We took our second trip to P.A. Bowen Farm in Brandywine, MD yesterday - this time budgeted and after planning our meals (more or less) for the entire month, so that we could buy our month's worth of meat on one trip.
Our cost - and we got a lot of good stuff - was right around $180.00 for the month. I'm mentally adding some salmon we've got planned (which they don't sell) and rounding that up to $200 for meat. We also have a couple items already in the freezer that will be used.
But that brings our meat expense - for strictly high nutrient grass-fed, well treated meats - to about $50 a week for the two of us, making it about $25 for each person... or just a tad over $3 a day, less than half a so-called fast food 'value meal' with no nutritional value whatsoever.
We also have a few splurgy items in there - something that could be adjusted during a month where we needed cut back. As I've learned to really wrap my head around the huge difference between grassfed beef, quality local pork and poultry, I've really come to see that it is much more frugal to pay $20 for a good roast that will make multiple meals than it would be to - as I would have in my bad old days - spent that same amount on convenience foods and non-nutritious filler designed to make my family feel full - but not nourished.
We eat much LESS when our food is full of nutrients, and stay satisfied much longer. I used to say I couldn't afford to eat this way ... now I have come to see that we can't afford not to. The junk we no longer buy makes up for the higher cost of what we do buy.
Here's whats on the grain-free menu this week:
Sunday, Feb 3
White German bratwursts with mustard
Roasted Sweet Potato Fries
Salad
Sliced Pears
Monday, Feb 4
Take out chicken and shrimp salads from Dogfish Head Ale Brewery.
(too tired to cook)
Tuesday, Feb 5
"Reuben" Cabbage Rolls
Also: make laundry detergent
Wednesday, Feb 6
Salad
Butternut Beef Curry Soup
Thursday, Feb 7
Leftovers/Fend for Selves
Also: pour candles.
Friday, Feb 8
Spaghetti Squash with Meat Sauce
Paleo Bread, Toasted with Garlic Butter
Saturday, Feb 9
Leftovers
Salad
Shared with: {Gluten Free} Weekly Menu. Menu Plan Monday.
Everything looks good, especially that butternut beef curry soup! It really IS hard to eat well on a budget. There are 5 of us and I shudder to think what we spend on meat every month!
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