"Pink Slime" at the Commissary + Plus Ideas for Saving on Organic and Natural Products

Update:  Shortly after this post DeCA came out saying that Commissary beef suppliers do indeed LFBT (Lean Finely Textures Beef aka Pink Slime) in their beef.  While I am glad they came clean, I find it frustrating they issued a statement saying they did not use it when they actually do!  You can view the post stating the the Commissary does use pink slime on their Facebook page here.  I'm not sure which makes me more upset, the fact that this is not labeled or that they allow it to begin with?

It seems like you can't go a day without hearing about something gross that is being added to our food.   The latest news that triggered my upchuck reflex was that of "pink slime" being used in 70% of supermarkets.  I was happy to learn that the two places I buy my meat from most often, H-E-B and the Commissary, do not use this additive in their meat.  Nevertheless, it is concerning.

DeCA announced over on the DeCA Facebook Page that is does not use "pink slime" in it's ground beef so that is reassuring since we buy a majority of our ground beef products there.  Several other stores including Publix, Whole Foods, and H-E-B announced that they also do not use LFTB in their meats.  You can view a complete list of stores and whether or not the use "pink slime" here.  

I know that lots of foods contain a lot of unhealthy additives and chemicals so that isn't really what bothers me about this. That's not say I am not bothered by the fact that they treat the meat with ammonia or additives in food because I definitely am, but what really irks me about this is that it isn't even labeled.   As a consumer, I can do research and form my own opinions about serving something to my family...but not if I don't know it's there.  What's even scarier is the possibility that many products we buy and consume daily may also contain additives that are not labeled.

We have made a lot of changes to our diet over the past 2 years, and while we aren't' perfect eaters, we have found lots of healthier alternatives to some of our favorite snacks and foods.  Unfortunately as the quality of food goes up so does the price so saving can be a little tricky.  Here are a few tips for saving on better for you options:

1.  Buy the produce that is on sale each week and plan your meals and snacks around that.  A fairly large portion of our grocery budget goes to fresh fruit and vegetables so just buying sales helps keep that in check.  It also forces us to try lots of new recipes and ideas with products we might not normally eat choose.  If you have access to a Farmer's Market or can participate in a CSA that's even better!

2.  The Amazon Warehouse or Amazon Subscribe and Save option are great ways to save on natural and organic snacks!  Some of my favorites products to buy this way are Stretch Island Fruitabu or Fruit Leathers, Terra Chips, Kind Bars, Annie's Homegrown Bunnies and Earth's Best Snacks.

3.  Vitacost gives you a free $10 credit to use when you sign up here and then for every friend you refer who makes a purchase you'll get another $10 credit!  It's a win, win because they get $10 and you get $10. They sell lots of great natural, organic and even gluten-free products on the site, but my kids love the Earth's Best Banana Rings.

4.  You can get coupons for healthier products over on Mambo Sprouts.

5.  Not everyone has access to these stores (we don't have one at Fort Hood) , but shopping the sales at stores like Earth Fare and Whole Foods are also great ways to buy organic or natural without breaking the pocket book!  If you are like me and the nearest store is a bit of a drive, check the Commissary for deals on products like Zevia, Bob's Red Mill and Terra Chips.  If your Commissary doesn't carry a product you need you can put in a request for them to get it!

6.  As far as getting deals on higher quality meat, you may want to consider purchasing from a company like Zaycon or dishing out a little extra for certified organic meats or all natural.  Another slightly more expensive option is to buy a whole or partial cow that is grass fed.  You can also purchase other animals like pigs or turkeys and freeze the meat.  

 I find it's takes a little more work and creativity to save on the healthier products, but that it's possible. How do you keep your grocery bill down while still feeding your family healthier options?  What is one of the biggest shockers you learned about something you were eating.  I still vividly remember the last McDonald's chicken nugget I ever ate--It was back in 1990 when I was 8 and a family friend vividly described how they were made...I am sure they have since changed the ingredients up a bit, but I'll never be able to eat it again.

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