Progress, Not Perfection (Food Post)

It has been a good while since my last post. In fact...we went on vacation and when I got home, it has just been one thing after the other. We just got our roof re-done and today is my first day of no banging on the roof all day. Peace and quiet is really nice. Now, I am trying to live my dream of cooking our meals from home. This is one of those things I have wanted for my family so badly, but I just continue to come up short. It doesn't help that Chick Fil-A ,Taco Bell, and McDonald's are so close to my house. Plus, processed foods are so cheap with coupons. But that is no excuse. It has to end.

How did I really get so out of control? Couponing. Now I love couponing and I still have my binder and my folders with inserts. I am going to Publix TODAY to get my Cheerios and Tutterossi Tomatoes. BUT, I had been feeding my family a steady diet of Progresso soups, Betty Crocker Instant Potatoes with Smart Balance Fat Free milk or Soy Milk, Frozen Garlic Bread, Barber's Stuffed Chicken, Green Giant Steamers with Cheese or Butter Sauces, Al Fresco Sausages, Fish Sticks, Chicken Strips, Sandwich Lunch Meat (cheaper than real meat), Knorr Sides, and assorted chips and cookies and yogurts. Which is all fine I suppose in a "grab everything from the box and make it" sort of way. Plus my bill was usually under $50 a week, so I had plenty of money to do CVS and even visit the Thrift Stores for extra bargaining. I love to save money!!!

The thing is, I never ate like that before. Sure, I would use a can of cream of mushroom soup with a casserole occasionally. But 100% processed food...no. The sad thing is for me. Last year I weighed about 145 -150. Now I am 195-200...WOW!!! So, I am ridding my family of the junk. My thin husband, who has never has a weight problem, has complained that his belly is sticking out making his pants tight. My daughters are still thin, but I have noticed the youngest is getting a little belly. But they are all still thin. Not me! So I am going back on REAL food. Not a diet, not Weight Watchers, not South Beach, just real food from my kitchen, with real meat and real vegetables, real fats (not trans fat), and and little small amount of real sugar (not high fructose corn syrup).  I am still going to buy Cheerios and chips for lunches with sandwiches. We will still get a slushy at Sonic Happy Hour occasionally. But no more processed food. If you ever wonder if it makes a difference, IT DOES and I am the proof.

But, I am going to stand strong and plan my meals so that we don't fall into the fast food rut. Monday I will link up to the Menu Plan Monday and post my dinner plans for next week. If you are in the same boat as me, it is time you pick up the oars and start rowing. Yes, the savings are fun, but I am going to try to keep the grocery budget low by making home-made and just shopping the sales. I used to do it all the time. My goal is to stay under $100 a week for groceries. $25 a week for soaps, shampoos, and detergents...but I still will use my coupons for those.  I am going for progress only and not beat my self up for less than perfect.

Coming Home to a Clean Kitchen :)

Today I went out with my Mother and my Granny for lunch. It was Granny's 86 Birthday! We went to eat lunch and get an ice cream cone at McDonald's...she loves getting a cone there. It was a nice day. Now that I am home I am tired. Mostly it was just hot today and I am wearing some heavy jeans. But, I was so HAPPY to see the kitchen clean when I came home. Thank you ME!!!! I remember this morning thinking to myself that I would unload the dishwasher when I came home, but then decided to go ahead so I could get the coffee cups and breakfast bowls in the dishwasher off the counters. I also made my bed this morning.

Let me say it is nice to come home to a clean kitchen. I picked up a few groceries on the way home so it was great to set the bags on the counters.

I haven't done ANY decluttering today, but spending time with my mother and my grandmother is a good use of my time too.