It's really reached that point...
By wiccania
@wiccania (3360)
United States
May 20, 2011 10:38pm CST
I work at a grocery store, so I see how the rising costs have changed the way people shop for groceries or feed their families first hand. It's interesting, to say the least. Like many stores, we offer pre-made dishes that you can buy, reheat and have for dinner, lunch, etc. Things like sliced pork loin, London broil, meatloaf, penne with vodka sauce, along with various side dishes like grilled vegetables and twice baked potatoes. I've noticed that a lot of customers who have 3 or fewer people in their households are buying those meals to feed their families instead of buying the ingredients and making it themselves. It makes sense, if you're a small family and leftovers don't get eaten. Buying the ingredients for, say, London broil, twice baked potatoes and grilled veggies would run you about $20, where the pre made items would be about half that and less work. Further discussion with some of my customers who do this revealed that they also eat a couple of times a week from fast food dollar menus. It's just the most economical way to feed their families.
Have we really reached a point that this is the most economical way to feed a small family? Wow.
1 person likes this
10 responses
@visavis (5934)
• Philippines
21 May 11
Some other ready made food are lower prices I know but the quality and very high in preservatives - better to go on own cook and own budgetting for food you can cook, for the safety and protain of your family... you can guarantee their health compare to ready made foods. see you around
@thezone (9394)
• Ireland
21 May 11
I cant believe that ready meals are cheaper than buying the ingredients and making them yourself for a whole week
I think everyone has just got lazy. I can see why people buy ready meals but making it their staple diet is just wrong.
Ready meals here are more expensive than cooking with fresh produce all week for exactly the same result, only healthier.
I think everyone has just got lazy. I can see why people buy ready meals but making it their staple diet is just wrong.
Ready meals here are more expensive than cooking with fresh produce all week for exactly the same result, only healthier.@wiccania (3360)
• United States
21 May 11
If the leftovers aren't going to be used, so they're just going to be tossed, buying the pre made meals really is cheaper. In my store, a package with 3 - 4 servings of meat is $3-4. The sides are even cheaper. For small families, singles, etc it's actually kind of economical.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
21 May 11
Sounds like people need to change how they cook and what they eat. I feed a family of 4 on $125/2 weeks and I can get the amount lower if I use coupons. Also, feeding your family junk increases the number of medical bills you pay in the long run any money they may save goes into medical costs.
@wiccania (3360)
• United States
21 May 11
I don't think they're eating junk, per se. Most of the pre made meals the store sells are the same kind of stuff that people would make for their family if they were cooking. These people are on an extremely fixed income, a lot of them are elderly couples, and have maybe $50 to spend for a week. As a general rule, 1 of the pre made packs of cooked meat that we sell is 3 or 4 servings for $3-4 dollars, less if it's on special. The side dishes are even cheaper. It makes sense to buy the big cut of meat for a big family, or if the leftovers will get used, but otherwise, its not terribly economic.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
21 May 11
I was more commenting on eating off the dollar menu at fast food restaurants. Even so when you buy pre-made food, you can not control what you are eating. If that same 2 people bought a bag of brown rice, a block of tofu and some frozen vegetables. One batch of good stirfry is 2 dinners for about the same price they are paying for just the meat meal. For meat, if your store (or any store nearby) has a butcher on staff you can always ask them to cut a certain piece for you.
When it was just my husband an myself we spent less than $50 on week on food. We would make 2-3 big dinners and have left overs the rest of the week - or freeze the food for a later time. I have fed my family on less than $100 every 2 weeks shopping sales and using coupons. Other than splurging and going out to eat, I don't see a reason to not cook your own food for health reasons.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
21 May 11
I think the economy And lifestyle both are to blame. people are way too busy to cook.back in the day , Most women , and yes it was the women, were home and could cook up dinner. food was Way cheaper and there weren't so many fast food restaurants. but now both men And women Have to work long hours and neither has the time to cook. Food Is Expensive so they take short cuts when they can. Me? I never learned how to cook On Purpose. I get great frozen food !
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
22 May 11
Long Live The Pre cooked stuff, Frozen Pizza, And the occasional trip to Mc Donalds, Five Guys , And or Wendy's!
@zhpshql (693)
• China
21 May 11
Hi,wiccania
I always buy some made food...it's convennient...and not very expensive.
I don't think it's the point thing...like me,,I have to work all day long time,and have no time to make dinner...and even I have,I don't want to...so tired.^^maybe you can call it lazy...
But when it's the weekend,I will cook by myself and enjoy it...As cooking is
interesting to me..
@tink91879 (742)
• United States
21 May 11
I buy a cpl frozen meals, on sale, put them away in case I need them for a busy day. I shop every two weeks and buy everything we need to make dinner for the two weeks, counting the fact we will have left overs so that save me cooking a cpl meals. Coupons are great. I think its better to home cook and save the left overs for the next night or the night after or even freezing your left overs depending on what it is. I try to plan for the two weeks. Every Friday is our pizza and movie night. We either have it delievered or we buy it frozen and heat it up. It ends up being cheaper when you can find the good deals. We are a fam of four. When we have fam visit you can cook meals that feed more ppl for a decent price. Bbq chicken and potato salad and corn on the cob is pretty cheap. Especially when you find the stuff on sale. Spaghetti sauce in the croc pot can feed a ton of ppl, cheap and easy and very good. I add vegetables to my sauce. I think it just comes down to ppl are to busy to take the time to cook. I know a fam who spend one day out of the week preparing meals, freezing them and than reheating them the night they eat them. Makes for good fam time and easy time when preparing dinners though out the week.
@wiccania (3360)
• United States
21 May 11
I'm not talking about frozen meals. They're items that are prepared in the store on a daily basis. It's fresh food, but has to be reheated. Most of these people aren't busy, theyre retired. Many are also singles, and frankly when you're the only person eating, it often doesn't make sense economically to just get the pre made stuff.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
21 May 11
Sounds like people need to change how they cook and what they eat. I feed a family of 4 on $125/2 weeks and I can get the amount lower if I use coupons. Also, feeding your family junk increases the number of medical bills you pay in the long run any money they may save goes into medical costs.
@williamjisir (22819)
• China
22 May 11
Hello wiccania. In our local supermarket they also provide this kind of food as described in the discussion. It is convenient, but not any cheaper than the traditional ways we buy food. Side dishes look good with a different color food.
Take care, friend.
@TrvlArrngr (4045)
• United States
21 May 11
I find myself using more and more coupons to get my groceries. My daughter works in a grocery store and she notices that more people are using coupons too. We have to do whatever we can to make ends meet.
@SIMPLYD (90721)
• Philippines
28 May 11
yes, it is practical and economical to just buy cooked foods, if there will only be 3 members to eat. Sometimes, the members do not like to eat left-overs anymore.
Specially, if you are a working person, it is practical to just buy rather than cook which could additionally tire you .
Cooking could be just done during the week-ends, when it's day off.
