Food costs are constantly on the rise. And with uncertainty plaguing the globe, it’s not likely they will stabilize anytime soon. Recently we were looking at common food amounts most American families eat, and it was a bit of a shock.
We can feed our family of seven on a single pound of ground beef most of the time. Yet comparable families often use two or more pounds of meat a meal. Sure, there are occasional burgers which take more. But for the most part, a pound is plenty.
The thing that is not taught often anymore is portion balance. Majority of your meals should not be meat. Our bodies are not designed to digest that easily, and there is a part of why obesity is going off the charts.
When you look at other countries, or even the healthy plate guidelines, meat is normally a 1/4 or 1/3 of the plate.
If you fill up your plate with more vegetables (especially fresh) you will need less protein. And meat is expensive. When we picked up ground beef the other day it was $3.98 a pound, yet onions were only $0.68 a pound, and fresh broccoli was $0.98 a pound.
If I take the ground beef, combine it with lots of broccoli and a whole onion, plus some seasoning, I end up with a pretty darn good stir-fry that keeps the vegetables heavy. And the overall meal cost down. Toss a little rice and this is a very filling meal.
Rebalancing your plate is not only healthier for your body, but it also saves lots of money in the kitchen. And you can convert scrap vegetables into tasty broth, food for animals, or even garden food completing the cycle.
Next time you go shopping, try spending more time in the produce section. Experiment with some new vegetables. You never know what you might like and, in the end, you could save hundreds by balancing your plate.