Merry Christmas...have some potatoes

[Koala]

:evil-eye: We've talked about this blog before. They live on pretty much nothing food wise. There are rules about the kids not being allowed to ask for seconds. They pretty much make Generation Starvation's Kelly look generous. And of course she can't get pregnant again fast enough, because being hungry is FUN ya'll!111!

Anyway, for Christmas they apparently asked for and received food. Typically that would make me really sad, but in this case it just makes me angry.

Seriously, if potatoes is a fabulous Christmas surprise for you, YOU SHOULD NOT BE TRYING TO GET PREGNANT! UGHHHH! :pull-hair:

We received a TON of food for Christmas. Some of it we actually asked for (like Chinese food, from Trader Joe's), and some of it (like the potatoes) were a surprise. But all in all, I filled up our cupboards and our freezer.

We won't be needing to buy certain of our "staples" for a while--especially chocolate. We have a lot of chocolate in the house.

littlehouseinthehills.blogspot.com/2013/12/post-christmas-post.html

[debrand]

I understand that sometimes many people have rough periods when they need a helping hand. And I wouldn't judge a family who asks for food for Christmas but like you said, the fundies add to their situation by purposely creating more babies than they have resources.

My kids are very thin and I am always trying to get everyone to eat more so not giving out seconds seems crazy to me.

[Marianne]

I had food at Christmas too ... But it was foie gras, saffron, champagne, luxury food that I can't buy during the year (hopefully :-))...

His children don't seem skinny. How old are they ?

[Mela99]

I asked for snack cakes for Christmas. But they're like crack to me, and I rarely let myself indulge in them.

I dunno, man. I'm okay with asking for that sort of thing but not because I can't feed myself and my fiance...

[ILoveJellybeans]

Im glad they got food for Christmas, if it will mean that the children wont go hungry.

She shouldn't be actively trying for a baby while in this much poverty though, as it will mean less food for the rest of the family.

[debrand]

I asked for snack cakes for Christmas. But they're like crack to me, and I rarely let myself indulge in them.

I dunno, man. I'm okay with asking for that sort of thing but not because I can't feed myself and my fiance...

My kids LOVE that the neighbors give them oodles of snacks on their birthdays and Christmas. A box of their favorite Pringles, candies and other food excited my teen daughters more than I would have thought.

If I thought a friend and family member was asking for gifts of food out of need and not just for extra stuff, I wouldn't wait until Christmas to supply that food.

[latraviata]

I had food at Christmas too ... But it was foie gras, saffron, champagne, luxury food that I can't buy during the year (hopefully :-))...

His children don't seem skinny. How old are they ?

I had that too Marianne (Le réveillon de Noël) foie gras, truffle and Cuteneurorad and I made a beautiful traditional Bûche de Noël.

Indeed once a year, why not.....

[RachelB]

I received a food basket one Christmas from the church I attended. I was initially somewhat resistant, because there were people I thought needed it more, but it was kind, memorable, and a mix of needs and wants tailored to my tastes: baking supplies (to replace dry goods I'd lost to meal moths), dried apricots and tomatoes, a jar of good olives, toasted sesame oil, almonds, tea.

Needless to say, I was not trying to get pregnant at the time.

[nelliebelle1197]

I had that too Marianne (Le réveillon de Noël) foie gras, truffle and Cuteneurorad and I made a beautiful traditional Bûche de Noël.

Indeed once a year, why not.....

I so totally want to be Dutch and hang out with you two.

[theologygeek]

I was looking at the meal planning tag on that blog. The woman doesn't know how to cook. She thinks she's being frugal, but frugal doesn't mean limiting your family's food intake. Just from the things on her shopping list, she could change the following. She could skip the jar tomato sauce and make her own. She could make her own alfredo sauce. I made it last week and it was to die for. Canned pumpkin is $2.99 here. A case of sweet potatoes were on sale for $2.50 last week and I am still using them. I have made sweet potato casserole, two sweet potato pies, and sweet potato muffins (that I froze) so far. Also, if she waited for the cases to go on sale, she could boil them up, mash them, and freeze them in individual cup measurements for future baking. By the time she is finished with all that, they will go on sale again. When baked, they really don't taste that much different from pumpkin. She could make her own bread. Make her own bouillon. Instead of boneless chicken breasts, she could get a roaster when it is on sale. She could have one meal of roasted chicken. What's left can be made into chicken salad. The skin and carcass make an excellent soup. It's much more flavorful than making soup from a whole chicken. She can make her own pasta. Tastes better anyway and she doesn't need a pasta machine. Or she can wait for pasta to go on sale when it's under a dollar. This week, one store in particular has pasta from Italy on sale for 58 cents. I will stock up on that. People think that meal planning saves money, but it really doesn't. What saves money is buying on sale from the different stores in the area, while also cooking, baking, and freezing.

[Closed Womb]

My kids LOVE that the neighbors give them oodles of snacks on their birthdays and Christmas. A box of their favorite Pringles, candies and other food excited my teen daughters more than I would have thought.

If I thought a friend and family member was asking for gifts of food out of need and not just for extra stuff, I wouldn't wait until Christmas to supply that food.

^ that

[latraviata]

I so totally want to be Dutch and hang out with you two.

I am half French.....you are always welcome!

[latraviata]

I was looking at the meal planning tag on that blog. The woman doesn't know how to cook. She thinks she's being frugal, but frugal doesn't mean limiting your family's food intake. Just from the things on her shopping list, she could change the following. She could skip the jar tomato sauce and make her own. She could make her own alfredo sauce. I made it last week and it was to die for. Canned pumpkin is $2.99 here. A case of sweet potatoes were on sale for $2.50 last week and I am still using them. I have made sweet potato casserole, two sweet potato pies, and sweet potato muffins (that I froze) so far. Also, if she waited for the cases to go on sale, she could boil them up, mash them, and freeze them in individual cup measurements for future baking. By the time she is finished with all that, they will go on sale again. When baked, they really don't taste that much different from pumpkin. She could make her own bread. Make her own bouillon. Instead of boneless chicken breasts, she could get a roaster when it is on sale. She could have one meal of roasted chicken. What's left can be made into chicken salad. The skin and carcass make an excellent soup. It's much more flavorful than making soup from a whole chicken. She can make her own pasta. Tastes better anyway and she doesn't need a pasta machine. Or she can wait for pasta to go on sale when it's under a dollar. This week, one store in particular has pasta from Italy on sale for 58 cents. I will stock up on that. People think that meal planning saves money, but it really doesn't. What saves money is buying on sale from the different stores in the area, while also cooking, baking, and freezing.

You are absolutely right!

[Rescinded and Mended]

I was looking at the meal planning tag on that blog. The woman doesn't know how to cook. She thinks she's being frugal, but frugal doesn't mean limiting your family's food intake. Just from the things on her shopping list, she could change the following. She could skip the jar tomato sauce and make her own. She could make her own alfredo sauce. I made it last week and it was to die for. Canned pumpkin is $2.99 here. A case of sweet potatoes were on sale for $2.50 last week and I am still using them. I have made sweet potato casserole, two sweet potato pies, and sweet potato muffins (that I froze) so far. Also, if she waited for the cases to go on sale, she could boil them up, mash them, and freeze them in individual cup measurements for future baking. By the time she is finished with all that, they will go on sale again. When baked, they really don't taste that much different from pumpkin. She could make her own bread. Make her own bouillon. Instead of boneless chicken breasts, she could get a roaster when it is on sale. She could have one meal of roasted chicken. What's left can be made into chicken salad. The skin and carcass make an excellent soup. It's much more flavorful than making soup from a whole chicken. She can make her own pasta. Tastes better anyway and she doesn't need a pasta machine. Or she can wait for pasta to go on sale when it's under a dollar. This week, one store in particular has pasta from Italy on sale for 58 cents. I will stock up on that. People think that meal planning saves money, but it really doesn't. What saves money is buying on sale from the different stores in the area, while also cooking, baking, and freezing.

All of this, especially when I think about canned pumpkin and sweet potatoes. I have refined and frozen my own filling for sweet potato and pumpkin dishes, and if you just dig in, use a little elbow grease and prep the pumpkin and sweet potatoes yourself instead of using canned, you can freeze 10 times as much into servings for pies and casseroles for one-tenth of the cost of the canned stuff.

And I hate canned sweet potatoes and pumpkin. Yuck!

[Peas n carrots]

You are absolutely right!

Are you half Wallonian or actually half French?

[theologygeek]

You are absolutely right!

Thank you. I'm Italian. We can make a feast out of a grain of rice. LOL

[theologygeek]

All of this, especially when I think about canned pumpkin and sweet potatoes. I have refined and frozen my own filling for sweet potato and pumpkin dishes, and if you just dig in, use a little elbow grease and prep the pumpkin and sweet potatoes yourself instead of using canned, you can freeze 10 times as much into servings for pies and casseroles for one-tenth of the cost of the canned stuff.

And I hate canned sweet potatoes and pumpkin. Yuck!

My ex husband wanted me to meal plan. He liked to see what he was going to eat for the week. I tried it for a while but it was too expensive. He didn't care, but I did. I like expensive things, but I also can't see paying full price for food that will be on sale in no time. That is money saved that can go to a new Coach purse. lol I don't use coupons, we eat well, and my grocery bill is not high at all. The freezer is our friend.

[Trynn]

My little cousins got told by their grandma (who is my aunt; my mither's younger sister) that they were getting nothing but potatoes from her for Christmas.

I don't think the kids knew she meant it. But on Christmas Day when they opened presents from her, she really had wrapped up a bunch of potatoes.

Contrary to expectations, the kids thought it was great! They were having tons of fun stacking the potatoes Ina tower, seeing how high they could stack them, making a small "house" out of them, etc. they loved it.

And this family is definitely not starving. I'm not sure of the financial situation, but I know they're not struggling with food. If they were, I know my aunt would never let them starve.

In fairness to my aunt, their Christmas present was that they each got to spend a day with her doing fun stuff. But you can't wrap that up, and she felt they needed something to unwrap. So, potatoes.

I just thought it was funny and semi on topic. It also kind I doesnt illustrate the point... But I thought t was funny.

[curlytoes79]

I was looking at the meal planning tag on that blog. The woman doesn't know how to cook. She thinks she's being frugal, but frugal doesn't mean limiting your family's food intake.

Her meal plans are unhealthy for growing children. Cinnamon buns and canned peaches for lunch? Mac n' cheese with nothing else? Pizza twice a day? How are these kids getting their veggies? The only meals that have substantial amounts of veggies are dinner, and she seems to favor starchy stuff like potatoes and peas.

[Mecca]

Pizza with a side of peas in cream sauce does not sound that appetizing.

Oh, and I read her advice to women after having babies. Basically, one of her bits of advice is to have sex with your husband ASAP.

[Lainey]

Someone please explain the homemade tomato sauce=cheaper thing to me. Where I live, tomatoes cost a bloody fortune.

[lilith]

Someone please explain the homemade tomato sauce=cheaper thing to me. Where I live, tomatoes cost a bloody fortune.

I agree, made with fresh it's only cheaper if you grow them and have a bumper crop.

Tinned tomatoes are very cheap here though, and that's basically what tomato sauces is - blended up tinned tomatoes with spices, sugar and maybe some olive oil or vinegar, depending on what sort of sauce you're after.

[flojo]

My little cousins got told by their grandma (who is my aunt; my mither's younger sister) that they were getting nothing but potatoes from her for Christmas.

I don't think the kids knew she meant it. But on Christmas Day when they opened presents from her, she really had wrapped up a bunch of potatoes.

Contrary to expectations, the kids thought it was great! They were having tons of fun stacking the potatoes Ina tower, seeing how high they could stack them, making a small "house" out of them, etc. they loved it.

And this family is definitely not starving. I'm not sure of the financial situation, but I know they're not struggling with food. If they were, I know my aunt would never let them starve.

In fairness to my aunt, their Christmas present was that they each got to spend a day with her doing fun stuff. But you can't wrap that up, and she felt they needed something to unwrap. So, potatoes.

I just thought it was funny and semi on topic. It also kind I doesnt illustrate the point... But I thought t was funny.

My husband put a potato in my stocking because I had been threatening to gift him one all year...

[theologygeek]

Someone please explain the homemade tomato sauce=cheaper thing to me. Where I live, tomatoes cost a bloody fortune.

Italians don't make the basic sauce with tomatoes. In Italy, everyone, including restaurants, use Pomi. It's sold in the US too. Or they do the process explained at the end of this post. Canned tomatoes are great to make sauce with. I buy puree imported from Italy, and it goes on sale a lot over here for a dollar. Many foods imported from Italy are non gmo and they can be found in the supermarket. The former prime minister told Monsanto to go to hell. lol If you have a garden, you can make your own puree the genuine Italian way, which entails boiling the tomatoes in cloth, putting them through the food mill, and canning them. After all that, you can make your basic sauce. But there's really no difference in taste between this process and buying puree from Italy that is already done for you.

[theologygeek]

I agree, made with fresh it's only cheaper if you grow them and have a bumper crop.

Tinned tomatoes are very cheap here though, and that's basically what tomato sauces is - blended up tinned tomatoes with spices, sugar and maybe some olive oil or vinegar, depending on what sort of sauce you're after.

What are tinned tomatoes? Canned? You don't put sugar in sauce. Between the meat and length of cooking time, it will be naturally sweet. I never heard of vinegar in sauce.