Good diet for one on a budget

lilmisspips

I have just moved to Oxford as a nurse. I'm used to having a very good and healthy diet for an average price back in the Midlands. I am surrounded by high cost supermarkets and they are my only option for fresh produce at the moment. I am also used to cooking for my Dad and me so making food go further for my money. I'm trying to avoid being lured into the cheapness of microwave and convenience food.

ditsyblond17

The foraging diet lol But in all seriousness, there was a post by the New York times saying that is actually costs more to eat bad food that healthily. I love chicken thighs. Super cheap. Eggs and tuna are cheap proteins. Sweet potatoes, bananas and rice as carbohydrates. And fats can be butter, coconut oil and/or nuts. Not the cheapest, But it's because they pack the most calories per ounce. So, it costs the
most.

lilmisspips

I do love eggs and tuna though. But yes I need to work out a frugal diet, more tinned and froze fruit/veg. I think combined with moving somewhere new too, with flat mates I don't know I'm not too confident at taking over the kitchen like I'm used too. Maybe just bulk buy on things and take over the freezer with pre made meals.

ksmi141

Sale ads. And coupons. They can really help make that dollar stretch further. Sales are usually rotated, so I wait for a good sale on things that keep well then stock up. But really, cooking simple meals from scratch cuts out most the cost. I made stirfry the other night for less than $3 a serving. Eat your heart out, Panda Express.

PennyVonDread

Frozen spinach/broccoli/stir fry's etc.
Bags of dry beans, rice or grain bought in bulk section of super market. Buy soups when on sale, hot dogs, grilled cheese, cottage cheese/yogurt, squash and root vegetables are your friends. I'd invest in at least one quality peanut or tree nut butter... Bananas are cheap; apples, pears and nectar fruit prices vary by season but get very affordable. Try to find a farmers market for best quality and pricing!

Meals like ratatouille, spaghetti squash with leafy greens and parmesan, red beans and rice, black bean soup, and stir fry are easy vegetarian options for a few nights a week that are nutritious and filling.

Your crock pot is a friend for a time AND wallet budget. Also, if you haven't made oatmeal in a slow cooker yet, you are missing out. It's the best way to have oatmeal texture wise, and it's awesome to wake up to it being ready.

Budget Bytes is a blog might have some recipes you'd be interested in. You should check it out.

alcurran33

Frozen veg will be more cost effective to cook with? Then like others have said, batch cooking. I do this a lot as I live alone and it's easier and cheaper to cook 4-5 meals worth in one go, then freeze them for later

lilmisspips

Thanks guys for the tips. Im just trying to find my feet in the area, im in on site accommodation and looks like im the only that cooks properly and uses the kitchen!! So I'll get in and start pre cooking stuff to freeze. I do agree that frozen veg/fruit is the way forward. I'm just used to taking fresh fruit to work with me. Like grapes, tomatoes, persimmon etc so will have to try make alternatives. Even things like a punnet of grapes in this area are a good 50p more expensive than the supermarket I'm used too.

slaite1

Do you get along with your roommates? In the past I've joined up with roommates to share SOME of the food budget and I (mostly) cooked and everyone was happy! Plus it was a fun way to get closer to each other. But we only shared some food and kind of agreed on how it would go. It seemed, to me at least, that it also made the relationship more casual and no one really cares if someone else ate some of their cookies. And it was definitely cheaper to feed multiple people than just one.

terricherry2

If you don't have a cheaper supermarket near you, you could order online instead. Quick, easy and you don't even have to get out of your sweats!

AlisonH729

slaite1 wrote: »

Do you get along with your roommates? In the past I've joined up with roommates to share SOME of the food budget.

My roommate in college & I would shop together and agree to split things like larger packages of turkey/chicken breasts, bags of apples, the big bag of string cheese, etc. Then since we were also buying our own groceries we would check out separately, and split the joint items as evenly as we could. One person would pay for the meat, while the other paid for the produce & snacks (or whatever).

sianlr87

I live on my own and have this problem... I have learned what times my local supermarkets reduce items, so that helps with meat. My freezer is my best friend! I also use beans/pulses etc to make dishes go further, e.g. casseroles, chilli, spag bol.

I went out a bought a load of plastic tubs and now portion everything out and then freeze these in portions which I just take out before I want them. This has helped save money by not wasting anything. I've also bought pasta and rice in huge bags as it was cheaper than buying lots of little ones.

Another thing I've started doing is making a food diary and then using this to make a list of exactly what I need to buy, which has definitely helped!

Hope that helps

Ellaskat

I do lots of 1 pot meals, with a small amount of meat so it goes far, but still feels satifying. Potato leek soup with bacon; roasted chicken, followed by making chicken noodle soup with the leftovers and carcass; chicken pot pie; spicy corn chowder, again, with a little ham hock or bacon; quinoa with kale, onion, garlic and squash - but also with 3 small turkey breakfast sausages chopped into tiny pieces. All of these dishes make at least 4 meals of 300-700 calories.

eldamiano

Healthy food isnt expensive. This is a myth.

lilmisspips

slaite1 wrote: »

Do you get along with your roommates? In the past I've joined up with roommates to hare SOME of the food budget and I (mostly) cooked and everyone was happy! Plus it was a fun way to get closer to each other. But we only shared some food and kind of agreed on how it would go. It seemed, to me at least, that it also made the relationship more casual and no one really cares if someone else ate some of their cookies. And it was definitely cheaper to feed multiple people than just one.

Ive only been here 3 days and seen one of three other house mates. When i house shared we share stuff and cook together and it made a difference.

lilmisspips

eldamiano wrote: »

Healthy food isnt expensive. This is a myth.

I know healthy food is expensive. I have moved to an area close to London where everything seems to be so much more expensive and my pay doesn't reflect the cost of living in the area

RodaRose

You can still afford the fruit you love if the other food you buy is lower priced: beans, lentils, rice.