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| Shopping for Groceries in 1941 (LOC). |
Later this morning I will put on my rain boots and walk all over the grounds of this old estate. The rain has made the property soft and wet making it necessary to wear protective shoes. I will visit all the garden spots throughout the land to see how much work needs to be done to prepare for the coming planting season. We will have a small kitchen garden, along with the berries and fruit trees that come up on their own each year. As I walk the grounds I will pray and remember that it is God who blesses our efforts and provides our food. We do the work and ask for His hand upon our labor. Knowing this, gives me comfort since I cannot possibly manage things on my own. I must have the help of my Heavenly Father.
The markets are full of ready-made food, pretty packaging, and inviting goods that can entice one to spend far more money than is reasonable. Sticking to a budget is hard in these days because we often think more about the store as the provider than of the land. This is especially true for those of us who are limited in our experience and abilities in gardening. Yet every little bit of effort at growing one's own food will save money on the grocery bill.
I often wonder if the way to spend less on groceries is to have smaller portions and live on less than is commonly recommended (for adults) by experts. Dinner plates used to be much smaller than the ones we have today. Even cups were smaller. Tea cups were often used for both tea and coffee. Today, many use large mugs. Everything seems bigger and is more expensive. And while most of the food we do have is happily given to growing children (or grandchildren when they visit), we older ones are learning to manage on less.
To keep costs down at the store, I have to avoid buying snacks. The chips, cookies, and candy are tempting but not in the budget. The frozen food section of dinners and desserts have to be avoided. The limited amount of money we have available must be used for basic necessities such as fresh fruit, vegetables, sugar and other baking ingredients, a small portion of meat, coffee, etc. The pre-made food is far too expensive. I have to make a great deal of effort to avoid buying any of it, especially when I am feeling sick and worn out.
There is much work to do in the kitchen to eat well and to plan out nutritious meals for the household. I frequently make homemade vegetable soup, which is both cheap and nutritious. This saves us so much money on food. But there are still things we need that cost money. We have to limit our spending to get through each month.
Many of us think about food for much of the day. We want both meals and snacks. We want to keep eating. Sometimes I have to get busy. I have to keep my mind on other things so that what we do have available is conserved, so it lasts long enough to the next pay period. Keeping occupied and drinking water will help us get through to the next scheduled meal time. At the table, eating slowly and enjoying the food peacefully will make us feel more content.
There are many of us on limited incomes who need to be very careful with our provisions. But we want to do this joyfully. We want to be grateful and at peace with a limited amount of resources. I am grateful for our beautiful old house. I am grateful for the land to walk about and have a bit of exercise and quiet times with the Lord. Most of all I am incredibly grateful that I can go to the Lord in prayer and ask for help for whatever we need. I want to always say with the Psalmist in chapter 23, "I shall not want." How precious to be cared for as a child of God, knowing that I have help not just in times of trouble, but for every single need, each and every day of my life.
Blessings
Mrs. White
From the Archives -
A Simple Life - How to Stop Buying Things that Clutter up the Home.
Old Time Frugality - Keeping the Family Homestead.
My Mother's Example - Housekeeping All Day.
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Help for hard times at home -
House Keeping in Hard Times: Essays and Encouragement from a Christian Housewife
Paperback, 180 pages
As you read the entries, you will get a sense of what it is like as a Christian housewife through the ups and downs of life. Topics include motherhood, marriage, taking care of children, cleaning, living on a low income, saving money, and building up the family with faith as the foundation.
