Heathly on a budget?! Need Help

leonabrown984

Please post Recipes that wont break the bank
Being healthy is expensive and I feel like I'm buying an eating the same things over and over.. and getting bored with them
and that's not good!

cwaters120

The biggest way my family saves money eating healthy is PLANNING our menu in advance using the sales circular for our grocery store... Buy frozen veggies when you need to - saves waste thereby saving more money.

as for recipes, here are a couple we use quite often.

Taco meat: brown 1 # lean ground beef with on large onion until onion is translucent. Add 1 can black or pinto beans (drained and rinsed) and your favorite low sodium taco seasonings. (adding the beans stretches the meat, adds fiber and cuts cost -especially if you start from dried beans)
1) use it for regular tacos
2) use it for taco salads (use salsa blended with lime or lemon juice for the dressing)
3) Add salsa (enough to make a "meat sauce" consistency) and put over spaghetti or spaghetti squash


Cauliflower Bake : Brown one large onion. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix juice from one large lemon (zest too if you wish), 1 diced avocado, 1/2 c minced red pepper, 1/2 t onion powder, 1/4 t garlic powder, 1/4 t sea salt, 1 c shredded low fat cheddar, 1 bag (5 c size) frozen cauliflower (or cauliflower and broccoli mix) and the onions. Put in a sprayed 8X8 baking dish, bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. You can add a dash of cayenne if you don't mind a small bit of spice. Makes a great side but it also makes a nice topping for baked potatoes If you add some diced chicken or drained tuna and some cooked rice it makes a nice main dish.

Jambalaya can be healthy if you tweak how you make it (there are tons of recipes out there - it seems like everyone has one- but msg me if you want mine)

Soups and stews can be less expensive, filling, and healthy.

I have a host of others but space is limited

You can also look in the recipes thread :bigsmile:

Caelrr

I only have $75 a month for groceries. I spend up to $20 extra on food while I'm out (some months).

Breakfast or light lunch: large tomato (or two to three roma tomatoes) with mozzarella.
Breakfast: oatmeal or cream of wheat (buy for super cheap in the bulk bins at Winco).
Breakfast: toast with neufchatel cheese.
Breakfast: Poached egg with onion, lettuce, tomato, on slice of toast.

Tomatoes, oatmeal, cream of wheat, sugar, cinnamon, bread, neufchatel cheese, eggs, onions, lettuce... super cheap. Mozzerella probably not so much, but it's worth it.

Lunch: lettuce wraps (you can put beans, fish, more veggies in it, or whatever cheap thing you'd like).
Lunch: salad with hardboiled egg & yummy veggies.
Lunch: brown rice balls with steamed veggies.

Beans, a large bag of Walmart frozen fish, in-season veggies, brown rice. Cheap enough.

Dinner: Chili, soup, steamed veggies with a side of fish, etc.

There is quite a bit of affordable, yummy, healthy food out there. Don't just eat what I typed. Pretty much, just eat a ton of fruits & vegetables with sides of eggs, nuts, fish, tofu, etc.

fotofreak01

I have to feed 4 on a fairly small budget. We always have yummy meals and never really get tired of certain ones because I try not to repeat a meal for at least 2 weeks. There are some we just love so we will have more often. I plan out 7 days of dinners, 5 days of lunch for myself and 3 days of breakfast for myself. The 3 males in my house either don't eat breakfast or are at school for breakfast and lunch. I have to plan snacks to take to work also because I work midnight shifts in a police dept and can't leave to go get something or go home and eat. I eat, for the most part, all 3 meals at home and just take snacks to work so I get all my calories in. In order for me to do all this, I plan meals Sunday morning while at work after my local Kroger ad comes online. I also am a coupon clipper so between the sales and coupons, I can save quite a bit of money. This weeks dinners averaged about $3.35 per person per meal. Starting a meal plan and navigating sales and coupons is a bit much at first but once you do it a few times, it's just second nature. Good luck!

cwolfman13

"healthy" does not have to = expensive. Dried beans, oats, grains and rices are cheap...eggs are cheap...buy frozen vegetables rather than fresh produce...there are always sales on various meats/poultry, etc. I save way more money these days prepping and cooking my own meals than I ever did buying convenient foods and eating out.

stumblinthrulife

Secrets of healthy eating on a budget:

1. Forget all the 'food-fear' you have been taught.
2. Learn moderation.
3. Hit your macros, hit your micros, and do it on the food that is available and within your budget.

Frozen and canned vegetables are just as nutritious as those straight from the product aisle, and you don't have to worry about them rotting before you get a chance to use them. A McDonald's chicken sandwich is as legitimate a protein source as a free-range, organically fed skinless chicken breast from whole foods. A frozen swai fillet is as good for you as fresh caught alaska salmon - though maybe not as tasty.

You don't have to spend a ton, and you don't have to resort to lentils and beans either. Not that there is anything wrong with lentils and beans - I love 'em. Just wouldn't live on them if I didn't have to.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Eggs,
chicken thighs,
higher fat ground beef
tuna

Old Fashioned oats.
beans
rice
bread
tortillas

Canned veggies
heads of lettuce
regular carrots and celery (not the pre-cut ones)
Cucumbers

jenilla1

I wait for sales on meat and then buy a bunch, portion it out, and freeze it. I buy fresh produce when it is in season or on sale. Otherwise, I get frozen fruits and vegetables. It's great because it's frozen right after harvest, so most of the nutrients are preserved. I don't eat canned vegetables and rarely eat canned fruit because it's generally loaded with tons of sugar, sodium and other additives and preservatives. Plus, canned produce is cooked during processing to destroy bacteria, thereby destroying some of the nutrients. Canned is still better than none, though. And some things are even made more nutritious with cooking, such as tomatoes - lycopene is produced during cooking. Don't know why they have to line the cans with BPA, though. I buy basic ingredients (like oats, beans and rice) in bulk and cook most of what I eat from scratch. It's cheap and healthy. :drinker:

keem88

hello there! i do a monthly shop for 2 people (vegetarian) for around $160-$170, and then will go back to the store maybe once a week for more bread and produce. my eggs last us about 2 weeks, as i don't make them all of the time. a gallon of milk will last almost 3 weeks for just us two. i figure prolly around $15 a week for the extra fruit and veg and bread, i rarely buy meat for my other half but i will buy chicken breast, sometimes a whole chicken to make in the slow cooker and then portion it and freeze it, or chicken sausages for nights i don't feel like cooking too much. the deli cuts are for the other half who doesn't make sandwiches too often, maybe will pick that up twice a month, and yogurt

i can give you an idea by showing you current shopping list, i am picking up groceries thursday (i do shop at home from shoprite) and then mostly produce milk and eggs i get from save a lot bc they have pretty good prices. i spend some time going through different fliers to see the best sales, and i will walk around save a lot and compare to what shoprite is and buy other items like cereal or other packaged things if it is cheaper there. okay so here is my monthly main list, i will also let you know what staples i already have that will last me a few months at a time. i also use coupons from the paper and from coupons.com, i feel like i am being ripped off if i pay full price

anyhoo, items i stock up on when they are on sale, or are cheaper anyway are - dried beans (can cook them in slowcooker and then freeze them), pasta (regular or whole grain), pasta sauces, salsa, frozen produce. currently i still have 2 bags broccoli, 2 bags spinach, pepper onion mix and cauliflower but i am picking up more this week. also dried potato flakes, i use olive oil instead of butter and water instead of milk, tastes fine to me. bread crumbs, brown rice

from shoprite:
club rolls (6) - $1.69
nature harvest 100% wheat bread - 1.99
14 oz herb stuffing package - 2.50
6 pack english muffins - 1.39
4 bottles 64 oz gatorade for my other half - 2.00 each
3 bottles 64oz langers juice - 1.79 each
3 bottles 33oz flavored seltzer water - 1.20 total
4 boxes chex cereal - 1.99 each and 2 coupons
2 boxes nature valley granola bars - 2.99 each
enchilada sauce - 1.79
4 cans progresso soup - 1.25 each and 2 coupons
banana peppers - 1.69
2 cans 28oz diced tomatoes - .79 each
3 jars bertolli sauce - 1.99 each
1 package knorr pesto mix - 1.25
1 can olives - .99
cottage cheese - 1.99
white american slices - 1.99
2 packages hummus - 2.50 each
grated parm - 2.49
32 oz plain yogurt - 2.49
2 sorrento 16oz part skim mozzarella block - 1.88 each
32 oz sorrento ricotta cheese - 2.99
1/2 lb deli sliced provolone - 2.50
breyers reeses ice cream for the other half - 3.50
2 packages morning star (turky burger and crumbles) - 3.49 each and a coupon
2 bags 12oz frozen spinach - .99 each
16oz mixed veg - .99
2 bags 12 oz stir fry veg - 1.33 each
non foods
st ives face wash - 3.79
sauve moistureizer 18oz - 3.49
32 oz tresseme conditioner - 4.49
vaseline - 2.39
(i included non foods bc they are part of a deal, purchase $20 of participating unilever items and get $10 off your order)
nestle 8oz unsweetened cocoa powder - 3.29
16oz firm tofu - 1.99
1/4lb deli turkey - 1.25
1/4lb deli ham - 1.25
2 packs johnsonville chicken sausages - 3.50 each
3 knorr pasta/rice sides (part of the spend $20 deal, not the healthiest but add lots of veg to them) - .99 each
2 packages 12oz quinoa - 1.99 each
4 pears - .40 each
1 cabbage - 2.42
3 lb cortland apples - 1.99
10 oz fresh mushrooms - 1.99
2 red bell peppers - 1.00 each
spaghetti squash - 2.24
3 boxes triscuit - 2.50 each and a coupon
2 boxes popcorn - 1.50 each
total with the $10 off discount and coupons is $164.

the rest of what i need from save a lot
2 boxes general mills cereal - 1.99 each and a coupon
eggs - 1.45
2 gallon milk - 2.99
cucumber - .49
2 lb grapes - 1.99 lb
4 red potatoes - .69 each
8 bananas - .49/lb
eggplant - 1.49 lb
4pack yogurt for my other half - 1.76
pb - 2.99
lettuce 1.21
zucchini - 1.29 for two

total is 180ish after coupons are in place.
as stated i already have dried beans (1.19 a bag), brown rice (1.99), pasta (.88 a box), bread crumbs (.99). a whole chicken is about 5 or $6, and can be portioned for quite a few meals, and 2 bags tortillas (corn and flour, 1.79 each) - you can freeze the bread as well when it goes on sale to stock up, and vital wheat gluten to make seitan (5.99 and lasts a while), vegetablle broth (5 cans for $4), 2 large cans sweet potatoes (1.59 each), syrup (2.00), flour and sugar last a long time, i can't even remember the last time i bought flour. i also stock up on frozen raviolli and tortellini when it is on sale, and only have to buy those every couple of months (1.77 a bag)

after counting in items i already have, it is about $255 at the most for 2 people, but things like the wheat gluten, the dried beans, rice, pasta and veg broth, i don't buy those every month, maybe every 2 to 2 1/2 months, average prolly about $235 a month.

with all those things listed these are meals i make -
breakfasts: oatmeal with these varieties: unsweetened applesauce and cinnamon; oatmeal with syrup and pb, oatmeal with blueberries and cinnamon
cereal, pancakes, omeletts/fritatas, egg sandwiches, banana oat breakfast cookies

lunches - salads, homemade soups, wraps/sandwiches, smoothies, leftovers

dinners - sweet potato burritos, spinach artichoke pasta (canned artichoke is fairly cheap), black bean burritos, veggie (and chicken) quesadillas, enchilada casserole, stroganoff (meatless grounds or chicken even works, i use yogurt in place of sour cream), tortellini tossed over a salad, seitan cheese steaks, slow cooker soups, chicken or a meatless protein with mashed potatoes and stuffing, sauteed spinach and mushrooms with ricotta, garlic and marinara sauce with other veggies as a side, spaghetti squash bake, shepherds pie, veggie pot "pies", meatball/meatless ball or sausage subs, currys, eggplant parm, eggplant and mushroom sauteed with a sauce over pasta, quinoa risotto, spinach quinoa patties with veg on side, pizzadillas, bbq tofu sandwiches, stir frys with chicken or tofu over rice or quinoa, vegetarian (or use meat) chili over quinoa, sauteed mushrooms in olive oil and garlic over pasta with veg/salad, baked ziti, baked raviolli casserole with brocolli and spinach, green tofu curry with broccoli, peppers, onions, mushrooms over couscous or quinoa or rice, chili over rice, breakfast for dinner, grilled cheese and tomato soup, make a base/crust with zucchini/cauliflower and make a pizza, stuffed zucchini, taco salads

there is also a nifty site myfridgefood.com that gives recipes based on what is in your fridge, so you can also pick cheap staples to use and then find recipes around that.

sorry this post is so long! i didn't want to forget anything i know i have forgotten a slew of recipes.

also i will do something like make a bunch of rice at once, pasta at onces, beans at once and have a few portions of meat out. then from there add different seasonings to them for different flavors (italian, mexican dishes, currys), and then veg i cook the frozen veg up real quick, add different sauces as well for different style cuisines, and if it requires a casserole throw it all together, wrap it in a tortilla, add it to a pizza crust, etc.

i forgot to add avocado! they are on sale this week so i am getting a bunch, they are a dollar each, i keep all produce in the fridge bc that helps keep longer, even bananas!

nikki_dw

I've never made anything that wasn't yummy from www.budgetbytes.com!

lisapisa81

a cheap (and easy) thing to do is to get crockpot (you can find a decent one for <$30...a bit of an investment up front but it pays off quickly), frozen chicken breasts, and bottled sauces (bbq sauce, buffalo wing sauce, the target brand has "grilling" sauces that are yummy).

then you just put a few frozen chicken breasts in the crockpot, pour the sauce of choice over (save some to stir in at the end since some of the flavor gets cooked out by the crockpot), and cook on low all day (mine usually goes 8-10 hours but 6 may be enough for some crockpots).

after the chicken is finished cooking, take it out of the crockpot and shred with a fork. mix it back in with the sauce and any extra you have, and you have your protein for your meal! you can eat the chicken over rice, or in a wrap, or on a salad. i've done this a few times and 4 large chicken breasts makes enough for about 8 meals. if i don't eat it in one of the ways listed above by the end of the week, i'll try to figure out a way to make a casserole with the last of it (usually involving tortillas or pasta).

i've got mango curry (sauce from target) chicken in the crockpot now and i'm serving it over coconut rice (which you apparently make just by cooking rice in coconut milk. yum yum!

unbreakablemoth

I definitely agree re: coupons; also, if you have a local gleaning group, they're wonderful. I am a member of the gleaners--so farms that have leftover fruits and vegetables allow the gleaners to harvest the rest, local stores and cafes (Trader Joes, Costco, Fred Meyer, Panera, etc. donate items that aren't bad but that they had to move off their shelves to make room for newer stock, etc. so twice weekly you can go home with bags or boxes of food for free.

I am a single mom, and these are some my staples:

My kiddo and I do a lot of fruit (sale/seasonal): bananas, apples, grapes (I eat conventional only because she doesn't care for grapes as much as I do and we can afford conventional--but I would feel too terrible re: pesticides if she loved them as much as I do).

Broccoli, carrots, onion, cauliflower, white miso (easy steamed veggies or miso soup or just veggies and dip)
Tofu
Brown rice noodles (gluten intolerance - $1.99 at Trader Joe's)
Spaghetti sauce (sales/coupons)
Chicken (we don't really do red meat, and I shop by price)
Talapia (child's favorite fish) 2-4 filets at a time, but we only cook 2 at a time.
etc,

There are a few different meal combination options right here.

Bewelltoday

I agree too. Healthy does not mean expensive but forward planning of meals does save money.
It also allows the options of using food on specials when available. Or buy specials and freeze - works well.

I like to have fresh veges and fruit and buy these when in plentiful supply at harvest time.

Look around your area you may find someone with fruit trees on their properties who don't use all the produce available.
Lots of options to eat inexpensively. Hope this helps.

kaydeedoubleu1

I stock of on legumes (dried and canned)
Oats
Canned tuna
Rice/corn cakes
Cottage cheese
Frozen vegetables
UHT Milk
Eggs
Seasonal fruit
Frozen berries
Natural greek yoghurt
Dried fruits
Quinoa/brown rice
Buy in portions (for perishables) that are not so big that they will go to waste
Always have an array of spices and herbs on hand, and staples such as tinned tomatoes, chickpeas/kidney beans, rice/quinoa and you will always have something to whip up

MizzDoc

Please post Recipes that wont break the bank
Being healthy is expensive and I feel like I'm buying an eating the same things over and over.. and getting bored with them
and that's not good!

http://www.budgetbytes.com/

Best site for budget friendly eating and recipes.

charlieskel

Hiya - try veg paella - you need onion, garlic, mushroom, red and green peppers and long grain rice. You can throw peas in aswell, or what ever you fancy and then flavour with paprika (or anything else you like)

very cheap meal and low fat.

A

leonabrown984

I've never made anything that wasn't yummy from www.budgetbytes.com!

wow! I really like this site! Thank you!

FitCanuckChick

Would you have a friend or two you could chip in on a warehouse membership with (like costco) who are also looking for healthy food and split up what you purchase. Although you need to know your prices, there is so much I get from costco that is ridiculously cheaper than at other cheaper stores. That might be an option for you.

MissyPoo2013

Bump!

trisH_7183

Love this basic recipe as you can add/subtract most anything you have.
I use regular eggs & usually use 3-4,plus 3 egg whites.Change seasonings to
What you have.great dish for using up veggies.

http://disgustinglygood.com/2011/02/20/no-crust-quiche/

lauraspberry

This is for when you are craving something sweet, it's made mostly of oatmeal and peanutbutter

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1136380-for-those-who-are-craving-something-sweet-156-calories

featherbrained

So much great info. One thing that has slashed my grocery budget by a third was signing up for www.emeals.com. I use their portion control family plan, though I'm only feeding two. I week's menu lasts us two weeks, and provides lunch and dinner most days (we have the odd meal out with family or whatnot) and breaks down to $70-$80 per menu. It's made a huge difference for us.

The portion control has been fave so far (i"ve tried a bunch of emeals' plans) because it includes lots of fresh produce and lean meats. And takes all the work out of meal planning

"http://emeals.com/account/go.php?r=472534&i=b14&quot;

TriciaAllen7251

Check out www.BountifulBaskets.com. They are a co-op and i know there are several pick up areas in Kentucky. For $15 you get about $50 of produce (fruit and veggies). It's an awesome way to get your fresh veggies without breaking the bank. And if you have a small family you could always split with a neighbor or co-worker. Plus you get what's being harvested in your area at the time. It's a great way for you to try new things that you would not think of trying otherwise. They have these all over the US so check it out.

lauraspberry

two words.. EXTREME COUPONING HAHA If I was in your country i'd love to try extreme couponing lol

trisH_7183

Love this basic recipe as you can add/subtract most anything you have.


Another lower item cost can be the fattier ground beef or turkey. Cook it,then pour very hot water over,drain & save in zip locks or any container with lid & freeze.All ready for any recipe calling for ground beef.You can cut down on amount of meat.
All meatless meals can save $$ unless you sub too much cheese.Eggs can be used for dinner.Add toast,a side dish & there you go.

http://disgustinglygood.com/2011/02/20/no-crust-quiche/

ShanStaR1908

Try http://www.blogilates.com They have amazing, healthy, quick and cheap recipes for all sorts of foods! And also check out http://recipes.sparkpeople.com xx

keem88

also myfridgefood.com finds recipes based on ingredients you have. you can go through and pick cheap ingredients like beans, eggs, veggies, a whole chicken etc and then from there it will find you recipes.
slow cookers are awesome too you can make random pasta and veg dishes in it, make soups which cost way less than canned soup servings, a whole chicken and then use that to mix in other meals throughout the week, a whole chicken at the grocery here in ny runs like 5 or 6 bucks for a weeks worth of meals. good luck!

sherri_bee

Thank you for posting that site - I'd never heard of it.

Gkfrkv

"healthy" does not have to = expensive. Dried beans, oats, grains and rices are cheap...eggs are cheap...buy frozen vegetables rather than fresh produce...there are always sales on various meats/poultry, etc. I save way more money these days prepping and cooking my own meals than I ever did buying convenient foods and eating out.

This. Lentils as well will add protein and can be bough in bigger bags for lower price.

Astar898

Those big bags of fish at Walmart are a great investment. For around $11 me and my boyfriend eat off of these for over a month eating fish several times a week. You can also buy big bags of frozen chicken breast there too for relatively low cost. I've learned you can do a lot with some chicken.

Eggs are a frequent breakfast, I just get creative to make them different ways so I don't get bored with them, add all kinds of vegetables and even cheese to them. I noticed the white cheeses like mozzarella have a longer shelf life so you have longer to use them.

Yogurt is relatively cheap, the store brand to me is just as good as Yoplait and you can get them cheaper, especially when they are on sale.

Hope this helps you some

missgardin

I eat fish a lot and salad