by Ganelle Davis

Created on: November 05, 2009   Last Updated: November 08, 2009

I am a resident of the United States of America. At one point in time, I would have considered my neighborhood as a middle class neighborhood. Most families seemed to be doing o.k. Now the topic amongst the neighbors , are the sales at the local grocery stores. We keep each other apprised , when a grocery store chain is offering a special deal or discount on a food item. It is, after all, the neighborly thing to do. Helping each other find ways to manage the rising cost of food is a reality many Americans face. Local churches have come to the aid of families in dire strait. Dependence on these type of organizations, is growing scarce as they, empty out their pantries as well.

This devastating economy has made food prices, almost unbearable for some. My neighbors and I exchange recipe's for our crock pot, designed to see us through these lean times. We have concurred, during the colder months,hearty soups made in our crock pots, will save money and stretch meals over a period of days. We exchange recipe for soups once a week. If children will be visiting , instead of taking them out for treats, ice cream and such. We call our variety of treats ,"Fridge treats". These treats can generally last an entire weekend for four small children. Jello is a favorite, which consist of flavored gelatin and water.The idea is to stretch , what you already have. This is not only budget conscious,but an Eco-friendly concept as well.

The main concept in dealing with much higher food prices, we adhere to a popular slogan, "Tell a friend". Last Thanksgiving, some may have worried if the Thanksgiving feast would truly be a feast or just the bare necessities. Lucky for my neighborhood, we came upon a national chain supermarket that was offering a "free" turkey with any twenty five dollar food purchase. That added up to big savings for all of our families. We each made a grocery list and tailored it to that budget of twenty five dollars.

These times, call for strategic grocery shopping. Some have even started gardens to offset the prices of tomato's. An avocado tree , in a neighbors back yard is considered a gold mine. An avocado added to a salad ,can be a substitution for meat. Helping each other seems to be the trend, where I reside. I Thank God, we look out for each other during these difficult times. My neighbors don't ration their food, they freely share with one another. This concept is not new or unique. Philippians4:19 Surely, this is a testament to this scripture..

Americans will have to disallow previous concepts of waste and make use of every food product that is purchased. Many of our parents were not wasteful and dined often on tasty left over meals. Leftover meals can transform into a delicious meal. Shepherds pie was born from this tradition.. The seasoning and the juices have marinated into the food by the next day.. So please keep enjoying that holiday meal, up until it is all gone

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