Healthy food, yet cheap????

trace3690

So, eating healthy means eating better food, like fruits and vegetables..
But those are expensive, especially out of season..
Plus healthy snack foods never seem to satisfy my tastebuds OR hunger before a meal, or during a long work shift. I work at TWO fast food restaurants and those fatty, high calorie foods look appealing...
Anyone have recommendations for cheap grab and goes or even meals to help me out? ANY is appreciated!
Trace

hkied

I live on a budget too. I have 4 kids and a hubby. I try to think of it as what my usual bill would be then spend that on healthy food. Take fruit if its out of season buy the frozen kind, veggies too ya its not totally the same but better then a snickers!? I also try to make up meals so when I am hungry I dont just reach for the sweets or fatty stuff, I love the little Veggie trays at city market like carrots apples cheese and nuts. I grab peanut butter and thats my lunch.

kazaargrandcru

Grocery stores always have ready to eat fruit & veggie mixes, sandwiches, soups, etc. in the deli & produce sections that are reasonably priced (at least where I am in Canada). Other than that, knowing how tempting working around food can be- sometimes you have to remind yourself how bad you want this and just suck it up.

katiesmom124

Try the P3 Protein Snacks by Oscar Mayer, low fat, low carb high protein. That helps me when I am doing my Event Security jobs and have like 5 minutes on break.

Hollywood_Porky

Frozen - get frozen veggies and frozen fruits like berries. You can make smoothies out of them or use the veggies in cooking. Frozen is actually more nutritious because they are frozen long before they hit the grocer - if they were fresh - the longer the logistics - the less nutrient-dense the goods are.

Trust me - get a good blender - get frozen fruits for smoothies and non-starchy veggies for good low calorie sides to your lean protein.

freethetrees

Look at the supermarket circulars! I eat on a budget myself and almost everything I buy when grocery shopping, is on sale. I try to use as much coupons as I can as well. Think of what you really like--not just generic, healthy food in general.

theresaneal77

Check stores like big lots for discount nutrition bars. Frozen veggies are usually pretty good and a fraction of the cost. Bananas are also usually pretty cheap and full of potassium.

shamani5

Healthy foods can actually be cheaper than junk and fast food as long as you cook it yourself. Get a big bag of rice, some broccoli and frozen chicken and you have meals for weeks. Check what's on sale at the grocery store. It sounds like your taste buds have been somewhat desensitized by junk food. Once you start eating fruits and veggies daily and quit with the packaged and fast food your taste buds will change. You can also google how to shop healthy on a budget. The real key is to cook everything yourself. I eat string cheese, yogurt and fruit, cottage cheese, hard boiled eggs ect. as a snack. The more protein, the more filling. You should read about how protein, fat and fiber help make you feel full then create a snack with a mixture of these things.

lavitabella007

Try making yourself a little protein pack to take to work. Greek yogurt, cheese cubes, slice of turkey, natural peanut butter, almonds. The protein will get you fuller faster. Greek yogurt is my fav when i have a sweet tooth. Buy a good flavor that you like! Watch out for the carbs and make sure you have atleast 10gr of protein in the container. I buy my groceries from Aldis. Fast and pretty cheap. I buy chicken breast, salmon, and ground turkey from there for my meal planning as well as my veggies! I hardly ever go to another grocery store. If i do, im buying things like peanut butter and other odds and ends that Aldis doesnt have. Good luck!

ashleycde

I find it a lot less expensive to buy produce and fresh meat than buying pre-packed foods or pre-made meals, but that may just be a geographical thing. Frozen foods are expensive here, I find anyway. I only buy whole, fresh foods as a personal preference, because I cook a lot and prefer the taste. Here are some of my tips for affordable and effective grocery shopping:

Buy in season produce. Freeze produce you won't finish as it starts going off. If you're throwing out food, you are not shopping effectively.

Check flyers, and plan meals around what is on sale. Having meal plans and a grocery list is key to grocery shopping, especially for keeping costs down. Avoid buying what you don't really need. Meals that can be made in bulk and sealed in jars or frozen are great (think pasta sauces, soups, stews, and even some salads).

Shop at a grocery store that price matches if possible. I have a flyer app on my phone and price match at my local grocery store with ease. I check all local grocery chains.

When meats and bread go on sale at a really good price, stock up. Individually wrap each piece of meat, or portion you most often use, and put those in a large ziplock back so that they stay fresh longer, and avoid freezer burn.

When anything else you use often that has a long or infinite shelf life goes on sale at a really good price, stock up on that too, especially if it's something that is normally pricey, like olive oil.

Check the volume or weight on packaged items you buy. Sometimes it's not a better deal to buy the bigger package, even the same product that comes in two sizes. I have a business degree in marketing, so please trust me on this one.

Also, some people don't know this, but if something is 2 for $5, you don't have to buy 2. 1 is $2.50, unless specified in small print on the sign or in the flyer. That's also a marketing tactic.

Lastly, find a good, local butcher. Some items, like ground beef, are going to be infinitely less expensive by the pound from a butcher than in the little packs they have at grocery chains. Butchers also tend to have better deals because they don't buy meat in as high of volume as grocery chains, and are less OK with throwing it away (as it greater affects their bottom line) so they will mark it down when they need to rotate product. You can also get better cuts of meat.

hesn92

Good tips here. I have a sams club membership and I buy my meat from there. Chicken breast is 1.88 a pound. I buy a lot if it, portion it out into meal size portions and freeze in large ziplock bags. You can also get a bag if frozen chicken breasts.

If there is a vegetable on sale, buy more than you need and freeze. I bought a big bag of carrots and only used a couple for my meal, so I peeled the rest and chopped them up small and froze them. Now I have little carrots for stir fry and fried rice and things.

Frozen veggies can be cheaper.

Rice and beans are cheap if you get the bags.

If you have an aldi shop there for sure. It is so much cheaper. I shop there every week but still have to go to the normal grocery store for a few items usually. But it's worth it for the cost savings.

CherokeeBabe

freethetrees wrote: »

Look at the supermarket circulars! I eat on a budget myself and almost everything I buy when grocery shopping, is on sale. I try to use as much coupons as I can as well. Think of what you really like--not just generic, healthy food in general.

I do the same. I'll only buy 2 avacodos on non-sale weeks, but on sale week? 5-6. Bananas on sale? Oh hell yes. Is that broccoli with a 2-for-1 deal today? GIMME. Ooooh, 2 cukes for a Dollar. DOLLAR SPENT. It's easy and not terribly expensive, saves a lot esspecially on expensive fruits and berries to only aim for sales days. Usually that's when they're in season anyway. And the sales rotate enough that you'll be able to get something different next week.

honeybee_kisses

I do get what you're saying about it costing more. I think it does too initially, you just need to get the hang of it. But I dont understand people who say it's cheaper, when my partner and I both lost our jobs within a couple months of each other a few years back we had to stock up on freezer food such as chips, nuggets and fish fingers as it was all we could afford to feed ourselves and the kids. £12 for a whole week.
But I've gone off point. Firstly, write a meal plan. Decide exactly what you're going to eat all week and buy only that. We've saved a fortune doing this as we have no waste.
Tinned and frozen veg are cheap, last longer and just as good as fresh.
You can pick up a whole chicken for less than £4 and this does 2 meals for us (there are 5 of us) also buying meat when it's been reduced and freezing it.
Tins of tuna in brine are cheap and a good staple for baked potatoes, pasta, salads etc.
also if you have any food markets nearby make good use of them. I don't know where you're from but here in the uk all the 'less attractive' fruit and veg is sold for cut prices at markets. There's nothing wrong with it, who cares how it looks?!
Once you get into the swing of it you'll spend less.

cocobongo

First off "healthy" snack bars/crisp type things are terrible anyway.

But seriously prep is the key! Look up Dump Chicken on Pinterest. I made 11 healthy chicken meals in one go on Friday all I. The fridge/freezer and ready to be stuck in the oven to heat up. I got the chicken fillets from the Butchers in bulk but you can also get the same price chicken on Muscle Food website if in UK - works out so much cheaper. Cook a big batch of brown rice to keep in fridge. Use mostly frozen fruit and veg or again if in UK Aldi is fantastic for fruit and veg.

Our first time prepping meals in advance like this - prior to this we bought either plain chicken fillets from supermarket or ones in the little trays with different flavours on them and we bought microwaveable brown rice. Our food shop went from around £120 normally to £45 including the chicken from the butchers (for a week).

Healthier, tastier food and just needs heating on the day so easy too, and best of all we saved enough to go for an amazing treat meal at weekend! X

kommodevaran

trace3690 wrote: »

So, eating healthy means eating better food, like fruits and vegetables..
But those are expensive, especially out of season..
Plus healthy snack foods never seem to satisfy my tastebuds OR hunger before a meal, or during a long work shift. I work at TWO fast food restaurants and those fatty, high calorie foods look appealing...
Anyone have recommendations for cheap grab and goes or even meals to help me out?

That's why you should buy fruit and veg IN season. Or frozen or canned. Just watch out for additives.
Taste can change and be taught, if you eat something a few times, you can learn to appreciate it.
Convenience foods and fast foods are made to taste, look and smell appealing. But they don't really satisfy in the long run.
Healthy foods can be cheap and delicious at the same time. A lot of it has to do with habit and attitude.
You have received great advice already, so I won't go into specifics.
Good luck.

ashleycde

honeybee_kisses wrote: »

I dont understand people who say it's cheaper, when my partner and I both lost our jobs within a couple months of each other a few years back we had to stock up on freezer food such as chips, nuggets and fish fingers as it was all we could afford to feed ourselves and the kids. £12 for a whole week.

I think it depends on your geographical location. Where I live, frozen and prepared foods cost more. A small box of frozen battered fish or chicken that would feed my boyfriend and I for one meal costs $8-12, whereas we could buy a whole, fresh chicken for a few dollars a lb, and have that feed us for a whole week. Even those big frozen bags of unpalatable chicken burgers for $10, I could buy a lb of ground chicken for $3 and make 4 4-oz chicken burgers (without the breading), so for $9 I could make 12, which is about how many are in those big bags. For fries, sure, we could buy a big bag of fries for $2. We could also buy a 10 lb bag of potatoes for $2. Throw in a 3 lb bag of carrots and a 3 lb bag of onions for under $3 something combined and we're eating like kings.

Paul_Collyer

Good old Porridge made with milk, and served with fruit. Fantastic.

JacquiH73

First off avoid buying foods labelled "healthy". You'll end paying several dollars more for a label.

Minimize buying produce that is out of season. Buy in season and check out local farm markets.

Shop your sales flyers. Have your fav local grocers mail you their circulars or check them out online. Plan your meals for the week on what's on sale.

Go to the website of manufacturers of some of your favorite products and request coupons and special offers. Some supermarkets may even offer to double the coupons.

In all honesty saying its too expensive to eat healthy is a cop out. Its not. Often its cheaper if you shop smart and prepare meals at home. I think the biggest hurtle is finding the time to prepare healthy meals. It takes a little time to adjust and develop a routine and giving yourself some time to develop new skills in cooking. Youtube and the web in general is a great resource.

HTH

determined_14

I definitely take advantage of frozen veggies, but I'm always baffled by the "buy in season." I live in Wisconsin. Before that, Alaska. If we only bought in-season produce, we would be eating snow-cones 6 months out of the year! We've gotta get our veggies somehow! (So, frozen, shop sales, etc.)

kommodevaran

determined_14 wrote: »

I definitely take advantage of frozen veggies, but I'm always baffled by the "buy in season." I live in Wisconsin. Before that, Alaska. If we only bought in-season produce, we would be eating snow-cones 6 months out of the year! We've gotta get our veggies somehow! (So, frozen, shop sales, etc.)

I can relate, I live in Norway and all we have here is lingonberry

Kanuenue

I love the bulk section in my standard grocery store. By bagging your own dried goods (pasta, dried fruits, grains, beans, spices, etc.) you save dollars on the pound. Just avoiding the fancy name brand packaging can save you a bunch of money just by changing which aisles you shop in.

dawnmcneil10

Get yourself a crock pot first of all, let that do a lot of the work for you. There's just so much you can do here, I use mine to whip up pulled chicken or pork, make black or white beans. The pulled meat can be portioned out and frozen for later use, I personally puree some of the beans down then add meat back to it with frozen corn a little rice, add a bit more water and set the crockpot right back up the next day for a nice batch of bean soup.
Hit up discount stores like Aldi's, Big Lots, Ocean State or Christmas Tree shop all of those places have some great spices for cheap prices and that's going to help greatly.

Want grab and go take a tortilla shell, fill with beans, meat, cheese and your favorite veggies, corn, onion, peppers all work great here and these can be precooked and frozen in single serve portions.

shelleyrhoads

I have 4 kids and husband too. my grocery bill has gone down since eating healthy. remember popcorn is cheap and a satisfying snack. buy in season. and things like carrots celery, broccoli. are. pretty cheap year round.

jyogit

by the time i go to work and calling at the shops a lot of the fresh stuff has been reduced in price .. it all freezes and u can save loads if you shop at the right time of day

jgnatca

This is my favourite kind of thread. It takes me back to my days trying to feed me and my children on a budget. Eating healthy is cheaper than convenience foods with planning. I love the tons of suggestions above. I'm going to concentrate on portable snack foods you can carry with you because I suspect you are most tempted when you are working. Is it the salt and the deep fat fryer that is calling you? Then include some (healthier) fat and salt in your choices.

Someone mentioned popcorn. Cheap, filling, low-calorie, and portable.
Buy yourself snack size ziplocs to pre-portion snacks to take with you.
Vegetables, easy, buy in season. Turnips and rutabagas are nice sliced in to finger foods. Have them with a yogurt-based dip like ranch, or spicy like Chipolte.
Nuts.

CMcBryer

Hard boiled eggs - best snack food evar

aussie_girl_del_runner_5

Oh boy, I totally get you and to start with yes it can be more expensive because you're buying things you never had in your pantry before like flour, soy sauce, polenta, numerous spices, tomato paste etc. The thing is, once you have those things on hand it will become cheaper to throw a few vegies together (with some protein or not if you're a vego) and making your own sauce. Those staples will then need replacing over time but not all at once which is why you're feeling like it's more expensive.

If you need to, go steady and build up your staple items over time rather than doing it all in one go. I use a website called pepperplate.com in conjuction with MFP and it revolutionised how I planned out my meals because it's scalable. My husband works away from home alot so when he's there on Mon, Tues and Thurs, I have the recipes for 2 people but when he's not I can change it to 1 person; the shopping list then updates accordingly. Planning is key; put together some meals that use the same ingredients numerous times like 1 dozen eggs can be used in 5 different ways (frittatas, omelettes, quiche, boiled for salads or just plain sunny side up on toast).

The point is, once you have a few staples you can then build on it. As everyone said before frozen vegies are your friend and yes always buy in season for fresh but do yourself a favour and find a good local grocer. Do not buy from the big supermarkets; it will only last 2 days; produce from a good local grocer will last a week or more if stored correctly.

I hope that helps; good luck :-)

bccalling

I don't know if this will be of help or not, but one of my favorites right now is homemade tortilla chips. I buy a pack of the small flour tortillas (though corn would work, too, I'm sure), which come 20 to a pack, and cost between $2 and $3. They also last for quite a while on the counter, and they can be used for various purposes.

I make the chips by cutting 4 tortillas into 8 wedges each, toss with 1 Tbsp canola oil, plus a little course salt, black pepper, and grated parmesan. Then, I arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake at 400 for 5 minutes. You can change up the spices to flavor however you like, and they're super yummy. They have a great crunch around the edges and the middles are a little soft and flaky. I figure a serving is equal to one tortilla, so once they cool, I portion out into little snack baggies with 8 chips each. They're great on their own, but I love to dip them in egg salad, which is also pretty cheap to make and can be thrown together relatively quickly. And I imagine they'd also go well with hummus, tuna salad, chicken salad, and lots of other things.

When it comes to fresh fruits, I try to buy the ones that will last. Apples are great, and they'll last forever in the refrigerator drawer. They can get a little pricey, but for the length of time they keep, I often splurge on them. And a random tip for apples--if they're getting a little soft or mealy, and therefore aren't great for eating raw but aren't actually bad, they'll be perfect for homemade applesauce, which also makes a great snack.

With veggies, I always go carrots. Whole carrots, not the baby ones. They last a long time, and they're quick and easy to slice into sticks to have with a little ranch.

The key for me is to buy what I know I'll eat, so I don't end up tossing food that's gone bad. Meal planning in advance helps with this, especially if you keep your eye on ads, sales, and coupons. Buying items or planning meals you can freeze is also a good way to keep food longer and extend your budget. I'm still working on getting better at these things myself, but when I plan ahead and only buy the ingredients for those meals, I'm much better at sticking to the plan and eating up the food before it goes bad, which definitely helps my budget. I actually like to use pinterest to help me with this. I find the visual nature of pinterest gets me excited for trying new things, and browsing it also helps me to see what ingredients and flavor combinations would likely go well together so I can just wing it a lot of the time.

Sorry for the super long post. I hope something here might be of some use! Best of luck!

Mr_Knight

Rice. Lentils. Beans. Whatever veggies are in season, or frozen.

Super cheap, super nutritious, super easy to prepare.

Onwards and upwards...

midnight419

"So, eating healthy means eating better food, like fruits and vegetables..
But those are expensive, especially out of season.."

Stick to buying fruits and vegetables that are in season, and supplement with frozen vegetables and fruit if you like those. Personally, I am not a fan of frozen vegetables, but they're ok in soups and stews. Buying in season fruits and vegetables is way cheaper than buying convenience/processed foods.

What healthy snacks are not satisfying your hunger? Maybe you need to eat more protein and/or fat, or to eat bigger meals? If you make your food diary public, you'll likely get more helpful answers.