i grew up in LA.
we were not
the
farmers market
shopping,
canvas bag
toting,
family biking
type of family.
it surprises me
when i think
back on it...
my mom was
from germany
and gravitated
towards
those things.
she always
stopped at
the roadside
stands on the coast
for strawberries
& green beans
wrapped neatly
in
white butcher paper.
she bought
pasta and cheese
at the italian grocer
who flirted
with
my soft-spoken,
red-headed mother
who always had
at least
2 kids in tow.
i care
an awful lot
about what
i eat.
although
i am not
the chef
of the house,
grub and i
are always
trying
to buy (& grow)
all organic,
local produce.
grub and i
had
a long discussion
(which
i continued
the next day
with
my knitting group)
about
a blog that
he read
which has
received a lot
of press
called
$5 dinners.
we couldn't get
over how
much praise
she was getting
for making
cheap dinners
with little regard
(nutrition is mentioned)
to the
quality of food
she was
feeding
her children.
now,
i totally understand
that many families
need to
cut costs
during these
tough economic times.
but there is
a cost/benefit
depending on
where you decide to cut.
i couldn't find
on $5 dinners
where she usually
buys her food
but if she is
buying
most things
on sale
or
with a coupon
at prices,
such as
chicken breasts, sliced ($1.66)
is this really
the meat
you want
to feed
your kid?
certainly
you pay a price
for buying cheap.
how can feeding
the cheapest
quality food
to kids
(or yourself)
be the best way
to cut cost?
yet americans
will
cut food costs
before
they cut cable
(also here).
my point
is not
to criticize
this woman
for trying
to keep
costs down
but
rather
to question
why cost
is the most
important
consideration.
i would
argue
for
cutting
cable,
your second car,
unlimited texting
on your mobile
but
not
sacrificing
the
quality
of food.
or
as grub
put it,
the sacrifice
on $5dinners talks about
is only temporary...
real sacrifice
is sustainable...
it has to be
or we (or our children)
will wind up
here again.
xo
