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Food

Eating good, cheap, and gluten free

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When I started this blog, my idea was to figure out how to eat good gluten free food on a slim budget.  Then I got back from the grocery store the other day with an expensive pile of gourmet grub and I realized just as soon as I had an opportunity I was spending as much as I could on steaks, fruit, wine, and fresh veggies.

So before I completely forget, here are some of the foods that got me through the times when I couldn’t afford such luxuries at the grocery store:

  • Rice is a great choice for a lot of reasons.  For a starchy food, it is also pretty good for ya.  In addition to that, it stores well for long periods of time and cooks easily.  Did I mention you can get giant bags of the stuff for next to nothing?  It can be bland on its own, but a little bit of salt, butter, soy sauce, or sesame oil does wonders for making it taste great.
  • Beans are a great, cheap way to get some protein and iron.  Mix them up with the rice and you’ve got a classic dish that is well balanced for taste and nutrition.
  • Eggs are the closest you’re going to get to meat though, without completely breaking the bank.  Eggs rich in omega-3 fatty acids can be a little more expensive, but they still deliver a great amount of protein and essential fats for a couple of bucks.
  • Milk isn’t exactly the cheapest stuff in the world, but if you’re able to tolerate lactose, it is really pretty good to have around.  It is well balanced between sugar, fat, and protein, and it is heavy on calcium & vitamin d (assuming it is fortified).   What is really great about milk is that it is one of the most balanced whole foods you can eat without any kind of preparation.  When you’re hungry and don’t want to cook, a glass or two of whole milk can be pretty satisfying.
  • Onions and peppers can vary wildly in price through the year, but when they’re cheap they’re a great way to add fresh vegetables to your eggs and rice.
  • Tea is probably going to be the best drink around in a rock bottom price range.  A box of 100 bags is available for the price of a soda bottle, but instead of processed sugars you get some antioxidants.  It is also enjoyable hot or cold, so it is a drink that can stick with you through the year.

While it might not be the world’s most exciting diet, it is a pretty healthy one that remains both cheap and completely gluten free.  It can be expensive to rely on meat for every meal, but it is definitely a great treat to mix up the routine and on special occasions.

Food

Wal-mart says healthier, but they mean less

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Wal-mart is making headlines today with a big press blitz claiming they’ll deliver healthier foods at a lower price.  Call me skeptical, but that seems to be the opposite of what is actually happening in their stores.

A few years ago, they got proactive about checking for gluten in their generic brand products.  However, in the last few months they’ve simply slapped the “maybe it does or doesn’t have allergens” label on just about everything they make.  Instead of keeping strict records of what goes in to their food, they’d rather be covered from a legal sense.

The next big disappointment was in the beef section.  I eat a lot of cow, so I noticed right away when the USDA Select steaks were replaced by “SteakHouse Brand” shreds.  These things weren’t much to start with, and they’ve been butchered in the worst way.  Unfortunately, they’re still just as expensive as the USDA Choice steaks you can get cut properly from most of your other local grocers.  A New York Strip that looked like cube steak was selling at $8 per pound, so anyone who thinks they’re getting a good deal on such an inferior piece of beef is really being taken for a ride.

Another possibility is that Wal-mart will cut the size of their products and the recommended serving.  For corporate profits, this is the best way to make food “cheaper and healthier” in an inflationary environment.  Sound too bold to actually be pulled off?  The White House and a few of the corporate giants have recently been congratulating themselves about this very thing.

Mrs. Obama has won pledges from companies including General Mills Inc., Kraft Foods Inc. and PepsiCo Inc. to reduce calories by changing recipes or cutting portion sizes.

Still, Wal-mart should at least be commended for a few of their efforts.  They’ve done very well recently in working with local farmers, and this means fresh & seasonal veggies as close as the nearest Wally World.  The selection and price for produce is as good as any grocery, but you may want to double check your selection because it seems like their quality control might not be as strict.

And they’ve even taken on what could be an impossible task:  making processed and pre-packaged foods healthier.  While we don’t know what goes on behind closed doors, Wal-mart claims they’re trying to use their purchasing volume leverage to reduce the salt and trans-fats in prepackaged foods.  Obviously, Americans need to eat less salt and hydrogenated fat, but can preserved grub really be made healthy while retaining enough “taste” to sell?

Food

Eat Well, Eat Cheap

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Here’s an example of what I got on my last trip to the grocery store. Just because you can’t eat gluten and don’t have much money to spend on food doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy healthy and delicious meals:

3/4 lb lean steak – $3.50
1 lb 93/7 ground beef – $3
1 lb asparagus – $2.50
2 lb broccoli – $3.25
2 boxes Chex – $6.30
1.5 lb muscadines – $4
1 gallon milk – $2.50
8 oz mozorella – $2

That’s about $6.50 for meat, $6.50 for green veggies, and $6.50 for grains. Dairy and fruits are about $4 each.

This will last me a week in addition to some things that are left over. Eggs, coffee, sugar, butter, all those basics are pretty cheap and don’t have to be purchased every week.

Just make sure you’re stocked up on pepper, salt, garlic powder, and some basic herbs like oregano, thyme, and rosemary. From there, you can make a lot of delicious meals in no time, for low cost!

Right now, I’m sitting around, waiting for a few of those thin-sliced lean steaks to sear up a little bit. There’s also about a half pound of brocolli steaming next to it. Despite the steak and eggs I had for breakfast, and the multiple bowls of cereal in between, my body is ready for the next round of healthy foods and my energy levels are staying high.

Now, if I could just get a little more disciplined with exercise, I might actually resemble a healthy person! For all the years I ate gluten unknowingly, I never would have dreamed that I could feel this good again. Healthy food and a bit of physical activity just makes it even better.