Losing Weight on a budget

Werk2Eat

CICO and last time i checked, walking was free.

Mezzie1024

A good meal plan without much processed stuff usually cuts my bill in half. Just *having* a plan cuts it by at least 25%, even if my plan is full of indulgences and convenience items.I firmly believe both weight loss and money conservation can both be achieved through a thoughtful meal plan and grocery list.

Queenmunchy

vivmom2014 wrote: »

shadowfax_c11 wrote: »

Find a local farmers market. You can get great fresh local produce in bulk for a lot less than the grocery stores. Like literally a bushel of peppers for $10 or 5 pounds of tomatoes for $4. A few weeks ago I spent $3 on enough summer squash to last me (single person) several weeks. I used to buy a lot in the summer and freeze what I was not going to eat fresh. Having a chest freezer was great. I stocked that thing up all summer to offset the cost of food over the winter.

Locally grown and in season is going to be your lowest cost for veg.

Winter squashes are coming in season now so those will be cheap, and you can store those for up to 6 months at room temperature in a cool dry place in your house.

I wish I lived near your farmers' market. The one nearest us (just outside of Washington, DC) sells eggs for $6/dozen and bread for $7/loaf. Vegetables are very pricey, too.

Our farmers markets can be crazy expensive. $12/lb for green peppers expensive. I second aldi and other discount stores (pricerite, save a lot, and ethnic markets)

Queenmunchy

I also sent you a very informative message on how freezer cooking can save your budget. Use less energy, never waste, and time management. It's the best.

vivmom2014

Queenmunchy wrote: »

vivmom2014 wrote: »

shadowfax_c11 wrote: »

Find a local farmers market. You can get great fresh local produce in bulk for a lot less than the grocery stores. Like literally a bushel of peppers for $10 or 5 pounds of tomatoes for $4. A few weeks ago I spent $3 on enough summer squash to last me (single person) several weeks. I used to buy a lot in the summer and freeze what I was not going to eat fresh. Having a chest freezer was great. I stocked that thing up all summer to offset the cost of food over the winter.

Locally grown and in season is going to be your lowest cost for veg.

Winter squashes are coming in season now so those will be cheap, and you can store those for up to 6 months at room temperature in a cool dry place in your house.

I wish I lived near your farmers' market. The one nearest us (just outside of Washington, DC) sells eggs for $6/dozen and bread for $7/loaf. Vegetables are very pricey, too.

Our farmers markets can be crazy expensive. $12/lb for green peppers expensive. I second aldi and other discount stores (pricerite, save a lot, and ethnic markets)

Ethnic markets are a great idea, especially for produce.

sistermargret

I live in farm country. Farmers markets aren't cheap, just fresh. We eat beans and rice.
A turkey sandwich with 2oz of turkey is cheap and only 200 caloies. Add an apple and you've got lunch or dinner. Even at $3 a dozen an egg is 70 cal of good and cheap nutrition.
Apples keep a long time and are in season now. Plain potatoes are frequently on sale for $1 for 10lbs.
Not to mention you'll be eating less and buying less. We have been saving money buying less food and no soda for me.

TiffanyR71

My favorite budget-friendly foods are chicken thighs (bone in, skin on) and potatoes... Fresh carrots, frozen vegetables, eggs... Shop the sales...

And less of it!!!

Werk2Eat

TiffanyR71 wrote: »

My favorite budget-friendly foods are chicken thighs (bone in, skin on) and potatoes... Fresh carrots, frozen vegetables, eggs... Shop the sales...

And less of it!!!

The topic is losing weight on a budget. You could eat two boneless, skinless chicken breast toequal the amount of calories in one bone in, skin on chicken thigh. Plus, chicken thighs are only cheaper then chicken breast if you buy them in bulk.

shadowfax_c11

I went to the farmers market this evening and came home with around 35 pounds of veggies for about $30. My fridge is now stocked with enough fresh squash (4 varieties), potatoes (1/2 bushel), peaches and apples to keep me well fed for a couple of weeks. I guess western PA is just a better place for finding fresh veg. I don't go to the markets here in the city I go to one that is about 20 miles from my house but happens to be by the stable I keep my horse at, so I can combine trips that way. I get most of my eggs from a hoof trimming customer who has chickens so don't usually have to buy them.

Venus_Red

Werk2Eat wrote: »

TiffanyR71 wrote: »

My favorite budget-friendly foods are chicken thighs (bone in, skin on) and potatoes... Fresh carrots, frozen vegetables, eggs... Shop the sales...

And less of it!!!

The topic is losing weight on a budget. You could eat two boneless, skinless chicken breast toequal the amount of calories in one bone in, skin on chicken thigh. Plus, chicken thighs are only cheaper then chicken breast if you buy them in bulk.

OP is cooking for a family, so keep that in mind. Two chicken breasts will feed 2 people, so that's not going to feed a family.

allaboutthefood

I have a family of 7. We decided that eating healthier was better for the whole family, not just me. Once we cut out buying preboxed processed foods and starting buying fresh and making a lot of items ourselves like chicken fingers, mac and cheese etc.. the foods kids tend to want. We also starting eating more at home. We found that it really wasn't that much of a difference on our pocket book. We tend to always have food, where before we would run out faster. We are on a very tight budget, I plan out the meals ahead, now that school is in, I also plan how many lunches snack etc we need for the week. The older kids were not happy at first, but they got used to it and are really enjoying the fresh homemade foods. We also buy in bulk and price match and use coupons. We figure out everyone's portion size and stick to it. once everyone is done eating the rule is to wait 20 min and if you are still hungry than you are allowed a snack, usually a fruit, yogurt or some nuts. This works for us.

Kalikel

You've received great advice already. I love that list that got posted. If canned tuna was on it, I missed it, so I'll add that.

Make your own food as much as you can. Save your veggie bits to make veggie stock. Use chicken bones to make stock. This is stuff you're going to toss, but can be used to make something you'd otherwise have to buy. And home-made tastes SO MUCH better. Nothing in the store is even close to as good.

Cut and use coupons. Times are tough and characters decline where money is scarce, so flip through the newspaper to make sure nobody stole them. Coupon theft is becoming a big thing.

They sell bags of chicken breast for WAY less than you buy on the tray.

LOOK AROUND in the store. They often put stuff on sale without advertising it, especially meat. If they are going to have to toss it because of an expiration date, they'll put it on sale. When the pork chops go on sale, I buy a crapload and toss them in the freezer - that sort of thing.

Also, pay attention to the labels. The stores purposely make the labels confusing so that people who cannot do math will be fooled. They price one brand by the ounce and another by the gram or unit. Look at those labels! If you aren't good at math, bring a calculator! Also, if the store brand is priced one way and the name brand is priced another way, the name brand will almost always be cheaper.

Don't assume the generics/store brands are cheaper. That isn't always the case (especially with frozen bags of berries - Dole is frequently cheaper than the generic, but not always.)

Don't assume that bigger quantity packages are cheaper. That is not always true, either.

Pay attention in the store and you'll save more money.

allaboutthefood

yes we always look at the unit price to find what is more affordable.

AndrelleJohnson

Its really easy. You can eat more fruit and vegetables, eat the correct serving sizes, walk around your neighborhood or do videos that's free on YouTube (BeFit Channel is my favorite).