How to Save Money: Stop Buying Meat

[SoDesuKa]

Pork chops became too expensive, so I stopped buying them. Then every other cut of meat got expensive too. I haven't turned into a vegan, but beans are cheap - black beans, red beans, garbanzo beans. Great source of protein, too. My food bill has come way down.



The other white meat is beans.

[Denninmi]

1. Yup, you can do a lot with legumes and grains.

I used to buy a really good vegan sausage substitute that was a lot like pork sausage. Then I figured out it was really easy to make at home using garbanzo beans, bulgar, and the appropriate herbs and spices.

[yewberry]

2. Oh, you are going to be savaged for this.

Heresy on DU.

[SoDesuKa]

5. No Hawaiian Vacation This Year Either

I have no objection to taking a vacation in Hawaii; I just can't afford it. I'd love to sink my toes in the sands of Waikiki. The colder outside it gets, the more attractive it seems.



No little grass shack in Hawaii for me.

[MedicalAdmin]

32. Duck - DU doesn't like to talk about food.

It gets some here riled up. They want their cheeseburger when they want it and fuck you if you aren't having one too. On this subject DU is like talking to a winger about bootstrapping. :popcorn:

[customerserviceguy]

38. Not a problem for me

The more people the OP can get to stop buying meat, the cheaper it gets for me.

[Mendocino]

97. Yewberry, do you know

Vegpeople?

[yewberry]

113. The community boards?

Not well. Didn't their server crash a while back?

[Mendocino]

129. I use to go there

before the crash. There was someone who posted under "Yewberry" so I wondered. Nice site with good people.

[Edweird]

3. Why stop there? Drink only rain water and eat only what you can forage. Food bill = 0$.

I work hard and need 1 part meat to go with my 2 parts carbs for my diesel to run wide open. Anything else leaves me dragging ass - which leads to unemployment.

[eShirl]

8. lawn clippings, numm

my uncle used to say every part of a pine tree is edible...

[pipi_k]

20. Not too fond of

the pine tree sap, though. It sticks to the roof of my mouth.

[eShirl]

25. Apparently the sap can made into chewing gum

I've never had pine gum though, just spruce gum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx6cGZqjs4A

[Ikonoklast]

59. Not if you eat it standing on your head.

:P

[Eddie Haskell]

12. Just bought a water filtration system.

After attending a lecture on what plastic is doing to our oceans, I decided to cut out bottled water. According to the speaker, Americans consume (use not eat) more plastic than meat. One pound of plastic for every pound of flesh each year.

[JanMichael]

24. so what?

The point of this post was to point out that the OP has saved money buy not buying meat. Your comments about lawn clipping sound woefully, boastfully ignorant.

[woo me with science]

102. I have no problem if people don't want to eat meat, BUT

it should damned well be by choice and not because they can't afford it anymore.

[blogslut]

4. Eggs

Eggs are a complete protein. I've also started adding Quinoa to my diet as well as powdered ground shrimp.

[Saving Hawaii]

106. So you're one of those bastards contributing to the overfishing of the oceans...

[blogslut]

108. I'm going to assume you're making fun.

My reply to the OP was, I hope, a helpful suggestion on ways to add inexpensive sources of complete protein to his/her diet. I've always been someone who believes meat should be considered a part of the diet - not the star. Sadly, my financial situation is quite dire and, for me, buying almost any meat is right out.

Quinoa is wonderful. I can add a few spoonfuls to my pasta before I cook it, toss that with some vegetables, margarine, a spot of canned milk, dried herbs, powdered garlic and (when I can afford it) grated parmesan - a tasty, cheap, poor gal meal.

The same goes for ground shrimp. I find it in the Hispanic food section. A .75oz packet sell for just under three bucks and I sprinkle it in my Ramen noodles. I can make that stuff last for a month.

Eggs are the bestest, cheapest source of complete protein ever. They're yummy and versatile. I don't have much of a sweet tooth but I can mix a box of cheap cake mix with a box of cheap pudding mix, scoop 4 spoons of that into a mug, pour in a bit of water, crack in an egg, stir it up and pop it into the microwave for 5 minutes and have a lovely little snack.

So there.

[Downwinder]

6. You can grow a lot of beans in a small area.

[SpiralHawk]

7. "Shut up and eat your mutant GMO Prole rations." - The Eeleete 1%., Inc. (R)

[RoccoR5955]

9. I'm switching to Soylent Green myself.

Actually, I have been eating less and less meat for years now. I feel a lot better, and lost about 50 lbs from my high weight. I have more energy, as well. I have also been trying to eat local food that is grown within 100 miles of home. This means eating seasonal, and paying a little more, but I don't mind, because more money goes to local farmers, and into the local economy.

[Eddie Haskell]

10. Meat prices at my local grocery have exploded.

Leg of Lamb: $12.99/lb
Loin Fillet: $21.99/lb
Center Cut Fillet: $27.99/lb

And fish isn't much better. Guess I'll be eating beans too.

[sarcasmo]

60. Beans over toast, very filling.

[Mimosa]

88. And fattening.

I never could figure out the lower class Brit taste for Heinz beans on bread. *ick*

I'm not being snarky. As a Native American I've got genes now proven to have developed millenia of feast or famine hunter gatherer diets. So people with Native American genes get fat easier on carbs.

Right wing nuts make fun of black people. They point out that America's poorest are also obsese. Poor mexicans can also be fat and get diabetes from eating starchy but sustaining foods.

[Ignis]

117. Please explain how legumes and grains are fattening.

[eShirl]

132. lots of carbohydrates, the excess energy from which is stored by the body as fat

basic human physiology

[Ignis]

145. Why do legumes and grains, in particular, have "excess energy?"

Do they have some sort of special carbohydrates that are more "fattening" than, say, sugar?

:shrug:

Thanks for the lesson in "basic human physiology," by the way. :eyes: Is this where we compare bio-sci lab experience for bragging rights?

[sarcasmo]

126. Cherokee here and I hear yeah on the carbs, I have to watch the intake very close

[crikkett]

136. High fructose corn syrup, MSG and salt don't help either.

Starchy food on its own doesn't necessarily hurt you. It's the prepackaged food that hurts you.

[handmade34]

11. oh

you are wise and don't deserve the irreverent comments that come from suggesting we eat less meat... ALL empirical facts show that eating less meat is one of the best things we can do for ourselves and the environment...

the people that defend their right to eat as much meat as they want are no better than the "I've got mine, screw you" crowd. The facts are there... no one suggests cutting out all meat but less is very healthy and a responsible thing to do for society

[Eddie Haskell]

14. I've been trying to cut out meat, but ...

when I think meal, my planning starts around a meat. It's a hard habit to break. I've found some great vegetarian substitutes, but I still think in terms of the meat I'm substituting for ... i.e. it tastes just like hamburger.

[TBF]

30. I've had that problem too -

but have managed to cut down my own consumption - red meat once a week at most. I do feed it to my kids, but I've been eating more beans, eggs and chicken myself. Also will make "breakfast" for supper once a week with eggs and pancakes - the kids love that :)

[MedicalAdmin]

33. It takes time, but you'll get there.

For meals I often think of a bean dish like an indian dahl as the main dish.

For anyone who thinks that vegetarian is bland, I suggest you cut out beer, wine, whiskey, hot sauce, BBQ sauce, mustard, ketchup, pepper, and anything else with flavor in it.

BTW - I am not a vegetarian strictly but I do not make meat my centerpiece. My mom gave me the family baked beans recipe that goes back about 4 generations - it is so good that I dream about them occasionally. And the key to them is a good bone.

[Mimosa]

103. Cut out 'anything else with flavor in it' ? LOL Living without flavours makes life seem eternal!

Life will seem very long indeed if I can't TASTE anything delicious! ;)

Meats are not my centerpieces, either. As I posts a lentil (grren and red lentils) tomato soup with kale, carrots, onions, celery simmered in chicken broth is simmering on the stove. I'm wondering if the cut up leftover link of Italian sausage from dinner will disappear into the soup or add a little bit of flavour.

[Horse with no Name]

54. An easy way to break the meat habit

Use meat as a flavoring...not as the main course.

It takes 8 pork chops to feed my family OR I can cut up 2 and add them to veggies and have a stir fry.

Same with stews, salads, soups, etc.

[csziggy]

66. That is what I have been doing a lot

I think the recommendation is 3-4 ounces of protein a day for most adults - and not all the protein needs to be meat. A lot can come from grains, beans and other things.

Rather than having a 3 ounce cut of meat per person, like a chicken breast per serving that I used to, I cut up those breasts and make a lot more servings by adding them to vegetables or rice.

To save time when meat is on sale I buy large packages, break them up and freeze. With chicken breast, I season and roast them, cool, chop them up and package the pieces in 1-2 cup packages. Then I use the bones and skin to make chicken stock.

To make a meal, I thaw the chicken and stock, cook whatever vegetables are in season and cheap, use the stock to make a sauce or to cook rice, and add the meat at the end. Two cups of chopped up chicken with sufficient vegies and rice or pasta make 6-8 servings, sometimes more.

The only beef we've been eating is in stews, where a three pound low cost cut can make a large crock pot of stew - probably a good 16 servings if not more. Sometimes we will buy ground beef, but the odd meatloaf or hamburger stroganoff is rare these days where they used to be regular meals for us.

The last time I bought pork was when they had whole boneless loins on sale. I bought one and cut it up myself. While I did cut a few chops, most is in the freezer as pork cubes and trimmings, ready for stir fry. I've also gotten a butt roast to make pulled pork in the crock pot, but again, that is a splurge and we don't get that very often where it used to be a regular meal.

[adigal]

77. I stopped eating meat two months ago

and I really, really don't miss it. Tonight, for dinner, I had pasta with squash, fresh tomatoes and garlic. I sauteed the squash pieces with the garlic and tomatoes in olive oil, added a can of crushed tomatoes and had it over penne pasta. Yummy!!! I find that squash is a good substitute for chicken in tacos and pasta dishes. And much better for you, too!!

[a la izquierda]

13. Done- already a vegan.

Good on you ;) You'll get used to it...but I'm sorry you have to go to this extreme.

[rosesaylavee]

15. And/or when you do buy meat, buy it from a local farmer

preferably one with organic practices.

Google 'meat glue' and you will find out more reason to avoid the factory farm meats.

[MedicalAdmin]

34. I agree.

It is about the only way I can afford meat anymore. Plus it is better, it has a small carbon footprint, and it supports a local company / family.

It is really cheaper.

[yellowwood]

16. Yes!

I haven't totally given up meat, but I use it more as a garnish.
Humans don't need meat. Beans can substitute. Ask the India Hindus.
Meat is really not healthy. Commercial meat contains too much bad fat and hormones.
It is also not environmentally friendly. Meat production is not an efficient way of providing human nutrition.

[elocs]

17. Ironic that here at DU the put-down comments against choosing not to eat meat

are pretty much the same as you would read on a right wing site. I wonder, do the naysayers enjoy their Kumbaya moment?

[pipi_k]

22. Yep, and the really puzzling thing is

that it's only a suggestion for saving money, so why would anybody feel the need to be snarky about it?

I don't see where the OP is shaming anybody for eating meat. Not saying anything bad at all about people who do eat meat.

Just giving a suggestion.

[peace frog]

18. Meat is too expensive, you're right

but there are ways to purchase animal protein and make it stretch far enough, that it becomes more affordable. At our house we buy a whole chicken and boil it, pull all meat from it and divide in baggies to make casseroles, save the carcass and boil it in the cooking water to make soup. One chicken can feed us for 4-5 days, we eat well and healthfully. Same for other types of animal protein. If you love to eat meat as we do, you can find a way to make it work.

[Le Taz Hot]

19. . . . Unless you have gout

in which case a bean diet would send you screaming into non-stop agony.

[JanMichael]

28. There are lots of other things to eat besides beans on a veggie diet:

"Most vegetables (but not all) are healthy and low in purines. You can consume all fruits, refined breads and cereals, pasta, rice, all fats and oils, sweets, coffee and tea, salt, chocolate and all condiments. These are low-purine foods that will not contribute to the buildup of uric acid in the bloodstream.

http://www.ehow.com/way_5877205_vegan-diet-gout.html

[Le Taz Hot]

31. I'm well versed in the subject.

I cook from scratch so I can control ingredients and prepare food that will avoid a flare-up. I'm just saying that the bean diet would be detrimental to gout patients.

[Mimosa]

90. Same here.

I know zilch about Gout, but a lot about autoimmune diseases since I have one.

[MedicalAdmin]

35. I'm confused....

Why would a bean diet put you into agony....? help a guy out. I'd like to understand if you want to share...

Is it the oil that is in most bean dishes? They can be made without oil....

[Le Taz Hot]

40. Two reasons:

1) Beans are a source of elevated purines and
2) they alter the PH in the body -- either or both can trigger crystalization which causes severe pain in the gout patient.

Oils are on the list of "use in moderation" and olive oil seems to be better than vegetable oil. My particular bean recipe is a vegetarian version and uses only 2 Tbls. of olive oil and no meat stock (another gout irritant).

My husband has gout and high blood pressure and often the foods that are good for his blood pressure are triggers for his gout. I've learned to be a creative cook.

[MedicalAdmin]

46. Thanks for that.

I work in a medical office but this was not my area. It is good to be "schooled" by someone with experience.

[Mimosa]

78. I have an autoimmine disease and beans cause a spasmodic muscle reaction

http://jdmoyer.com/2011/02/15/to-bean-or-not-to-bean-that-is-the-question-legumes-lectins-and-human-health/

I LOVE ME SOME RED BEANS AND RICE. ATE THEM FOR YEARS IN NEW ORLEANS> But I have found out they trigger spasmodic episodes. (But I haven't completely given them up.

[K8-EEE]

42. Wow really?? Good thing I don't have gout!

I pretty much eat at least one meal based on beans every day. How does one GET gout anyway?

[MilesColtrane]

53. It's probably mostly genetic, but is exacerbated by certain dietary choices.

It is related to how well your kidneys function.

[Mendocino]

95. I use to suffer from gout,

very bad gout. Then I gave up eating meat. No more gout. I eat lots of beans, no problem.

[Le Taz Hot]

121. Different gout patients

are triggered by different things. My husband's good friend, also a gout patient, can't eat anything with tomatoes or it will trigger an episode. My husband, however, doesn't seem to be affected by tomatoes. As a gout patient you have to determine the triggers for your particular body and then avoid them or eat them in moderation. Conversely, when he's had foods off the no-no list, he'll eat foods to counter the purines and unbalanced PH. Foods such as apples, grapes and raisins are three of those but there are others. Believe me, after his first episode (which came out of nowhere) we did extensive research on the subject. We don't have health insurance and can't afford doctors or medication so we control it with diet. Believe it or not, there are some veggies that can trigger a gout episode as well, including cabbage and spinach (off the top of my head) but there are others as well.

[Mendocino]

133. I first started getting it about

twenty years back. Terrible attacks that resulted in permanent damage in both feet. Even the daily Allopurinol only dented the problem. So elimination of meat and virtually all alcohol stopped it. Haven't had an attack in years and no longer take any meds for it.

[MadHound]

21. Stop buying your meat at the grocery store

Get out into the country. Get to know a local farmer, or CSA. You can find some pretty decent deals on meat. Every year I buy a quarter cow from my neighbor out here in the country. Grass fed, organic beef, my beef bill this year is 2.30/lb.

[MedicalAdmin]

36. Find a CSA on this website.

www.localharvest.org

It has tons of CSA, farmers markets and local farms on it.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

109. Found nothing but useless old links on that website for my area.

:(

[MedicalAdmin]

123. Well that sucks.

I wonder ifthat means that the farms are out of business. There is always google.

Sorry it didn't help.

[uppityperson]

55. Just got my annual beef, same price as you quote. I do like beans also though

Have some lamb stew meat thawing, to cook with white beans into a cassoulet. I do sometimes like meat as a dish, but most often use it as an ingredient. Love the local beef, traveled 60 miles from birth to butcher to freezer.

[pipi_k]

23. Our main meat here

is chicken. Then pork.

There's hardly ever beef in the house because I won't eat it, but Mr Pipi does, so he buys it for himself.

In any case, I love beans, and would probably not miss meat at all. What small amount of meat we do buy I stretch as far as I can. I cut up a chicken breast and make a casserole or stir fry with it. One chicken breast can serve two quite nicely, with some left over. Hard to believe, I know, but it's true

Oh, and I use tuna a lot too.


Anyway, my favorite beans are kidney beans, followed closely by baked beans with brown sugar in them. Beans...mmmmmm :)

[mwooldri]

26. I have cut waaaay down on meat, but because of health reasons.

I'm trying to get towards a more whole plant based diet but I can't go all that way - at least not yet. For me, something resembling a traditional Chinese diet (and no, no takeaway) has been working out, and this gives me plenty of tweakroom with the whole family.

I'm not a vegetarian, let alone a vegan. However I have it on good advice that it is probably a good thing to cut down on animal protein consumption anyway.

[kittykitty]

27. Watch "Food Inc.". You'll become a Vegan! n/t

[sendero]

29. I'm a committed meat eater.

... but I'm starting to crack. My wife has been vegan for years (health reasons) and I occasionally sample her offerings but have been generally underwhelmed although you can do some pretty impressive stuff with bean, chickpeas and seitan.

I watched some of a documentary with her on the health effects of eating meat and I have to admit it was pretty compelling.

I'm not ready for the full vegan trip but as of now I am eating half of my meals as vegan. I have already lost a couple pounds I've wanted to lose for years and while I don't know if I can ever go full vegan, I'm cutting 50%-75% of the meat out of my diet for sure.

[K8-EEE]

45. I think that's great - if people just cut BACK, it's so much better than

surrendering your health to "the typical American diet." Our modern diet (fast food etc) will absolutely make a person sick, fat and old before their time.

We have a carnivorous bbq every weekend and usually some leftovers from it, but the rest of the time, veggie all the way (although we do include cheese some of the time.)

The more meals I eat that are mostly legumes and vegetables, the better I feel.

[Mimosa]

98. I was vegetarian for 5 years from the time I was 25 to 30

I got weak. And yes, I cooked healthy, knew how to combine proteins, baked bread, made my own Greek yoghurt.

I loved making mussaka with eggplant, tomatoes, onions, chick peas. Tabbouleh. Irish steel cut oats. Ate dried fruits like apricots and dates. I had a pluperfect diet back then. We did OK, but I got weak.

[flvegan]

104. Which point were you trying to make?

"Go ahead. The Rich want you to eat like a medieval peasant. LOL

The rich are at the top of the food chain.

Eat grubs for protein. Scrapple. Chitlins. They'll be proud of you while they stay healthy and slim on GOOD BEEF, poultry and finer seafoods."

[sendero]

124. I'm not sure I get your point..

... perhaps you could elaborate.

I think the poster's point was that the "vegetarian" diet didn't work for him. There is no reason for that, a "vegetarian" diet is easy to make work - it's the vegan diet that requires a modicum of effort and study to get complete nutrition.

OTOH, my wife knows a "vegetarian" at work who lives on french fries and packaged cereal. There is no way to maintain long term health on that kind of food.

[undeterred]

144. Well, the main point of being a vegetarian is not only

to avoid meat but to actually eat vegetables, fruit, and grains. Doing this at restaurants is not so easy, but you can do it on your own without too much trouble.

[MineralMan]

37. Another way is to cut down on the amount of meat.

I like the flavor of meat. But, I don't need to eat as much of it to get that flavor. In many cultures, a small amount of meat, or fowl, or fish is used, and that's all that's needed. Instead of each person at the table eating an 8 oz pork chop, a meal can be built around a single pork chop for the entire table. It only requires that the pork chop be turned into thin strips or small pieces and used to add flavor to a meal. If there are four people, each ends up with 2 oz. of the 8 oz pork chop, along with the other ingredients in the meal.

The Chinese are superb at creating wonderful meals with only a little meat in them. A wok is a great tool.

It's not one thing or the other. There is a middle ground.

[flvegan]

74. Good post.

[MineralMan]

125. Thanks, flvegan. nt

[TheKentuckian]

39. Food is pretty damn frugal if you skip the meat and fresh produce.

[K8-EEE]

41. Agreed and soda is another huge waste of $$ IMO

It's terrible for your health, your teeth, creates tons of trash, it's just empty calories, making iced tea or lemonade is much cheaper and healthier.

Beans, lentils, eggs and cheese for us during the week. My 20 y/o daughter is a vegan and makes us such delicious dinners

[aikoaiko]

43. I don't mind eating vegan meals, but life without meat was boring.

when I tried it (with eggs and dairy).

[-..__...]

44. There's a solution for everything...

[TwilightGardener]

47. I wish I could. I eat less than I used to, but still like a roast chicken or

pot roast or beef tacos sometimes. Plus, I'm married and have two kids--they don't consider a meatless meal to be a meal.

[Arugula Latte]

48. Beans are great, and super versatile.

I love 'em. :9

[Odin2005]

49. I can get a steak for $1.70.

It's not the best quality beef, but putting it in the crockpot for a while tenderizes it nicely. :shrug:

[a simple pattern]

50. www.cookforgood.com got me started

with the beans and rice. the wheat bread recipe is great also. had to buy bread at the store one time in the last 2 years (power outage) and it tasted like cellulose and air.

[greyl]

51. Or, buy it from one of your local processors.

Many require you to buy the whole (butchered) animal, in which case going in on it with some neighbors and storing it in the freezer works out to be a great deal for everyone.

[Horse with no Name]

52. We have restructured our weekly meal plans and now

have beans 3 times a week.

The one thing to remember...they are MUCH healthier for you. I stumbled upon a very good bean dish that has a wonderful Italian flavor to it. I hope you try them and enjoy!


First, I took 4 cups water, 4 tsp chicken bouillon, 3 tsp salt and 2 tbsp of pepper, 1 small onion, 2 carrots, and 1/2 cup celery and brought it to a boil on the stove and let it simmer about an hour. You can also just substitute your favorite chicken stock--but I prefer the other.

I then dropped a bag of dry cranberry beans in the crockpot, added the liquid, a bay leaf and some fresh parsley and cooked on high for 4 hours.

Oh my goodness! Now these are BEANS! They are wonderful! A little bit nutty, a little aromatic, with a subtle Italian flavor. I serve these with a sidedish of Orzo with garlic and butter!

I promise you--this meal never leaves you missing the meat!

[apocalypsehow]

56. That pork chop in your OP is making me HUUUUUUUNGRY!

:9

[SoDesuKa]

65. Good Looking Port Chop

I see a lot of sugar treats that I'd like to eat, but I just set the thought aside. Somebody posted a pic of a cupcake here last week that I'm still dreaming about.



No longer on the menu.

[Capitalocracy]

57. Haven't eaten meat for years. Still poor, though.

But I have a revenue problem, not a spending problem.

[sarcasmo]

58. Beans rule minus the side effects.

Stinky farts.

[SoDesuKa]

61. Beans Beans

I remember this from when I was a child:

Beans beans, they're good for your heart
Beans beans, they make you fart
The more you fart the better you feel
So eat your beans at every meal

[Tsiyu]

70. Ours was similar:

"Beans, beans, the wonderful fruit

make your pants go rooty toot toot."


I, too have stopped eating a lot of meat, BTW. I try to get the natural chicken (hormone-free), eat eggs, pasta with cheese, non-meat chili, rice and legumes, etc. And I LOVE a kale salad with a bit of feta and some sunflower seeds. :P

My Seventh Day ADventist neighbors are all vegan, and they are very healthy, active peeps. I'm not ready to join them completely. but they make sense.

"I'd buy meat from a farmer who raised his animals the right way," said one of my neighbors. "But if you look at modern ways of raising and processing meat, we just can't be a part of that."

[closeupready]

64. That typically happens when they aren't soaked in water enough.

You really need to soak them overnight in a pan of water.

[Name removed]

62. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[closeupready]

63. I'm glad you've found a way to adapt, but I need meat in my diet.

I get anemic without it, and I have tried vegetarian in the past. Just can't do it.

K&R

[K8-EEE]

67. I eat meat, but I don't believe you get anemic without it

I know too many EXTREMELY healthy vegans for that to be the case. It's a question of having an adequate varied vegetarian diet. I don't think anybody has ever been one hamburger away from having good health!

[Capitalocracy]

68. I think some people have a tendency to become anemic

I've been a vegetarian for years and I always have massive unnatural amounts of iron for some reason, but for some people it's inherently harder. And for those people, I'd much rather see them eat a steak than get an iron injection (from what I've heard RATHER unpleasant).

Those people can be vegetarians, but they have to be extra conscious of what they eat. For me it's easy, I just eat whatever that doesn't have meat in it and I'm good to go.

And yes, btw, vegetarians can be fat too... living proof

[K8-EEE]

83. Beans + cast iron cookware maybe but my hub was borderline anemic eating way more meat

He still eats meat on occasional lunches and at our weekly bbq but his anemia has actually improved since he's been on an anti-cholesterol diet shooting for vegetarian 70% of the time. And my Dr. writes "outstanding!" on my blood work but I know a lot of that is just luck/genes.

[shockra]

105. Celiac Disease can cause anemia.

Within 6 months of going vegan I had real problems. Luckily I'd read something about gluten so tried cutting that out. After giving up meat I'd been eating way more bread, grains and things made with gluten like veggie burgers and seitan (pure wheat gluten). So that really aggravated some health issues.

Last year I ran across someone on another board who was vegetarian and her doctor told her to eat meat because she was becoming anemic. I posted an article about Celiac causing anemia and she replied that her sister had tested positive for Celiac and so she would look into getting tested too! Surprised me how little convincing it took, LOL.

Celiac is hereditary. My mom and sister are gluten-free now and my grandmother who died too young had classic symptoms like bloated belly and bread cravings. She was also of Native American descent. I wonder if there's a higher incidence with Native American genes. My cousins on my mother's side have health issues that look related to my eyes, but getting them to change their Southern Cooking habits in their 50's and 60's would not be at all easy.

[closeupready]

130. Thank you for that. I may have my doctor check for that.

I just have never been able to go vegetarian.

[RebelOne]

69. Yup, I am a vegetarian and save a bundle on food. n/t

[Puzzledtraveller]

71. no kidding

I stil get what I can, I pick the bargain meat bin, I know when they put them out but, yeah, crazy expensive now. Especially pork like you say, not certain why pork vs other meat. Ground turkey is good as it's usually considerably less.

[varelse]

72. K&R

Even reducing the amount you consume will help.

[LWolf]

73. I like beans.

I eat more beans than meat.

I still eat chicken, salmon, or buffalo, in very small portion sizes, a couple of times a week, and I still eat the eggs my hens lay.

[flvegan]

75. Without eating meat, you'll become a pale, pathetic weakling.

Plus, you have those massive canine teeth for a reason.

And, bacon.

[undeterred]

85. Bacon, the gateway drug.

Why'd you have to bring that up..

:banghead:

[avaistheone1]

111. Not true.

[Ignis]

118. He's kidding. The username is a tip-off.

[pinboy3niner]

120. Bacon? "...from my cold, dead hands!" :) nt

[Codeine]

135. Top of the food chain. Indian word for bad hunter.

People for Eating Tasty Etc.

[Mimosa]

76. Go ahead. The Rich want you to eat like a medieval peasant. LOL

The rich are at the top of the food chain.

Eat grubs for protein. Scrapple. Chitlins. They'll be proud of you while they stay healthy and slim on GOOD BEEF, poultry and finer seafoods.

[Zanzoobar]

86. What is the point of your post?

The topic was how to save money. A person might save money by not eating certain meats, or preparing foods which use only flavoring from meat.

One might consider it without introducing political rhetoric.

:)

Yes, I, know...

[Mimosa]

89. Actually my point is less political than you imagine.

I'm not being snarky. As a Native American I've got genes now proven to have developed from millenia of feast or famine hunter gatherer diets. So people with Native American genes get fat easier on carbs.

Right wing nuts make fun of poor black people for being fat. (Like after Katrina, when I read a couple of years worth of comments making fun of NOLA's poor) They say if they were going hungry they wouldn't be fat. Well, I was attempting to point out that the richest people in America can AFFORD to eat all the right things. Do you 'get it'???

[catrose]

91. Obesity used to be recognized as a sign of malnutrition

[Mimosa]

93. I didn't know that.

Interesting.

[flvegan]

94. (facepalm)

Nutritional FAIL.

[avaistheone1]

110. Even Thomas Jefferson knew that meat should be treated as a condiment.

You can stay slim on other quality foods including complex carbs, and non-meat sources of protein. Even the elite has learned that much nowadays.

[Codeine]

137. I was going to write a witty retort to this

but the wizened muscles in my anemic, vegan hands couldn't make the keyboard work and my protein-starved brain couldn't remember what I was going on about anyway.

I hate DU when nutrition threads come up. . .

[rucky]

79. That photo is not doing much to convince me.

It looks delicious.

[Akoto]

80. On a disability budget, I practically live on chicken.

Don't know what I'd do without it! I buy it in bulk and freeze it, so the cost is quite doable.

I have digestive issues which makes being a vegetarian impossible (or at least, quite agonizing) for me.

[Kaleva]

87. I've seen boneless chicken breats for a $1.47 a pound.

I bought several packages!

[Kaleva]

81. Couponing has cut our food bill by at least a third and sometimes by half

For example:

Sara Lee bread is on sale at a local store for $1.99. I have coupons that when you buy 1 load of Sara Lee bread, $1.00 will be deducted off the price of a gallon of milk. A gallon of milk is $1.99 with the in store coupons I have for that. So, I can get a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk for $2.98.

Cheerios is also on sale for 4 boxes for $10.00. I have coupons that reduce that cost to $8.00 plus another coupon that says when one buys 4 boxes of General Mills cereal, you'll get a free gallon of milk.

So, this is what I can get for $10.98:

2 gallons of milk
4 boxes of Cheerios
1 load of Sara Lee bread

As for meat, which is pricey, watching the sales and combining coupons helps there too. I have coupons for when one buys two packages of Kraft cheese singles, $1.00 is deducted from the price of hamburger purchased. I'll combine that with the in-store coupon that says the 1st pound of hamburger is free. And I'll add that to the coupons I have that deduct $1.00 off the price of two bottles of 2-liter Pepsi when one purchases hamburger and Pepsi is on sale for .88 cents a bottle with the in store coupon.

Packages of Kraft cheese is $2.99 a pack and 85% lean is on sale for $2.79 a pound and that comes in 3 lb. Family Packs. Thus for $11.33 plus .20 cents for deposit, I'll get:

2 packages of Kraft singles cheese
3 lbs. of 85% lean hamburger
2 2 liter bottles of Pepsi.

Add the two together and for $22.31, one gets the following:

2 gallons of milk
4 boxes of Cheerios
1 loaf of Sara Lee bread
2 packages of Kraft singles cheese
3 lbs. of 85% lean hamburger
2 2 liter bottles of Pepsi.

[fizzgig]

82. i only buy meat when it's on sale

i can get three meals worth of chicken breasts or pork chops for less than ten bucks if i buy the family packs when they go on sale. i just bag them up and toss them in the freezer.

we're mostly vegetarian because we're pretty broke

[JoeyT]

84. How to Save Money: Soup.

Soup is fricking awesome.

For about 2 bucks worth of ingredients and some of the stuff out of my garden, I can make 2-3 gallons at a time.

[Mimosa]

92. Shop ethnic markets (Hispanic/Asian) instead of chain grocers to save money + MORE help

Anybody who has a car, please try to locate Hispanic and/or Asian markets. Super H/Mart, Assi, Route 99 and some independents in cities have good fresh produce, poultry, meats, stapleas at FAR LOWER prices.

Familiarize yourself with cooking techniques including braising and stir-fying.

Invest in a restaurant quality meat tenderizer like a Deni. You will be able to buy the cheapest cuts and have your recipes come out tender and tasty! If you buy the Deni meat tenderizer -also available on QVC- you'll be thanking me for the suggestion. Restaurants use these.

http://www.amazon.com/Deni-MT45-Meat-Tenderizer-Blade/dp/B002R0FRHC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319941753&sr=8-2

[Mimosa]

96. Aid for tenderizing cheaper cuts of meats as well as the big tough poultry now common.

Restaurants use a 'Deni' meat tenderizer. Check the 5 star reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/Deni-MT45-Meat-Tenderizer-Blade/dp/B002R0FRHC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1319941753&sr=8-2

THE best gadget we ever bought (also available at QVC). It's compact, solidly built, easily washable.



I've got this model which has a protective clear cup in which I can swish, soak and clean it:

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.K8232.desc.Deni-56Blade-Meat-Tenderizer

[Liberal_in_LA]

99. nuts, tofu and other stuff also

[laundry_queen]

100. We've drastically cut back our meat consumption

I now try to use meat for flavouring (ie stir fries, soups) and when the meal centers around meat I make sure it's a cheap cut cooked well (ie crock pot to tenderize). We only have meat probably twice a week now and one of those times is usually a family dinner at my parents' house. Beef is even more rare. Ground beef is pretty much the only kind we use unless the other cuts go on deep discount or my parents clean out their freezer. And I've now started to add the fake soy ground beef TO whatever ground beef I have so I use less of it in each recipe. My kids can't even tell the difference.

Instead of meat we do things like spaghetti with a chunky sauce filled with cheap veggies like onions and mushrooms (I'll saute veggies and add the jarred sauce), or we have a good vegan recipe for a mushroom/asparagus risotto (we cheat and add some parmesan occasionally). Another favorite is rice burritos which my kids love. I often make indian food, like dahl and roti or chickpea curry. I buy ready-made palak paneer for $1 and a little goes a long way. I can't say the kids care for indian food though. My kids don't like meat on their pizza, so we buy frozen cheese ones and add veggies, or if the 'gourmet' stuff is mega on sale, we buy the veggie kind. I've recently experimented with making thai food and putting in eggs or potatoes instead of meat.

I'm really lucky in that our local grocery store usually has a really really deep discount on at least once cut of meat a week. Last week it was a beef round roast for 70% off. It was still $10 for a large roast, so I will cut it in half and have a small roast one day and stew the next. The week before it was cut up chicken parts. I got a few bags, each bag had 2 breasts, back still attached, and 3 or 4 drumsticks with thighs still attached. Each bag was $3-5. One bag makes a buttload of soup with tons of chicken in it that lasts for DAYS. Or I'll separate the pieces myself and cook my grandmother's old hungarian chicken paprika recipe. Again, that lasts at least 2 days for my family of 5. I make sure we have large amounts of side dishes when we have meat. We'll have lots of potatoes and veggies, or rice and veggies and often salad or coleslaw (again, our store has their own brand that is cheapcheapcheap, like $1 a bag). And sometimes we have homemade buns or bread with them (or I'll get the giant bag of buns at Costco for $5 and keep it in the freezer taking out a few at a time). So our local grocery store has really helped by having those 60-70% off specials.

I've cut down on our cheese consumption too, since our cheese here in Canada is so expensive. The name brand packages have gotten so small, it's hilarious. You can't even cut a slice wide enough to cover your cracker anymore. So I never buy name brand. I buy store brand nearly all the time. It's still too expensive.

As for beans - my kids hate them. I've tried numerous recipes and my kids just won't eat them once they taste the beans. I've even tried homemade refried beans spread thinly on the tortilla in the rice burritos, and covered it in sour cream & salsa, and my kids knew right away I added something different. So I'll take any and all bean ideas and recipes right here :)

[LeftyMom]

101. Seitan is damned cheap if you learn to DIY.

A pound of powdered vital wheat gluten is about $4, add another buck or two in spices, prepare it and you wind up with pounds and pounds (honestly I don't know how much, exactly, but enough to freeze and make quite a few meals) worth of damned near pure protein. You can adjust the seasonings and texture to most any need.

I make some when I have a little spare time and split it up into freezer bags for later. Some shaped into cutlets, some chopped up into bite-sized pieces for casseroles or stews, etc.

[Mimosa]

107. Some people are allergic to wheat gluten

I have 2 friends with asthma who are allergic to wheat gluten.

Info:

http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2001/december/gluten.htm

[yewberry]

114. Some people are allergic to peanuts.

Some people are allergic to shellfish. Some people are allergic to kiwis. I myself am lactose intolerant.


There are always going to be some people for whom a particular suggestion will be inappropriate. I hardly think LM was suggesting that people who are sensitive to gluten should make their own seitan, but that doesn't make it a bad idea for the rest of us.

[LeftyMom]

122. Most people aren't.

:shrug: Yeah, I know, gluten sensitivity sucks. But it's a good option for the sizable majority of people who can eat it. If somebody posts a suggestion for using bananas, I don't post about my weird banana allergy. :shrug:

[Ignis]

119. Praise Seitan!

No, really. It's awesome, and awesomely cheap.

I love flavoring mine with Jamaican jerk seasoning. :D

[pinboy3niner]

131. AHA! Another devil worshipper

We know that you supplement your no-meat diet with the flesh of fresh-killed babies!

BACON, BACON, BACON!1!!

:evilgrin:

[Ignis]

146. We vegans only eat bacon from HUMAN babies.

Because we all love animals more than humans.

...Or so we hear often on DU. ;)

[crikkett]

138. You gotta be careful about Seitan. Remember the poisoned pet food scandal?

The pet food that killed so many cats and dogs a couple of years ago was wheat gluten contaminated with melamine (plastic shavings).

So yeah, DIY and know your source.

[LeftyMom]

147. Actually, you don't.

The contaminated stuff wasn't wheat gluten, it was wheat flour (which is much cheaper) with melamine added to mimic the protein content of wheat gluten in some chemical test. Water and gluten makes seitan. Water and flour makes glue. You can't possibly confuse the two in this application.

[Codeine]

143. I should make seitan riblets tonight.

The kids love 'em.

[avaistheone1]

112. Meat eaters have a hell of lot more cancers,

Studies both in the US as well in Europe demonstrate that vegetarians have 40% fewers cancers than meat eaters.

[slackmaster]

140. Studies have shown that Internet posts making wild claims about things that unspecified studies...

...have shown, are often exaggerations.

[TorchTheWitch]

115. I've never been able to afford such a luxury

Then again, I've also not ever been particularly fond of meat anyway. Mostly because I'm a really bad cook. Ok, and because I hate touching raw meat... grosses me out. The less meat looks like flesh the more I'll be willing to eat it. I do hot dogs or tuna in a can, but that's about it.

[Dover]

116. Another good reason to stop eating meat

Use of antibiotics is on the rise again:

Public health advocates are renewing their push for stronger restrictions on antibiotics in food production after a Pew Health Group analysis of federal data found that their use was up 6.7 percent in 2010.

The latest Food and Drug Administration survey, released late Friday, found that the overall amount of antibiotics used in food production was 13.9 million kilograms (30.6 million pounds) in 2010, according to Pew. That's up from 13.1 million kilograms (28.8 million pounds) in 2009.

Excluding ionophores, which are used exclusively on animals, the increase was 8.6 percent - from 9.3 million kilograms in 2009 to 10.1 million kilograms in 2010.

..//..

"This report confirms what we already know: Industrial farms are using antibiotics on a massive scale that far exceeds what doctors are using to treat sick people," said Laura Rogers, project director for the Pew Campaign on Human Health and Industrial Farming. "As a result, infections are becoming more difficult and expensive to treat. The time for the Administration to protect our health is long overdue."

cont'd

http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/food-safety/190557-rising-farm-use-of-antibiotics-prompts-renewed-push-for-federal-restrictions

[Major Hogwash]

127. And you can stop driving to save even more money.

You can't believe how much money you can save when you stop buying gas, or getting the oil changed, or paying for auto insurance.

[Motown_Johnny]

128. Legumes don't actually have a complete protein,

only soy, spirulina, hemp seed, amaranth, buckwheat, and quinoa do (unless you want to talk about animal products, they all contain complete proteins).



Legumes are thought to be a good source of protein because the essential amino acid they are missing is one that is present in most other vegetable products. This way if you eat legumes with almost any other food you ingest all the essential amino acids you need for your body to construct a complete protein.

The accepted term for this is "Mutual Supplementation".


http://nutrihealth.in/health/mutual-supplementation-vegetarians-get-their-protein-this-way/

^snip^

To receive a balanced distribution of essential amino acids, mutual supplementation is a nutritional strategy in which vegetable foods with low contents of amino acids (cereals, for example) are eaten together with a food that is high in that same amino acid (for example pulses or legumes). When 2 or more incomplete proteins are eaten, they complete each others deficiency, This applies to vegetarian proteins not to animal proteins.Dairy protein is high quality protein and does not need to be combined.

[crikkett]

134. there's more than protein in meat. So remember mushrooms and nuts

and avoid too much soy - it's an estrogen mimic.

[swilton]

139. I've done the same thing SoDesuKa!

Beans and nuts are nutritious sources of protein and are also loaded with anti-oxidants....and when I do buy meat, I try my utmost to buy only local and try to use everything....I'm finding that during the summer months, most meat is too heavy anyway. And today, a cold winter day in New England, I'm doing a roast chicken - but its broth will make soups that will last me for weeks.....Another good meat extender is a ham hock which is great in bean soups. Many local farmers who raise meat argue that part of their compassionate ethic is not only to raise the animal with compassion but when they do slaughter it, not to waste any of its products - if the meat portions can't be consumed they can be composted.

[slackmaster]

141. Age-related changes have caused me to eat less meat naturally

I buy most of my meat at Costco and make good use of my freezer.

[Bluenorthwest]

142. No rise in price on my local organic meats...so that issue is moot to me

As are the factory farm issues, which remain in a commercial veg diet, factory farms are not just meat ranches. Some of the vegans I know have the most amoral diets of all, because food issues include land,water and labor issues, energy use issues, far more than 'what I don't eat'. Urban people who import too much and use underpaid labor to produce it do not impress me by being 'vegan' if that is their only standard.