Dieting for 1

BethieB76
BethieB76 Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Cleaned out kitchen and pantry. Now that everything is bare, what are some basic items to start with? I am single and on a tight budget. Any personal stories or recommendations are welcomed and much appreciated.

Replies

  • jfauci
    jfauci Posts: 531 Member
    Some of my basics are:

    greek yogurt
    fresh veggies
    chicken breast
    eggs

    The key is to look for what is on sale that week. Good luck
  • IowaJen1979
    IowaJen1979 Posts: 406 Member
    I actually sit down each week and plan out everything that I'm going to eat, then make a list and only buy what's on my list. I live alone, too, and work all day, so I cook everything on the weekend and eat leftovers throughout the week. It works for me, and maybe it will work for you! And it saves money because you're not buying things that go to waste, and you're not ordering take out or buying lunch every day.
  • KAS0917
    KAS0917 Posts: 172 Member
    I actually sit down each week and plan out everything that I'm going to eat, then make a list and only buy what's on my list. I live alone, too, and work all day, so I cook everything on the weekend and eat leftovers throughout the week. It works for me, and maybe it will work for you! And it saves money because you're not buying things that go to waste, and you're not ordering take out or buying lunch every day.

    Same here. And I pretty much only shop in the produce, meat, dairy section of the supermarket. I have staples already in the pantry or freezer (brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat pasta, frozen vegetables, chicken breasts, etc). I buy the fruits / veggies that are on sale and look good, dairy that I need to stock up on each week, and any staples that I either ran out of or is on sale if it's something I use a lot (like chicken broth).

    If you have an ALDI nearby, I shop there A LOT these days. I buy my 0% plain greek yogurt, my reduced fat cottage cheese, organic spring mix for my salads, etc. there. They also have a new line of organic / all natural products, but I haven't tried a lot of it yet. Then I come home from the store and cut up / wash my fruit and put it in containers, make 3 bowls of the lettuce mix (so I can throw in the rest of the salad ingredients later, portion out my cottage cheese and greek yogurt for a few days, hardboil eggs, etc. It makes packing my lunch for work very easy! And it also keeps me from throwing any food out these days. Bananas going brown? I half them and freeze them in a ziploc bag for my protein shakes. Raspberries on their last good day? Throw them in the cottage cheese for my afternoon snack, etc.

    I've worked REALLY hard on not throwing away food - I used to throw out a ton! And it makes a huge difference in my food bill.
  • garber6th
    garber6th Posts: 1,890 Member
    Some of my basics are:

    greek yogurt
    fresh veggies
    chicken breast
    eggs

    The key is to look for what is on sale that week. Good luck

    This is pretty much what my list looks like, along with some fruit and some quinoa. Since I live alone, I am careful not to buy too much or leave anything for too long to avoid anything spoiling. I will cook chicken breasts and cut them into cubes, weigh them, and freeze them in separate bags till I need them. I am not sure where you live but where I live, there are some ethnic markets close by that have great deals on produce.

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  • CysterWigs
    CysterWigs Posts: 136 Member
    Some of my basics are:

    greek yogurt
    fresh veggies
    chicken breast
    eggs

    The key is to look for what is on sale that week. Good luck

    This is pretty much what my list looks like, along with some fruit and some quinoa. Since I live alone, I am careful not to buy too much or leave anything for too long to avoid anything spoiling. I will cook chicken breasts and cut them into cubes, weigh them, and freeze them in separate bags till I need them. I am not sure where you live but where I live, there are some ethnic markets close by that have great deals on produce.

    7396232.png

    I agree with all of this. I would like to add that fresh-frozen veg (just veg - no sauces or anything fancy) is a great alternative to fresh if you are afraid of spoilage. I love frozen broccoli and squash. I keep some in the freezer at all times for a convenient and low-cal side dish or snack.
  • BethieB76
    BethieB76 Posts: 5 Member
    Thank you gals!!
  • mmg0327
    mmg0327 Posts: 29
    Yup, totally agree with the posts above!
    I plan my meals in 3-4 day spans (its less overwhelming than planning the whole week for me). I keep my freezer well stocked with frozen fruit, veggies, and fish. In the pantry I always have quinoa, beans, and tuna. I then pick up fresh produce, eggs, and dairy twice a week, since I live alone and don't want stuff to spoil. My diary is open, if you want to check it out!
    Marissa

    Edited to add: I watch the weekly flyers for sales on frozen veggies, and that's when I stock up!
  • beelikethebug1116
    beelikethebug1116 Posts: 22 Member
    One thing that helped me a lot when I was single: I would make a huge batch of something in the crock pot (e.g., chili made with lean ground turkey) and separate it into individual containers. I would save a few servings for dinners for that week, then I'd freeze the rest. It was great for when I came home and had no interest in cooking—I would just pop it out of the freezer and heat it up! I think that probably saved me a few visits to the Wendy's drive-thru... :-) Hope that helps!

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