Economizing Measures ~ How to Save Money on Groceries

I've always been careful when it comes to buying groceries.  I check the sale papers, the clearance sections and know that things like rice, potatoes and pasta can stretch one meal into 4.  I've also canned my own food for many years.   However I rarely use coupons because they are usually for items that are more expensive and for processed foods. 

I made a major change in the way I buy groceries some years back and it has saved me a lot.  I started out by buying a bit extra if something was on sale, whether it was peanut butter, fruits & vegetables or meat, etc..  I would can or dehydrate the extra if it was called for.  Many items can be frozen too if you have the room in your freezer.  For example if you are buying one bag of rice because it's on sale, get a couple extra and store it in containers, food saver bags or those mylar bags you can find pretty cheap on Ebay.  

I have bought chicken breast when it went on sale for 99¢ a pound, boiled it and canned it and the broth.  Ready to eat meat in a jar for making  sandwiches, casseroles, tacos, soups and more.  I have bought beef roast when it went on sale for $1.99 a pound.  I slow roasted it and canned it just
like the chicken.  I can leftover turkey and broth.  When those large bags of frozen vegetables are on sale I pick up some extra and dehydrate them. When I buy celery I chop up and dehydrate the stalks from the old bunch and store them in a jar to use in soups and casseroles.  

No matter what you are buying on sale, if you pick up one, why not pick up two or three if you have enough cash.  You will soon have a little stockpile in your pantry and you can now go shopping right at home.  What happens after a while is that you are now pretty much only buying sale items, so the $100 a week you used to spend on 50 different things is now more like $50 on multiples of a few items that are on sale or clearance.  Because you have a nicely stocked pantry you can still put a balanced meal together.

You can do this with any item, canned veggies, flour & sugar, coffee, etc. Even one extra will help you to save money in the future because prices will go up and you are buying at a discount today.  Don't be afraid to check out the dollar stores in your area.  I buy a lot of canned goods and fruit juices as
well as cat food at Dollar General, Dollar Tree sometimes has great deals on canned items.  Many of the chain dollar stores take coupons too.  A 13 pound bag of cat food at $8.99 is already less than Walmart, take off the 75¢ coupon I had and I now have a great deal.

Though I rarely use coupons, I have gotten some on Ebay, like for the cat food.  I paid $1.75 for 20 coupons and I bought cat food to stock up for almost a year.  There are many sites online where you can print out coupons for items you like though some stores will limit how many you can use and some
will not take them at all.

One last thing, you can save the most money by cooking at home rather than eating out.  I love eating out, but if I choose to eat good food and not fast food I have to limit how often I eat out, that means cooking at home most of the time and taking my lunch to work.  And I don't have to deal with lunch time traffic!

Economizing Measures ~ Soup to Save $

I have written about making soup before, about how time saving and money saving it is as well as how nutritious.  This week I tried something new I read about on another blog on cooking.  It was so very simple and delicious and saved uneaten food from being thrown out 

which is very wasteful, especially in the pocketbook.

What you do is take all your leftover vegetables and whizz them in the food processor or blender with a bit of water or broth.  I had leftover potatoes and carrots from a roast pork dinner and we were tired of eating them, plus the pork roast was all gone.  So I whizzed up

those while also sauteing some onions and garlic for a flavorful addition.  I whizzed those too.  Then I took some leftover smoked sausage and peeled off the casing, cut into chunks and whizzed that to add to the pot.  We had a bit of gravy left so in it went and of course water to thin things a bit. 

It was wonderful, a thick flavorful soup that we had for supper and lunches the next 2 days.  The lady who wrote the blog article says she uses anything left over and it always seems to come out good.  The one she had made was a green color from the green vegetables 

she used, mine was orangy from the carrots.  Make it as thick or thin as you want, it is wonderfully warm comfort food.

Excellent for someone not feeling well or who can't chew well and for babies too! 

Remember you can home can the leftovers!

Economizing Measures ~ Stockpile It!

Creating a stockpile of food is one of the best ways to save money and to be prepared in case of an emergency situation.  Some folks have a 2 week stockpile, others have 2 months or even 2 years worth of food.  The choice is yours.

The easiest way to do it is over time, a little at a time.  Buy extra when something goes on sale.  We are talking non-perishables here.  Filling your freezer with meat that is on sale is great until the electricity is out for a week, then whatever you haven't cooked and eaten is lost.  This is why I recommend learning to can foods using a pressure canner. That way even meat will last indefinitely.  You can also buy food or condiments in the huge cans and can it in smaller jars, it saves a lot do that also.  But if you do not can your own food you can still purchase a little extra each trip.  If you can buy in bulk like at Sam's or Costco you can save money on your extras that way too.

Think about what foods you want to buy extra of.  Rice, beans, canned goods, cereals, flour, sugar, peanut butter, nuts, dried fruit, pet food, toilet paper, soap, etc.  Only buy items you like as there is no sense in stockpiling stuff you will never eat or use.

Some items like pastas, beans, cereals and flour you may want to put in the freezer for at least 3 days to kill off any potential pantry moths or weevils. Transfer items to sealable containers, good plastic containers or empty jars with tight fitting lids of all kinds work well.  Clear containers work best for me as I can see at a glance what I have.  Check freecycle and thrift stores if you need to get some more containers.

Once you start stockpiling and your pantry is full, where do you put more?  Organize closets to give you more space or store things under the bed.  It's amazing how much stuff can be put under the bed and hidden by a bedskirt.  Some of those under bed storage bins are helpful.   How about under the sofa?  There are lots of unused spaces in our homes if we get creative.  Attics, sheds and garages are not good choices because of the temperature
fluctuations.  Very short term only or for items like bottled water. Those who live in hot climates sometimes build out cold rooms with insulation and a small A/C unit, some people have basements or root cellars which are excellent as long as they are not damp.

One thing you will want to do is to go through your stockpile and organize it as you use items and replace them.  Put new stock at the back just like the grocery store does.  You can use a marker to date the cans and boxes to make it easier.  Remember that the canned items are not bad just because the date on the can is past, as long as it is not bulging or rusty or leaking, it should be ok.  Cereals will not be at their best for more than a few months.  Most home canned and tin canned foods from the store will last years.  If you ever open anything and it smells bad, throw it out.  Older fruits and vegetables sometimes will not be at their best color or they may break down but are still fine to eat, you can always taste test a tiny amount and spit it out it it taste off.

Some folks, especially those with a large stockpile, make a list of what they have and keep it up to date.  It's best to clean and organize at LEAST twice a year so you don't end up throwing food away because it is no longer good to eat.

Economizing Measures ~ Cooling Summer Drinks and Treats

Summer heat will soon be upon us full force and keeping cool drinks around can

get expensive as well as add way too much sugar to your diet.  I'd like to offer some suggestions for cheaper and more healthful options.

Plain old water! Cheap, good for you and we all need a lot of it especially 

in the summer heat.

OK, so the kids want something for their sweet tooth. Instead of sodas and power

drinks, try fruit juices. Make sure you get real 100% fruit juice not the juice cocktails.

The juice cocktails have a lot of fructose or corn syrup in them, but real fruit juices can

be pricey. Try the local dollar stores but check the label for ingredients. You can mix them

for a fruit punch or add a cup to a 2 quarts of plain iced tea rather than adding sugar.

I like to add a glug or two to plain water for a more refreshing alternative.

If you grow your own fruit or get a good buy on them, whiz some up in the food

processor and add water for your own juice. If you grow mint, crush a sprig in your

hand and add to your glass for extra coolness.

If you are really broke there is always Koolaid, but add less sugar than the directions say.

I only use about 1/2 what they say but you'll need to taste it and see what you like.

For refreshing frozen treats use any of the combinations above and freeze in plastic

cups or Dixie cups if you have them and make Popsicles. The sticks are available

where ever crafts are sold and are very cheap.

Economizing Measures ~ The Economical Soup Pot

I am in the cooking mode today and thought I would share what I like to put 

on my table at least once a week. SOUP!

Soup is one of the most economical meals you can make, and the food 

budget is quite often one of the largest expenses in the home. For those 

that garden, the produce you grow can save a lot on your food budget, but 

for those of us who cannot grow much due to space limitations or those 

who don't grow anything, we must buy everything we eat.

Most often I use no recipe for soup as I make a typical vegetable soup with 

leftovers and add in anything else I may have on hand. Usually I start with 

leftover meat and broth, it can be anything from pot roast, chicken, ham, 

sausage to even hamburger. Lots of people like fish also. I typically freeze 

leftover meat and broth if not using it immediately, just so we don't get tired 

of the same taste day after day. So in the pot goes the meat cut small and 

the broth or water with broth mix. Then I add any dried beans or peas that 

may need a longer cooking time. Next is any root vegetables like fresh 

carrots, potatoes, onions and such that will also need a little longer 

cooking. Closer to the end I add any leftover cooked vegetables I may 

have in the refrigerator that need using up, canned vegetables, herbs and 

spices to taste.

Sometimes it is just a few ingredients, sometimes a lot. If I don't have much 

in the pot and need to fill it out, I'll add barley. If it needs thickening I'll add 

a little oatmeal and on occasion I have used instant potatoes. No broth? I 

have started soup with tomato juice and tomato sauce before. Works well 

if you are vegetarian as well.

This week's pot had beef, beef broth, onions, garlic, celery, carrots, lentils, 

barley, tomatoes and jalapenos. I like lentils as they cook faster than other 

legumes.  I have a huge pot and there is just me in the house this week so today I am canning the rest in pint jars for future use.

Soup - one of the easiest dishes to cook, one of the healthiest dishes to eat, 

one of the tastiest dishes to serve

Soup has been a basic food since time immemorial.

Our green note for today is to make your own vegetable broth out of all 

kinds of vegetable pieces you might normally throw out. To water, add carrot 

ends and peels, celery trimmings, onion ends, cabbage and spinach leaves, 

in short any vegetable matter that is clean but not what you want on your 

plate. Boil this and let it reduce, you can add herbs and spices near the end, 

garlic also. Then strain and freeze or can for later use. Either add the strained leavings to the compost pile or bury in the flower bed and it will add to the nutrients in the soil.

Economizing Measures ~ Grocery Store Meat Savings

There's a grocery store I don't go to much as it is not as close to home, but 

being in the neighborhood I went in as they have great prices on their own 

fresh bratwurst. The name brands are usually $4.99 for a package of 5 links, 

this store makes their own and they are $1.99 for 5 links. Hence I like to stock up if I am near the store. I stopped in on Monday, the first day 

AFTER the holiday weekend (July 4th 2009). They had apparently over

stocked and didn't sell as many as they thought they would. I was able to 

pick up a total of 6 packages for $1.00 each. I am making a reminder to 

myself to check after a holiday weekend to see if meats usually grilled 

are marked down. I notice there are always holiday items marked down 

but never thought about regular food items before.

Stockpiling is one way to save lots on grocery bills. Buying in bulk at places 

like Sam's, buying like items when they go on sale and so on. It does need 

to be something you will actually eat, as it is wasted money if no one likes 

it. You also need to have room to store it. Stockpiling helps you to have 

plenty on hand for those weeks you don't have a big enough income to buy very much. 

As an example, I bought chicken breasts when they were on sale for 99¢ a 

pound in 2013, boiled and canned them for chicken salad, stir-fries, casseroles and such. They could also have been frozen but I don't have a large freezer and this way I still have food if another hurricane knocks out power for a week or two. 

I have also bought beef roast on sale with a limit of 3 packages.  I went every day and bought 3 packages, the largest ones they had.  I then cooked the roasts slowly overnight every day until I had it all cooked, then I canned it in pint jars.  Perfect for sandwiches, casseroles, hash, soups or just eating your roast reheated with veggies for dinner.

And don't forget about roasting and boiling the bones to make bone broth for soups.  It is much cheaper to make your own broth than to buy the store's version, plus you know what is or is not in it!

As of today (2019), I'm out of canned chicken but still have some turkey, beef, ham & pork roast.

Economizing Measures ~ Frugality 1948 Style

I was perusing through one of my vintage household hint books, this one from 1948. There were some odd hints, but also some practical and frugal hints and I thought I would share them with you. These tips are ways to cut costs in your kitchen. The book says even back in 1948 that Americans wasted 20% of their food through spoilage and over-generous portions that went uneaten. I'm sure that percent is larger now.

Uncooked smoked meats will stay fresh a long time if you saturate a clean cloth with vinegar, wring out and wrap your bacon or ham with it, then wrap in waxed paper and store in the refrigerator.  Same goes for cheeses as well.

To make meat go a long way, combine it with rice, cracker crumbs or cereals.  This works well in meatballs, meatloaf, hamburgers & such.  And don't forget to stretch those casseroles with more vegetables, noodles, macaroni or rice.

Turn 1 pound of butter into 2: Bring butter to room temperature and beat until creamy.  Add 2 cups evaporated milk a little at a time, keep beating until all the milk is absorbed, chill till solid.  I would check the price of evaporated milk to see if it will save money these days, I have not tried this tip.

If your milk has turned sour, you can use it in baking in place of buttermilk.  Alternately you can add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda to each cup and deduct 2 teaspoons of baking powder from the recipe.  If milk is just starting to to turn, restore it to sweetness by adding a pinch of baking soda.  If a recipe calls for buttermilk and you don't have any, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to a cup of milk and stir.

If your soup is too thin and watery, add a little oatmeal (rolled oats) to thicken it.  I have also used instant mashed potatoes to do the same.

Save the liquid from canned vegetables to make soups and stews, or use leftover gravy.  I freeze mine till needed.

Save the liquid from canned fruits to make sauces to pour over cake or ice cream.  Thicken by heating and add a little sugar and/or cornstarch mixed with water.  These days I also use it as part of the liquid for smoothies.

Save your cut off ends of vegetables and meat bones that have been baked in the oven to boil down into broth.  This can be canned or frozen.  If you crack open the bones you can get the marrow out which is very nutritious.

Save leftover vegetables to make soup in a container in the freezer.  Keep adding different vegetables until the container is full.  Add to the soup near the end as they are already cooked.

If you have large portions of chili, soup or beans left over, can up in pint or half pint jars for quick & easy portions.  Some will also freeze well.  Rice & noodles do not freeze well as they turn to mush, and if canning, make sure to use extra liquid to make sure the food canns properly.

Here's one of mine: we rarely eat the heels of bread but I save them in an extra bread bag in the freezer.  When I need bread crumbs I thaw out how much I need and use the food processor to get the size crumbs  I need.  If you toast the crumbs on a baking sheet in the oven until thoroughly dried out, you can store in an airtight container in the pantry for a long time.  You can also cut bread into small squares and use the same toasting process to make your own croutons.  You can add spices like garlic powder and basil though hold off on oils until you intend to use them.

Here's another use for kitchen scraps: either compost or bury vegetable scraps, coffee grounds and eggshells to make your soil richer.

Economizing Measures ~ Saving Money on Groceries

Today I'd like to share some of my money saving strategies for stocking 
your pantry.

I think we all know about coupons, whether they are store or 
manufacturer coupons. Some folks are able to save hundreds using 
coupons and more power to them. I just don't have the kind of time it takes 
to put together everything to save like that. I do use store coupons if they 
are for things I will use. Today I got a free gallon of milk for buying at least 
$15 in groceries. I rarely use manufacturer coupons and here's why. I can 
get a better price buying the store brand, which is quite often made by the 
same company, than by using a coupon for the name brand. Also, most of 
the coupons in my mail are for packaged foods, snack foods and junk 
foods, which I keep to a minimum. They are not just unhealthy, they are 
much more expensive than cooking it from scratch. Convenience foods they 
may be but they will eat into your budget, no pun intended. You will need 
to decide what is right for you, but I challenge you to cook real food versus 
using convenience food and see if you don't feel better and save money too. 
Also check the store flyers you get in the mail to see what's on sale for the 
week.

I also shop at more than one store, not necessarily on the same day. Get to 
know your local stores and keep a list handy of who has the best prices on 
what. For instance, I know I can get the best price on canned vegetables at 
Kroger if I buy their store brand.

Juices, pet food, cleaning supplies, foil and sometimes coffee are cheaper at 
one of the several dollar stores. A grocery store 7 miles away has the best 
meat with the best prices as well as a great produce section with excellent 
prices. Walmart, of course, will most times win out on other items. 
Depending on where my errands take me decides which store I am shopping in that day. I have also found out on which days they mark down produce, meats and bakery items. I am not a baker, so I will buy french bread, rolls and such marked down because they are a day old. Some folks also ask about the vegetables they are throwing out and can often get them cheap or free, I 
have not done this, but I'm told it works for some. My guess is it will work 
better at a smaller store than one of the mega marts.

One way I save money is I keep my freezer and pantry are pretty full of meat. I bought chicken when it was on sale and boiled it all, boned and skinned it, canned the chicken and the broth. You could also freeze it if you don't want to pressure can it. 1 pint of canned chicken is enough to make a casserole to last the 2 of us for 3 meals - yesterday I made King Ranch Chicken Casserole, we had lunch, dinner and lunch today, no left overs now.

In the freezer is sausage, bacon, hamburger, cubed steak, pork chops, 
bratwurst and more chicken in case I want to fry it. All this was 
purchased over time when items were on sale. I don't keep meat more than
3 months usually. 

If you do home canning, buy the bulk containers of vegetables and such 
and re-can them in pints or quarts yourself. One of those huge cans of 
green beans is only about $3.50, much less than buying all the little cans. 
But check the price per ounce, have a calculator with you. For instance 
I found that buying the smallest jar of peanut butter was cheaper per ounce 
than buying the largest container of it. This will vary depending on the 
brand.

Save more by growing your own food, especially the more expensive fruit 
and vegetables. You can always grow a patio tomato plant and many 
other vegetables do not mind growing in a pot or tub. Those large 
plastic bins work very well if you cut or drill drainage holes.

Save by baking your own breads, cookies and cakes from scratch. They 
taste better too. Try making your own pasta or noodles, flour and eggs 
are cheap. When I have left over ham, especially with the bone, I make a 
big pot of beans and can it in pints. They are just the right size to add to 
a meal and a $1 bag of beans makes about 4-6 pints, which if you bought 
cans of beans would be about $4-$6. Make soups and can them for quick
meals or lunches, some can be frozen as well.

Keep a stocked pantry of staples, buy when they are on sale or you find 
a good deal. Canned food in tins lasts several years at least and food
you home can will last many years, but you'll probably eat it before very 
much time passes. I keep rice, beans, barley, noodles, pasta and ramen 
soups as well as canned food in my pantry.

Some people plan their menus and shop with that in mind to keep from 
buying things they don't need. I like to make sure I've already eaten 
before I go shopping or else everything looks good and I spend too 
much.  I also don't make menus as we a will eat what I bought on sale.

Shop the outside aisles for the real food, not packaged food. If you are 
buying cereal, check out the cereal in a bag rather than the box, many 
times it is much cheaper and check the price per ounce.

My Lifetime Struggle with Weight Loss & What Finally Works

Something is finally working for me for weight loss and I want to share my story in the hopes that it may help someone else.  This post will be a bit long with no pictures, but if you have struggled as I have then please stick with me.

I am 59, in menopause, 5'1" and termed morbidly obese.  I have been chubby, fat and obese all my life, even as a baby I had rolls.

I ate what every family ate growing up in the 60's & 70's in a family where both parents worked.  Whatever was quick and convenient to prepare, or eating out at little diners - or greasy spoons as we called them.  Everything pretty much came in a package or was processed and you used pasta or potatoes to fill out meals to make them go farther.  We ate fake food like processed cheese, margarine, etc. and and having southern parents we ate a lot of fried foods with gravy, and never knew it was bad for us.  Only on weekends did we eat fresh foods.  Seems like everyone we knew ate this way -- the standard American diet with that pyramid we now know was upside down.

At 11 Mom finally attempted to change things, she took me to Weight Watchers, I was the youngest person to ever join at that time.  Think about being in 5th grade and having to eat your french style green beans for lunch while everyone else is eating a sandwich & chips.  I don't know which was worse, being teased for being fat or for eating weird stuff.  I hate french style green beans to this day.  And I lost some weight ... then plateaued and nothing else would come off. 

As a very young teen the Doctor gave me diet pills, essentially low dose amphetamines to curb my appetite.  Yeah, that didn't work either and I hated taking pills.

As a 20 something Mom and I both went to a weight loss center where you replaced 2 meals with lemonade like drinks or their packaged soups.  It was expensive, the food tasted terrible and again I lost about 20ish pounds and plateaued for weeks.

As a 30 something adult I tried Atkins and it worked for the first 20ish pounds, then the plateau came I could not break through.  I also had a job change and could no longer afford the foods Atkins required.

As a 50 yr old I tried the South Beach Diet with my boss.  It was similar to Atkins but not as restrictive, but still a bit pricey.  I lost the same 20ish pounds and nothing else would happen.

So here I am at 59.  Mid January 2018, this year, I was tired of looking and feeling bad.  A YouTuber I like had been on something called Keto and had lost 50 pounds in a matter of months.  She got to eat good foods, food I liked and homemade sweets and still lost weight.  I started looking into it more and decided I needed to try it, if it didn't work then nothing would.

My highest weight had been 312, and I had stayed between 280 and 295 for quite a few years.  I was 297 when I started.  It seemed weird to me that unlike all the rest of the diets, I was not going to be snacking all day on diet foods and I was to eat (good) fats.  It was hard at first - not to give up all the carbs because the fats kept me satisfied and not hungry - but because I still was unable to eat eggs and things like iceberg lettuce without stomach cramps.  I always thought I had IBS, I drank pepto bismol like water some days.  What I discovered is that the processed wheat products were bad for me.  I am not allergic to gluten but the processed and gmo filled stuff was killing me. 

After a few weeks I made deviled eggs from eggs that are only fed organic, non gmo feed and free range.  They didn't give me stomach cramps.  I was finally able to eat eggs!  The one food that is really said to be the best on Keto.  Eggs are a perfect food source, protein and good fat and lots of nutrients.

I was amazed at how quickly the weight started coming off, though I knew the first couple weeks it was mostly water weight.  I was encouraged though when the loss continued and I started to physically feel good.  I didn't get hungry between meals, I never missed or longed for breads, pasta or potatoes, chips or candy.  The chocolate fat bombs not only helped the weight loss, they gave me a chocolate fix when needed.

With the help of 3 other YouTube channels: Dr. Eric Berg DC , Keto Christina and Dot2Trot's Low Carb Living  I have found not only recipes but encouraging help and understandable explanations of the Ketogenic plan and why and how it works. 

I did have a couple weeks where I gained a couple pounds back and had to lose it again.  That is normal and was probably due to the menopausal periods I still experience.  But I did not truly plateau.
In fact, as of this week I have lost 30 pounds, well past the 20ish when I would normally plateau.

At this point I usually only eat 2 meals a day, sometimes with a snack of pork rinds or fat bombs.  And I don't get starving hungry, my hypoglycemia has pretty much disappeared, the supposed IBS is a thing of the past.  I feel good and I've already had to take in some clothes so they fit.

I am not a morning person, I don't drink coffee, mostly water with some iced tea.  So brunch around 11am for me is 2 sausage patties or 4-6 pieces of bacon, 2-3 eggs scrambled with heavy cream and MCT oil, fried in butter and topped with salsa and an avocado cubed with a bit of salt.

Supper is around 5pm and that usually consists of half a plate of salad, possibly some cooked vegetables and a small piece of meat.  Sometimes fresh berries as a dessert.

Sometimes I get a bit hungry in the evening and I will have pork rinds or 1-2 fat bombs.

Then nothing until the next day's brunch.  That's the intermittent fasting part.  Going 12-18 hours with no food.  Dr Berg's videos do a great job of explaining why this works.

My biggest issue is that after eating the wrong foods and the wrong amounts for 59 years, I am insulin resistant.  That means I have to keep at it, it may take me longer than others to lose what I need to lose.  But I am not going back to the way I ate before.  Does it mean I will never eat a favorite food again?  No, I probably will at some point as a special treat, but then will go right back to my keto plan.  It is a lifestyle change I know I can do because I am satisfied with my meals, I don't have cravings or stay continually hungry anymore.

I hope this helps someone out there that has given up after trying so many times.  If I can do this, you can do this.  It works because it is how we are supposed to be eating.  Its how our ancient ancestors ate. Talk to your Dr if you need to first, but please watch some of Dr Berg's videos beforehand so you go to your Dr armed with some knowledge.

How I Make Chicken Broth

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

It Wasn't Really IBS

For many years I thought I had IBS, irritable bowel syndrome.  I had looked at reputable sites on the internet and read about symptoms, I read a lot at a support group for IBS and learned about trigger foods.  And I sounded like a text book case.

I could not eat eggs, lettuce, corn, okra, tomato skin or milk and milk products.  If I did I ended up with bloating, really bad stomach cramps and diarrhea.  All typical symptoms of most people with IBS.

So I avoided all those foods even though I had eaten them when I was younger with no problems.  Years have gone by where I could not eat some of my favorite things.  That's a real bummer.

Then this past Easter I made deviled eggs (a favorite) with eggs from my friend's chickens.  I ate 3 halves knowing I would pay for it later.  But I never had even a twinge in my gut.  What just happened?  And how and why?

Well the chickens are free range birds and are fed a totally organic, non GMO diet.  You would not believe how dark yellow those egg yolks are.  I experimented again later on by eating 4 halves of deviled eggs....absolutely no problems.

Next I tried corn, we bought some organic corn on the cob which was a little pricey, but I ate a whole ear with no aches or cramps or being up all night.  So I tried canned organic corn, no problems again, even when I ate a whole cup of it.  Same result with frozen organic corn.

I grew lots of tomatoes this year, from organic seed, and have had no issues no matter how many I eat raw.  

It used to be just iceberg lettuce that irritated my gut, but then I started having issues with romaine and other types too.  Until we bought organic lettuces.  Now I can eat salads again.

My conclusion is that it was not IBS but a reaction to the GMO food sources and the pesticides and herbicides used on the food.  I believed that GMO food was not good for us, how can chemicals never meant to be in food be good for us?  And maybe for some people they will never cause an issue, but if so then why are there so many more people with gut issue diseases now?  Every other commercial touts a new drug for IBS, Crohn's or any of a number of gut diseases.  And the side effects of those drugs are horrible, mostly they destroy your kidneys & liver.

I learned a lot about gut health from a doctor in my hometown in MI.  He has some wonderful YouTube videos that explain what causes some diseases and how to cure them with your diet.  The truth is that we are slowly being poisoned by big ag's and big pharma's attempts to make more money.  

Check out some of the DBCnaturalhealth videos and see what you think.

How I'm Eating Healthy, Losing Weight & Keeping Track Of It

I don't usually talk much about myself but I am going to break away from that and share my healthy eating and weight loss goals.

Let me explain how this all got started.  I got a urinary tract infection, but just could not kick it, it went to a kidney infection and I had to treat it with antibiotics which really made me feel bad as it kills off the good bacteria in your gut.  That was 2 weeks of feeling bad with even the thought of food making me nauseous.

Just as I started to feel almost normal except for not wanting to eat, I got terrible pains where my kidney on the right side is.  Even Aleve didn't kill the pain so I started googling everything by symptom.  It had to have been a kidney stone.  I drank copious amounts of lemon water, a little fruit juice like I had been drinking.   That was another week of feeling bad and doing nothing and eating next to nothing.  Finally I started feeling better with no more pain.  I kept up the lemon water and taking Dr Christopher's Kidney Formula supplements.  I still take at least one a day.

In that 3 week period I lost 18 pounds and it was not all water because I kept drinking water continuously.   But after a couple weeks of eating again, albeit lots less than I had previously, I did gain back 12 pounds.  

Now Mom was wanting to lose weight again after talking with her Dr. and I wanted to continue losing as well.  But I also wanted all of us to eat more healthy with out the processed foods and junk we had been eating.  And Mom even bought a huge box of organic spring greens last week!

So for 3 weeks we have been eating simple food with a salad at least every other day.  And we have been keeping track of our food at My Fitness Pal

This is a free online program that will track your food, water and exercise for you.  In the food diary you can even find food from restaurants as well as name brand food from the grocery store.  It will not only give you the calories but grams of carbs, fat, protein, sodium & sugar.  That's the part I find most interesting.  

As you complete your food diary for the day it will tell you what weight you should be at in 5 weeks if you ate like that every day.  Some days I go over the calories, some days I'm under, but most days I stay between 1000 & 1200 calories.

With joint issues and arthritis I don't exercise so I'm not doing that part, but even so I am very happy to report that today I have lost that 12 pounds I gained back plus another 1/2 pound.

I have more to tell you but I will wait until another time for that.  I will tell you that my goal is to lose 100 pounds and at almost 58 years old that's a tall order.

Review of Gotham Steel Frying Pan and Paula Deen Cookware & Utensils

I don't think I have ever done a real review of anything before, however I am so pleased with this first product I wanted to share it with you.

First off, no one has asked to review these products or compensated me in any way, this is my own personal opinion of the items.

You have probably seen the commercials for these frying pans on TV.  After viewing the infomercial I thought it might be a good item for our family.  

Mom likes non-stick pans and had several teflon types and one ceramic pan.  The problem with the teflon pans is that they get easily scratched and the next thing you know the teflon is in your food.  The ceramic pans are ok but if you burn something it seems to always burn in that same spot.

So I mentioned these to Mom as Dad could not possibly ruin the finish by using metal utensils and knives in it (he will cut the breakfast ham in the pan) and it would be the non-stick that she and I like without leaving teflon flakes in our food.

They come in 2 sizes and Mom ordered both.  We have been using them nearly every day for the past 4 months and I have never been happier with a frying pan.

They really do clean up as easy as is shown on TV.  Metal utensils do not hurt or scratch them.  Even if you burn something it comes right off and cleaning them is a breeze.  I do dishes by hand each day and every day I am thankful we have these.

They are also lightweight so if you have carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis they are easy to use.

The frying pans run $19.99, a good buy any way you look at it.  In case you are interested, they also make other cookware which I am hoping to get eventually so we can lose the rest of the teflon coated stuff.

Oh, yeah, the teflon stuff is this set by Paula Deen:

Nice enough as teflon goes but I have one major problem with the design.  The saucepans have a curve to them, the bottoms are wider that the tops which works nicely to keep things from slopping out if you stir too hard, but they are a royal pain to get out of the cupboard if you stack them.  You have to angle them to get them unstuck.  I love Paula, but her cookware, not so much.

I do like the 2 silicone utensils that came with the above set, however this set below

royally sucks.  

They are hard plastic which is ok, but look at the handles, that larger width at the back end is hiding a secret.  I cannot count the number of times they have flipped out of a pot or large bowl and landed on the floor taking food with them because that back end of the handle weighs so much.  I can honestly say I hate these.  Once again a design flaw.  I wonder, does Paula ever really use these?

Stand Up For Yourself

I had an experience today I wanted to share.  It was a lesson in standing up for yourself.

I made a trip to our local Walmart for a few needed items and while going through the meat section saw a large bone in ham on sale for 90¢ a pound.  That made it half price!  There was only one left and I put it in my cart.

By the time I finished getting all the other things I needed and traversing the entire store to get them and then go to the checkout it was probably 40 minutes later.  I watch the readout at the checkout pretty close when I am getting things marked on sale and you guessed it, then ham came up at full price.

I explained to the cashier about the sign and that this had been the last ham in the bin.  She went to the meat section to check things out.  She came back with the lady in charge of the meat section to tell me the sale was over, the sign was gone and the ham was full price.  She wanted to know if I still wanted the ham...uh, NO, not if it is not on sale.

I paid for the rest of my stuff and before I left I went to the customer service desk and spoke to the lady there since the store mgr was off today.  I explained the whole thing from start to finish and said "How would I have known it was on sale for 90¢ a pound if I had not seen the sign?"

She went and spoke to the meat dept lady and came back with the ham - still the only one there - and proceeded to over-ride the system so I could have it for the sale price.

I was polite and not angry during all this even if I was feeling perturbed.  I think that helped the situation.  The weird part was that the meat dept. lady said the sale ended on the 22nd.  Today is the 26th!  It's not my fault if they don't take signs down at the appropriate time.

I once had a similar thing happen when buying rugs.  They wrote the sign with the wrong size on it and I got my rugs for like 75% off the retail price...only because I went back to the dept. with the salesperson to show her the sign.  She could not argue with me or get rid of the sign because I was right there.

Years ago I would have just said ok and left without what I wanted or needed.  Not anymore.  Now I politely stand up for myself and for what's right.  I worked retail for too many years not to know what's right to do for the customer.

Comparing the Protein in Your Foods - a Good Chart

This chart may be a bit hard to read but if you click on it you can see it better.  

There are a lot of charts out there that will show you how much protein various foods have in them, what I like about this chart is that it compares the same amount of the different foods.

This chart may help you if you are hypoglycemic, diabetic or have chosen the Atkins or South Beach diet.

Saving Okra Seeds & Garden Update

This is an 8.5" x 11" box and it is full of okra seeds I harvested.  I will be planting these next year and will have way more than I need.  

In order to save okra seeds you let some pods grow to their full size and dry on the plant.  Then just twist off the pointy end and split the pod open by sections over a box lid like this or a large, wide bowl.  They just roll out.  Make sure they are very dry before storing in a paper envelope in the refrigerator until spring.  

I only had 3 plants this year because the seeds I bought and planted never germinated.  A friend gave me his extra plants.  They did not produce enough at one time for meals but were added to other okra we got from the friend.  So I let most of the pods go to seed.

Right before the freeze I picked all the tomatoes.  That pile is about 2 tomatoes deep.  Lots more than I was expecting since we had such a pitiful summer harvest.  I'm hoping for better next year.  I have a batch of the Wild Texas tomato seeds my friend gave me, they are about the size of cherry tomatoes and oh so good.

I had 18 total watermelons from one plant, a big success.  I planted seeds twice and they failed to germinate so I picked up a Black Diamond plant from the nursery.  These were the last I picked before the freeze.  They are not totally ripe and will not ripen further but are still good, just pink inside and not as sweet.  If some of the smaller ones are more white inside they can be used like cucumbers.  

I saved seeds from the 2 largest melons and will plant with those next year.  Just save your seeds and wash them in a sieve to remove any melon and lay on paper towels to dry well before storing in a paper envelope in the refrigerator until spring.

Sadly the freeze killed my fall potato plants even though I had a -4 degree row cover on them.  

This was the harvest.  The potatoes I started with took forever to make eyes so I was about 3 weeks late to get them in the ground.  I planted 16 potatoes, 6 made it while the others rotted.  I have 3 of the original potatoes still good to eat plus these babies.  Small but at least I know they grew.  There were a lot of tiny potatoes too small to pluck off the root so if it had not frozen or if the row cover had worked better we would have had a decent harvest.  I've learned a lot this year.