The rest of the story.

A few years ago, I read a book about the FDA and how they are basically poisoning us with toxins for financial gain. It was written by a man who is a conspiracy theorist, I'd say. However, I could understand many of his points. Basically we eat a great deal of non-food, manufactured, chemically treated, genetically engineered ingredients that were never meant to be digested. They are just inexpensive to produce and have a long shelf life.
I realized as I was getting older that I didn't feel great much of the time. Maybe there was a link between the garbage I was putting into my mouth and the way I felt? Maybe my brain functioning and emotional state would improve if I fueled my body better? I was also responsible for children who would eat whatever I served them. I had basic control over the most essential necessity of several people! Those realizations prompted a few changes in our diet, which prompted a few more, then some more....and that's how this story goes.
Our changes have been incremental and there are certain foods we will absolutely not tolerate, while there are others that may not be ideal, but they fit well into the budget or schedule. You can drive yourself crazy with this stuff!
Baby steps that follow increased awareness and conviction, living and learning, then modifying appropriately, never forgetting that food should be enJOYed, that's where we're coming from ;-)

I have picked up many health-related ideas (for eating and cleaning) from many of you. Thank you!
Aren't we blessed beyond blessed to have such an abundance of choices?

Onto your great questions:
#1 If you don't care to make your own broth and freeze it, there are some alternatives to the preservative-filled canned varieties, but they are more expensive.
Here is one
We don't use too terribly much broth, so I buy the organic, boxed type because this is one of the things I think is really worth it (and we try not to eat more than we have to out of cans, that's another issue : ) Any time we eat a whole chicken (which is often because the price per pound is much lower) I will boil the carcass afterward and save the broth if I don't use it the next day for another meal.

#2 Yes, we are down to eating meat about 3x per week. That's not a rigid rule, but our pretty consistent schedule. We try to do every other night or so. We have pizza before church every Sat night, so that leaves 6.
I am always looking for vegetarian meals, so if you have some, please pass along your recipes!!
Here are some of the non-meat meals we like:

Bean and cheese burritos. Adding rice to these is really good with some guacamole.

Breakfast burritos. Eggs, cheese, potatoes, green chilies, salsa etc.

Pasta dishes-homemade mac n cheese, stuffed shells or manicotti, healthier fettuccine Alfredo, meatless marinara over noodles
We love pasta and we still eat lots of cheese. (I try to buy the kind without the yellow dye, but it has gotten outrageously expensive, so we have been eating regular sharp cheddar. Can't always do everything and stick to a reasonable budget!)

Breakfast for dinner.

#3 Yes! We still eat ice cream. We buy breyers. I think the only additive it has is tara gum. A little tara gum never hurt anyone : )
Smoothies are what we have most days for a sweet dessert treat. During the winter, I like to mix a few emergen-c packets into the pitcher when I blend them.

Please, share your tips too!