Prudent and Practical

So here are my ideas for saving money on the good food:

1 – Grow your own produce!  This is probably the cheapest way to get produce.

1. Plant indeterminate tomatoes – these keep growing and producing fruit until a killing frost.
2. In the spring, plant cool-season veggies, such as the leafy kind and radishes.
3. Vining veggies can be grown up a pole or lattice to save a lot of space.
4. Broccoli, eggplant, and peppers will keep producing as long as you keep harvesting and until frost.

2 – Buy in bulk.

One blogging momma said going to the grocery store when the produce man showed up allowed her to purchase a box of organic apples for under $13 (0.33 cents/#!)  There’s a Mennonite-run grocery in Kalona we visit every few months for bulk baking supplies.  They also carry bulk (big box or 50# bag) potatoes, apples, and pears which we haven’t tried out yet.

3 – Join a CSA!

This is something I have wanted to do for the past couple years.  D doesn’t fully understand the concept and he’s skeptical of putting a lot of money down in advance for groceries.  But, do the math!  Our nearest CSA, Rolling Prairie Acres is 25 miles east.  They offer 1/2 shares of their produce which feed 1-2 people for $265 for six months.  This comes out to about $11 per week.  This family is super nice and they seem to grow just about everything!

4 – Make it yourself!

Salad dressings, stock, soups, and kombucha can be made inexpensively with quality ingredients.  Sally Fallon’s book, Nourishing Traditions, has a section on eating real food on a limited budget.  If you’re still addicted to bread like we are, it’s very easy to make when you use a KitchenAid mixer and dough hook or when you use the no-knead method.  (I haven’t finished reading Nourishing Traditions so I know that I am probably contradicting myself a lot right now!)

5 – Whole foods producer’s do have coupons… check with your local whole foods grocer or visit your favorite brand’s website.

1. Cascadian Farm offers a $1 off coupon online.
2. Earthbound Farm also offers a $1 off coupon online.
3. Mambo Sprouts is like the healthy version of SmartSource and RedPlum.  You can print coupons off the internet, have them send you a coupon booklet, or pick a booklet up at a participating retailer.
4. Muir Glen coupons are out there and their Connoisseur’s Club promises “special offers.” (I love their ketchup!)
5. Organic Valley offers online coupons.
6. Saving Advice’s forum has a thread on organic coupons with quite a few companies listed.
7. Stonyfield Organic, YoBaby, Oikos offer online coupons.
8. Whole Foods, The Whole Deal booklet offers coupons as well as online.
9. There is also a small list on Yahoo that includes Newman’s, Brown Cow, and Seventh Generation.
10. There is also a very large list on SlickDeals.  All coupons on this thread are alphabetized with links.

6 – Support.

Since my I feel somewhat alone when it comes to eating well, I’ve taken a liking to the following blogs.  They offer excellent advice and I trust them.

• Kitchen Stewardship
• Food Renegade
• Kelly the Kitchen Kop
• Cheeseslave
• The Nourishing Gourmet

As a last note, if you do see coupons and plan on not using them or they are expired, please consider sending them to our soldiers and their families overseas.  They can use coupons up to six months past the expiration date.

Do you use coupons?  How do you save money on nourishing foods?

Thanks for visiting!  If you’re interested in more recipes you can check out my food and recipes pages.  If you want to know what I’ve been up to lately, visit my front page or subscribe via RSS!

Please visit the following wonderful carnivals:

• Pennywise Platter @ The Nourishing Gourmet
• Food on Fridays @ Ann Kroeker’s blog
• Foodie Fridays @ Designs by Gollum
• Frugal Fridays @ Life as Mom
• Fight Back Fridays @ Food Renegade