Eating healthy on a tight budget

yfirgefinn

Hi all!

I was wondering if anyone had any simple and cheap recipes for a vegetarian trying to lose weight? I'm a student and a lot of the times it's so easy to say that I just don't have the money to eat healthy...

Thank you for your help!

LRoslin

Try the website budgetbytes.com, she breaks all her recipes down by cost and they can be very healthy and tasty. I love the Dragon Noodles recipe.

melissamarah

I'm trying to do this on a tight budget, too. I'd recommend slow cooker recipes. Yes, you have to buy a ton of stuff, but it usually makes enough food for many, many meals.

MFP140

I can't help with recipes as such, but foods like canned beans, tomatoes, chickpeas, etc. are relatively cheap and they will bulk out a meal. Do you have a freezer? You can make awesome veggie soups and stews using seasonal produce or frozen veggies, and you can make them in bulk and freeze them in portion sizes.

Oats are cheap and versatile. You can make homemade granola, porridge, pancakes, etc. And it's relatively low in calories and very filling.

Don't worry about buying lots of fresh food. Frozen fruits can be cheaper than fresh and they're more versatile. You can thaw them and use them as a topping for yogurt or cereal, or throw them into a blender when they're still frozen, with water or milk and a banana and make a smoothie.

Lentils are great. You can make a nice daal with lentils, carrots, onions, garlic and curry powder. You can add in other veggies or serve it with rice.

PurpleDragon87

I think meal planning is key to eating healthy on a tight budget. And also eating similar foods frequently. I know it may not seem like fun but if you do it one week at a time then it's not so bad. Each week you can try picking two breakfast recipes (oatmeal and eggs are cheap), two lunch recipes (I usually eat sandwiches, wraps or salads) and 2-3 recipes for dinner by doing what the above posters said about making meals in a slow cooker and other freezer friendly meals. Also, don't forget about snacks! And then the next week you can try new recipes!

Pinterest is a great resource for finding cheap & healthy veg meals! I hope this helps!

Showmm

Check out some of the recipes on A Girl Called Jack. http://agirlcalledjack.com

They aren't exclusively vegetarian, but a lot are because she lived below the poverty line for a long time and meat is expensive. She even breaks down the cost of the recipe per ingredient. It's in UK money, but I'm sure the same general prices will apply where ever you are.

mrscarter4911

There are a lot of Progresso soups you can find to be vegetarian that are affordable. Do you have a Kroger close? I buy tofu, veggie burgers, and different things like that out of the vegetarian section and it is pretty affordable as well.

larrodarro

I second buying frozen over fresh. It is cheaper, plus you can use just what you need, so there is no waste. I use the store brand {Great Value} at Walmart for fruit and veggies. Dry beans and peas are also pretty cheap, but they are not low on calories. You will need to use small amounts of them.

rockmama72

Do a search for crock pot recipes using dried beans. I've been making a vegetarian chili out of chili beans, salsa and lentils. Super-high fiber, good protein, and is good alone, on nachos, on hot dogs (vegetarian or not), etc.

The other day I made beans and bacon--you can sub to make vegetarian-- and it was great for lunches all week.

jessthep1rate

All of the above, plus if you don't have a set plan and find yourself wandering around the grocery store at the end of the day trying to find something inexpensive for dinner, what I used to do (and still do sometimes) is look in the back of the produce section for the reduced stuff, which always has super awesome bargains, and then challenge yourself to come up with a way to combine them into something delicious! Yours might have it off to the side or something, but most stores do have it. You can find packages of fruits and veggies at half or more than half the normal cost, because they're maybe getting a little soft and they need to be sold and used immediately before they go bad.

djflowerz

Research your area and find where you can get the best quality produce for cheap. I buy some of my produce at a local Hispanic market. 6 limes for a dollar, for example - can't beat that. Good prices on avocados, mangoes, sweet potatoes, as well, and they stock items the mainstream grocery doesn't. They have cheap beans, rice, corn tortillas, etc. too. Other times I'll go to the Asian or Indian market, and I'm almost always at the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. Some items at the Farmer's Market are very expensive, but others are not. It just depends. Today I got 5 small sunchokes (a root vegetable) for $1.50, a bag of watercress for $3, and a bunch of turnips for $2. They also had kohlrabi for $1 each. Kale is usually $3 for a big bunch. That's about the same price or a little cheaper than it would cost in a regular grocery store except the quality and nutritional value is higher because the items are local and thus fresher. Unfortunately not everyone has access to a local farmers market though (I live in Durham, NC).

I'm not vegetarian but I have increased the portion of vegetables in my diet over the last few years and it absolutely helps with weight loss and maintenance. I have had a lot of fun trying new veggies and cooking/food prep techniques and expanding my horizons. I get a lot of recipes from Pinterest but I have a good cookbook of very simple vegetable-based dishes. I've also learned to reduce my food waste. I stay aware of what I have bought and try to eat it before it goes bad. I make bigger batches and freeze the extras (soup or chili, for example). I buy veggie burgers and other staples when they are on sale.

FaunalFantasy

Is there a bountiful baskets program in your area? $15 gets you a laundry basket full of fresh fruits and vegetables.

rockmama72

Research your area and find where you can get the best quality produce for cheap. I buy some of my produce at a local Hispanic market. 6 limes for a dollar, for example - can't beat that. Good prices on avocados, mangoes, sweet potatoes, as well, and they stock items the mainstream grocery doesn't. They have cheap beans, rice, corn tortillas, etc. too. Other times I'll go to the Asian or Indian market, and I'm almost always at the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. Some items at the Farmer's Market are very expensive, but others are not. It just depends. Today I got 5 small sunchokes (a root vegetable) for $1.50, a bag of watercress for $3, and a bunch of turnips for $2. They also had kohlrabi for $1 each. Kale is usually $3 for a big bunch. That's about the same price or a little cheaper than it would cost in a regular grocery store except the quality and nutritional value is higher because the items are local and thus fresher. Unfortunately not everyone has access to a local farmers market though (I live in Durham, NC).

I'm not vegetarian but I have increased the portion of vegetables in my diet over the last few years and it absolutely helps with weight loss and maintenance. I have had a lot of fun trying new veggies and cooking/food prep techniques and expanding my horizons. I get a lot of recipes from Pinterest but I have a good cookbook of very simple vegetable-based dishes. I've also learned to reduce my food waste. I stay aware of what I have bought and try to eat it before it goes bad. I make bigger batches and freeze the extras (soup or chili, for example). I buy veggie burgers and other staples when they are on sale.

Me too on all of this! If you live in or close to a city, the ethnic markets are the way to go. You're talking 30-50% savings on produce and meat.

Of_Monsters_and_Meat

OP deactivated.

kimberlily823

I'm also a vegetarian and a student. I'm in love with the "salad in a jar" concept. You can prepare salads for your entire week in one day using mason jars. I usually make them on Sunday and they're just as fresh a week later. I usually use a greek yogurt and cilantro dressing and then tomatoes, chickpeas, black beans, corn, green onion, and then spinach/kale/romaine. To make five salads for my week it costs $1.59 each. It's a grab and go item that helps a lot when you're so busy! Just google "salad in a jar" and you'll find plenty of recipes.

MelissaPhippsFeagins

plantbasedonabudget.com

I am not a vegan (allergic to soy) but I sub in lean meats for lots of their recipes. Good luck!

Laura732

I also liked the idea of salad in a jar. Only problem I had was finding forks long enough to eat right out of the jar. So I just shake it up and dump it out on a paper plate. I've gone back to BPA free plastic wear. The lunch bag is a lot lighter that way.

Tanya949

This is one of my favourite recipes. Check out the website too, vegetarian meals cheap.
http://theeverydayveggie.com/2-meal-week-day-5-black-bean-and-brown-rice-burgers/