Comments on: Our Healthy Eating Journey, Pt. 4

By: Heather

Heather — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:20:53 +0000

That is GREAT to know!! I am a brand new Air Force wife & I get to make my first trip to the commissary this weekend!!
YAY :)

By: Mona

Mona — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 01:55:08 +0000

This so weird. I think we are living the same life journey. I used to be a coupon queen too. I prided myself on getting things dirt cheap or free. I even bought bulk sets of coupons off of ebay. I would go to my double couple grocery store and come out with 10 free toothbrushes. It was so cool but like you, I bought unhealthy food. I justified it because it was so cheap or FREE! I think my local grocery store got rid of the double coupon thing because of me. Anyway, I am having a great time reading my story through your life. On to Part 5! :o)

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Thu, 06 May 2010 17:14:15 +0000

Sounds like you are making good progress in the food area. However, do be very aware that toxins are ever present and even more unregulated in personal care items than food. What you slather on your skin, hair, teeth, and nails is highly likely toxic. In the same way we are all learning how to nourish ourselves better with “real” food, we need to learn about the other products we use as well. Environmental Working Group has an amazing website, http://www.ewg.org that details what is in most of the personal care products we use. Go to the link on the right side of the page for the cosmetic data base (http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/) and start researching by category (toothpaste, baby wipes) or brand of what you are using. Chances are you won’t use it anymore, even with a coupon deal! This site revolutionized the way I look at anything I put on/in my body or that of my children. Beware of even natural or organic products too. You have to learn to read labels very well to know what is or is not toxic. Just because the bottle says natural or organic doesn’t mean everything in it is safe. It’s taken me years to find safe products for my family that actually work and don’t break the bank, but the journey is more than worth taking. Happy searching!

By: Serenity

Serenity — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 15:27:25 +0000

Wow! There’s another Serenity out there! Just had to say hi!

By: Laura

Laura — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 21:04:58 +0000

Sometimes there’s a big sign on the front of the store saying, “DOUBLE COUPONS!” but yeah, you can just ask someone in the store. Most of the workers probably know.

By: Tia

Tia — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:35:19 +0000

How do you find out of the grocery stores in your area double coupons, other than walk in and ask if they do? :-)

By: Bethany

Bethany — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:03:46 +0000

I agree that most of the KYOOPONS these days are for processed, boxed, overly-sweetened foods. There aren’t many KYOOPNS for healthier foods unless you really look for them. Like someone else said, you might have to go to a company’s website and ask for coupons. I’ve gotten some mailed to me from organic/natural food companies and I really appreciate them. But I find that those and coupons for toiletries/household items are about all I use. I’ve started cooking and baking more of our foods myself. I think I also, like someone else mentioned, thrive off the feeling that I made something my family loved and it wasn’t very expensive. And the compliments help, too :)

By: Lois

Lois — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:30:35 +0000

I so agree with your couponing experience! The time spent clipping, filing, organizing and remembering them(!) was just not worth it to get packaged, processed food. Then I noticed that the expiration dates were much closer than they used to be, the fine print on what size you got, and what you had to buy to get a free something also made it a colossal waste of time. Even on health and beauty products, usually I could find something cheaper without the coupon.

It is also true that you can’t find coupons for healthy products. Fresh fruits and vegetables, dried beans (which are much cheaper than canned), never have coupons, and yet I am usually spending less on groceries that so-called coupon queens. I read about one lady who claimed to save $350 a month by clipping coupons. It made me wonder how much she was spending on groceries, since her alleged savings was greater than my grocery budget.

My BEST savings ever was in a military commissary. They had 40 pounds of bananas in a box, considered overripe, that they were selling for $2.00!!!!!!! I spent the next week dehydrating bananas, peeling and freezing those silly things. Every one who came to the house exclaimed, “I smell bananas!”

By: Serenity

Serenity — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 16:51:49 +0000

Colorado Springs is where I started couponing as well :) Although, we don’t care for many processed foods so I mainly used them for toiletries, diapers, wipes, paper products etc… I loved going to Safeway and having the friendly clerks ask me “would you like help out to your car Mrs. Summers?” For some reason they don’t do that at Wal-Mart, LOL! I miss Safeway!

By: zombiemommy

zombiemommy — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 03:22:16 +0000

Yes its true most of the coupon sales are for processed stuff. But that’s why the food bank/pantrys are THRILLED to get that stuff. Especially in this economy.

This month I have bought for my family with coupons, organic yogurt, canned tomatoes, no high fructose jam, pasta, cheese, coffee and hot sauce.

I do cook from scratch for most things (although organic bread from the bread store on dollar Mondays is nice), you can do it for cheap. I loved the Tightwad Gazette (building a price book was the best idea) . Learning to make casseroles and quiches w/leftovers. We make bread (soaked wheat) and pizza from scratch. The only thing I don’t make from scratch is tortillas (thats a little too much work for the price .89 cents vs an hour).

I would shop more at Costco because they have more organics flour etc.But make do wSams who is just around the corner. Organic spinach is 3.89 for 16oz,

We buy our grassfed cow in quantity from the farm for under 3 bucks a pound (for all cuts).
We buy free range eggs from a man for 2 bucks a dozen.
Get our organic coconut oil from the Farmers Market 64oz for 10.99!
I think we might start buying raw cheese shipped at 5 bucks a pound after I have learned some more about store brand cheeses.

God willing we will finally FINALLY grow a vegetable plot this year. I want to can… after reading about canned foods (bpa even in the steel cans).

I love the traditional foods website run by Kerry. She is starting a new program called Baby Steps to traditional foods (non processed foods). http://www.tfrecipes.com/forum/index.php

I pray to buy even less as time goes on, but couponing still works fabulously for health and beauty. Free vitamins, cheap toilet paper, cheap detergent, free shampoo and toothpaste and brushes.. Its a game really. And remember you can donate any extra toiletries to your shelter. check out the legacy project at the united way.