Recently I've been having some recurring health issues that I know are related to my diet. I have also been trying to cut our family's grocery budget in an effort to build up some savings both for emergencies and special occasions. So, I have issued myself (and my unwitting family) a challenge. For the month of September, we will be eating only "real" foods and will be dairy free. One of the causes of the health issues I've been having is the fact that I'm completely lactose intolerant. Many people who are lactose intolerant can still handle cheese and yogurt (a lot of the lactose in these foods is destroyed in the aging process and makes it easier to digest), but I cannot. The other problems I'm having are related to my gross overconsumption of sugar. Not just refined sugar, but also refined carbs like white rice and potatoes.
Specifically, here is a list of my goals for my family for this month long challenge:
- nothing from a box, can, or bag that has more than 5 non-chemical ingredients
- no processed sugar or carbs
- no deep fried food
- no dairy
- organic veggies, meat, and eggs when I can afford it. I honestly don't expect much here, but I'm going to carry a copy of the Dirty Dozen fruits/veggies and try to work it in as much as I can.
- to do all of this on a budget of $75/week for my family of 4
- no fast food
I am not going to pretend that this is going to be easy. It is going to require a LOT of planning, budgeting, and research. But, I am willing to share my efforts. Every Wednesday (because that's when the new sales come out), I will post a menu for the week, recipes for the menu, and a shopping list. Every Thursday, I will post a total of what the menu actually cost me, and where I shopped. A disclosure: I regularly shop at HEB, and often supplement produce at Sprouts because they have GREAT weekly deals. I want to do more shopping at the farmer's market, but we'll see how that goes. My budget is very serious, and I honestly don't have much room to deviate from it.
So, if you're feeling that you and/or your family needs a make-over in how you eat, join us in our challenge this month. I honestly hope that some people will, because I think it will help hold me accountable and make it easier to stick to. I am going to start posting next Wednesday, on the 31st so that we can start on Thursday.
