Conversations, Explanations, & Principles
Magnet Principles
The Kitchen Magnet Mindset is a long-term mentality. It means that you have thought through how you want to nourish and satiate your family within your budget, according to the inspiration of the Foodwifery Magnet.
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Realize, too, that these budget choices are not set in stone. Certain foods require more planning and sourcing than others. I like to look at mine each time the seasons change, and in the Midwest, that means every 3 months.
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I enjoy the change of the 3-5 recipes per food group that go with the in-season food availability. I love the creativity that comes with serving fresh spring greens and wilted lettuce in the spring, corn-on-the-cob and fresh tomatoes in the summer, and sweet and spicy bell peppers, ratatouille, and squash in the fall.
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This keeps me mindful and enjoying the task: it’s fun to plan and source this way. Not a dreaded job, at all! We don’t cut quality; we don’t eat fake foods. We bulk-buy, source locally and in-season, make sauces and gravies to satiate, stretch proteins with grains, veggies and fats, and arm ourselves in the grocery store.
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If your goals are to nourish and to satiate on a budget, then that’s a game you can win.
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So, to recap:
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Long term thinking. Do it. You ARE planning on eating next year, aren’t you? Why not think, plan, act at one time, and you’ll have it all done. The decisions are made, you can focus on seasonal fare and a creative, loving table because your nourishing and satiating foods are already at hand.
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Be flexible. There will be feast; there will be famine. Don’t let it blow you off course. Use what you have, focus on your 3-5 favorite recipes per food, and welcome the challenge and the change of rolling with the punches of every season.
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Choose priorities based on your family’s taste preferences. If you can work toward serving only what your family realistically likes, the temptation for other foods is diminished, you create a designated place to store them, and you’ve made many, many decisions ahead of time. No more wondering what to prepare this week–you’ve already got the best that your family loves under your roof!
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Simplify. It works! New and better really isn’t new and better. Family fave recipes are changeable in the seasonal foods–you don’t need the newest cookbook or trendy celebrity diet plan to run your kitchen. Stick with what works for YOU. Simplicity opens the doors to continual satiation and nourishment of your family. Purpose for simplicity and you’ll find yourself with both peace of mind, and freedom.
BONUS: Think Traditional Food is too Expensive?
When you look at the numbers, Americans go out to eat multiple times per week. At just two time/week and $50/meal (family of 4), you’re looking at $5200.00 per year in food costs. Jamie feeds hers on $20.00/day. She know this can be done; it can work. If others balk at the price of organic meat and veggies, it either means they aren’t interested in transforming their tables, or they don’t know how. If it’s the second reason, send them our way! Our Foodwifery teaching will get them up and running in no time–all for the betterment of their health.
Budget Principles
The Kitchen Magnet Mindset is simply giving you perspective on purchasing the quality food which matches your goal of nurturing the art of a healing table. Common, processed foods offered in our groceries are not healing; locally-sourced, natural, traditional foods ARE healing.
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We want you to learn and adapt, to think differently than the grocery store mentality that we were all raised with.
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We want you to be able to bypass most departments because you’ve already mindfully-selected what to purchase from your local farmer.
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YOU are making the choice not to be swayed by powerful marketing techniques which prey on your desire to satisfy your family.
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Remember that satiation is the goal. And to that end, the Foodwifery system works nearly flawlessly.
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Think simplicity. Think flexibility. Perfection is not real.
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Nurturing your table the Foodwifery way creates less stress, and sets a firm foundation for health and wellness for all.
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Points on Frugality:
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And, that brings us to our last point…
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Don’t cut out quality protein — learn how to stretch it. Protein is important, so if you need to trim down on your budget, keep those meats, eggs, and fish in your budget, but go with recipes that use less of the protein. Example: serving beef in hamburgers vs. serving beef in chili. In this example, the beans and dehydrated veggies in chili cut the cost per serving dramatically, and still work to satiate.
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Buy in bulk, in-season, barter with others, grow your own food, and co-operate with other like-minded families. Purchase spices annually and in bulk for your best value in that area.
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Purpose to buy and serve satiating foods ONLY. This eliminates impulse eating, and impulse buying of snacks and fast foods. (Have you noticed how expensive snack foods are?) When you have satiating foods already in your pantry, you are less inclined to the marketing tricks of our food culture.
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When you do go to the local grocery store, arm yourself, warriors! Watch out for the traps of store marketing which entices sales based on fancy containers or celebrity endorsements. Much time, effort, and dollars are put forth to make a shopper feel like they NEED an item, when in reality it is a less nourishing, often chemically-laden substitute for something you already possess. Knowing this will aid you in spending less money on nonessential, fake foods.
Make a list, discipline yourself to a set amount of time in a grocery, and confidently walk past all those aisles that contain the poor substitutes to the real food you have stored in your pantry!
Jamie’s Budget Overview
Okay, this video has some numbers in it.
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But more important? The golden wisdom in this video discussion on purposing your traditional diet through the Kitchen Magnet.
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Jamie also shares the bottom line on what she needs to feed her family on per day.
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PLUS, you’ll learn why people think Jamie is crazy!
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This discussion is too precious to translate into words, so be sure to watch it. Then, watch it again. Make it yours.
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Purpose to do the best you can, then watch your world change!