Cost Benefits of Simple Diets

Summary

The website content details how an individual has developed a simple diet to manage health issues, particularly diabetes, and has found cost savings as a result of this lifestyle change.

Abstract

The author of the website content, who has been diagnosed with diabetes, has taken a proactive approach to managing their health by designing a personalized diet. This diet focuses on whole foods and home-cooked meals, avoiding processed foods and high glycemic index ingredients. By cooking in bulk and freezing meals, the individual has been able to take advantage of special offers on larger quantities of ingredients, leading to a reduction in their food bill despite rising food prices. The diet has also been adapted to accommodate foods that are readily available through family hunting and fishing activities, further contributing to cost savings. The author emphasizes the importance of understanding personal blood glucose responses and the benefits of a simplified diet, not only for health but also for financial reasons.

Opinions

The author expresses surprise at the minimal increase in their food bill compared to the general rise in Australian food prices, attributing this to their dietary changes.
Frustration is conveyed regarding the challenges and costs associated with cooking for one, which led to the innovative approach of cooking for the freezer.
The author values the variety and taste of their meals, despite the simplicity of the diet and the reduction in the number of ingredients used.
There is a sense of accomplishment in taking control of one's diet and health, particularly through frequent health checks and self-monitoring of blood glucose levels.
The author is critical of making assumptions about "healthy" foods, citing the personal discovery that blueberries, once a favorite, had to be eliminated from their diet due to their blood glucose response.
The opinion is clear that processed foods, including canned goods and convenience items, are inferior to fresh, whole ingredients, both in terms of health outcomes and cost-effectiveness.
The author places a high emphasis on frugality and sustainability, noting the benefits of using all available ingredients, including meat and bone offcuts for making stocks.
The author's personal enjoyment and satisfaction with their diet are evident, as is the pride in sharing family traditions and recipes that have been adapted to fit their dietary needs.

Cooking for Freezer.

Shin of Beef curry. 12 to 14 serves straight to freezer. Picture by John Rose.

Cooking for freezer created variety of tasty choices, Slow cooked lamb beef pork venison and vegetable curries or casseroles, Each serve carefully measured, Good portions for hungry nerd.

Helped reduce food waste, End of week, Odds and sods all combined in slow cooked vindaloo curry, Really pleased, Breathing fire followed by pants on fire.

Designing Diet.

Diabetes diagnosis 90's, Did rounds of checkbox doctors, Collected recommended diets much inconsistency.

Glycemic Index charts proved little help but underlined how foods interact in preparation and cooking to increase or decrease expected blood glucose levels.

Decided to take control, Design own diet in consultation with family doctor and frequent health checks.

First step testing, Baseline current diet’s blood glucose before and after meals, Shared readings with family doctor and discussed next steps.

Next Steps

Started eliminating selected ingredients from recipes carefully measuring and documenting changes in blood glucose changes.

Feel everyone is different in blood glucose responses, Blueberries surprised me, Once favorite part of breakfast muesli, Thought to myself they’ll be ok, But for sake of being thorough tested them, Was I upset! Eliminated blueberries, Raspberries and strawberries followed next, Good lesson in not making assumptions!

Minimised processed foods, No flour or bread, No biscuits or sweets, No ice-cream or custards, No processed sugar use organic honey sparingly, Only low-fat and lactose free milk can’t abide skim milk or other pretend milks, No breads, No more cans including finally doing without tins of diced tomatoes, No more breakfast cereal settled on organic rolled oats, No more tinned convenience food or “must-have” ingredients, Make own stocks from meat and bone offcuts.

Simplified preparation and number of recipe’s ingredients, Took several years to come up with loved dishes.

Explanation of Price Savings.

Dishes and recipes cooking for freezer, Enabled buying special offers for larger freezer batches.

Found price of fresh ingredients fruit veg and inexpensive meat cuts subject to smaller price increases than tinned convenience foods and prime cuts of meat.

Family keen hunters and fishing folk, Often get venison goat and filleted fish, Most welcome budget savers and venison casserole is freakin’ delicious.