"She is like the merchant
ships, bringing her food from afar."
I have addressed this topic on here
before, but it is a season of my life where it bears revisiting. I thought it
would be fun to revisit it togetherJ The Proverbs 31
Woman brought her food from afar. I
really am not sure what that means in the context of the time in which she
lived. I know that putting food on the
table was hard work. It meant growing it
yourself or walking to the market and spending money, as wisely as possible, to
provide nourishing meals for the family.
What does that look like today?
Pretty much the same I suppose. We drive to the market rather than walk, and
we have many more options than she had.
I am pretty sure we have many more unhealthy options mostly. I could write a whole post about how you should
coupon, grow your own food, and make everything from scratch. However, I know for a FACT that is not always
possible. Some of you work outside of
the home full-time, which I did for over 10 years. Some of you, like me, still work a job at
home other than your regular home keeping and mothering duties. I was thinking it would be more helpful to
list some ideas, and you choose which ones work best for you and your family
during the season you are in right now.
Remember, the idea is to provide the most nourishing meals possible for
the least amount of money possible. Ready? Try some of these on for size.
·
Have
a stockpile of fast, not too bad for you meals that you can turn to on nights
when cooking is just not in the cards.
This could be for nights when practices, ball games, or working late
just do not allow for a full meal.
Pinterest is a great resource for these.
One of our favorites is grilled sandwiches with fruit or a salad.
·
Utilize
the crockpot. Again, there are tons of
resources available, but Pinterest really is great for this too.
·
If
you need to pick something up, try the deli at the supermarket. It is cheaper than a sit down restaurant and
much better for you than fast food. You
can buy an entrée and sides al carte, or sometimes the meat and three type
deals are enough for more than one person to eat from.
·
Do
consider gardening if you can find the time.
The Bundle of
the Week this week is all about how to do this frugally, in little space,
and efficiently. (I don't do this, but it has always been on my bucket list and
I am excited to read this bundle!)
·
Consider
a CSA. Community Supported Agriculture
(CSA) is something my husband and I are considering giving a try. The only thing holding me back is that I am
unsure exactly how well it will fit in our budget. My biggest eater, my son, is a struggle when
it comes to veggies anyway, and I don't want to have so much we can't finish. Look around for local ones and see if any
would be a good fit for your family. If you can't garden, this is a great
alternative, and we are leaning heavily towards giving it a try at least
once.
·
Cut
back on the amount junk food you keep at home.
If it isn't there they will not eat it.
You will save money and they will be forced to eat what is there (
hopefully healthier alternatives) or go hungry.
I have done this, and do not get me wrong. There is plenty of unpleasantness that goes
with it at first. This is especially
true of the first time the 8 year old does not have a selection of potato chips
to choose from for an afterschool snack.
(Yes, I am that mom. No, I never
said I was perfect, lol. )
· Coupon
and look at sales if you have time. If
you do not have time, don't sweat it or feel guilty. Do the best you can. Pay attention when you shop so you recognize
a good price with you see it, and make an effort to spend the least amount possible
on the best quality food possible. .
Do you guys have more tips for
us? Let us know more about your
"afar" in the comments or drop us a line on Facebook. Also, if you do utilize Pinterest, I would
love to have you join me here. One last thing, the Bundle of the Week link
above is my affiliate link. It costs you
nothing extra, and if you do purchase a bundle I get a small cut. If you are
not comfortable with that just go to bundleoftheweek.com
and check it out. They have a new bundle
each week, so be sure to sign up for emails.
Now, go find your "afar."
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