The government says "It's possible to live a healthy lifestyle on $40 of groceries a week"

Um, excuse me?  Did I just hear this right, you in your ivory tower eating food that has most likely been bought, prepared, and served to you *and* who make more money than I, a lowly public school teacher, could ever *dream* of yet you pay.no.taxes?  Hmmmmm....interesting.





Let me let you in on a little secret if I may.  I went grocery shopping yesterday with a meal planned list that was, what I felt, the absolute bare bones.  


Milk (MORE THAN A TANK OF GAS $4.15/gallon), Fruit (best deal), Fresh Veg for recipes (best deal), Coffee creamer (UP a dollar $3.95), Bread (UP a dollar and it's the basic type.  My favorite whole grain is almost $5 a loaf...are you kidding me?!), Crackers, Lunch Meat (UP a dollar $3.15 a container), Cheese (which we opted out of buying because it was so expensive), Froz Veg for everyday, canned tomatoes, one small package of red meat (about a pound & a half, was $9), two pork chops ($3.50 each), ONE container of cottage cheese (UP A BUCK FIFTY, $3.35), two containers of Yogurt (and I balked at two but needed them for recipes, $2.25 each), and other needed basic necessites (other non-perishables, canned foods, applesauce, etc).

This is usually what I purchase for our two person household on a bi-weekly occurance.  I usually spend around $150 a grocery trip and have been trying top pare it down to $100 a trip to save money.  THIS TRIP COST US $195.00!!!

I think I just vomited a little...excuse me I want to go cry.

Do you know how very incredibly hard it is to follow a healthy lifestyle right now in this money-grubbing, economy-crushing, soul-sucking, earth-killing world you have made for us?  Fresh fruits and veggies, almond milk or coconut milk (because cow's milk has to much crap injected into it), whole grains, and the sweets in moderation.  It's so hard it's ridiculous.  I've already made so many modifications in my diet to accommodate the rise in prices but just how far is my waistline going to have to go before you wake the *fv*bleep*ck* up, pull your heads out of your rear ends and finally see the error of your ways?

I guess only time will tell but in the meantime I think it is absolutely asanine and irresponsible of you to suggest that we can lead a "Healthy" lifestyle on $40 a week in groceries.  Let me give you some math here...

For my husband and I, $40 a week would buy us the following...

1 gal of milk $4.15
1/2 gal of Almond or Coconut Milk $3.30
2 loaves of Bread @$2.99 each (round up) $6.00

1 Bag Chicken breast $7.00  
1 Doz Eggs $1.80
Coffee Creamer (me) $3.95
24pk Mountain Dew (him) $4.25


Already I'm up to $30.45.


Let's add 1lb Apples @1.29 a lb $1.29
4 oranges $1
2 can crushed tomatoes $1.50
2 can tomato sauce $.50
1 pckg spaghetti (can't be gluten free cause that's too expensive) $2


Have to stop there...$36.74 because there's tax to add on and I only have $40.  Maybe if I have some change left I can get a gumball out of the machine! *Oooo!*


So with that list, I can make a chicken spaghetti dish that might stretch the whole week, we can eat bread sandwiches for lunch because we didn't have any money to buy peanut butter or jelly or lunch meat....then we can have either an apple or an orange for breakfast or a glass of milk or an egg.


I know that I am making an extreme scenario here, I understand that there are probably more people than I realize out there surviving on *less* and that I should be grateful for what I have.  I am, believe me; I'm eternally grateful.  I guess it's just that we're feeling the pinch more and more and now having to start sacrificing in the area that I use to *live*, to *be*, to **subsist**...that's just not fair.  Make me stay at home more because gas is to expensive.  Fine.  Make it so I don't eat out anymore because it's too expensive.  Great.  Making it too expensive to buy the foods and drinks we enjoy to live the healthy lifestyle we want to live?  Shameful.  Shame on you for putting us in this position.  I know that I had a hand in it at one point, but you are at the reigns.  I am now becoming more consciously aware of my impact in this world, this life, and I am trying my damndest to reduce it in hopes of making it a little bit like it used to be; full of hope, promise, and a good future.  

You're taking our livelihood and vacations away with the price of gas, please don't take our food away from us too.  I don't think we could stand it.  


***Note
If there actually someone out there successfully doing this and living a healthy lifestyle I would LOVE to know your secret!