The Cost of Real Food

Real, nourishing food isn't cheap- it is ridiculously expensive. But, when you have allergies like we do, it's not an option to eat grains, loads of beans or meat that contains hormones just to save our budget. We regularly spend around $1,000 a month to feed two toddlers, and 2-4 adults (depending on how often my parents are home).

This is not because we eat fancy imported foods- it's because the items we do purchase are produced without additives and chemicals that would make us sick.

Enter: becoming a "localvore" but with a few exceptions. It helps us eat in-season and . I am working to source all of our food locally, whether that's produced on our farm, in our region or just available locally, like at this local gem, Jack's Country Store. {Yes, I'm biased. That's my family's store.}

Native cultures thrived and subsisted on the foods available locally for a very long time. We are blessed to live in such an abundant area that has fresh fish, shellfish, herbs, mushrooms, berries, wild ducks and geese, deer and elk more available.

We also have great soil on our farm that produces delicious vegetables and a few orchard trees for apples, cherries, and plums. We have room to raise our own meat, and have started with chickens and ducks.We can also get local raw honey and organic cranberries. We have great local sources for raw milk {cow and goat} but I dream of having our own dairy cow and both steers and pigs for meat and adding our own bees for honey.

That leaves just a few things to bring in from non-local sources, like bananas, coffee and chocolate {responsibly produced, as this article highlights the importance for doing so}, nuts, seeds and coconut products, but reducing our reliance on those as well.

I'm going to work on relying more heavily on first the items that we can produce on our farm, hunt or gather locally, then purchase from local farms and stores before shopping online or elsewhere. As I get this figured out, I will be posting recipes, tips, local bounties and always welcoming suggestions.