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hippiechk: I haven't been to FLA in over 30 years but I'm surprised by your take there and hope things improve on your travels. I'm honestly wondering how much of it is FLA or that particular area of FLA? Where I am at currently in New England, we have a cornucopia of excellent food choices, markets, roadside stands, coops, and CISA/CSA type options at what I deem to be very fair value.
 
Hey Bikes, we lived in the Fla panhandle and it wasn't any better there. When we were in Oregon this summer we found copious amounts of good fruits and veggies. As meat eaters, we found their prices higher than I'm used to in AZ...except the Phoenix area.
 
It definately is in part where I am, this is the 66th out of 67 counties in Florida on the low end of the economic demographic scale, a friend works for the gov't and provided me that info. It really bugs me that food almost always tends to cost more and be of poorer quality in areas where people have less. And I know the heat and humidity with storage is a problem too here in the sultry south.

No hispanic places close that I know of though I know a place between me and ....well...everywhere else but further south *laugh*. It used to be fairly priced but not a lot of selection, primarily fruit and root crops...I'll stock up as much as I can there or thereabouts. I have accepted that I will have to use more canned fruits and veggies....and I just ordered a new sprouter from Amazon...these units are awesome, even the industry big production unit sellers tout them as great for low-tech home use...I had a couple at home but intended to get a new one here as mine were getting old. I can replace a lot with sprouts! *smile* Sprout sandwich, sprout salad, sprout stir-fry, sprout scampi...no ...wait...that's not right...

http://www.amazon.com/Accessories-S...8-1&keywords=sproutamo+-+easy+sprout+sprouter
 
I find the salad bar in most chain supermarkets to be an inexpensive meal. Have to get there early for the best selection. In economically challenged areas maybe not so good. The bagged salad mixes are one of my staples. I get the "very veggy" or something like it, with add ins like avocados tomatoes cheese anchovies stuff, it makes two meals, little waste. They are much price reduced a day or two before the sell-by date.
 
Not to dictate anyone's dietary choice The amount of good food being tossed is astounding. In the 70's I would stroll through the high-end hotels here in SF well dressed clean and shaved at about 6:30 to 7 PM and gather the uneaten room service carts. People with a lot of loot ordering too much rich food. Untouched filet mignon you name it .I was only stopped once by a hired dick.
 
@ wagoneer... great tip! I have a good dress, with pockets, and since I look like some ones grandma (probably because I am :) ) it is unlikely they would tag me for solicitation!

My life got seriously broke at one point just before l got my disability pension. I had a buddy who taught me the finer art of dumpster diving in yupscale neighborhoods...get there right after closing and man...we fed a whole park full of transient crop workers one night!


Wait I almost forgot...dumpster diving 101. Always rinse the washables and the outer wrappings of other stuff with a diluted (1/10) peroxide/water solution to kill anything germ buggy...I do this with all my fruits & veggies always. Same basic stuff as the expensive fancy bottled washes.
 
Recipe. Fill pan with water, cover and bring to rolling boil, with splash of salt. Add your serving of xx-fiber pasta, stir to done, 5 or 11 minutes, it's on the box. While pasta cooks, Cube a hunk of meat, your choice, tofu, beef, pork, chicken, cat, cabbage, turkey, portabella, breast of mourning dove, or apple. Drain pasta, leave kinda-wet, set aside. Dredge cubed meat with flour and saute in olive oil quickly at high heat to sear. Lower heat. Stir in half glass or more of good red wine bring to bubble. Add one table spoon, or more to taste, Hoisin Garlic Chinese Marinade, or other Soy-Vin sauce. Add half can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, more or less to match meat quantity. Stir and bring to boil. Adjust spices. Allow to thicken. This sauce can be divided and stored for a day or two. Stir pasta into heated sauce, top with grated Romano cheese. Enjoy with some crusty bread and the rest of your wine.
Don't add black pepper until end or it will burn.
Apple or cabbage works well as meat substitute.
I use a beef tenderloin trimmed of all fat.
 

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