Homeless Nutrition

hwoeltjen

As of Tuesday I will be living out of my car. I am trying to get a list of foods that I can keep with me. I will probably be eating tons of Subway and slim fast shakes. Keeping my gym membership....so that's a good thing. Finishing up my MBA so I will still be going to school full time. This should be fun.

This thing says I have lost 12 pounds....its actually 16 so far. This is week five of my IF diet.

The positive part of this is I will be upping my gym time from 3 days a week to 6 days a week. Any ideas on food items I can keep with me would be welcome.

Just wanted to post something...**** is starting to get to me.

Thanks.

PennyM140

Do you have a cooler? You could keep fresh fruits and veggies in it even with just a little ice so the heat of being in the car doesn't effect it.
Also, good luck. I don't know anything about your situation but you seem to have a positive mindset and I think that will help you tremendously.

Jessicahanzlik

Wow I'm really sorry that your homeless I would stick to getting something cheap, easy and that won't spoil if left out for awhile: Canned Veggies is a good start, Nuts will have the calories you'll need, dried anything (i.e fruit, meat). If I were in your shoes, so you don't get runned down, buy vitams if you can afford to, as well as some fatty foods (I hate to say it but if you are at the gym 6 days a week, you need to get you calories from somewhere)

I hope this helped, Best of luck to you

hwoeltjen

I do have a cooler. I thought about doing that...just have to see how often I am going to need to fill it with ice. If I need to get new bags of ice every day I don't think I will bother.

I will probably go with canned veggies if it doesn't work out. Thanks for the response Penny.

gigglesinthesun

Baked beans without too much salt. Can be eaten straight out of the can cold.

hwoeltjen

Thanks for the response Jessica. Definitely going to do some canned veggies. Didn't even think of nuts. I will definitely get a bag of almonds to keep with me.

Dried meat is also another great idea. Not a big fan of dried fruit but I may end up doing that as well. Appreciate the response.

dicoveringwhoIam

Peanut butter, baked beans, salsa, tortillas, canned veggies, soups. Good luck to you! I'm sorry you're dealing with this.

Flabulousss

Maybe get ideas from camping sites/blogs? I'd probably get some (low-/sugarless) protein bars but it depends on your preference. You may end up eating less meat so eat more beans, avocados & nuts to cover your bases (edit: and leafy greens for iron) Best of luck.

Hezzietiger1

the weather is getting cooler.. so hopefully u can do fresh fruit and veggies without to much trouble. If your gym or school has an ice machine... just grab some ice from there. no reason to buy it if you can get it another way. since you are going to be at the gym 6 days a week.. keep some apples/bananas in a locker Definitely make sure you are doing a multi-vitamin w/limited nutrition.

Deathmagus

Dried meat such as jerky and nuts are great, but they can get expensive fast, and presumably money is something you're trying not to spend. A good cheaper alternative for protein might be canned tuna in water, though IIRC there might be some health risks associated with eating it more than a few times a week. Peanut butter is also pretty cheap per calorie.

TigerBite

Look for deals in the reduced produce section of the grocery store ... You can buy refrigerated things as you need them ... Pretend like the grocery store is a buffet ...

Ophidion

Don't really have ideas that haven't been mentioned but wanted to say kudos to you my man for sticking to your training whilst in this predicament.

Definitely would agree and suggest that you have some multivitamins and supplements on hand as it sounds like you are going to have a difficult time keeping a well rounded diet. Also would recommend that you maybe swap-out the slim-fast shakes for protein shakes and look for one that mix well in a hand shaker.

I hope it all works out in the end dude.

michellechawner

Are there any food pantries near by? Always look for stuff on sale, or overstock sale. Usually they just want to get rid of it as fast as possible.

My friend lived out of her car for a few months, after some circumstances. She showered at the gym, and still went to school and was living off unemployment (our rent here is RIDICULOUSLY high). She lived off protein shakes and protein bars, and her friends brought her food or invited her over to eat a meal with them once in a while. Do you not have the option to couch surf for a while with a few friends?

I recommend a vitamin like everyone said as well. I wish you the best of luck, I honestly don't know what I would do if I were you, but I guess if put into the situation, I would just try and survive on bare minimum as best I could.

Check and see if there are any food pantries or shelters near by that may be able to help with food stamps or coupons for reduced food or ones that may possibly even serve meals a few times a week.

jhmomofmany

DH is a trucker so he lives on the road most of the time. Subway is a great option; he will get one of the $5 footlong subs and have half for lunch, half for dinner. Foods he keeps on hand: tuna, peanut butter, crackers, wheat bread, apples, oranges, baby carrots, snap peas, soups (he has access to microwaves when he's at a truck stop), Special K protein bars, instant oatmeal, and those hormel microwave meals. He doesn't like keeping bananas b/c the whole truck will smell like them.

At our grocery store they will sell their "day old" rotisserie chickens cold for less than half the price of a hot one. There can be a good variety of bagged, ready-to-eat produce. I like eating salad right out of the bag, no dressing required, but I'm strange that way.

Best of luck to you.

LoraF83

Bananas
Peanut Butter
Nuts
Granola Bars
Tuna pouches & crackers
Apples
Clementines
Jerky
Microwaveable soup cups - heat up in the lounge at school
Canned chicken (stir into the soups)


I also know from working in a jail that you don't *need* boiling water for Ramen or Oatmeal - just hot tap water will work (the inmates don't have access to boiling water, but the tap is enough to cook/heat up the food). Keep some pouches and you can heat up with hot water at a gas station or the gym.

Load your Subway sandwiches with plenty of spinach, peppers and tomatoes for an extra serving of veggies. They also sell yogurt there, which would be good to have instead of chips.

Good luck to you. I'm sorry you're in the situation, but I admire you trying to make the best of it. Keep your head up

PikaKnight

Oh jeez man Sorry to hear that

Have you looked into shelters or kitchens to help with cost too?

As for veggies and fruits - I'd suggest getting them if you are eating them that day or the next at the most. Canned veggies are cheaper and can be kept longer but at the same time, be careful about exposing them to direct sunlight for too long.

Protein powders and supplements/vitamins will help nutrition wise.

Cheap cereals and oatmeals (you can use gas stations to heat up water and make them), microwavable ready mac'n cheese (if they have generic or sales), crackers, breads (look in the bakery section. dinner rolls and such can be cheap), etc.

Aside from Subway....if you have to....do the Dollar Menus at fast food places.

BeachIron

I do have a cooler. I thought about doing that...just have to see how often I am going to need to fill it with ice. If I need to get new bags of ice every day I don't think I will bother.

I will probably go with canned veggies if it doesn't work out. Thanks for the response Penny.

I'd definitely stick with canned veggies, fish, chicken, etc. and add some fresh when you can. I checked your profile and you're in Miami so you're going to have to fill that cooler with ice way too often. I also saw that you have kids. Have you spoken to anyone at your school or otherwise to get help? A church may help you out. This economy is taking its toll on a lot of very smart and very hard working people. I'm damn impressed that you're just pushing through.

Hauntinglyfit

Sorry to hear about your living situation.

Canned everything. Canned tuna, canned veggies, etc. A lot of places have sales for stuff that is close to the expiration date. Living in your car you'd probably have to eat most of it that day anyways, so that might work.
Like Joy said, soup kitchens. The church my parents go to serves lunch to the people attending, and they never say no when someone walks in asking if they could have some.

Subway is expensive to have every day, imo. You said you are still attending school. My university often berbecues burgers for the students. Look into that. In fact, talk to them about your situation, they might be able to help.

ETA: Good luck to you, and I hope you work things out.

EmilyJackCO

My thoughts are with you in this really tough time. I know from second-hand experience (my own mother) that your options are fairly limited. But one thing that may be worth checking into is to see if some of the shelters will do a hot meal for you. They may not let you stay the night, but a lot of them will do food. I know that St. Vincent De Paul is one that did this for my mom's partner before they were able to find stable ground. That's how they met. There may also be other kitchens that serve meals to the hungry, but not homeless.

As far as nutrition, I would keep the focus on keeping the protein numbers up and letting the calories fall where they may within the limit. I know time is probably not something you have a lot of, but I swear - I've had friends in the freegan community in San Diego, and they ate better than I did. And believe me, they didn't do it because they wanted to. I would hope these days that more food is donated than tossed, though.

The other thing that may be tough is keeping hydrated and well-rested - especially with the schedule and the stress. But please do try. I can't imagine how strong you must be to be so determined - but you have a ton of support and people out here rooting for you.

itsjustdawn

Dang, if you were just about 4 hours further NE you could be my roommate! People have given some awesome suggestions here, so I wish you luck!!

The_Enginerd

Best wishes for you in the rough time and I hope things work themselves out quickly so that you will have a roof over your head soon. Major respect for the amount of work you are putting in even in this rough time.

Agree with the others, peanut butter, basic crackers, canned veggies. If it's cool enough, stuff such as bread should keep well enough without refrigeration, and tuna makes a good addition to make a sandwich and probably cheaper than Subway.

kellyskitties

I'd also find a library to hang out in the remainder of the day. Is there a school student lounge where you can microwave stuff? I'd pick up food just for the day if you get something that will thaw (like frozen burritos - cheap, protein) and need heating. Pack lunch box - nuke where ever (student lounge). Get a dollar menu item or two later for supper. Keep the suggested items on hand for easy heat proof eats. Keep a few things and some protein powder in your locker if you can. Find a park to hang out in too! I know some even have wifi. I'd wifi everywhere I could - parks, mcdonalds, library.... etc.

I know there's ways to hook a crock pot up in a car - may or may not help you - but it exists.

Keep some wet wipes and hand sanitizer around too.

I'd keep a gallon jug of water around for "wash ups" purposes. Could refill it at the gym probably.

AT least you won't have to fend in the cold.

Chin up - you got this! And when you get through it, you will be so much smarter and stronger than when you started.

SLLRunner

It sounds like you've gotten some great suggestions, so I just want to say I'm sorry about your situation. I'm rooting for you as you finish your Masters.

ecw3780

peanut butter, protein bars, dried fruit (unsweetened), cartoned almond milk

Pollywog39

Wow, dude, that's rough........................

All of the suggestions here are good..............and maybe your community has a food shelf or other cheap food sources to tap into? As hard as it might be to swallow your pride, you could get help from a church group or other shelter-type situation. Don't know what kind of neighborhood you're in, but if you have access to a library computer, you could do some searching for assistance.

Much love and success to you..............you seem to have an attitude that will get you through this hard patch.

God bless.

TheRealParisLove

Since you have access to the internet, you could see what churches offer hot meals for the homeless. My mom's church has meals every day and offers an overnight shelter for families (no single males allowed, unfortunately). They serve anyone who wants a meal.

Also, check with your school to see what programs may be available to you. You may be able to get housing in exchange for some kind of work/study program.

Good luck. I hope this setback is brief for you.

Denise4141

Been there, it's not so bad! Let the grocery store keep perishable items cold for you, look at the the store as ur cooler. Green essentials is equal to 6 lbs of greens...$4.50 for two servings. Can opener is going to be needed for proteins like beans and smoked salmon, oysters, etc. Have some crackers readily available for that. Subway isn't that bad if you know what u need for protein and priced well too. I lived off of a $10.00 a day budget including gas and beer...which is all I had on certain days...beer is good food, kinda. I kept instant coffee handy and would get a cup of hot water for free at taco bell or whatever's open and close by. Taquerias always have steak tacos for two bucks and you get the chips and salsa for free, think that was my favorite and with a beer. Also the carne asada burrito w whole wheat tortilla is ample for dinner and breakfast the next day. Good luck and keep us posted buddy! Better than having to share w a roomate at times!

lynn_glenmont

Someone mentioned almond milk above but I think that will need to be kept cool after you open it. More economical and more convenient is powdered milk -- mix just the amount you need with water (or any other liquid you have on hand -- think of it as a thin "float" with soda or a thin smoothie with fruit juice). Cold cereal, especially if you buy store brands, can be a cheap source of calories to go with the milk. Combine a small amount of milk with raw rolled oats, any fruit (fresh, dried, or canned), and nuts or seeds (e.g., sunflower) for a variation on muesli.

Best of luck to you. It's great that you can keep your gym membership, as it will give you a place you can wash up, refill water bottles, get out of the heat -- you can sit on a mat with your school books, and if anybody asks, you're stretching or doing yoga or meditating.

hilaryhill

Call local churches, they should be able to direct you to help or to a food pantry or shelter.

kikicooks

All great suggestion on the cheaper foods but also look into assistance from food banks and homeless shelters. I work for a food bank and I know sometimes people are afraid to ask for help but don't be, get food assistance if you can.
Best of luck!

pspetralia

People have come up with a great list, but I wanted to add roasted edamame. They have a good amount of protein and fiber. Not sure if this would work for you, but is there a friend that would let you keep ice packs in their freezer? That would help you expand your choices from time to time.
Best of luck!!