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In our home grocery shopping is not incidental, it is MONUMENTAL !
We have to take out a back seat in our 15 passenger van to fit a major grocery-shop, and even then we have to use a few seats as well, and then putting all of that food away takes a small army.
Thankfully, I’ve never been on my own in this endeavor. As in everything, the Holy Spirit has come alongside me to comfort, guide, and provide. He equips me with wisdom and understanding that far surpasses my own abilities.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6
While I am grocery planning and shopping, I am praying, and I am expecting to find good deals wherever I go. Many times cashiers have been astonished by what I have been able to purchase with just a tiny bit of money, and then I turn right around and give God the glory!
Feeding such a crew three meals a day, seven days a week has forced me to think seriously about food in general. As I have studied and applied hours of concentrated thought, I have come up with some principles, strategies and solutions that have helped me keep meals and snacks from either taking over our lives or becoming a chaotic free-for-all.
Among the principles I have come up with are these:
One: Ignore the fads.
I have lived over half a century now so I have seen “official” dietary guidelines change numerous change numerous times.
Despite what scientists claim, we really don’t understand everything about how our bodies use and absorb nutrients. The Word says we are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” which to me means that we probably will not be able to totally understand all of the mechanisms God has put in place in our bodies until we reach heaven and will know “even as we are known.” What we thought we knew 10 years ago has changed already–consider this article on the health benefits of bacon, or this article concerning the health benefits of eggs, or this one on why it’s good to eat carbs and here is one that scientifically counters gluten sensitivity (who would have guessed?). Even the trend towards organics is questionable, as a blogger exposes in this post.
When I was growing up everyone talked about the “four food groups.” These consisted of 1. starches, 2. proteins, 3. dairy, and 4. fruits and vegetables. The idea was that eating a variety of foods would help ensure that a person was getting what he/she needed diet-wise. This really stuck with me, partly because it is so simple and easy to remember. This is what I keep in my mind when I am planning meals for my family.
When I think of what we will eat, my first consideration is nutrition, the second is cost, and the third is convenience.
Two: Spread Nutrition throughout the day.
Now, since I am in control of what everyone eats every day (one of the fringe benefits of homeschooling), I can pretty much decide what will be eaten and when, which means that I don’t have to include every part of the four food groups in each meal. For instance, if we have a huge salad or stir-fry for lunch I feel fine skipping veggies at dinner time.
Three: Don’t fight over food choices.
I’m also of the opinion that some people don’t need as much meat as they do vegetables, and vice-versa (interesting article here). Although I still try and provide both choices, I do not nag or chide people who are inclined one way or the other. There are also some vegetables that are universally accepted more than others, so I tend to concentrate on these and ignore the rest unless there is a special occasion.
I also don’t try and “specialize” according to specific tastes–if someone doesn’t like what is prepared, they can go without (for the little ones there is no snacking allowed if they did not eat the entire meal).
Four: Choose “universal” foods.
Actually, universality is important if one wishes to please a crowd as well as feed a crowd. I purchase loads of carrots, apples, and bananas because 1. everyone likes them, and 2. they are usually reliably cheap and available. Also, although there are some who love to eat oatmeal, there are just as many who do not, so I try and find ways to use this cheap, wholesome grain in ways that make it palatable to everyone, such as in granola or granola-type bars, or even in oatmeal breakfast cookies.
Five: Stock up on ingredients instead of prepared foods, even if you have coupons.
I am not a fan of prepared foods unless there is a family illness or emergency or there is a definite benefit (such as when I purchase pancake mix). This is partly why I don’t bother couponing since most coupons are for things such as dinners-in-a-box or can, frozen entrees, and the like. To my mind, it is better to stock up on the basic, flexible ingredients for all meals than to pay extra for packages that are filled with dubious ingredients.
(Note: there are actually times when prepared foods are cheaper than scratch. I’m thinking here of salad mix when it goes on sale, or now that skinless, boneless chicken breasts are less expensive than the bone-in variety, etc. Of course I weigh the nutrition of such choices, but this is just an example of being flexible and taking everything into consideration before making hard, fast rules.)
Here is a list of items we try and have on hand:
Starches:
- Rice–the big bags are cheapest, and I prefer parboiled to brown rice
- Potatoes–I buy the huge bag of baking potatoes from Sam’s Club, some frozen hash browns, and a 30 lb box of french fries each month
- Pasta–very big around here; we like all types, including ramen
- Flour–both white (which I supplement with wheat germ) and whole wheat
- Corn meal and/or cornbread mix
- Loaf bread and buns (whole-wheat)
- Tortillas
- Taco shells
- French bread
- Pretzels
- Chips (potato, plain)
Vegetables and fruits:
- Carrots–the large ones are cheaper than the baby ones, although we do go for the convenience at times
- Celery
- Lettuce or salad (or cole slaw) mix
- Cucumbers, when they are cheap
- Fresh tomatoes–usually roma since they are the cheapest
- Sweet peppers–green unless the red ones are on sale
- Red onion–I buy about one a week since only a few of us enjoy fresh onion, and the red variety is so much easier on the digestive system than the white or even the yellow.
- Canned, diced tomatoes
- Tomato paste (I have found that tomato sauce is a waste of money)
- Canned green beans
- Canned corn
- Frozen veggies such as carrots and peas for soup
- Apples
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Berries when in season and/or on sale
- Frozen fruits such as berries and cherries
- Melons when in season or on sale
- Canned fruit such as pineapple, peaches, and pears
- Applesauce
Dairy:
- Whole milk–here is just one link which expounds the benefits of dairy fat
- Real butter–see the link above
- Sliced Colby or any other “orange” cheese
- Shredded “orange” cheese (we purchase our shredded cheeses in huge bags then repackage in smaller bags and freeze)
- Shredded mozzarella
- Parmesan
- Yogurt for special or when on sale
- Sour cream
- Cottage and cream cheese when called for
Proteins:
- Hamburger (we precook it in bulk and the pack it in meal-sized bags in the freezer)
- Chicken (boneless-skinless breasts oven-roasted and in bags in the freezer)
- Meatballs
- Hamburger patties
- Bacon
- Smoked sausage
- Hot dogs (we buy these in bulk, repackage, and freeze)
- Breakfast sausage
- Pepperoni
- Dried legumes
- Canned legumes
- Peanut butter
- Eggs
- Pork roast and chops
- Roast
- Stew meat
Condiments, spices, sauces, and baking:
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayonaise
- Ranch dressing
- Barbeque sauce
- Teriyaki sauce
- Soy sauce
- Salsa
- Pickles
- Raw apple cider vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Blackstrap molasses
- Pancake syrup
- Jelly or jam
- Brown gravy mix (in bulk from Sam’s it is very cheap, otherwise it works out to something like $40 a pound in those little packets!)
- Chicken and beef broth cubes or powder
- Canned cream soup
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Taco seasoning (again, in bulk from Sam’s)
- Cornstarch
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Instant, dry yeast
- Wheat germ
- Cooking oil
- Baking spray
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Cloves
- Salt
- Pepper
- Curry seasoning
- Brown sugar
- Powdered sugar
- Cake mixes (only if they are $1 or less on sale)
- Chocolate chips
- Craisins
- Other dried fruit such as raisins, mangoes and cherries
I do occasionally purchase cookies if they are 9 cents per ounce or less, and these are usually packed in lunches for work (the rest of us enjoy home-baked or graham crackers).
Five: Keep a running list of dishes that may be fixed with the staples you keep on hand.
Here are just a few of the choices:
Breakfast:
- Cereal and toast w/butter and jelly
- Cheese omelets and toast w/butter and jelly
- Scones with fruit and tea
- Waffles (with wheat germ and sometimes fruit) with butter, syrup, and milk
- Muffins with fruit and tea or milk
- Bacon, eggs, and hashbrowns
- Huevos rancheros
- Biscuits and gravy
- Egg and cheese muffins
Dinners (this means lunch or supper):
- Spaghetti
- Hamburger beef Stroganoff
- Taco bar
- Pizza (homemade with crust from scratch)
- Hamburgers and fries
- Beef gravy over mashed potatoes or rice
- Fried canned salmon croquettes and fries
- Beans and cornbread
- Mexican beans and sides (such as tortillas, salsa, cheese, sour cream, fresh tomato, etc.)
- Nachos
- EZ, PZ chicken, cheese and rice (a recipe my oldest daughter made up that her children just love, and so do her younger siblings)
- Meatball soup
- Pasta with vegetable sauce
- “Cheezie brains”–essentially macaroni with butter and cheese, an absolute favorite with the little girls
- Cold pasta salad
- Roasted potatoes with sausage
- Fried potatoes with sausage
- Homemade chili
- Potato soup
- Stew
- Mac and cheese
- Salad with meat, eggs, and cheese
- Chinese fried rice
- Omelets
- Sandwiches of every type (including pbj’s, baloney (yes, we eat baloney and we like it!), lunch meat, tuna, chicken salad, egg salad, etc.)
- Quesadillas
- Chicken pot pie
- Chicken noodle soup from scratch
- Meat, such as roast, barbeque-baked chicken, or chops, with stuffing or potatoes
Most of our meals are one-dish, but we do include fresh or raw veggies, salad, bread, etc.
Snacks and sweets:
- Homemade cookies and bars of all types
- Cheese sticks
- Fresh fruit
- Carrots and other fresh veggies
- Quick breads such as banana, pumpkin, and lemon
- Muffins
- Jello
- Rice pudding
- Carrot cake
- Graham crackers
- Corn chips and salsa
- Cinnamon rolls
- Cakes
Six: Water is the best beverage.
As for drinks, we have a reverse osmosis system in our house (ours looks a lot like this one, only with two tanks for our large family), so our water is almost heavenly–which makes it the preferred drink at all times. Juice and pop are rare treats for us, which also cuts down on the cost of meals, although we do purchase bottled water and an occasional special drink for work lunches.
Seven: Make a master plan.
Now, I don’t know about you, but too many choices make my brain swim. I think it has happened more since I’ve been enjoying Pinterest, you know, all of those great photos of yummy foods that get your tummy rumbling just around meal times.
This is why I have a “master schedule.” This marvelous tool gives me a general idea of what I should fix for those times when I really, really don’t have even a clue. The wonderful thing is that, if I want to change it up at any time (such as when I discover an amazing recipe on Pinterest that is simply irresistible), I can!
Eight: Have a good attitude about shopping.
Instead of looking at marketing as a chore, I consider a blessing and a treat. There is simply something about facing the budgeting challenge, of ferreting out deals, of bringing home foods that are both delicious and wholesome, that feeds me.
She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.
Proverbs 31:14
Eight: Know your prices.
Grocery stores are set up like a huge battlefield with grocery vendors all vying for our attention and your money. In order to make our money stretch we need to be armed with a list of the least amount we need to pay for each item (mine is largely in my head now that I have been shopping this way for over two decades). Of course, the rock-bottom can change over time, but you can adjust as necessary. If this is new to you, read this link about creating a “price book.”
Nine: Know your stores (and storekeepers).
Unless I am unable to shop efficiently due to extraordinary trials or blessings, I try and get the best deals by shopping multiple stores. Each grocer has its own personality; one specializes in loss-leaders, while another has overall lower prices, or one deals in bulk, while another offers smaller amounts but at cheaper prices. I try and get to know each store and its tendencies, such as:
- Where the mark-downs are located and the best day of the week and time of the day to shop for these items
- The cheapest store (based on both sale and non-sale prices) for things like bread and milk
- The layout of the store so that I can shop quickly and efficiently
- I also get to know the staff.
At Safeway I know the folks in the meat and produce departments by name, and it is often that they will let me in on deals and services that may not be obvious to others. One time this helped me to stuff my freezer full of marinated whole chickens for half the price of regular chicken!
At this store (since I spend so much money there) I also am considered a “preferred customer,” and I have the card to prove it! This means when they run out of loss-leader items I can substitute a comparable item for the same price. I also have the number to the manager if I have a question or problem.
At Sam’s Club I know most of everyone, especially since two of our children worked there. Just the other day I had a detailed discussion with the person responsible for the Club Pickup and was glad to hear some of my constructive input as to the whole process at her store. In return she helped me to understand the whole process even better than I did before.
Special tip: Whenever a price on at item at Sam’s Club ends in a “1” it means this is the lowest price. I have recently found specialty hamburgers, pickles, and salsa at half of the price of the regular brand by following this rule (notice the stack of cereal boxes in the photo below? They were items with a “1” and turned out to be half the regular price).
Ten: Shop according to your pantry list.
Having staples on hand is vitally important for consistent home cooking. Before I go out I go through both my pantry and my weekly meals list to make sure I have everything on hand for our meals. I have also created a printed master list when I am deciding on my choices for each shopping trip.
Eleven: Check the deals online before setting out.
Most grocers have online ads, even Sam’s Club has a listing on their discounted items. I use these ads very carefully, however, since a deal is not a deal if it is for items that don’t stretch very well (such as frozen dinners, etc.) or on things we don’t normally eat. This is why I check my meals list and pantry first.
Twelve: Weigh the savings with the time and gas it will cost.
Frugality is great as long as it does not become a slave-master. For instance, what does it matter that a grocery store offers chicken at 15 cents cheaper per pound if it takes an hour and an extra tank of gas to get there?
It doesn’t matter that stay-at-home moms aren’t paid by the hour; our time is valuable, too. The deals I look for are ones that can be snatched up while I’m on other errands or on the driving circuit of my regular shopping day.
Thirteen: If at all possible, try and shop early in the day.
This is important for a number of reasons, one being that many of the markdowns are readily available at this time. Another reason is that I am fresh, and, when I was shopping with a lot of tiny ones, they were fresh, too! Shopping during this time of day means that there aren’t as many people around, so it is less stressful and easier to get to know the shopkeepers and the shelves are fully stocked and not picked-over.
Fourteen: Keep a tally of what is spent.
My grocery budget is not open-ended; it is very finite! This is why, even though I know my prices and have a target as to what I want to spend, I also keep a tally as I am shopping. When I am planning I try and leave a little bit of cushion for a few impulse-items and unexpected deals as well.
Fifteen: take advantage of services such as Sam’s Club Pickup and Walmart Free Grocery Pickup.
Back in the dark ages I used to throw all the kiddos in one cart and haul another behind, often while big and pregnant. Boy, did I get some stares, even some really rude laughter, but I counted it as a fun time together with my sweet ones. Still, it was a lot of really hard work. I’m glad there are more options for moms these days.
Actually, I have been doing what was originally called “click n’ pull” at Sam’s for almost 10 years now, and it has been marvelous! While it takes an hour or so to do a good, thorough order online, the savings in time and energy the next day is worth it. Sam’s has made it even easier since you can scan your membership card as you enter the store and they have it ready to pick up as you are ready to exit (just look for the kiosk at the entrance to the store). Some Sam’s locations allow you to drive your vehicle up, wand your card, and have associates meet you at the curb. Walmart meets you at the curb and loads your groceries up for you as well!
Oh, and if you forget to pre-order some items, Sam’s Club has developed an app that allows you to scan the barcode of items you wish to purchase with your smart phone, pay for them, and then show the electronic receipt to the attendant at the door, allowing you to skip the cashier line altogether. What a boon for those times when you have a fussy, nursing infant and a toddler or two!
Sixteen: Above all, shop in faith.
This is probably the most important element to my shopping. My whole life belongs to God, even my groceries. I trust Him to lead and guide me, and I believe that He is more than willing to meet my physical needs.
The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.
Psalm 34:10
While I am shopping I am praying and talking with Him, and when I am blessed I am praising Him, and when I return home with a van full of blessings the whole family rejoices!
I also look for opportunities to witness, encourage, and help others as the Lord leads. This has resulted in prayers, hugs, and even sometimes tears when someone is grieving. One day I was able to share the entire Gospel to a young cashier who had never, ever heard about Jesus and was absolutely amazed by the story. Stay-at-home moms have some of the greatest opportunities to witness, especially since we don’t have to worry about what the boss may or may not think about sharing our faith!
So, there you have it, albeit an incomplete compilation of everything I know about grocery shopping, but neither you nor I have time for a complete mind-dump!
(Oh, and just for fun you really should watch Jamerrill Stewart’s YouTube video on grocery shopping–it looks very familiar!)
In fact, I’m sure I have forgotten a number of things, so feel free to share what you have learned, too, since I am always looking for new ideas…
Some great suggestions! 🙂
We shop in a very similar way. I have found fad diets are exhausting. By keeping all you listed in stock it is easy to adjust for certain dietary challenges. When I was pregnant with our last I was in bedrest for 3 months and had dietary restrictions. By following the food pyramid is was easier to plan meals and easier for my family to do shopping. There were times we did processed food, but for the most part we had very healthy meals that were easy in everyone.
I agree, Sheri. Just keeping a well-stocked pantry and following an overall simple plan can take care of most of the anxiety that seems to surround food choices these days.
Love your blogs, Sherry! Regarding grocery shopping…I always thought I was strange for dreading it until
i realized that when you have a large family and a small budget, dreading it makes sense! The food always gets eaten faster than you plan and the resources are always a little on the shy side, but our home is a happy one and that is more important. And most of all, God has always provided for us…sometimes miraculously! God bless your family.
I can relate, especially to the pleasure of watching the hand of God as He provides for us in miraculous ways!
How did you know I was needing this from your old site?! Fabulous! Thank you so much. Love how simple yet nourishing.
PS…A lot has changed in my little family since we chatted last… We welcomed two to the Lord last summer (Elysium and Zion) but we’re expecting baby #6 in July! Lord willing I’ll have 4,4 and under this summer!
I’m so glad this met your needs. Wow, your home is truly filled with sparkle and delight 🙂 God’s grace and health to you and your new one in July!
Hi Sherry,
I really do like this article, and I remember reading it on your old site. The same line still bothers me though — ‘here is [an article] that scientifically counters gluten sensitivity’. I don’t think it’s necessary to undermine people’s choices in what you term here as a ‘fad’, especially if they are choosing them to counter specific health problems. Many people believe they are sensitive to gluten, and see their symptoms get better on a gluten-free diet. This article does not ‘scientifically counter gluten sensitivity’. In fact, it states that it is now a recognised condition, though at the end it suggests that the author may not believe that it is: ‘more on this next week!’ If you have ever looked into the history of Celiac disease (which I wouldn’t expect you to ever do, if no one in your family has a problem with gluten), you would find that it was not always as cut-and-dried as it is now. Anyway, there’s a lot of things I could say about this article and the problems with it, but I will just mention one more thing. There is plenty of research going on now, and the one study referenced in this article (which also found 28% of respondents had gluten sensitivity – again, not disproving its existence) is not the end of it.
I usually appreciate how sensitive you are concerning other people. Some moms are just trying to heal health problems in their family – and I think that is commendable. Perhaps ‘going gluten free’ is a fad, but I don’t think it fits in with the other examples you gave.
Just my two cents. Thank you for your ministry.
Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Jennifer. It sounds as though your family has benefited from such a regimen, and I am glad for you. I know there is plenty of support almost in every corner of the Internet for the inconveniences you must endure. I just thought there needed to be a voice for the balance of things, so that common sense (not saying you are not exercising any) has a vote, too.
I realize that there are actually celiacs among us, even in my own family. However, I am concerned when attention to such a condition reaches almost pandemic proportions. I have actually studied the science of the “gut” very carefully and have run across so many views, often at opposite ends of the spectrum for the same conditions. There is one very important fact that is often overlooked; the fact that God made the stomach and He made food and He told us in His word “For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving.” I’m not advocating we go out and eat anything and everything and put God to a foolish test, I just mean that sometimes these self-diagnosed dietary conditions make existence difficult for families when God wants us to live in the freedom of faith.
I may not have chosen the best link to make my case. Here is a much better one for you to consider: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/2015/06/11/think-youre-sensitive-to-gluten-think-again A quote from the article: “93 percent of individuals who believe they are gluten-sensitive can tolerate it.”
(I think I’ll go back and change the one I originally submitted.)
I love it when I see you have a new blog post up, Sherry! Your writing just has such a depth of experience that only comes from parenting a large family for a long time, and I always learn so much from you!
I totally agree with all of your points here. They are either things that I have learned myself, or things that I am in the process of learning, or things that I recognize that I need to learn.
My one point of disagreement would be, like the commenter above me, on your disagreement with gluten sensitivity. It is a very real phenomenon, even apart from true celiac. We discovered some years back that my husband’s and son’s severe headaches were due to wheat (they are not celiacs), and we’ve had to learn gluten-free cooking ever since. It’s worth it, though, because our son’s headaches were daily and severe (to the point of throwing up). And I’ve found health benefits myself – for example, my ballet-caused food arthritis goes away when I am gluten-free. (For more information, see the book “Wheat Belly,” which explains why wheat is problematic because of all the changes it has undergone in the past century.)
My own grocery rule that I am teaching myself right now is that it is cheaper to shop than not to shop. Sometimes I get frustrated with how much money it costs to shop for our family, and I feel tempted not to spend the money. But when I don’t shop, the end result is fast food – and with a family of six, that can easily blow $30 or more for one meal. NOT good!!! So I’m learning to plan my meals, stock my staples, and shop for groceries, even if I don’t like spending money – because it’s so much more expensive when I don’t! 🙂
Thank you for this post!!
I’m glad you’ve taken your valuable time to comment, Diana. I’m glad you and your family have been able to enjoy better health through a change in your diet. I do not dispute the fact that gluten sensitivity exists but argue that it is less widespread than we have been led to believe. I hope you will take a few moments to read the reply to Jennifer’s comment in which I explain further.
I love reading how other large families do things (I am expecting #11). While I do a lot of what you listed, I am always looking for help in tweaking life to make it run more smoothly. I do have a question about something on your staples list. You stated that you buy tomato paste and that buying sauce is a waste of time. I assume you are using the paste thinned out to make it a sauce consistency? If you could explain your method a little, I would appreciate it. I just made my monthly Costco run and bought a big can of paste so I could experiment with how it will work. Thanks!
Thank you, Kate! I actually do thin out the tomato paste a bit, but not as much as is done with the sauce. This makes our spaghetti Bolognese (spaghetti with meat sauce) more “meaty” than otherwise. Paste is also better when you make homemade pizza since it is less watery.Even if a person were to water down the paste to the consistency of the sauce you would be saving money.
Well, this is a late comment, but I AGREE with your writing in gluten sensitivity.
Blessings
Mrs.O
Thank you, Mrs. O. I think it is one of those sacred cows nowadays. A lot of folks are suffering with stomach-related issues and so this is the first place we are told to look for answers, so I understand why folks are so sensitive. I am glad some people have actually been helped, but a lot of others are being taken advantage of (I know, I just ended a sentence with a preposition–oh my!).
*on
The part about the 15 passenger van sounds like my family. My husband and I have 9 children, 7 of which are still at home, 2 that are now married, and a little girl, Hannah, who is with the Lord. I shop a lot like you. As a matter of fact I like to keep a list of when specific things go on sale (According to someone we know who works at our local grocery store “there are cycles in which some items will go on sale. That is usually about every 6 weeks or so.” ) . For instance, butter usually goes on sale during busy baking seasons like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. It is during these times that I usually will buy and freeze butter, and also stock up on other baking needs.
I hope that this little bit of information is useful to others out there.
These are wonderful tips! Sooo is there somewhere where you explain how you do meal planning and recipes your family uses??
Not yet, but coming sometime in the future 🙂
Thank you for reminding me to pray before, during, and (praise) after. I needed that. Also, if I may share this…I recently moved to a rural area. Around here, Walmart, discount grocery stores and thrifting are normal; in the city they were looked down on. Things were harder financially then than now, so I wish I had had the courage to shop in these (or like places). In case someone reads this that may need to hear it, I have been pleasantly surprised at furniture prices at thrift stores (may need to sand and paint…). Also, I find the store brand items (like the GV items at Walmart) quite good, and much cheaper. I am now trying out their brand items first, then if it really does not meet expectations (so far, only tomato soup!), I will pay more. I think I just wanted to share that the common expectation of some in more populated areas could hinder (i.e. more trendy to shop at Target). Oh, also…the clearance racks of any store…like in the OT when God told the reapers not to pick up the crop that fell to the ground but to leave it for the poor who came behind to glean. That is what I think of. But whereas I used to be tempted to be ashamed, now it’s simply wiser to do. Lol, years ago it was sad to think we needed to eat beans and rice more often than we might like, but now (that we have more flexibility) we laugh and say, beans and rice are just fine! So, in case you feel “less than” for shopping at the “considered less than” places. That’s all we have here, and frankly, it’s all you need. Don’t believe the hype. We have so much in America, that even what’s “left over”, “last season” or “discount” is truly luxurious on a global scale.
Amen and amen! Thank you for your very thoughtful comment–negative peer pressure isn’t just a problem for kids, is it? There is such freedom when we have the courage to overcome our need for the acceptance of others.