Meal Plans on a budget?

MusicalMelanie11

Hey there!

I'm trying to figure out some flexible meal plans that won't be super expensive. I have a new job that isn't a 9 to 5, and sometimes I have to travel so that there's only fast food for an option. I've been thinking if I prepare some snacks and account for those calories, I might not have to resort to fast food. I need to keep it under 1440.

Another problem I run into sometimes with calorie counting is that I have reactive low blood sugar. So I can't follow the traditional 3 meal plans, I have to have something in between to keep me going. Does anyone have some advice or suggestions?

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Old_Cat_Lady

I have hypoglycemia. For snack I keep a baggie of almonds in my purse for in between meals or a cheese stick in cooler weather. Even a fiber one bar can do the trick.

earlnabby

What facilities do you have? Do you have access to a refrigerator and/or microwave? Are you basically eating from your car? Are you traveling by airplane?

My suggestions:

• Eat your largest meal at home, whenever that is (lunch, dinner, late dinner)
• Get yourself a nice thermal lunch bag or box
• On a day off, cook something like a stew or casserole that can be frozen in individual servings and reheated when needed (either at home or at work if you have access to a microwave)
• Buy easily transported fruits and veggies (apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, etc) and save the salads for home
• Plan each week before going to the store and watch the sales for meat and fruits
• Pre log your day before leaving for work (or even the night before). It will help you decide what you need to take with you so you can have several meals with you (and a couple of emergency foods in case your BG dips)
• Sandwiches and wraps are easily transported foods, so is yogurt.

cmtigger

I work at several sites and pack a lunch bag with ice packs. I put a variety of things in it that I can eat together as a meal or as snacks as I have time. Usually there is a fiber one bar, some yogurt, some cheese, some sort of raw veggies (whatever is a good deal that week. Lately it's been cauliflower, but baby carrots are often less expensive) and maybe a hard or medium cooked egg.
Other times I will pack a salad with the greens and hard veggies in one container and the rest in other containers to mix at lunch. Things like the egg can be eaten at lunch or before if I need a snack. Chili or soup in a thermos works too.

dutchandkiwi

When travelling is that multi day? i try to take food if it is one day travel only. No fast food need then. Nearly all foods travel reasonably well with icepacks
When eating out - soup, salads (dressing on the side) and fish, I don't do fast food if I can help it.

I also suggest for low cost Budget Bytes and cooking in a bootstrap.

gearhead426hemi

I work shift work so I switch back and forth from days to nights and I found that I have to meal prep to stay on track. Here is one of my recipes. Cheap, easy and makes 4 meals.


-8 oz, Turkey Breakfast Sausage
• 1 japalpeno Pepper, Fresh
• 1 Onion
• 2 tbsp (18g), --steak Sauce
• 4 large (2-1/4 per lb, approx 3-3/4" long, 3" dia), Peppers, sweet, red, raw
• 1 cup, Royal Blend Rice Blend
• 1 cup, pieces or slices, Mushrooms, white, raw

Combine all ingredients except large peppers in a pan and cook on medium heat. If you like your peppers crunchy just add the ingredients to the raw pepper and enjoy. If you prefer your peppers soft boil them for a couple minutes before stuffing them.

shaumom

You can find some meal plans for very, very inexpensive foods if you look for meal plans for those on food stamps. They may not entirely fit your needs, but they have some good suggestions.

Like this, for example:
http://wegotreal.com/real-food-meal-plan-broke/