There's this (Blue Apron) for those who can afford it. I can't but it looks like an interesting idea.

[Edited 11/10/15 13:22pm]

How much yo spend in the USA for fruit and vegetables?

214 said:

How much yo spend in the USA for fruit and vegetables?

It varies. Doesn't it vary where you are? Or are they the same price everywhere for every item?


I think a lot of our regulations play a factor in what is available and when. I've never understood why I live in one of the largest agricultural states in the country yet I still see a large part of the produce in stores coming from almost everywhere else in the world. Which mean that the produce is picked long before it's ripe, and stored, handled and sprayed with god knows what. It's difficult for someone like me who remembers what fresh produce tasted like. It takes a conscious effort to find places that are local, therefore they're allowed to ripen, far less handling and more knowledge in how it was grow, which is becoming easier, but one still must plan ahead.

Documentaries like Food Chains, Food Inc., and Fast Food Nation, give an insight on the complications involved in produce in the States, and the mentality behind it.

morningsong said:

214 said:

How much yo spend in the USA for fruit and vegetables?

It varies. Doesn't it vary where you are? Or are they the same price everywhere for every item?


I think a lot of our regulations play a factor in what is available and when. I've never understood why I live in one of the largest agricultural states in the country yet I still see a large part of the produce in stores coming from almost everywhere else in the world. Which mean that the produce is picked long before it's ripe, and stored, handled and sprayed with god knows what. It's difficult for someone like me who remembers what fresh produce tasted like. It takes a conscious effort to find places that are local, therefore they're allowed to ripen, far less handling and more knowledge in how it was grow, which is becoming easier, but one still must plan ahead.

Documentaries like Food Chains, Food Inc., and Fast Food Nation, give an insight on the complications involved in produce in the States, and the mentality behind it.

It varies, but i spend 100 dlls every two weeks, is that much in USA?

Since winter's coming on and folks might be interested in soups, one kitchen tool I can reccomend that will be one of your best investments ever is an immersion blender: it allows to to purree soup right in the pot (great so that you don't have to cool it down or use a regular blender, whuch can be messy & slow because you can only blend portions at a time), it's also good for making other super quick dips & sauces like hummus or pesto:

This one from Amazon will run you about 20 bucks. Some come with other attachments like mixing cups or mini food processor cups. With a basic soup stock, a veggie, and a few condiments to add some oomph, you can make your own fancy schamcy artisan soups at home, in less than 20 minutes and for a fraction of the restaurant or grocery store price. The basic soups in my 20 minute repetoire with this thingy are:

Panera Bread Tomato Soup

Cream of Spinach Soup (I add the spinach at the last minute to retain the color and vitamins)

Potato Cream Soup (great w/ wheat croutons, chopped bacon, or shrimp w/ a splash of white wine)

Ginger Curry Carrot & Apple Soup

(In a pinch I'll hack it by using packaged mashed potatoes, unsweetened apple sauce & carrot juice, then blend: you can feed a crowd of 10 people in 20 minutes with this and it goes FAST)

Ottensen said:

Since winter's coming on and folks might be interested in soups, one kitchen tool I can reccomend that will be one of your best investments ever is an immersion blender: it allows to to purree soup right in the pot (great so that you don't have to cool it down or use a regular blender, whuch can be messy & slow because you can only blend portions at a time), it's also good for making other super quick dips & sauces like hummus or pesto:

This one from Amazon will run you about 20 bucks. Some come with other attachments like mixing cups or mini food processor cups. With a basic soup stock, a veggie, and a few condiments to add some oomph, you can make your own fancy schamcy artisan soups at home, in less than 20 minutes and for a fraction of the restaurant or grocery store price. The basic soups in my 20 minute repetoire with this thingy are:

Panera Bread Tomato Soup

Cream of Spinach Soup (I add the spinach at the last minute to retain the color and vitamins)

Potato Cream Soup (great w/ wheat croutons, chopped bacon, or shrimp w/ a splash of white wine)

Ginger Curry Carrot & Apple Soup

(In a pinch I'll hack it by using packaged mashed potatoes, unsweetened apple sauce & carrot juice, then blend: you can feed a crowd of 10 people in 20 minutes with this and it goes FAST)

I use that all the time. Perfect tool to make soups. I used to puree the cooked ingredients in a blender but like you said, this thing is so much easier to use and less messy than using a blender.

My favorite soup is mercimek (pronounced mer-jee-mack) , which is a very simple lentil soup.

Cook the lentils with two potatoes, puree everything, add some stock, salt and pepper, add some paprika powder or flakes, a bit of olive oil and a little bit of sauteed onions and flour that´s been browned in butter (in a different pot or pan, so you can add it to the soup pot), bring to a short boil again, puree again briefly, et voilá .

High in zinc, very high in protein, and lots of other healthy stuff.

KoolEaze said:

Ottensen said:

Since winter's coming on and folks might be interested in soups, one kitchen tool I can reccomend that will be one of your best investments ever is an immersion blender: it allows to to purree soup right in the pot (great so that you don't have to cool it down or use a regular blender, whuch can be messy & slow because you can only blend portions at a time), it's also good for making other super quick dips & sauces like hummus or pesto:

This one from Amazon will run you about 20 bucks. Some come with other attachments like mixing cups or mini food processor cups. With a basic soup stock, a veggie, and a few condiments to add some oomph, you can make your own fancy schamcy artisan soups at home, in less than 20 minutes and for a fraction of the restaurant or grocery store price. The basic soups in my 20 minute repetoire with this thingy are:

Panera Bread Tomato Soup

Cream of Spinach Soup (I add the spinach at the last minute to retain the color and vitamins)

Potato Cream Soup (great w/ wheat croutons, chopped bacon, or shrimp w/ a splash of white wine)

Ginger Curry Carrot & Apple Soup

(In a pinch I'll hack it by using packaged mashed potatoes, unsweetened apple sauce & carrot juice, then blend: you can feed a crowd of 10 people in 20 minutes with this and it goes FAST)

I use that all the time. Perfect tool to make soups. I used to puree the cooked ingredients in a blender but like you said, this thing is so much easier to use and less messy than using a blender.

My favorite soup is mercimek (pronounced mer-jee-mack) , which is a very simple lentil soup.

Cook the lentils with two potatoes, puree everything, add some stock, salt and pepper, add some paprika powder or flakes, a bit of olive oil and a little bit of sauteed onions and flour that´s been browned in butter (in a different pot or pan, so you can add it to the soup pot), bring to a short boil again, puree again briefly, et voilá .

High in zinc, very high in protein, and lots of other healthy stuff.

I love my stabmixer

But about this soup, That's it??? Chile, I've been buying the packaged versions of this from the Turkish stores by Altona Bnhf all this time and you mean to tell me all I neded to do do was boil some damned potatoes and red lentils & onions???

Well now, I guess we know what the hell be served for dinner in THIS house tonight

Ottensen said:

214 said:

Why do i still have belly fat? i eat properly, healthy

Ya gotta exercise with a liitle extra attention paid to strengthening your tummy muscles. Sorry, but there's kinda no way around it (pun not intended!)

The traininglessons I go to are really good. And in the last part, the exercisis for the belly are pretty harsh.

Somehow, I got a big belly, but underneath, I also got strong belly muscles.

So, I can see the slim ones getting frustrated, because I can keep up with these excercises and they have a hard time. That is my little guilty pleasure, for the rest I'm not top of the class (understatement).

KoolEaze said:

Ottensen said:

Since winter's coming on and folks might be interested in soups, one kitchen tool I can reccomend that will be one of your best investments ever is an immersion blender: it allows to to purree soup right in the pot (great so that you don't have to cool it down or use a regular blender, whuch can be messy & slow because you can only blend portions at a time), it's also good for making other super quick dips & sauces like hummus or pesto:

This one from Amazon will run you about 20 bucks. Some come with other attachments like mixing cups or mini food processor cups. With a basic soup stock, a veggie, and a few condiments to add some oomph, you can make your own fancy schamcy artisan soups at home, in less than 20 minutes and for a fraction of the restaurant or grocery store price. The basic soups in my 20 minute repetoire with this thingy are:

Panera Bread Tomato Soup

Cream of Spinach Soup (I add the spinach at the last minute to retain the color and vitamins)

Potato Cream Soup (great w/ wheat croutons, chopped bacon, or shrimp w/ a splash of white wine)

Ginger Curry Carrot & Apple Soup

(In a pinch I'll hack it by using packaged mashed potatoes, unsweetened apple sauce & carrot juice, then blend: you can feed a crowd of 10 people in 20 minutes with this and it goes FAST)

I use that all the time. Perfect tool to make soups. I used to puree the cooked ingredients in a blender but like you said, this thing is so much easier to use and less messy than using a blender.

My favorite soup is mercimek (pronounced mer-jee-mack) , which is a very simple lentil soup.

Cook the lentils with two potatoes, puree everything, add some stock, salt and pepper, add some paprika powder or flakes, a bit of olive oil and a little bit of sauteed onions and flour that´s been browned in butter (in a different pot or pan, so you can add it to the soup pot), bring to a short boil again, puree again briefly, et voilá .

High in zinc, very high in protein, and lots of other healthy stuff.

I'm gonna have to try this. Possibly tonight.

I love my immersion blender too.

I haven't read the whole thread, but eating healthy can be very inexpensive and easy, you just have to be willing to change the way you eat. It's the change part that's the most difficult for folks.

Ottensen said:

KoolEaze said:

I use that all the time. Perfect tool to make soups. I used to puree the cooked ingredients in a blender but like you said, this thing is so much easier to use and less messy than using a blender.

My favorite soup is mercimek (pronounced mer-jee-mack) , which is a very simple lentil soup.

Cook the lentils with two potatoes, puree everything, add some stock, salt and pepper, add some paprika powder or flakes, a bit of olive oil and a little bit of sauteed onions and flour that´s been browned in butter (in a different pot or pan, so you can add it to the soup pot), bring to a short boil again, puree again briefly, et voilá .

High in zinc, very high in protein, and lots of other healthy stuff.

I love my stabmixer

But about this soup, That's it??? Chile, I've been buying the packaged versions of this from the Turkish stores by Altona Bnhf all this time and you mean to tell me all I neded to do do was boil some damned potatoes and red lentils & onions???

Well now, I guess we know what the hell be served for dinner in THIS house tonight

reduce sugar and salt intake.

counting the amount of (salt) sodium in all processed foods. i.e. canned, baked, packaged and drinks is very important

being aware of how much sugar (high fructose) is in the foods your purchase.

as far as soups go.

NEVER buy canned soups. the sodium level is very high.

i usually make my soup. for some it's too inconvenient.

so anyway, when i do buy soup from the market i make sure it was made by the cooks in the deli department, even then i dilute it with an amount of water before heating to eat.

high levels of sodium intake is really unhealthy.

>

I know what causes high blood pressure, but what causes low blood pressure? It is all related to eating healthy... I can't figure out why in visiting the dentist's office on one day, I had normal blood pressure without eating breakfast, and the second day, I had low pressure after I ate a breakfast of oatmeal with an banana. Hunh?!

Here's a question I can't find the answer to: Is coffee good for you or bad for you?

7thday said:

Here's a question I can't find the answer to: Is coffee good for you or bad for you?

From what I understand, currently we think moderate amounts (1-2 cups per day) aren't bad for you and there are definite benefits.

Going overboard with caffeine can cause heart palpitations, high blood pressure, and other issues.

So, just like with everything else we can consume, it's all about moderation.

I tried and failed many times... but my currentl significant other grew up on a farm and wasn't used to all the processed crap that Americans normally eat so without even trying I've become super super healthy because thats the only way I can eat without having to cook for myself.

Healthy Holidays!! (with a marshmellow on top)

morningsong said:

Healthy Holidays!! (with a marshmellow on top)

Looks beautiful

I have a hard time affording food ... single mom and two teens. I manage, but in America, processed foods are very affordable, quick and easy.

This is an onstacle to a healthy eating habits. IMO whole foods are the answer, but you must cook wholefoods... another obstacle is laziness.

Ottensen said:

Since winter's coming on and folks might be interested in soups, one kitchen tool I can reccomend that will be one of your best investments ever is an immersion blender: it allows to to purree soup right in the pot (great so that you don't have to cool it down or use a regular blender, whuch can be messy & slow because you can only blend portions at a time), it's also good for making other super quick dips & sauces like hummus or pesto:

This one from Amazon will run you about 20 bucks. Some come with other attachments like mixing cups or mini food processor cups. With a basic soup stock, a veggie, and a few condiments to add some oomph, you can make your own fancy schamcy artisan soups at home, in less than 20 minutes and for a fraction of the restaurant or grocery store price. The basic soups in my 20 minute repetoire with this thingy are:

Panera Bread Tomato Soup

Cream of Spinach Soup (I add the spinach at the last minute to retain the color and vitamins)

Potato Cream Soup (great w/ wheat croutons, chopped bacon, or shrimp w/ a splash of white wine)

Ginger Curry Carrot & Apple Soup

(In a pinch I'll hack it by using packaged mashed potatoes, unsweetened apple sauce & carrot juice, then blend: you can feed a crowd of 10 people in 20 minutes with this and it goes FAST)

Ooh, thanks for the great tips. I am frantically searching for alternatives to salad. I prefer to eat warm food most of the time but haven't looked enough at other options.

morningsong said:

Healthy Holidays!! (with a marshmellow on top)

I'm gonna make these! They're pretty,

I'm SUPPOSED to be eating healthy NOW.

With the wage freezes at my job and rising rent costs... I've just been trying to eat.

babynoz said:

morningsong said:

Healthy Holidays!! (with a marshmellow on top)

I'm gonna make these! They're pretty,

At first I thought those were marshmellows at the top (I'm half blind) but I see they're little circles of cheese, even better. Perfect for taking to work for the non-sugar eating people.

luv4u said:

I am trying to eat healthy and yeah I have failed a few times

I am eating very little red meat. Having chicken and fish. Lots of greens, vegetables and of course fruits. And I have been on a soup binge this last 2 weeks......... now is soup really healthy such as those that are in the store and claim to be healthy? I have not tried home made soups except for chicken noodle.

It is not hard cutting out junk food such as pop, chips, chocolate.

I drink 2% milk, tea, water.

No, they are not healthy. If it comes out of a can or has a shelf life longer than a week you can be certain it is loaded with chemicals and is over-processed. It probably isn't something you want to put in your body. I follow a paleo diet and once a week I make bone broth which I will drink straight or use as a basis for soups. It is a much healthier alternative.

luv4u said:

I am trying to eat healthy and yeah I have failed a few times

I am eating very little red meat. Having chicken and fish. Lots of greens, vegetables and of course fruits. And I have been on a soup binge this last 2 weeks......... now is soup really healthy such as those that are in the store and claim to be healthy? I have not tried home made soups except for chicken noodle.

It is not hard cutting out junk food such as pop, chips, chocolate.

I drink 2% milk, tea, water.

I've lost over 30 pounds since February by simply eating healthy and doing at least a half hour of cardio almost every day. Most importantly you should cut out as much sugar and carbs as you can, those are the key things to avoid. Therefore you want to be careful of which fruits and vegetables you eat. The starchy vegetables, such as corn, should be eliminated. Same thing with sugary fruit such as oranges. And since you already made the switch to 2% milk, go one further to 1%. It won't take long to adjust to the small difference in taste.

vainandy said:

Yes, and it costs too much when you're living paycheck to paycheck. Hot dogs are way cheaper than baked chicken or fish.

You can get healthy meats at a cheap price, you just need to look for them.

For instance Oven Browned, 99% Fat Free, No Preservatives, Gluten-Free Kirkland Turkey Breast sells for just $3.99/lb at Costco.

Pokeno4Money said:

vainandy said:

Yes, and it costs too much when you're living paycheck to paycheck. Hot dogs are way cheaper than baked chicken or fish.

You can get healthy meats at a cheap price, you just need to look for them.

vainandy has heard that somewhere before Do they also sell great new funk music at the cheap health food store?

Pokeno4Money said:

luv4u said:

I am trying to eat healthy and yeah I have failed a few times

I am eating very little red meat. Having chicken and fish. Lots of greens, vegetables and of course fruits. And I have been on a soup binge this last 2 weeks......... now is soup really healthy such as those that are in the store and claim to be healthy? I have not tried home made soups except for chicken noodle.

It is not hard cutting out junk food such as pop, chips, chocolate.

I drink 2% milk, tea, water.

I've lost over 30 pounds since February by simply eating healthy and doing at least a half hour of cardio almost every day. Most importantly you should cut out as much sugar and carbs as you can, those are the key things to avoid. Therefore you want to be careful of which fruits and vegetables you eat. The starchy vegetables, such as corn, should be eliminated. Same thing with sugary fruit such as oranges. And since you already made the switch to 2% milk, go one further to 1%. It won't take long to adjust to the small difference in taste.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are good for you. We're talking about what's "healthy" and what's not. In the grand scale of the things corn and oranges are far better for you than processed foods loaded with sugar.

Even if we're talking weight loss, no one got fat eating too many oranges.

CarrieMpls said:

Pokeno4Money said:

I've lost over 30 pounds since February by simply eating healthy and doing at least a half hour of cardio almost every day. Most importantly you should cut out as much sugar and carbs as you can, those are the key things to avoid. Therefore you want to be careful of which fruits and vegetables you eat. The starchy vegetables, such as corn, should be eliminated. Same thing with sugary fruit such as oranges. And since you already made the switch to 2% milk, go one further to 1%. It won't take long to adjust to the small difference in taste.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are good for you. We're talking about what's "healthy" and what's not. In the grand scale of the things corn and oranges are far better for you than processed foods loaded with sugar.

Even if we're talking weight loss, no one got fat eating too many oranges.

I absolutely agree, processed foods should be avoided. Oranges are okay, but often people believe that orange juice is okay as well ... it's actually not.