Vegans how much is your food bill?
- Thread starter Anonymous1502
- Start date
5 USD would probably buy more in the US in the 90's than today due to inflation.
Yeah, your math sounds right, but 12 cups per bag doesn't
I've saved scoops that came from ice tea mixes that are 3 tablespoons and use one for my big mug
2 Tblsp equal ounce. I've never understood if a "coffee scoop" was really a thing! My pour over did come with a pointy scoop that may be .36 oz. Seems so arbitrary!
I think my coffee preference is just based on the easiest method. I liked pour over, but have been just setting the pot up at night to switch on in the morning. Get up too early for anything else.
Aldi had a whole bean coffee two years ago called Best Friend with a dog on the bag. It was the best coffee we ever had, and I went back and bought them all! I watch the ads every week to see if they bring it back, or try and find you else does the blend of light and dark. Barrisimo. l find nothing like it!
My very lazy quarantine morning!
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Well, I measured my scoop against a tablespoon and the scoop holds about one tablespoon and a half. So it’s bigger than a tablespoon. The one thing I am sure about is that I’m getting 10-12 servings out of a can/bag so math be damned hahahahaha. When I say I like my coffee strong, apparently I’m not kidding.
Urban Gardener
Forum Legend
Good to hear I’m not the only one who’s struggled with caffeine addiction. I just quit in August and it was a lot harder than quitting smoking. The withdrawal lasted for almost two months. It was what people call “brain fog” - not being able to focus or communicate clearly, feeling kind of dazed while awake. For a whole two months, I got that during the time of day that I used to drink the most coffee - the middle of the day. It lasted for hours. I also had a lot of cravings.
I’m so glad I quit, though. I feel like a whole new person.
I still eat chocolate, but I try to stick to small amounts so I won’t get addicted to the caffeine.
Lou
Forum Legend
According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America, a single pound of coffee is enough for 48 6-oz cups of coffee. On Starbuck's website, a 1-lb of coffee yields approximately 64 5-oz cups.
Rule of Thumb for Brewed Coffee Yield
-http://leverheadcoffee.com/faq-about-coffee?id=86
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This jives with my experience. and since coffee bags are not 16 oz anymore - more often between 10 and 14, and since I make 8 or 12 oz cups of coffee, I'm thinking about 30 cups a bag - about a month's worth. Which also matches how much I thought I spent a week for coffee.
I don't remember when bags of coffee stopped being a pound. although if you order whole beans online they are still mostly sold by the pound. Grocery store bags of ground coffee tend to be just 12 oz.
One theory that might explain this is that a 12 oz bag of ground coffee fits in a quart mason jar. Maybe back in the day when coffee came in cans this wasn't an issue.
And back in the day when coffee was sold in cans they always included a coffee scooper. I save a bunch of these and still use one. They all are right around 3 tbsp. I'm thinking it might have something to do with coffee makers. Maybe like 12 oz of coffee is a minimum for a Mr. Coffee.
I used to make 12 oz every day. but now I've cut down to 8 oz so I have to measure out two tbsp. I have my eye out for a two tbsp scooper.
@KLS52
Even tho you like your coffee so thick you can stand a spoon in it. and so strong that it kicks your a$$, you might be able to save some money by changing to expresso. You might also try switching to an Immersion process coffee maker. The AeroPress is like a french press but better. and even faster than pour-over. Another option is the Clever Coffee Dripper. It is also a "full immersion" coffee maker - but it looks and works like a single cup pour-over. The advantage of full immersion is that you get more coffee out of the beans.
Neither option is expensive and they might pay for itself if you can use less coffee in a cup.
BTW I have an OXO single cup coffee maker. I like it cause it's very handsfree. but it does take a lot longer than a regular pour-over. In fact, it takes such a long time that the coffee cools quite a bit.
Rule of Thumb for Brewed Coffee Yield
| Bag Size (pounds) | Bag Size (ounces) | Number of standard cups of brewed coffee |
| 1/2 lb. | 8 oz. | 41 (9 oz. cups) |
| 3/4 lb. | 12 oz. | 62 (9 oz. cups) |
| 1 lb. | 16 oz. | 82 (9 oz. cups) |
| 5 lbs. | 80 oz. | 410 (9 oz. cups) |
-http://leverheadcoffee.com/faq-about-coffee?id=86
-------------------
This jives with my experience. and since coffee bags are not 16 oz anymore - more often between 10 and 14, and since I make 8 or 12 oz cups of coffee, I'm thinking about 30 cups a bag - about a month's worth. Which also matches how much I thought I spent a week for coffee.
I don't remember when bags of coffee stopped being a pound. although if you order whole beans online they are still mostly sold by the pound. Grocery store bags of ground coffee tend to be just 12 oz.
One theory that might explain this is that a 12 oz bag of ground coffee fits in a quart mason jar. Maybe back in the day when coffee came in cans this wasn't an issue.
And back in the day when coffee was sold in cans they always included a coffee scooper. I save a bunch of these and still use one. They all are right around 3 tbsp. I'm thinking it might have something to do with coffee makers. Maybe like 12 oz of coffee is a minimum for a Mr. Coffee.
I used to make 12 oz every day. but now I've cut down to 8 oz so I have to measure out two tbsp. I have my eye out for a two tbsp scooper.
@KLS52
Even tho you like your coffee so thick you can stand a spoon in it. and so strong that it kicks your a$$, you might be able to save some money by changing to expresso. You might also try switching to an Immersion process coffee maker. The AeroPress is like a french press but better. and even faster than pour-over. Another option is the Clever Coffee Dripper. It is also a "full immersion" coffee maker - but it looks and works like a single cup pour-over. The advantage of full immersion is that you get more coffee out of the beans.
Neither option is expensive and they might pay for itself if you can use less coffee in a cup.
BTW I have an OXO single cup coffee maker. I like it cause it's very handsfree. but it does take a lot longer than a regular pour-over. In fact, it takes such a long time that the coffee cools quite a bit.
Dark chocolate tastes kinda like what strong coffee would. I also eat a tiny piece some mornings. But I'm very strict about it and won't eat any more than just that one small piece in the morning.
It's great that you were able to quit even though it was difficult and that it makes you feel better.
One of the challenges were that almost everyone I know is a coffee drinker so it made me feel like I was missing out when I tried to quit. Then I would relapse and try to quit all over again. It took me several years trying and failing. I first started in 2014 and I can't remember exactly when I actually managed to quit, I think it was 2016. After that I tried to drink half of an cup while visiting my mom in 2018, but that caused me to have an anxiety attack, so after that I haven't even wanted to taste it. I can just enjoy the smell.
I also feel better now that I don't drink coffee anymore. Coffee gave me stomach ache, made me jittery and anxious. I felt like I needed coffee and had to buy it even when I was dirt poor. And when I'm sensitive and become easily overstimulated, drinking coffee makes no freaking sense. You don't buy useless stuff when you don't have money. And you don't drink coffee when it makes you feel ill. Or that's how it would to be in a perfect world where people are logical.
Anyways, it's good to be freed from that addiction.
The chocolate doesn't give any of the symptoms mentioned above when used in small portions and I don't think I'm actually addicted to that since I haven't been eating chocolate every single morning.
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@Lou I do use espresso! I usually like it mixed with a dark roast Verona or Sumatra. I do think it’s the pour over that is using up more coffee grounds but I can’t imagine changing at this point. I used to use a french press and hated cleaning it. The pour over is so perfect right now! I go to bed at night anticipating my morning coffee lol. But I will keep it in mind should the day come when I need to pinch pennies more. Right now my budget allows for this coffee luxury, thankfully. I am grateful. I can sacrifice in other areas to appease my coffee habit haha.
Lou
Forum Legend
What I don't like about the French press is that you have to get the timing right. Not a set and forget device. I also found coffee grounds in the bottom of my cup of coffee. Never had an issue with cleaning it tho.
Lou
Forum Legend
I've gone down from 5 cups of coffee to just one. And I've read that a cup of coffee every day is actually good for you.
But yeah, i struggled for years with cutting down.
The cans of coffee scoops! that's where I got them from! I still have metal coffee cans, Chock full o'nut's and Maxwell house! I guess they're vintage!
I don't the comparison of chocolate and coffee though, but I love them together!
As much coffee as I used to drink I never had trouble with giving it up--I just never had any benefits. Now cigarettes I had issue with! I can have get nightmares when I;m stressed of smoking and wake up in cold sweat. It took me years and years before I felt free!
I now drink a huge mug in the morning, and a half a huge mug when I get home
I don't the comparison of chocolate and coffee though, but I love them together!
As much coffee as I used to drink I never had trouble with giving it up--I just never had any benefits. Now cigarettes I had issue with! I can have get nightmares when I;m stressed of smoking and wake up in cold sweat. It took me years and years before I felt free!
I now drink a huge mug in the morning, and a half a huge mug when I get home
Yeah, it was good that we humans learnt to use coffee beans and it does have many good qualities indeed.
It contains all sort of healthy nutrients and antioxidants.
You can even give coffee to your plants. Some people always have some coffee and eggshells in their watering can.
You can get cheap fertilizer from used and dried up coffee grounds. Basically no-one has to ever buy any fertilizers, just use coffee, nettle tea, bokashi and other compost and urine. But with dried coffee grounds and indoor plants you want to be careful because it's strong stuff and only should be used twice a year. I suppose that's why people use also the eggshells, those balance the fertilizer.
I suppose, like with plants, you should stick to using coffee in moderation to get the benefits. But for some, like myself, it still is too strong. But I get my nutrients from food and antioxidants from herbal tea so all is fine.
I used to be a Huge coffee drinker...first changed to drinking half real coffee and half decaf...
Now I only drink decaf... my favourite brand is Malongo they make an organic, fair trade, water process decaf that is So good! Can’t get it here in Ireland though... a friend in France sent me a few tins, I am saving the last one for a while...
Tesco often has Illy brand on special, I have stocked up up on it as it is Very expensive otherwise... it is Really good, however not organic,fair trade, or water process, unfortunately...
Now I don’t even have coffee every day, I make it using a one cup Melitta drip filter...Good but not as good as an espresso in France... That is what I thought Lou was suggesting that you do Kls52 to make your coffee with an espresso machine not just using espresso beans...
I too Love strong dark coffee, can remember when dark french roast first became a thing in California...early 80’s I think?
Loved it immediately! After years of drinking weak filter coffee at counters of places like “ Lyons” I was hooked!
Now I only drink decaf... my favourite brand is Malongo they make an organic, fair trade, water process decaf that is So good! Can’t get it here in Ireland though... a friend in France sent me a few tins, I am saving the last one for a while...
Tesco often has Illy brand on special, I have stocked up up on it as it is Very expensive otherwise... it is Really good, however not organic,fair trade, or water process, unfortunately...
Now I don’t even have coffee every day, I make it using a one cup Melitta drip filter...Good but not as good as an espresso in France... That is what I thought Lou was suggesting that you do Kls52 to make your coffee with an espresso machine not just using espresso beans...
I too Love strong dark coffee, can remember when dark french roast first became a thing in California...early 80’s I think?
Loved it immediately! After years of drinking weak filter coffee at counters of places like “ Lyons” I was hooked!
