Food stamps as a dieting tool.

[Marilyn. 340]

when we make a 4 or 5 lb chicken we can get a few meals out of it. We aren't skimping on the meat either. we get a thigh or part of the breast meat and leg and that still leaves a lot of meat left over. I make a sandwich for my husband and me for lunch. and then I probably would make stir fry with veggies with the rest.

[*Snowdrop* 604]

Plenty of meat for who? I burn a lot of calories. If I grill a 4lb chicken it makes 2 meals for 2 people. There probably isn't 2 lbsof meat in a 4lb bird. The way people here are eating meat is bad for your eyes. You have to squint and stare to find a bit of meat.

For me, it's about balance across a week of meals and no one in my family is hungry on the chicken days if you take the whole meal into account.

We'll have a large salad first ( or a big bowl of homemade vegetable soup in winter), then the main course, for my husband that's the leg plus 2 slices of breast meat which is I guess not a lot of meat but on the plate it looks balanced against the vegetables which usually include roast potatoes, roast onions, roast carrots and parsnips plus steamed broccoli, cauliflower and peas. Then we have a third course which is a small piece of cheese and some fruit or a small bowl of ice-cream and some fruit.

Across the rest of the week we will have one or two days where the meat portion is larger - huge venison steaks, pork chops, lamb shanks etc. We adapt according to how we feel and our budget that week. The days we do the roast chicken and use the leftovers are very cheap - especially in summer when we grow all the veg we eat. And my original point was my preference is to buy good quality meat and eat smaller portions - and my husband who is a former beef farmer and loves meat doesn't seem to think I am starving him

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Plenty of meat for who? I burn a lot of calories. If I grill a 4lb chicken it makes 2 meals for 2 people. There probably isn't 2 lbsof meat in a 4lb bird. The way people here are eating meat is bad for your eyes. You have to squint and stare to find a bit of meat.

These are choices you make that increase your food expense. Enjoy

[spookyturtle 9,465]

These are choices you make that increase your food expense. Enjoy

I do. And the questions I have asked in this thread are serious. I am not belittling anyone. I don't see how it's possible to do what some here have claimed. I am all ears to learn how. I'm a hard working in shape male and I don't see myself having much energy or strength eating what many have proposed. And the high carb route isn't healthy either.

This is a very interesting thread. I'd like to see it continue and have people post their shopping lists and what they paid etc. I think it would be a good learning experience for all.

[*Snowdrop* 604]

I do. And the questions I have asked in this thread are serious. I am not belittling anyone. I don't see how it's possible to do what some here have claimed. I am all ears to learn how. I'm a hard working in shape male and I don't see myself having much energy or strength eating what many have proposed. And the high carb route isn't healthy either.

This is a very interesting thread. I'd like to see it continue and have people post their shopping lists and what they paid etc. I think it would be a good learning experience for all.

For us it's about balance across the whole week. If you eat three meals a day across the whole week you have 21 meals to spread your meat consumption across. On the day we have what you think is a tiny amount of chicken meat - breakfast might have included ham, bacon or venison sausage and lunch might have been a substantial amount of meat from the leftovers of the night before (say beef stew or large pulled pork sandwich) By evening - a small amount of chicken with lots of fresh home grown veg doesn't seem such a hardship. But it's a good way of managing the budget. I'd love to hear more suggestions from others on their ways of managing their food budget though.

And Gary - if you can persuade Alla to share her meatball recipe I'd love to see it.

[Darnell 8,478]

I make chicken last

I'll take either chicken quarters or a whole chicken, and STEAM IT in an electrical steamer thingie.

The steamer collects the broth, I collect the broth and put it into large quart containers, putting that into the fridge.

I then debone the chicken, and cut it up into 1/2 inch chunks, used for other stuff later.

The bones and un-edible bits go into a pot with water, boiled once to make more broth. Collect the broth again.

A day later, I take the broth containers out, scrape off the chicken fat , use the rest for cooking rice and making soups.

I'm still batching it at the moment, so a steamer full of chicken really lasts me for about 5 meals. I add other stuff in when I'm ready to eat - usually peas and mushrooms and other stuff...

I really like my steamer.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I do. And the questions I have asked in this thread are serious. I am not belittling anyone. I don't see how it's possible to do what some here have claimed. I am all ears to learn how. I'm a hard working in shape male and I don't see myself having much energy or strength eating what many have proposed. And the high carb route isn't healthy either.

This is a very interesting thread. I'd like to see it continue and have people post their shopping lists and what they paid etc. I think it would be a good learning experience for all.

We do most of our shopping at Costco and spend $80-100 per week there. That covers ALL meat, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, most cleaning and laundry supplies. We go to Pricechopper for the few odd thngs we do not buy in bulk. We buy milk and eggs directly from the farm, it is delivered on Friday (YES, milk and egg delivery is still alive and well in Vermont) 1 gallon of milk in glass 2 quart jars, and 3 dozen eggs. Russian store for a few Rusian/Ukrainian items. Meat is usually ground beef, pork loin (big one), and chicken. We currently have 4 turkeys in the freezer I bought for $9 each. We are still eating turkey from Thanksgiving and will for a few more days.

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

I think I'm going to be buying a lot more turkey in the future. I'm trying to figure out how to adapt a renal-friendly diet into our lifestyle. It's a b*tch because a lot of the "good for you" stuff isn't good for someone with kidney disease. Like - milk is out. Yogurt is out. Any kind of beans (except green) is out. Carrots, bananas - can't have. The list is surprisingly restrictive.

We may starve. I've got to get this sorted somehow.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

For us it's about balance across the whole week. If you eat three meals a day across the whole week you have 21 meals to spread your meat consumption across. On the day we have what you think is a tiny amount of chicken meat - breakfast might have included ham, bacon or venison sausage and lunch might have been a substantial amount of meat from the leftovers of the night before (say beef stew or large pulled pork sandwich) By evening - a small amount of chicken with lots of fresh home grown veg doesn't seem such a hardship. But it's a good way of managing the budget. I'd love to hear more suggestions from others on their ways of managing their food budget though.

And Gary - if you can persuade Alla to share her meatball recipe I'd love to see it.

She has invited many people over to make meatballs and show them how to make meatballs and borscht. The meatballs are great! I will see if I find a recipe or she will tell me. I know it is ground beef, potatoes grated very finely, onions, garlic, and some other seasonings. The "meatballs end up being about 75% meat and 25% or more possibly, potatoes, onions. Very tasty. They are fried in huge, deep, covered frying pans. I think we call them "dutch ovens". The meatballs are pretty big, about the size of a small apple. She will eat one for a meal, I usually have 2. They are eaten for all meals and we make meatball sandwiches and I even break them up and put them in spaghetti sauce.

My favorite is the potatoe, cheese, onion and bacon casserole. Sliced potatoes, shredded cheese, lots of onion (Ukrainians eat TONS of onions and will eat them like an apple for a snack) and a 1/3 package of bacon, all layered in a rectangular casserole dish and baked. She usually makes 3 at one time

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

My favorite is the potatoe, cheese, onion and bacon casserole. Sliced potatoes, shredded cheese, lots of onion (Ukrainians eat TONS of onions and will eat them like an apple for a snack) and a 1/3 package of bacon, all layered in a rectangular casserole dish and baked. She usually makes 3 at one time

OMG that's so totally off the diet!!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

OMG that's so totally off the diet!!

What'ya talkin' about? That's healthy, natural Ukrainian food...how all those Ukrainian women stay so young looking and slim! Don't forget to top it with a big spoonful of sour cream!

I never get it. Eat the meatballs and everything is fine, it is natural and healthy. Flatten some of the meat, fry it in the saem pan next to the meatballs and but it on a bun and it is transformed into a "Horrible Gahmboorger! You will die if you eat it!"

[Rebecca Jo 1,962]

What'ya talkin' about? That's healthy, natural Ukrainian food...how all those Ukrainian women stay so young looking and slim! Don't forget to top it with a big spoonful of sour cream!

I never get it. Eat the meatballs and everything is fine, it is natural and healthy. Flatten some of the meat, fry it in the saem pan next to the meatballs and but it on a bun and it is transformed into a "Horrible Gahmboorger! You will die if you eat it!"

If your kidneys are failing, that means a lot of the nutrients in food aren't being processed the way healthy kidneys process them. It further stresses the kidneys by putting foods high in these minerals/vitamins into the body. Anything high in potassium is off your list when you have kidney disease. That means anything dairy. It means many veggies, especially spuds.

FWIW, that kind of eating doesn't sound healthy for guy with a history of heart disease. But only you know your HDL and Triglyceride levels.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

If your kidneys are failing, that means a lot of the nutrients in food aren't being processed the way healthy kidneys process them. It further stresses the kidneys by putting foods high in these minerals/vitamins into the body. Anything high in potassium is off your list when you have kidney disease. That means anything dairy. It means many veggies, especially spuds.

FWIW, that kind of eating doesn't sound healthy for guy with a history of heart disease. But only you know your HDL and Triglyceride levels.

That is Ukrainian "comfort food" and she doesn't make it all the time. I take pills for my HDL and triglyerides so I have to eat food like that to counterbalance the pills.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Come to Boston and see how hard it would be to feed three for that amount.

Beans, rice and bread.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

OMG that's so totally off the diet!!

i can hear you drooling over that all the way over here.