Can you afford to eat the way you want to? / LJWorld.com

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Asked at Massachusetts Street on March 10, 2008

“Yeah, pretty much. I eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables and don’t eat out too much. It’s important to our family to pay to eat the kind of foods we want to be eating.”

— Joni Heiland, shoe store owner, Downs

“I can afford to eat the way I want to, but I don’t feel like I have enough time to cook the kind of food I really want to eat. So I end up eating out a lot.”

— Tyler Yeakel, Kansas University senior, Lawrence

“Yes. I don’t eat out much and try to eat healthy. I cook all my own food, I watch my prices and bargain shop. I also have a garden and can everything we grow, which really helps.”

— Mary Kratzberg, semi-retired, Greeley

“I guess so. I don’t really pay that much attention to how much I spend on food, though.”

— Jennifer Torres, retail manager, Olathe

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number3of5 (anonymous) says…

With gas and grocery prices going up and up all the time, I don"t know anyone on a limited budget who can eat the way that they should. This does not mean the way they want. I like a nice steak once in a while, but they are out of my budget. I can afford hot dogs, which are not good for me. I do my own cooking, and have always raised a garden, but probably won't be able to this year when I will need it the most.
March 10, 2008 at 6:27 a.m.
blue73harley (anonymous) says…

You can always use your fingers if you cannot afford utensils. That is the way I usually eat.
March 10, 2008 at 7:48 a.m.
alm77 (anonymous) says…

I would LOVE to eat only organic foods, but we can't afford that. We manage to get a pretty good amount of conventionally grown veggies and some fruit and are trying to avoid hamburger altogether.
March 10, 2008 at 8:31 a.m.
trinity (anonymous) says…

no, i sure can't, the cabana boys that used to feed me grapes just got too darned expensive.
March 10, 2008 at 8:31 a.m.
hawklet21 (anonymous) says…

And your daughter suffered the worst of your poverty, eh trinity?
You'd better stop being so hella poor or I'm going to start hucking rocks at ya! ;)
I eat far more ground beef than I'd like, but it's cheap and I can make just about anything with it.
March 10, 2008 at 8:36 a.m.
mom_of_three (anonymous) says…

no.
wish I could grow a garden, but haven't been able to. might have to try again this year.
we go out once a week, and also order a pizza once in a while.
March 10, 2008 at 8:40 a.m.
jonas (anonymous) says…

I'd love to have fresh sushi a few times a week, and I really can't. So I guess not. But if I could, I'd get really sick of sushi, I think. I can afford to eat the way I want to in moderation.
March 10, 2008 at 9:25 a.m.
RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…

So far, I have not had to raid the bunker and resort to using powdered eggs, powdered milk, etc.
March 10, 2008 at 9:29 a.m.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…

Beanie Weenie is still cheap.
March 10, 2008 at 9:36 a.m.
trinity (anonymous) says…

ahhh, 1001 uses for a pound of ground beef. sometimes i think i wrote the book! :)

cool that recipe sounds reeealllyy good, may have to try it very soon.

hey hawklet-don't mess with me i have poverty down to a high art! ;)
March 10, 2008 at 9:38 a.m.
Informed (anonymous) says…

Yes, I can affored to eat the way I want. No issues there.

Easter dinner at the Informed household will be a wonderfully roasted leg of lamb, with fresh asparagus and some type of yet-to-be-determined potato. I haven't decided on the wine yet, either.
March 10, 2008 at 9:42 a.m.
Gootsie (anonymous) says…

I agree on the sushi and the organic foods! But yes, we can afford to eat what we want which, luckily these days, is very healthy and scant! ;)

Happy Monday everyone - an hour earlier!!!
March 10, 2008 at 10:01 a.m.
sunflower_sue (anonymous) says…

I can't afford to eat the way I want to...I weigh about 480 if I did!
March 10, 2008 at 10:04 a.m.
imagold (anonymous) says…

No, we walk right past the fresh vegetables and fruits. (Bananas up 14 cents a lb. in a week.)
March 10, 2008 at 10:04 a.m.
sunflower_sue (anonymous) says…

Ya'll have me wanting sushi real bad. I make a mean California Roll...maybe I'll have to put the stuff on my grocery list. mmmmmmmm......
March 10, 2008 at 10:07 a.m.
notajayhawk (anonymous) says…

cool (Anonymous) says:

"economy cut chicken from checkers for chicken parma."

cool, try hammering it flat first and rolling it around a small piece of mozzarella cheese before baking it (otherwise pretty much the same recipe except forget the cornmeal and use less parmesan).

********************

Can I afford to eat the way I want? As I only eat butterfly antennae from a rare breed of butterfly found only on a small island in the South Pacific, and I need about 5 pounds of them a day to feed the family, it has been cutting into my savings lately.
March 10, 2008 at 10:28 a.m.
RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…

sushi...
A great way to get worms and mercury poisoning.
March 10, 2008 at 10:40 a.m.
sunflower_sue (anonymous) says…

California Rolls= cooked crab meat :P
March 10, 2008 at 10:47 a.m.
millie_sunshine (anonymous) says…

As a poor college student who pays for everything, I've actually found that eating what I want is really doable. Like ChristmasCarol said, Sunflower House is great for the meal program (twice a week) which cuts down on how many groceries I actually have to buy for the week. I eat a really high protein diet with fruits and vegetables and it's quite easy to buy enough at Checker's for around $15 a trip (which is once a week or so). When I do eat out, I go to places I like and have no issue paying for what I order. Quite nice, really.
March 10, 2008 at 11:06 a.m.
RETICENT_IRREVERENT (Ronaldo Ignacio) says…

sue,
No thanks.
I'll stick to eating Bambi's mothers.
March 10, 2008 at 11:16 a.m.
BigPrune (anonymous) says…

I follow the newest Oprah diet consisting of eating 11 pounds of raw fruits, nuts and vegetables a day. The ramifications of such a diet are unimaginable. Now I need to get me a big block of cheese. Make it stop.
March 10, 2008 at 11:32 a.m.
sunflower_sue (anonymous) says…

R_I, Bambi's mother=holes in brain...no thanks!
http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/22...
March 10, 2008 at 11:35 a.m.
kujayhawk (anonymous) says…

I can afford to eat the way I want to, I just can't afford gas to get to the place I want to eat.
March 10, 2008 at 12:05 p.m.
coolmarv (anonymous) says…

I can, but some items have gone up way too much in the last couple years.
My family of four spends about $90-$100 a week. We started eating healthier last summer and our grocery bill went up about $25 a week. This is partially off set by the fact we are not eating out but about once a month. Fruits and vegetables are way too high. .
I don't find Checkers to be that much less expensive then Hy-Vee or Dillons. Depends on what you buy. I probably spend the most when at Dillons and usually shop at Hy-Vee.
I don't understand the fascination with name brands. I admit that sometimes they are that better but I am cheap and will stick with store brands as much as possible. I see people at the check out line that I would perceive as having moderate means , with all name brands which cost at least 25% more. Seems it would make more sense to try working in some off brands.
March 10, 2008 at 12:09 p.m.
Informed (anonymous) says…

Hey, CC, I was wondering who that was. But the next time you throw a beer bottle, can you at least make sure it's full? We cyclists need to have something to show for all those bumps and bruises.
March 10, 2008 at 12:40 p.m.
volunteer (anonymous) says…

At my house we pay attention to the price but still eat pretty much what we want to. No, we can't afford to join the locally-raised-organic movement, but we try to pay attention. We don't buy the salmon fillet when the sticker reads from Chile.

We still are trying to figure out which foods best complement the flushed drugs in our tap water.
March 10, 2008 at 12:58 p.m.
RedwoodCoast (anonymous) says…

No wheat, no dairy. This can be a real pain when trying to eat out. As for food options, if I don't live somewhere with a natural foods store, I'm pretty much screwed into ordering food off of sites like Amazon. It can be expensive buying specialty foods, but it is certainly worth not feeling ill from eating wheat and dairy.
March 10, 2008 at 2:04 p.m.
Kontum1972 (anonymous) says…

i just ate a small rodent....on a stick with nookmam sauce....deelish....
March 10, 2008 at 3:38 p.m.
Lisia (anonymous) says…

I wish I could afford the groceries we want (not even including eating out!)- especially cheese, peppers and meat. I like to cook but there's only so much I can do with lentils, cabbage and rice. I'm definitely putting in a garden again this year and hopefully will grow enough to freeze a bunch of it for next winter.
March 10, 2008 at 3:55 p.m.
pace (anonymous) says…

I don't think hamburger is cheap anymore. It is fast. i find chuck roast, etc cheaper per pound and with less fat. i sometimes grind it. Ground turkey is sometimes cheap.
March 10, 2008 at 5:24 p.m.
ms_canada (anonymous) says…

As far as the $$$ go, yes I can afford to eat whatever I would like. But I'm with sunflower on the cost of extra ###. I am sure I could reach 480lbs. also if I ate like I would like to sometimes. but mostly I am pretty well disciplined.
Heh there sunflower, what a coincidence about the sushi. Hubby and I went last night to a new Japanese restaurant that recently opened and of all things, There were California rolls as part of my chicken bento. Loved them!!!
Heh, all you fine folk, did you miss me? I was without my computer for a while as my office was dismantled for the installation of some hardwood flooring and then the poor old thing needed a repair job which took another week.
I sure did miss all of you guys. Glad to be back. I see some new faces have been added to the good old OTS.
March 10, 2008 at 6:39 p.m.
GretchenJP (anonymous) says…

I'm a type 2 diabetic so eating is relatively cheap for me... fruits, veggies, a little milk, a lot of water and MEAT... because I could never give that up. I don't have expensive tastes in food. Give me some lemon pepper baked chicken on rice and I'm a happy camper.
March 10, 2008 at 6:59 p.m.
mommy3 (anonymous) says…

I would love to be able to give my kids all organic foods, but it cost twice as much. We eat only lean chicken, pork, and turkey...but we walk away spending $200.00 for a family of 5!! That doesn't even last a full two weeks before pay day. We don't buy junk, and don't eat out! Food is way too expensive!!
March 10, 2008 at 9:52 p.m.
sunflower_sue (anonymous) says…

Ms_C, I sure missed you! :o) Welcome back!
March 10, 2008 at 10:40 p.m.
Informed (anonymous) says…

mommy3, if you're paying $200 for a family of 5 for almost two weeks' worth of food, you're doing wonderfully. Breaking that down, you're averaging $40 per person for two weeks, or $20 per person per week. Going even deeper, at 3 meals a day, seven days a week, that's about $1 per meal per person. Yes, I realize you have to get a few more groceries, as you said. But, really, what's your beef? Oh, sorry, you said you only eat chicken, pork or turkey.
March 11, 2008 at 5:45 a.m.
KsTwister (anonymous) says…

Right now, we're glad we made the decision to ship home 80 lbs of cod we caught off Washington coast last summer. I feel for those young families with low wages, how they must be struggling to trim what cannot be trimmed.
March 11, 2008 at 6:14 a.m.