ALL ABOUT Why are food prices rising so high? Shopping on ... · using a template with only...
Transcript of ALL ABOUT Why are food prices rising so high? Shopping on ... · using a template with only...
A L L A B O U T
Shopping on a Budget
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Why are food prices rising so high?
• Oil is at a record-breaking price,andmostproducetravelsanaverageof1,500milestogettoagrocerystore.(Justanotherreasontoeatlocal!)
• Increased demand for cornforethanolproductionmeansthatthepriceofcornhasdoubledinthelastyear.(Let’shearitforgrassfedcows!)
• Increased demand for meatanddairyproductsfromourquicklygrowinganddevelopingworldpopulationmeansagreaterdemandforgrainfeed.(Eatyourveggies!)
• Organic farmers do not receivefederaltaxsubsidies,soorganicpricesreflectthetruecostofproducingfoodwhilepreservingourresources,land,andenvironmentforfuturegenerations.
TheUSDAguidetohealthy,thriftymealscanbefoundat:www.cnpp.usda.gov/USDAFoodPlansCostofFood.htm
Thanks to Liz McMann of Mississippi Market inSaint Paul, Minnesota for writing this brochure.
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Getting started
Make a realistic budget• Trackyourpurchasestogeta
baselinemeasurement.• Setagoaltomeetyourneeds.• Trysettingasideacashallowanceforyour
grocerypurchases.• CheckouttheUSDA’sfoodplansand
otherresourcesatwww.cnpp.usda.gov
Change your patterns at home• Washandprepveggiesandfruitsto
encourageusage.• Useafridgemessageboardtonote
perishableitems.• Cookstaplesinlargerbatchesfor
“planned-overs.”• Eattogetherasahouseholdtoreduceuse
ofconveniencefoods.
Plan before you shop• Donateexpiredorundesiredfooditems
fromyourkitchen.• Takeacupboardinventorybeforeplanning
mealsandshopping.• Planmealsaroundperishables.• Keeparunninggrocerylist(consider
usingatemplatewithonlynecessaryitemslisted—justcheckitemsoffasyourunout).
• Remembertopackyourgrocerybags,bulkjars,andeggcartons!
Shop wisely• Lookforsalesonitemsalreadyonyourlist.• Onlyusecouponsforitemsalready
onyourlist.• Beflexible—adaptrecipesfortheseason.• Focusonwhole,unrefined,andbulkfoods.• MindtheDirtyDozenwhenchoosing
organicvs.conventionalproduce.• Jointheco-opforadditionaldiscounts.
© 2010 National Cooperative
Grocers Association (NCGA)
Reevaluate your methods• Tryanyplanyoumakefortwomonths
beforeadjustingasneeded.• Keeptrackingyourspending!
Other things to consider• Askyourentirehouseholdtogetonboard
withthebudget.• Considerstartingagardentoproduce
someofyourownfood.• Considerreducingtheamount ofmoneyyouspend eatingout.
AccordingtotheEnvironmentalWorkingGroup,theseconventionalproduceitemshavethehighestconcentrationofpesticideresidue.
Fruits VegetablesApples BellpeppersCherries CarrotsGrapes(imported) CeleryNectarines KalePeaches LettucePearsStrawberries
ThislistcomesfromEWG’sratingofnearly43,000produceitemstestedforpesticidesbetween2000and2005.Afulllistisavailableat www.foodnews.org
T h e D I RT y D O z e n
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