Broke and trying to eat healthy.. Help!

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  • Soggynode
    Soggynode Posts: 1,179 Member
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    Another thought if your parents don't already own one is decent rice cooker. You have to be a little careful with the calories and carbs but you can make a lot of really simple, really tasty rice dishes for very cheap. You can cook lots of things in a rice cooker especially if you get one with a slow-cooker function. We make lots of cheap and healthy soups and stews in ours. Ours cost about $45 dollars but it is big enough for a family of four.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    Caitwn wrote: »
    You might try suggesting to your parents that you'd like to learn how to cook since you aren't going to be relying on your mom to cook for you forever. Then cook a few meals a week if they'll agree to get the items you request on the shopping list.

    DON'T talk about how what you intend to cook is 'healthy' if they are resistant to the concept. Healthy food can be delicious, so just tell them you are trying new recipes that look yummy. For recipes that are both healthy and tasty, I love budgetbytes.com/

    If money is really a significant concern, then check for recipes that the budgetbytes blogger developed in response to the SNAP challenge (a challenge last year to create healthy recipes on a food stamp budget).

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  • ogmomma2012
    ogmomma2012 Posts: 1,520 Member
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    Frozen vegetables and bulk meats. Eggs, oatmeal. Save up a little money and get a crock pot and rice cooker. You can make so many meals with very little ingredients.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    cld111 wrote: »
    Also, have you talked to your parents about your goals? I always feel so sad when someone says their parents don't support their healthy lifestyle. I am a parent, and I would LOVE it if my kids came to me and wanted to eat better. So I never really understand why a parent wouldn't be supportive?
    There are all kinds of people in the world. Some people are terrible parents. I'm not saying the OP's parents are terrible, but people often ask why a parent wouldn't be supportive. Because they're rotten people.

    Rotten people have kids, too.
  • AddieOverhaul
    AddieOverhaul Posts: 734 Member
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    When I'm broke I eat a lot of rice, beans, lentils and veggies. Throw some spices or hot sauce on it and it's actually pretty good.
  • ladyrixx
    ladyrixx Posts: 12 Member
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    Growing up, I didn't have a ton of fruits and veggies in the house; my mom said that they were too expensive and I would eat them all in one sitting. However, we had junk food around all the time.

    The upshot, now given a choice between fruit and candy, I'll pig out on fruits and veggies, so I have less temptation to be "bad". So your parents eating habits might work out in your favour.
  • DisneyDude85
    DisneyDude85 Posts: 428 Member
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    It's never too late to learn how to cook. Learning to cook in my late teens, early twenties is saving me a ton of money now! I eat oatmeal every morning. The tub of oats I bough is good for 30 servings was $2.50 (8 cents a serving). I add some sliced almonds, coconut, and whatever fruit is on sale. Keeps me full, and good source of fiber. I also saw a suggestion on here to add a little cheese and hot sauce (almost like grits) which sounds delicious if you arent a "sweet breakfast" kind of person.

    I am a big proponent of meal-prepping. I make my lunches and dinners for Monday-Friday on sunday night. Then I pre-log everything and that keeps me on track. You can make it as simple or complex as you like. :smile: One week, Winco (the store I shop at) had rotisserie chickens on sale for $4 each. I bought 2, made chicken salad for lunches (on a bed of greens) and made some brown rice and steamed veggies to eat with the chicken for dinner. I keep my food budget as low as I can. Meat is the biggest food expense for me, but if you can learn how to cook leaner/tougher cuts of meats, you can save even more money.
  • DisneyDude85
    DisneyDude85 Posts: 428 Member
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    Also, learning what produce is in season will help you save money, as it is more abundant and will cost less (IE: Cherries are $.98/lb right now, but in another month they will be $3.99/lb). The produce guys at your local supermarket will be able to assist you
  • Cocoa1020
    Cocoa1020 Posts: 197 Member
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    you can always find frozen veggies like peas and corn and lima beans, spinach etc and make some brown rice and mix it together and have some chicken you got on sale. :)

    and to others that keep bashing her because shes 24 and married and "blaming her parents." I don't really see her blaming her parents. she is asking for cheap healthy foods because she is on a budget and its hard for her because she doesn't have money to waste. She is living in an environment where there is bad food. you don't know if her parents are eating ice cream and sausage cookies every meal. We all know there are lots of high caloric foods that aren't very filling and then hunger sets in and you eat more.

    Stop judging.

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