How to Stretch Food because prices will go up six percent

abcnews4.com...

Economists at Goldman Sachs say they think food prices at grocery stored will go up five to six percent this year.

After what I’ve read and heard this morning, my guess is that food prices will go up much more. It’s not only food that is going up it is fertilizer.
So instead of beating a dead horse on how crazy prices are let’s talk about what we can do about it.
BTW, if you haven’t read about the Great Depression. Now is a good time. Read about who did well and who didn’t. Read about how people “made do”. I find it interesting that it was one of the most depressed times in American history, yet that is when the most colorful fabrics were printed, some of the most delicious foods were made. It’s all about perspective!

Back to food. For those of us that have been broke, poor, etc at one point or another in our lives, we knew how to stretch food. Let’s help others that maybe haven’t had to go through it. I think we are all going to go through it soon.

Oatmeal is a great meat extended. If you blend it just a bit it is completely indiscernible in ground beef. Speaking of ground beef. Make your own!! A good food processor will whip up ground beef fast.

Look at other cultures and how they stretch food. Normally meat is not the main dish, it is used more as a seasoning and vegetables are the main dish. For example many Asian dishes have a very salted meat, that you eat with vegetables, rice and other pickled dishes. The meat portion is very small. This can be easily done in American dishes, make stews with lots of vegetables. Make pasta or rice dishes with just a bit of meat.
During the depression small pieces of meat were added to gravy and severed over bread, rice or potatoes.

I remember a friend that was from Jamaica. She told me how her friend could make a feast out of one little chicken leg. Again, meat is used for flavor not for filling.

If you are going to garden, think beyond growing just tomatoes and peppers. Think about things that are easily stored with lots of nutrients. Shelling beans, grains. Not all grains are like wheat. Crops like Amaranth are nice to look at and edible and easily storable.

Spices!! Spices are one area that really got hit hard during the pandemic in our area. Did you know that almost any commercial mix you find is super easy to make at home. Here is a link with some of the basics. It would also be easy to grow herbs and dry them well and use then in these mixes.
HERE

If you don’t want to give up beef but want to save a little. The best absolute way is to butcher larger cuts yourself.
I recently purchased a huge tenderloin. I butchered it into many different meals. Same with Chicken, one of the best skills you can learn is to cut up a whole chicken. I know some of our members can easily do this, but I’m amazed at how many young people don’t even like to touch it.

Back to the Great Depression, one common thing was that nothing, and I mean nothing was thrown away or wasted. Even eggshells were used. You can compost them, or dry them and grind them up to put in dog food or as a supplement. The peel and scraps of veggies were used for stock.
I know I’m guilty of wasting a lot of food and it’s not a bad thing for all of us to stop that.

So please, share your food tips, you really don’t know who you might be helping.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I'll tell you what we can do about it... Get the left and the RINOs as far away from Congress and government as possible and replaced as fast as possible. I have plenty of non-perishable food stocked up and game that wanders onto my property, but people shouldn't have to live like it's the 19th Century.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Mixing oatmeal with meat? Is that some sort of even more disgusting version of Hamburger Helper?

As for not tossing things, that's what I typically do. I debone my own cuts and make stock with the bones. Veggie scraps go either in the compost, used in stocks/soups or mixed in with the dog food depending on what they are. I use the freezer for storing soups, stocks and reductions that I use for meal prep. Stale bread gets turned into bread crumbs. Extra harvest from the garden gets pickled/preserved and I also do some local foraging.

originally posted by: LSU2018
a reply to: JAGStorm

I'll tell you what we can do about it... Get the left and the RINOs as far away from Congress and government as possible and replaced as fast as possible. I have plenty of non-perishable food stocked up and game that wanders onto my property, but people shouldn't have to live like it's the 19th Century.

I just finished reading a book called Mary Chestnuts Diary. It took place during the civil war. She details the daily life back then.
It was really interesting because it took place 1861-1865 and there are some parts when she talks about the cost of food that could apply 100% today!

Yes the political climate can greatly affect prices all around us. Unfortunately everything take time to wax and wane, so what do we do in the meantime?
I’m stocked up, and ready. I know if I were 20 something right now I’d be struggling.
This is very sad, and pretty much a parenting failure of our generation, but there are so many young people that just don’t know basic survival. The biggest part of it is food…

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Mixing oatmeal with meat? Is that some sort of even more disgusting version of Hamburger Helper?

It’s so good you’ve never even noticed. Moms and grandma’s have been doing this for as long as there have been those two foods!

As for not tossing things, that's what I typically do. I debone my own cuts and make stock with the bones. Veggie scraps go either in the compost, used in stocks/soups or mixed in with the dog food depending on what they are.

People that don’t cook a lot (like most people these days) don’t know these things, especially the veggie scraps.
They don’t realize that’s where the flavor and vitamins are.

My doggo got some tenderloin scraps last week. She was in doggie heaven.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Ugh, I don't eat oatmeal to begin with, it's just empty carbs. I am 100% not going to waste meat by mixing it in there. Put a minced/grated onion and some herbs if you want to stretch chopped meat, at least they add some flavor.

As for people not cooking a lot that's the main issue, food costs would be lower if people cooked more and didn't rely on lardbutt places like Golden Corral of Feces.

Sometimes a bit of common sense goes a long way.

I knew a guy who was on disability and had s very limited income. With kids. He was complaining one day about how many cans of beans it took to feed his family. My friend and I looked at each other incredulously and both of us said, "Use dry beans. It's much cheaper."

The moron said, "That's too much work."

Sometimes being broke can have positive side effects. Unless you're stupid.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: JAGStorm

Ugh, I don't eat oatmeal to begin with, it's just empty carbs. I am 100% not going to waste meat by mixing it in there. Put a minced/shredded onion and some herbs if you want to stretch chopped meat, at least they add some flavor.

If you don’t like it, that’s fine, but It’s been done for a long time, and it’s actually quite good. Yes onions and vegetables and spices should also be added.

a reply to: incoserv

I knew s guy who was on disability and had s very limited income. With kids. He was complaining one day about how many cans of beans it took to feed his family. My friend and I looked at each other incredulously and both of us said, "Use dry beans. It's much cheaper."

I think people think dry beans are hard to cook because they don’t understand how to cook them! I think they taste so much better.

a reply to: JAGStorm

That's an easy to stretch food, a pound of beans mixed with veggies and a protein can make an enormous amount of food. I make a few of batches of cassoulet each year and it last for months at a time in the freezer.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Great advice in there. Stock up on shelf stable goods (rice and beans) and learn to can fruits and veggies while you're at it.

I'll be shocked if it only goes up that much. It'll certainly tip over and skyrocket at some point, but they'll try and delay it at whatever cost until after midterms.

Everyone says The Simpsons are the great predictors, but It's Always Sunny may have gotten this one right.

a reply to: incoserv

I come from a region that was very poor once and the food dishes reflect that. So we have a special kind of noodle that is traditional selfmade with eggs, flour, salt, a bit water. Whipping up a batch for a family of four (or two and have leftovers for tomorrow) cost about 1.70€ now. With good ingredients.

If you buy that amount of Spätzle preprocessed, tasteless and made without love, then you pay 2.90€. The difference is, the 2.90€, you open the plastic bag *ugh* and pour it into water. The 1.50€ (6 eggs, 600g flour) you mix the ingredients for 10 min until the wheat glue breaks up and whip it over a wooden board with a big knife into water.

And it's fresh and tastes, not stuffed with flavor enhancers, conservation stuff and food colors.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Agreed, but if you think it's now, wait until the plug is pulled on the power grid. I would bet that about 60% to 70% of the homes across the country either don't have a fireplace, windows that allows a good cooling breeze for hot days, or both. I don't have a fireplace and the only way for me to achieve a cool summer breeze is to open the French door leading to my back yard, and the windows in my living room. I should probably start thinking of alternate ways to make my house more efficient.

originally posted by: cmdrkeenkid
a reply to: JAGStorm
...
I'll be shocked if it only goes up that much. It'll certainly tip over and skyrocket at some point, but they'll try and delay it at whatever cost until after midterms.
...

I was in Mexico back in '82 when the peso plunged overnight. The other of a loaf of bread literally shot up like ten fold in a day. This was due to incredible external debt and the government's insolvency.

I weren't fun.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
a reply to: incoserv

I knew s guy who was on disability and had s very limited income. With kids. He was complaining one day about how many cans of beans it took to feed his family. My friend and I looked at each other incredulously and both of us said, "Use dry beans. It's much cheaper."

I think people think dry beans are hard to cook because they don’t understand how to cook them! I think they taste so much better.

Exactly. My wife and I usually grab a bag of beans and rice when we're at the store. We have enough beans and rice to last us a long time (if she didn't kill me first). The dry beans definitely taste better than the canned beans.

a reply to: JAGStorm

I stopped by my dad's yesterday, and saw he had a '1/2 Loaf' of sliced bread. I've never even heard of such a thing. He said that was all they had. They didn't have any full loaves.

I'm not positive, but I think he got it at Wal-Mart.

I assumed at first that it was all about the price. But after he said that was all they had, I figure it's probably more about a supply shortage. I don't know, but I don't like it.

a reply to: incoserv

I was in Mexico back in '82 when the peso plunged overnight. The other of a loaf of bread literally shot up like ten fold in a day. This was due to incredible external debt and the government's insolvency.

Tell us what happened? Did people rush out to buy whatever they could knowing prices would rise even more?

originally posted by: LSU2018
a reply to: JAGStorm

Agreed, but if you think it's now, wait until the plug is pulled on the power grid. I would bet that about 60% to 70% of the homes across the country either don't have a fireplace, windows that allows a good cooling breeze for hot days, or both. I don't have a fireplace and the only way for me to achieve a cool summer breeze is to open the French door leading to my back yard, and the windows in my living room. I should probably start thinking of alternate ways to make my house more efficient.

Windows are useless in the very worst of summer here in Wisconsin. Sometimes at night it feels hotter than the day and the humidity is awful, it feels like opening an oven door. Some people don’t realize it can get hot hot here. The one saving grace is that most of us do have basements that stay pretty cool.

originally posted by: JAGStorm
The one saving grace is that most of us do have basements that stay pretty cool.

Basements are good for keeping things cool; canned items, produce, wine, gimps, etc.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Basements are good for keeping things cool; canned items, produce, wine, gimps, etc

That’s why you don’t need oatmeal to stretch your meals! 😂