How to eat better foods that you really cant afford? (here is a before during and current picture)

lishie_rebooted

vmlabute wrote: »

Farmer's market is always a great idea, they are completely organic and pretty cheap!! You get a nice walking exercise outside too while shopping. Trader Joe's have great items for good prices and Costco's produces are better than Sam's if you're buying in bulk.

Portion control and switching to more vegetables and whole grain is key

Not every item at a Farmer's Market is organic actually.
Not all small farmers are organic farms.
Also, not every Farmer's Market is cheap.

I went to a farmer's market here in Maine and it was more expensive. All year long, the Hannafords (grocery store) bring in produce from local farms (local meaning somewhere in the state Maine, typically within an hour of the store) that was cheaper than the local farmer's market.

Liftng4Lis

There are no bad foods, except rotten food. Keep doing what you're doing.

deaniac83

jgnatca wrote: »

You are doing great! I don't think you have to change what you are doing.

Here's how you slowly build a food budget.
Pick one grocery store that consistently has the lowest price.
Watch the sales and coupon deals.
Stock up on a staple item when it is on sale. Put the savings aside for the next big deal.
Pick cheaper forms of the same food. For instance I buy dried beans and chickpeas and prepare them myself. They last just as long.
Or buy canned tomatoes and prepare your own spaghetti sauce.
Buy vegetables in season and on sale, just what you can eat that week.
Or buy frozen vegetables to have on hand in a pinch.
With your savings fund stock up at big sales.

You may also check out food coops or community kitchens in your area.

This. Shop sales, eat seasonal fruits and vegetables on sale, stock up on staples and meats when they are on sale. And if you can possibly hobble together $55, a Costco membership will save you a lot of money in the long run. Gas, for one! Costco's organic frozen vegetables are constantly rated as higher quality for lower price than other places (often *much* lower price). Also because warehouse clubs often have nonperishable items in bulk, it will save you money on other household items - money you can then use for healthier food choices.

Linnea1972

MrM27 wrote: »

mamapeach910 wrote: »

I'm still dying to know how expensive a bag of lentils are where she shops.

I highly doubt she will be coming back to defend her inflated prices. I'm pretty sure she knows it won't end well for her. [/

If this was was for me, I could care less on how much lentils are. I've never spoke about price on anything. Never gave out a price for anything where I live. but if YOU need to know how much they cost... 1 pound bag for $1.46, 36 eggs is $4.30, gallon milk is $4.00 head lettuce is 1.98, one green pepper is 1.09, cucumbers .80 a piece.... bag of onions is $4.00, strawberry's $2.98qt, a watermelon is $8.00 when we have corn on the cob it runs .50cents a ear. I eat frozen veggies all time .98 cents a bag.. as far as farmers markets THEY SUCK HERE always rotten or pithy. and tight budget I mean shopping for 4 with $100 bucks a week! who 2 are grown who work and need reg lunch food everyday. No one is going to stop eating what they want,they r not changing, I AM, I just have to do a little more planning for myself.
I realize the change I need to make. PROCESSED meat and foods and to eliminate bad fats. change from whole mile to 2%. small changes make big differences.

THANKS FOR ALL THE TIPS

cgangl1821

One thing that I found was helpful was shopping the outside rim of the store first, then get my frozen veggies. I found that if I know I have frozen food, I do not spend as much time in the middle isles. I live in a small town. So it is a choice of getting a bag of chips or a bag of fresh carrots, the price is about the same. Carrots win every time. Besides, if they really want their chips, they can buy it themselves. But I am mean like that. Lol.

HeySwoleSister

Linnea1972 wrote: »

If this was was for me, I could care less on how much lentils are. I've never spoke about price on anything. Never gave out a price for anything where I live. but if YOU need to know how much they cost... 1 pound bag for $1.46, 36 eggs is $4.30, gallon milk is $4.00 head lettuce is 1.98, one green pepper is 1.09, cucumbers .80 a piece.... bag of onions is $4.00, strawberry's $2.98qt, a watermelon is $8.00 when we have corn on the cob it runs .50cents a ear. I eat frozen veggies all time .98 cents a bag.. as far as farmers markets THEY SUCK HERE always rotten or pithy. and tight budget I mean shopping for 4 with $100 bucks a week! who 2 are grown who work and need reg lunch food everyday. No one is going to stop eating what they want,they r not changing, I AM, I just have to do a little more planning for myself.
I realize the change I need to make. PROCESSED meat and foods and to eliminate bad fats. change from whole mile to 2%. small changes make big differences.

THANKS FOR ALL THE TIPS

I understand that you are making the change for yourself and your partner as an adult can choose for themselves, but I assume the other 2 people in your house are children. I really recommend gradually bringing them in to your more healthy eating patterns. Helping them to develop a taste for food that is good for them and in proper proportions is a lifelong gift. It's great that you aren't waiting for them to change in order to change for yourself, but, as so many on MFP know, it's HARD to hit adulthood and have a lifelong expectation for calorie-dense, nutrient-poor food.

OK, real advice: prices in your area seem just a hair under mine. $100 per week for 4 people is a tough budget, but it can be done. And, if you are the food shopper/preparer? You get to set the stage. Making separate meals for you is going to be more costly, not less. Here are some $$ tips, many of which were mentioned before, some not:

Non-meat proteins. Seriously, make meat-based dishes for dinner only a couple of times a week. Make most of your evening meals based around eggs, tofu, and beans/lentils. One of my family's favorite dinners is something I make in a big roasting pan/9x13 dish. Mix some cooked rice, quinoa, wheat, or other grain with one package of frozen spinach (thawed and squeezed out) and some minced garlic or even garlic powder) spread in pan and form little "cups" in the mixture. Break an egg into each "cup," bake until whites are opaque and set, yolks still runny. DINNER. CHEAP.

Big batch cooking. Make a MASSIVE pot of chili, portion out and freeze. You'll save money buying the big portions.

Don't be afraid to buy the day old produce and baked goods at the grocery. You can often get really good deals.

Store brand is almost always as good as brand name.

Don't buy beverages except for milk. Soda, juice, bottled water? Luxury goods. at $100 per week for 4 people? you can't afford them. Even with health goals aside, if money is tight, those things GO.

In my area, the cheapest fruits are the pre-bagged apples, oranges, and grapefruit. Watermelon and strawberries are almost always expensive. When I was pinching pennies I almost never bought fresh berries. If they are something you like with other cheap foods like plain yogurt or oatmeal? Try the frozen ones. They can be quite good. (I actually prefer the frozen ones in yogurt!)

For veggies, keep looking and experiment a bit with cheaper varieties that some people might pass over. Don't feel like you have to prepare them the way you "should," either. My kids think frozen peas taste best right out of the bag, still icy! Why bother cooking them and putting butter on if that's what they like!? Maybe your family will find some things like that, too.

Check in to CSA and farmers market options. Yes, they are expensive if you are paying. But, lots of local farms will welcome a few hours of help in exchange for a nice basket of fresh food. Bonus if it's field work? EXERCISE.

If you have a crock pot? It will be so much easier to prepare inexpensive foods like tough cuts of meat (pot roast, yum) or dried beans. People in the US have a false sense of fear over dried beans....just soak them overnight, drain, put in the crockpot all day with fresh water. They should be ready to the done-ness of canned beans when you get home from work. Filling and nutritious protein, and, despite the silly quibbles above aside, they really do almost never cost you more than $1.50 per pound...and cooked, a pound of dried beans is A LOT of food.

If you live in an urban area, you may have fewer options for helping out on farms, but you do likely have a BIG benefit -- "Ethnic" markets! What are your most populous immigrant communities? Find out where their markets are and GO! East Asian, South Asian, and Central American/Mexican markets have FANTASTIC foods at great prices....beans and rice are almost always at rock bottom prices, and the quality, variety, and price of the produce is SO MUCH BETTER than your average chain market. Depending on the cuisine, some meat and fish may also be higher quality and better priced, as well.

cgangl1821

Also, most dollar stores are not too bad. Pastas, sauces are good. Some dollar stores even have a frozen section.

jgnatca

....OOOOH, the look on my hubby's face when I picked up some Ramen noodles and tuna from the dollar store....

Queenmunchy

The closest organic farmer's market to me sells green peppers for $16/lb. LOL, that place cracks me up, but I still like to go browse and buy a few items that aren't too crazy.

I shop at Aldi, PriceRite, and Asian markets. I don't have a tight budget now, but 10 years ago I recall having $15/ 2 weeks to feed two adults and a child. Eggs, frozen vegetables, potatoes, oats, rice, beans, pasta - pretty much what everyone else said. We ate a lot of soup and I still eat soup for 1-2 meals per day. Meal plan everything, and DEFINITELY use your freezer.

Also, I'll cosign that www.budgetbytes.com has some really phenomenal recipes.

ancurtis

It is easy and just as cheap if not cheaper to eat healthy. Today alone at my local grocery (Kroger) I hit the meat jackpot! They had pounds of organic/grass fed ground beef marked from 7.99 a pound to 3.79 a pound. I bought as much as my budget could afford and put in the freezer. I also scored chicken breast and pork chops at a similar markdown. When things are on sale, buy as much as you can for the sale price. My freezer is now stocked with meat for a while. Buy bulk dry beans/lentils and rice and cook at home. Oats are cheap, healthy and filling. Also eggs can be a good value and are healthy. If you do not have access to fresh fruits and veggies, buy frozen. Canned/no salt added if you have NO OTHER choice. Bagged fruits can be a good value as well. Sweet potatoes can be .69 to .99 a pound and are healthy. I often amaze myself at how well I can eat/feed my family and how healthy we can keep it. The $70.00 I spent today will make my family (2 adults/1 teenage BOY) 28 meals EACH and some snacks. Good luck in your quest.

ames105

Eating well can be done on a budget, it just takes a little more time, planning and effort. Stay away from boxed foods and prepare from scratch so you can control the fat and carbs (its not that much harder to make mac & cheese from scratch and you can use whole wheat noodles, control the butter, use skim milk, etc). You can still enjoy your favorites but in moderation. Watch sales, buy produce in season, eat less meat and find your protein with beans, eggs, etc. Buy produce in its whole form, rather than precut, prepacked items (such as whole carrots vs baby carrots). Frozen veggies are great too - I've found store brand on sale - ten bags for $10. You can buy in bulk, such as from a farmer's market, and chop and freeze the food yourself so its quick to grab and go. An hour of work on a weekend preparing a few items ahead of time is well worth it when you are tired on a weekday. You can do it. Good luck!

MarciBkonTrk

Not sure exactly what your situation is but if you can do it this is a different idea that may net even better results. If you can, try growing a garden. Now that warm weather is approaching I am planning on growing as many fruits and vegetables as I can. Start with seeds as they are very inexpensive given the yield they produce. You can even do container gardens as most vegetables and some fruits will grow just as well in a container as in the ground. I plant veggies and fruits all over my yard not just in a "vegetable garden." This year I am growing sunflowers, several types of tomatoes and peppers, okra, cucumbers, strawberries, blueberries, all kinds of herbs, pumpkins (actually the pumpkin plants itself - we throw our jack-o-lantern directly into the flower beds and they grow beautifully), squash, several lettuces, and a figs. My goal is to turn my entire yard into a suburban farm and next year plan to start raising chickens. Plus gardening is extremely good exercise. Now I know you said you don't eat fish but another thing that we do that provides us with a healthy meal and good exercise is that we catch our own fish and other seafood when we can. When we clean the fish, we keep the heads and innards as they can be frozen and used later as bait especially for crabbing. We love to go clamming and will gather a big bucket of clams then come home and cook a batch of clam chowder freezing some for later. I've gotten to where I would really prefer to get my exercise this way. And try not to be discouraged by a plateau. The working out will definitely help. When the scale hasn't moved a while I try measuring myself and usually find that I'm losing inches. This helps keep my motivation up. Keep up the good work. This is a journey to an overall healthy lifestyle so adjustments have to be made from time to time.

tracie_minus100

I'm in Canada, and have been to the states many times...prices are not as low up here! A 4L jug of milk (which I believe is the same size as a gallon) is about $4 where I live. A carton of eggs is $2-$5, depending on brand. Farmer's markets (at least where I live) are awesome, though definitely not cheaper. So it's more expensive, but not too bad. I can still feed my family of 4 on $400-$500 per month, which is mostly comprised of "healthy" type foods. (Produce, chicken breast, fish, etc). Just watch for sales, clip coupons, and shop at multiple stores if needed.