Eating healthy on a major budget, starting to weigh food, and meal prep

ghouli

Hi MFP folks, looking for some help/guidance/advice here.

I eat a lot healthier than I used to, cutting out a large majority of overly processed foods. I used to log my food (on a different app, not on here) but have never weighed it. It's always been by 'serving size' or a guesstimation. I'm buying a food scale soon because I want to accurately log my food instead of guessing, and really keep track of it.

I've also never done the whole meal prep thing and would like to start, buuut I'm kind of lost. How do you personally do it, just prep your major daily meals? One daily meal? Do you cook it all at the beginning of the week, the day before? I dunno, I feel like these are kind of stupid questions but the whole eating, food, nutrition thing is really overwhelming to me

And, last thing: I don't have a ton of money to spend on food, and for some reason just have trouble putting meals together. What are some staple things you keep on hand that are cheap/affordable and pretty basic?

Smccabe8

I usually meal prep on Sundays, and sometimes I'll make 8 days of freezer meals at a time for lunches. I have the rectangular glass 3 cup Pyrex containers that are freezable/microwavable.

I weigh everything raw and then bake it all at once and portion it. I buy bulk chicken breast from Sam's Club to save money, but everything else is from the normal grocery store.

I usually bake a bunch of chicken breasts or tilapia at once, and then portion them evenly into containers. Then I will cook a grain: couscous, quinoa, rice, etc... and divide those evenly in the containers. Then I just throw frozen veggies in with them. Pop them all in the freezer, and I have easy meals to grab in the mornings.

I don't eat this every day. A couple days a week I'll make a salad the night before and cut up some chicken breast, or throw a 100 cal pack of tuna in with it. I just measure a portion of the dressing in a small lidded container, and add that right before I eat it.

I also save the "meal" into MFP under meals (with ounce measurements), so I can just quickly add them without having to try to remember how many ounces of chicken or grain each frozen meal has.

I will also sometimes make my own breakfast "McMuffins" using liquid eggs baked in the oven, and freeze a bunch of sandwiches. Then heat and eat.

Lizzy622

My first step is to get the shopping circular to see what is on sale and in season. Use that to plan out your meals. I usually plan on lunch being leftovers from the previous dinner.

mkakids

I make double batches instead of meal prepping. Then i label it (along with calorie count per gram) and put it in the freezer. I usually have a few meals i can pull out when i cant cook.

jgnatca

I prep my steel cut oatmeal by cooking it in big batches and storing it in mason jars in my fridge. This will last me about four days.

I prep a salad to last a few days at a time too. I shop often and pick vegetables on sale and in season, always fresh.

Lunch is either soup, salad, or leftovers. Wraps are good for leftovers.

Once in a while I'll cook a roast (beef, chicken, pork), use the drippings to make a stock, and from the stock make a stew or soup. I also get pre-cooked meat that I use in other meals through the week like casseroles and so on.

I make all my meat balls (turkey or beef) at once, baked in the oven and frozen.

Once in a while I make a slow cooker meal based on beans like chili. This packs and freezes nicely.

HStheBusyBee

My other half does his meal prep on a sunday and makes his lunches for the rest of week. He does a baked chicken breast with paprika, roasted sweet potatoes with garlic and chilli and steamed broccoli.

NaturalNancy

Eggs, dry beans and potatoes.

ghouli

Thanks for your help everyone!!