Just some points for those on a excruciatingly tight budget and still wanting to stay on plan.....
1) Save $5-10 a month on groceries via coupons, clearance, swagbucks (450 points = $5 on Amazon gift cards), etc and buy that ONE item you desperately NEED for your THM plan to work! For me it's mostly
*Stevia
*Almond flour
*Coconut oil
2) Do-it-Yourself when you can. This mostly appeals to the Whole Grain Janes and Farm Fresh Tess's....homemade
*yogurt strained (removing the whey carbs) to make Greek yogurt
*almond and coconut milk
*kombucha (for probiotic)
*apple cider vinegar
*sourdough bread
*non gluten wraps and crepes
*sprouted bread products
*Fuel Pull Bread-in-a-Mug
*Fuel Pull oopsie rolls (freeze and use for everything)
*homemade skinny chocolate (use for chocolate chips, snacks and melted as garnish)
3) Follow THM menu planning bloggers like the following to gain MONEY SAVVY savings ideas for meal planning:
http://gracefulabandon.blogspot.com/2013/07/trim-healthy-frugal-mama-monday.html
http://mimi-on-a-mission.blogspot.com/2012/10/week-1-of-trim-healthy-mama-challenge.html
http://workingathomeschool.com/2014/06/15/trim-healthy-mama-cheap-dinners
http://michelejoan.com/2013/08/20/trim-healthy-mama-on-a-shoestring/
http://justrightporridge.com/
3) Keep yourself on track using the THM staples that really are cheap:
This list alone proves that Trim Healthy Mama's core super foods are extremely economical.
--->PLEASE TAKE THE TIME to read through each of these foods and understand WHY your Trim Healthy Mama food plan can be done on a tight budget including feeding large families....very affordably too!
TIP! Even whey protein per ounce is cheaper than meat, so your meat intake will be reduced compensating cost effectiveness for protein expenses in your budget.
... The only cost difference I have found is subbing out natural sweeteners for GMO white sugar. Two hundred years ago, the average American ate only 2 pounds of sugar a year. In 1970, we ate 123 pounds of sugar per year. Today, the average American consumes almost 152 pounds of sugar in one year. Honestly no one in their right minds are going to pump their family full of sugars despite how cheap they are. The health issues that result from high sugar consumption and cost of medicines and doctor care will WAY OUTWEIGHT the budget costs of white sugar and flour in the long run.
http://greatist.com/health/44-healthy-foods-under-1
*Oatmeal every other morning (E)
*Muffins made with coconut-flax baking mix from www.justrightporridge.com
*Gwen's Bread recipe -very inexpensive bread while you are in a crunch
*Homemade Greek Yogurt -see www.tiedyedsheep.com
*Big Boy Frappas can be made economically without Gluccie
*GGMS can be made economically with homemade ACV and lemon juice
*The Shrinker can be made inexpensively with Green Tea
*Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar (not as strong as Bragg's but much more fat burning than non fermented)
*Soups and stews based on fuel separating (many recipes are crossovers, so make sure they are THM approved)
*Skip the Glucccie and use Knox gelatin temporarily (much cheaper)
*99c eggs from your local grocery sales and Walgreens (eggs freeze well!)
*Lemons on SALE at your local grocery or farmer's market (freeze too!)
*Fruits and veggie produce IN SEASON and frozen bulk
*Cabbage dinners (search for skillet dinners, cabbage "noodles," #pinterest etc)
*Ground Turkey and rinsing higher fat content ground beef (which is most often on sale)
*Buying leg quarters for S dinners and the kiddos then using the white meat to those on THM for E meals
*Save the Dreamfields for mama and feed the kids "crossover" pastas
*You can make MOST THM recipes with homeground (in coffee grinder) flaxsee meal and homeground almond meal (also made in the blender)
*use store brand dried unsweet coconut flakes to make your own flour/meal
*Oolong tea obtained at your local oriental grocery for much less than most health food stores. If you can't afford Prince of Peace, just make sure the tea content is 100% oolong tea....even green tea works!
*Chince on meat proteins...stretch them with vegetables and on plan carbs.
*Check your local bent & dent, grocery closeout, discount, cost plus 10% for meats, dairy and produce....and even some specialty items like "Light Laughing Cow" and on plan Stevia Sweeteners.
*grow the GREENS when you can!
more later!
1) Save $5-10 a month on groceries via coupons, clearance, swagbucks (450 points = $5 on Amazon gift cards), etc and buy that ONE item you desperately NEED for your THM plan to work! For me it's mostly
*Stevia
*Almond flour
*Coconut oil
2) Do-it-Yourself when you can. This mostly appeals to the Whole Grain Janes and Farm Fresh Tess's....homemade
*yogurt strained (removing the whey carbs) to make Greek yogurt
*almond and coconut milk
*kombucha (for probiotic)
*apple cider vinegar
*sourdough bread
*non gluten wraps and crepes
*sprouted bread products
*Fuel Pull Bread-in-a-Mug
*Fuel Pull oopsie rolls (freeze and use for everything)
*homemade skinny chocolate (use for chocolate chips, snacks and melted as garnish)
3) Follow THM menu planning bloggers like the following to gain MONEY SAVVY savings ideas for meal planning:
http://gracefulabandon.blogspot.com/2013/07/trim-healthy-frugal-mama-monday.html
http://mimi-on-a-mission.blogspot.com/2012/10/week-1-of-trim-healthy-mama-challenge.html
http://workingathomeschool.com/2014/06/15/trim-healthy-mama-cheap-dinners
http://michelejoan.com/2013/08/20/trim-healthy-mama-on-a-shoestring/
http://justrightporridge.com/
3) Keep yourself on track using the THM staples that really are cheap:
This list alone proves that Trim Healthy Mama's core super foods are extremely economical.
--->PLEASE TAKE THE TIME to read through each of these foods and understand WHY your Trim Healthy Mama food plan can be done on a tight budget including feeding large families....very affordably too!
TIP! Even whey protein per ounce is cheaper than meat, so your meat intake will be reduced compensating cost effectiveness for protein expenses in your budget.
... The only cost difference I have found is subbing out natural sweeteners for GMO white sugar. Two hundred years ago, the average American ate only 2 pounds of sugar a year. In 1970, we ate 123 pounds of sugar per year. Today, the average American consumes almost 152 pounds of sugar in one year. Honestly no one in their right minds are going to pump their family full of sugars despite how cheap they are. The health issues that result from high sugar consumption and cost of medicines and doctor care will WAY OUTWEIGHT the budget costs of white sugar and flour in the long run.
http://greatist.com/health/44-healthy-foods-under-1
*Oatmeal every other morning (E)
*Muffins made with coconut-flax baking mix from www.justrightporridge.com
*Gwen's Bread recipe -very inexpensive bread while you are in a crunch
*Homemade Greek Yogurt -see www.tiedyedsheep.com
*Big Boy Frappas can be made economically without Gluccie
*GGMS can be made economically with homemade ACV and lemon juice
*The Shrinker can be made inexpensively with Green Tea
*Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar (not as strong as Bragg's but much more fat burning than non fermented)
*Soups and stews based on fuel separating (many recipes are crossovers, so make sure they are THM approved)
*Skip the Glucccie and use Knox gelatin temporarily (much cheaper)
*99c eggs from your local grocery sales and Walgreens (eggs freeze well!)
*Lemons on SALE at your local grocery or farmer's market (freeze too!)
*Fruits and veggie produce IN SEASON and frozen bulk
*Cabbage dinners (search for skillet dinners, cabbage "noodles," #pinterest etc)
*Ground Turkey and rinsing higher fat content ground beef (which is most often on sale)
*Buying leg quarters for S dinners and the kiddos then using the white meat to those on THM for E meals
*Save the Dreamfields for mama and feed the kids "crossover" pastas
*You can make MOST THM recipes with homeground (in coffee grinder) flaxsee meal and homeground almond meal (also made in the blender)
*use store brand dried unsweet coconut flakes to make your own flour/meal
*Oolong tea obtained at your local oriental grocery for much less than most health food stores. If you can't afford Prince of Peace, just make sure the tea content is 100% oolong tea....even green tea works!
*Chince on meat proteins...stretch them with vegetables and on plan carbs.
*Check your local bent & dent, grocery closeout, discount, cost plus 10% for meats, dairy and produce....and even some specialty items like "Light Laughing Cow" and on plan Stevia Sweeteners.
*grow the GREENS when you can!
more later!