eating healthy on a dime!

Fallon0413

What are some good and healthy snackfood items to eat when you are on a budget? My husband and I are both students so we don't make that much to begin with. Its just to expensive to buy organic right now. I make a lot of food from scratch, but snacking is a huge problem for me. Help!

tanja77

I snack on fruits... Many of my colleagues eat whole carrot or cucumber.
And when I feel like having a snack I often have a cup of homemade chicken soup with some carrots in it - works wonders.

jasonp_ritzert

Seasonal fresh fruits and veggies. By using what is in season and cheap you adapt your cooking.
Eggs, a good source of protein and some fats.
Peanut butter, a good source of healthy fats, protein, and fiber.
Cottage cheese.
Canned Tuna in water.

Also, try a different place to shop. I do the bulk of my shopping at Aldi (not sure if you have one), but I can usually get similar/identical items nutritionally to other grocery stores.

Acg67

PB and ritz crackers/saltines

jwdieter

Rice and beans are very cheap, and provide pretty solid nutrition. Vegetables in season also tend to be inexpensive.

HotAshMess

http://midwestkitchenwitch.blogspot.com/2013/06/get-smart-in-kitchen.html

Fallon0413

Thanks for the suggestions! What are some good ways to clean your fruits and veggies instead of just rinsing...

toaster6

If you live by a 99 Cents superstore, they usually have groceries for cheap. Check to see if any dollar store types around you sell groceries or see if any markets by you sell locally grown foods since they may sell those for less.

djshari

One of my favorites is pretzel crisps with laughing cow cheese wedges. The trick is getting them on sale - Walmart usually has the cheapest price on both but I've seen them on sale at other stores for a little less.

Also get a big cucumber and slice it up.

DeeBrownBaker

rinse your fruits & veggieswith white vinegar when you purchase... then a thourough rinse with cold water and dry... store in the fridge!

LoraF83

Beans
Rice
Eggs
Frozen veggies
Frozen chicken
Buy meat on sale and freeze it
Bananas
Apples
Tortillas
Bread
Pasta


Shop at Aldi's - great discounts and deals there. They regularly have strawberries for 99 cents a carton. The trick is to only buy what you're going to eat right away, since their produce is closer to expiration.

ladycitadelle

For healthy cheap snacks I like: sliced cucumbers (lightly salted), making my own NON-Microwave popcorn on the stove only takes a minute, fruit like grapes or peaches are on sale and in season, healthy non chemical peanut butter and celery, try something new... keep it fun!

bethfartman

Thanks for the suggestions! What are some good ways to clean your fruits and veggies instead of just rinsing...

Rinse them in 3 parts water, 1 part vinegar (and then another clear rinse) and make sure you make a scrubbing motion with your hand, don't just run it through the water. Organic doesn't really mean healthier, but that argument is overdone around here.

stef_monster

I can't afford organic stuff, either. I try to buy all my produce where and when it's cheapest- Aldi is a good place to start, and I've found some really good deals on non-organic produce at Trader Joe's. I bag up my snacks (carrots, nuts, pita chips, grapes, etc) into 100-gram ziplocks so I can keep track of how much I'm eating. I like to put a dab of wasabi in fat-free ranch and have it with baby carrots or celery.

More quick and low-cal snack ideas:
-boiled eggs (70 cals/egg)
-salsa and raw veggies (about 50 cals for 1 cup/100g veggies plus 10 for salsa)
-string cheese (sargento has it for 50 or 60 cals per serving)
-kroger's lite greek yogurt (90 cals, plus it's $0.99/cup)
-raw veggies with light or low-cal dressing (depends on the amount of each)
-PB2 and literally anything else- it's a little expensive and you have to mix it with water, but has less than half the cals of regular peanut butter.
-melon balls

iDare87

Stick to the basics bagged fruit and veg will see you through! I stick to the simply range when it comes to basic fruits n veg not because of being cash-strapped but out of principle...fruit is fruit...veg is veg...snack on them and mini pots of peanuts...if you have to buy salted you can rinse them off.

EvelynBfly78

I buy seasonal fresh fruits on sale & cut them into bite sizes. I keep them in the fridge in bowls ready for a snack. Summertime is my favorite fruit time of the year. I just love summer fruits. There is watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, etc. Blueberries too. It's so easy to grab a handful of blueberries & mix with a half cup diced watermelon, a half cup sliced strawberries, a few grapes & a half peach. Low calorie healthy snack. And filling too. YumYum!

whouwannab

snack on dry cereal, like multi grain cheerios or generic version

zenalasca

Buy fruit that is on special, slice and dry in a fan-forced oven. Apricots, peaches, nectarines and bananas taste delicious when cut in half and dried (not too thin, unless you want banana chips that is)

allshebe

Dry beans and lentils are cheap and cook up nicely while you sleep in a slow cooker/crock pot. A pound or two of beans will supplement protein for a week or so. You can cook with rice and your favorite salsa to make an easy to microwave snack/light lunch meal. Add some fresh vegetable or fruit to complete the meal. Corn tortillas are pretty cheap - pan "fry" and fold, fill with bean mix to make a kind of eat on the run sandwich (better than boxed "taco" shells..

lynn1982

I'm a student on a budget and I make everything from scratch - I eat a lot of fish (canned and fresh), buy dried beans and lentils (rather than canned), and things like rice, quinoa, and nuts I usually buy from the bulk section. I don't always buy organic (I try when I can afford it, but sometimes I just can't), but for the most part I try to follow the "dirty dozen" and "clean 15" list. Sometimes I buy frozen veggies (they're great in the winter time when things just aren't in season and for making soups). Recently, I signed up for an organic fruit and veggie delivery service - they deliver every two weeks from a local farm. It seems to be more economical than buying it from the grocery store or even local farmers markets (which I find are usually more expensive anyway).

My one suggestion is to shop around - don't only rely on one grocery store or farmers market, etc. I live in an urban area and I don't own a car, so for me, shopping within a close radius to my home is important. After comparing prices, I found a health food store near me that is 20% less than everywhere else (including regular grocery stores and other health food stores), and a local organic butcher that sells organic eggs for less than regular eggs from my local grocery store. Eating organic for me is important, so I rarely buy meat just because of the price. Just plan ahead and it can be done. It can also be a lot of fun if you enjoy getting creative with food!

Fruit/veggie wash: I use a mixture of water, vinegar, and lemon in a spray bottle. Not sure if it actually helps, but it makes me feel better. Haha.

Fallon0413

Thank you all.. everyone has wonderful advice! but its making me hungry lol