If you missed the first part of this series, you can read it here.
When we left off we found out our oldest daughter had an allergy to food dyes and wheat. And
I was finally reading food labels, not price stickers.
I went into the kitchen and scoured the fridge. We were left with meat and a veggie.
For weeks I struggled.
I tried to by the food dye free gluten free foods.
Wow, they were expensive.
No one told me what was naturally dye free or naturally gluten free.
I struggled as my own wheat test indicated I too should not be consuming wheat.
I stopped.
For months I replaced our normal processed food diet with processed gluten free
versions.
It still was a struggle and more than anything for this former Coupon Addict...it was really expensive.
3 months in, I made a wonderful friend. She was a Celiac.
While we had issues with wheat we were not deemed Celiac, just intolerant.
She taught me what in nature was naturally gluten free.
I put down the boxed meals and starting combing the internet.
Surely others were experiencing what I was.
I was shocked by the sheer number who was.
I found community, information and most of all.....
I found hope.
Fast forward to today.
Our family on a whole is gluten free and uses no artificial food dyes.
I am mostly grain free. We purchase 50% of our food on a regular basis organically.
My husband lost over 100 lbs. I lost 40. My children's faces are rosy and healthy now.
They have energy that they never knew before.
We do this on a budget of $100 - $125 a week. For a family of 5. No coupons.
If organic was not important to us, I could go much lower.
But since we believe that part of the growing population to food allergy is
environmental related, we choose to opt out whenever possible.
But there are tight weeks where I can buy all the food we consume non-organically
for less than $75 for the week.
No more coupons.
No more processed foods.
No more Stockpile Room.
The reason for telling this story is that I hope that another family who may be experiencing
what we did or just have questions, can be comforted that there is hope.
Having food allergies does not mean your grocery budget has to be so high.
Your not doomed to eat from a small shelf in your grocery store. There are so many options.
Later on I will show examples of our daily diet in hopes to shed light on how this can be affordable.
Until then, I want to encourage people struggling with food allergies or health issues related to food
that you need not be envious of the couponers. You too can save money and eat well. :)
