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["Lisa K.V. Perry" <lisakvperry AT gmail.com>]

Don, do you have the link, please. Want to forward to a family member.
Thanks.

On Fri, Apr 11, 2008 at 11:05 AM, Don Bowen <don.bowen AT earthlink.net> wrote:

>
> Cutting Food Costs in These Times of
> Economic Downturn, By Dr. John McDougall
> People who embrace change are likely to thrive in the upcoming economy;
> those who fight to maintain their current comforts will suffer. With the
> housing market in a crisis, the US dollar's value falling, and gas prices
> going crazy, now, more than ever before, the time has come to make a
> committed decision to become healthy through proper nutrition. Over the past
> 35 years I have encouraged people to eat a starch-based diet-few have
> listened.  Escalating costs of food, and medical care, as well as poor
> health, will force this long-overdue shift in people's food choices.  If you
> have not done so already, I encourage you to get ahead of the crowd.  Not
> only will you be more likely to survive financially (at least), but you will
> also help accelerate trends that will have a ripple effect benefitting
> everyone.
> The first step to surviving an economic crunch is to think, "How do I cut
> my expenses?" Focus on those things you can control. You have 100% control
> over the foods you buy and eat. Food is one of the largest single monthly
> purchases consumers make. According to Merrill Lynch, at the end of 2007,
> "36 percent of consumers' disposable income went to food, energy, and
> medical care, a bigger chunk of income than at any time since records were
> first kept in 1960." In this newsletter I will address the costs of food,
> which are intimately related to costs of medical care-a subject of an
> upcoming newsletter.
> The Escalating Cost of Food
> Food is one of our three basic needs for survival (air and water are the
> other two). Most people living in developed countries (US, Europe,
> Australia, New Zealand, etc.) have enjoyed a high standard of living and an
> abundance of relatively cheap food. However, the cost of food has been
> rising worldwide each year, and at a faster rate than ever before. Two major
> developments account for this:
> People of underdeveloped countries, especially India and China, are
> prospering and can now purchase more food and more expensive foods, like
> meat and dairy products. Seems as if everyone wants to eat like Americans
> eat-more accurately described as "the diet of kings and queens." Producing
> food-animals requires large amounts of grain. The second reason is that the
> production of biofuels made from all kinds crops, from corn to nuts, is
> taking away from the food supply. Worldwide demand is just beginning to
> deprive people in developed countries of their cheap foods.  Plan on this
> trend accelerating.
> Animal Foods Are Expensive
> Animal foods, like meat, poultry, fish, milk, and cheese, are expensive.
> Approximately one-third of the calories consumed by people living in
> developed nations are from animal sources. In the near future, the diet of
> the average Westerner will, of necessity, include more grains, legumes,
> tubers, fruits, and vegetables, and significantly fewer animal products.
> On average, moderately active women consume about 2000 calories daily and
> men 2500 calories. You have a choice of which foods will provide for your
> energy needs. The cost of animal-food centered meals cooked at home for one
> person could easily be $10 a day or more.
>      Cost of Animal-derived Foods
>      Consider the costs of these animal foods to provide for your daily
> calorie needs*:
>      Food and weight Unit Cost (USD) Cost of 2500 Calories (USD)
>      1 lb. Rib Eye Beef 9.99  24.29
>      1 lb. Ground beef  2.99  6.55
>      1 lb. Chicken breast 3.99  13.72
>      1 lb. Salmon 9.99  30.60
>      1 lb. Cheddar Cheese  6.29  8.54
>      1/2 gallon milk 2.49  10.37
>      *Cooking costs not included; lb. = pound = .454 Kg; USD = United
> States Dollar; Prices in Northern California.
>
>
>
> Eating Out Is Expensive
> People do not realize how much money they spend in restaurants, and on
> fast food. In the United States about half of the food dollar is spent
> eating out-with about 40% of that going to full-service restaurants and 40%
> to fast food. At least one-third of American adults and children eat at a
> fast food restaurant daily. The expensive habit of eating out is already
> changing; the National Restaurant Association says 54 percent of restaurants
> reported declining traffic in January of 2008, and the government says
> eating at home increased last year for the first time since 2001. Spending
> $14 for a full day's worth of fast food meals would not be unusual.
>      Cost of Fast Foods
>      Consider the costs of these fast foods to provide for your daily
> calorie needs*:
>      Food Unit Cost (USD) Cost of 2500 Calories (USD)
>      Taco Bell Taco 0.99   14.56
>      Taco Bell Steak Burrito 3.19  12.65
>      Taco Bell Chicken Salad 5.39  17.06
>      KFC Snacker 1.19  9.30
>      KFC Oven Roasted Twister 3.59  19.10
>      Burger King Whopper 2.99  11.12
>      Burger King Triple Whopper 4.99   11.03
>      BK Chicken Sandwich 3.99   12.62
>      BK Big Fish Sandwich 3.39   13.24
>      McDonalds Big Mac 3.19   14.77
>      McDonalds Large Fries 2.00   8.77
>      McDonalds Chicken Sandwich 3.49   20.77
>      McDonalds Fish Sandwich 3.19   20.98
>      Round Table Veggie Pizza 21.35   19.34
>      Round Table Ulti-meat Pizza 21.35   14.83
>      USD = United States Dollar; Prices in Northern California.
>
>
>
> Eat for Less than $3 a Day on The McDougall Diet
> The McDougall Diet is based on starches-potatoes, grains, and legumes.
> These plant foods, which provide for the bulk of your calories, cut expenses
> in several important ways.  Starches are inherently inexpensive-a full days
> supply of calories from starches will cost less than $1.50. You can
> stockpile grains, potatoes and legumes, cutting costs of transportation to
> the market. These foods are easily stored for long periods of time without
> the energy costs associated with refrigeration.  Since they do not easily
> spoil there is little wastage. Clean up after plant-based, low-fat meals is
> easy and cheap because there is no grease requiring expensive,
> environmentally toxic, cleansers. A simple rinse will often do.
> The McDougall diet also includes some perishable fruits and green and
> yellow vegetables. These items are more expensive than starches; but they
> are consumed in small amounts; thus, adding relatively little to the food
> bill. Focusing on fruits and vegetables that are in season will also help
> keep your food budget affordable. With the starch component costing less
> than $1.50 daily, this leaves an additional $1.50 to spend on fruits and
> green and yellow vegetables; keeping the total food costs at $3 a day per
> person on the McDougall Diet.
> Mary provides several of our favorite inexpensive meals in her recipe
> section this month. For example, the ingredients for her Stove Top Stew cost
> $1.40 (fills up four adults) and the Pea Soup ingredients cost $1.80 (fills
> up 6 adults).
>      Cost of Common Starches
>      Consider the costs of these tubers, legumes, and grains to provide
> for your daily calorie needs*:
>      Food Unit Cost (USD) Cost of 2500 Calories (USD)
>      20 lb. White potatoes 6.99  1.75
>      10 lb. Sweet potatoes 5.99  3.00
>      25 lb. Pinto Beans 13.79  1.05
>      25 lb. Rice (brown) 24.75  1.52
>      50 lb. Rice (white) 14.99  0.44
>      120 Corn Tortillas 2.79  1.00
>      50 lb. Corn Grits 41.99   1.28
>      9 lb. Oatmeal 6.99   1.09
>      *Cooking costs not included; lb. = pound = .454 Kg; USD = United
> States Dollar; Prices in Northern California.
>
>
>
>
>      Cost Saving Tips
>      Buy large quantities of long-lasting products
>      Buy unprocessed foods
>      Buy in bulk from health-food stores, coops, and grocery stores
>      Shop warehouse stores (wholesale clubs)
>      Buy on-line by mail order
>      Make food at home from basic ingredients; don't eat out
>      Rely on starches for calories
>      Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season
>      Shop at farmers' markets
>      Plant a garden
>      Use a well-planned grocery list
>      Shop after meals, not when you're hungry
>      Shop efficiently to cut down on gasoline-consuming trips to the
> stores
>      If going to a place nearby, walk or cycle instead of using the car.
>
>
>
> Should You Store Food for an Emergency?
> Buying large amounts of food could be a sound financial investment
> considering the escalating costs of foods. Worries about worldwide
> catastrophe from epidemics of avian flu, nuclear war, financial depression,
> and devastations predicted from global warming, may cause some people to
> consider stocking up on food. The Latter Day Saints (Mormon) Church
> recommends storing a full year's supply of food.  Their recommendations
> focus on a starch-based meal plan, because this is the only practical way
> such storage can be done. A family of four would store 1200 pounds of grains
> (corn, wheat, rice) and 250 pounds of legumes, plus additional canned and
> packaged fruits and vegetables in order to provide for one year.
> Recommendations for quantities and items to purchase and effective means of
> storage can be found through the Internet. You will also be able to locate
> companies dedicated to providing survival foods.
> Winning in the New Economy
> Winning during an economic crunch involves behaviors not much different
> than those you should already be doing during good times. Plus, if you do
> these sensible things now you are less likely to find yourself enduring a
> financial crisis later. A person spending $14 a day eating at fast food
> restaurants could be spending $3 by eating a starch-based diet at home.
>  This translates into $11 per day savings. (This means $330 a month and
> $4015 per year saved, which happens to be enough to attend the McDougall
> 10-day live-in Program in Santa Rosa, CA-so you might consider the McDougall
> Program as a free program.)  And think about the health benefits gained by
> avoiding all that fat and cholesterol. Money saved on food can be put away
> and/or spent on everything else. But one thing you do not want to spend your
> money on is more medical care.
>
>
> Don Bowen      KI6DIU
> http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html
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