some once a month cooking tips as well.

 http://www.menus4moms.com/