Making some changes

I want to write a little about how I am making the changes that I wrote about in my last post. First, I have to tell you that this next month is actually the first month that I am taking such drastic measures to change the way we eat. I seriously thought that we ate so well before reading the "Nourishing Traditions" book, which in comparison to a lot of people, we do eat well! Then, I started reading the labels on the food in my kitchen. In my last post I wrote about finding MSG everywhere, like in my cream soups, enchilada sauce, blackened seasoning, taco seasoning...crazy. Then, you cannot even understand the complete disappointment I had when I found that my "healthy 100% whole wheat" bread that I have been buying for the last year has HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP as the SECOND ingredient. I searched and searched at the grocery store and finally found ONE brand that didn't have it in the bread. Now, my husband found some organic bread at Sam's Club that we love and is very reasonably priced! Although, as soon as I can fork over the dough to buy a Bosch Universal Mixer and a Nutrimill, I am going to mill my own grain and make my own bread! It really, really will save my family of 6 some money in the long run. These boys already eat so much!! I also found that high fructose corn syrup is in most spaghetti sauces, so now I buy a 3-pack of organic sauce at Sam's Club that is really yummy and very affordable. It's also in ketchup and salad dressings.

The raw milk that I started buying a couple of months ago is from a dairy nearby and is only$3.75 a gallon (Braum's is $3.89). I also buy cream (for my coffee and to make butter) and cheese from there. The cheese is so good! It is about $12 for 2 pounds. From the milk, I have made my yogurt, cream cheese, and whey!

Right now, we really just eat a lot of chicken and fish with rice or pasta (whole grain) and a veggie. Last night, for example, we had baked chicken (cooked right from frozen) and instant mashed potatoes and carrot sticks with ranch dressing. Well, the chicken wasn’t organic; it was “natural”. I don’t even know about the instant potatoes, and the carrot sticks are organic but definitely not the ranch. I have just decided to use up what we already have in the pantry and refrigerator, and then as I have to buy more, I’ll buy the better-for-you stuff. With some exceptions though, I am getting rid of the msg-ridden things in my pantry!

Anyway, I am planning my menu this week for next month, so I’ll see how it goes! I'll post my menu and then let you know how I did budget-wise! One thing that has been cool is finding so many blogs that are written by ladies like me who are definitely on a budget and striving to be healthy! I have made a new link list on the right side to these sites.

Oh, and the making-my-own cleaners is WAY cheaper than already made stuff!

Please let me know if you have any questions!!