Eat healthy on a budget?

Turbo_Addict

Hi any suggestions on foods to buy that are some what cheap but a little healthy. i wanna eat right but things are so expensive....it is hard to think of things, so if you have any ideas let me know thanks. :bigsmile:

chickadee2010

You could always buy in bulk, I'd assume. I have this problem too with being able to afford healthy food. No one else wants to eat healthy, so it's hard when no one agrees on what to buy.

GorillaNJ

One way I try to save at the super market, is chicken thighs instead of breasts. Yes, they are slightly more fatty, but they are normally half the cost and twice the flavor if you ask me!

emmyvera

I buy just about everything on sale. I think if you are willing to try new things, it works great. Such as, granola. I love granola from the health food section, BUT I only buy it on sale, because most of it is pricy.

I also always check my grocery ads and see what meat/fish is on sale first before I go. I also do this for fruits and veggies.

As for some simple things.....
-Eggs are so cheap and you can do so much with them. You can make a meal from an omelet, you can boil them and make a snack.
-Yogurts when on sale are such a steal! And a great healthy snack!
-Getting bags of fruit is much more affordable than individual pieces.
-Frozen veggies also are very affordable. $1.00 a bag, you can't go wrong. You can eat alone or with any meal.
-Beans are rather cheap too. We always stock up on canned beans. And if you are willing to make your own, the bags are affordable too I believe.

MariaAlexandra

I have no idea what you can buy that's healthy and cheap, but I do agree with you, i'm sure A LOT of people can agree. At university a pieve of cake costs 1.49 but a Caesar salad costs 4.25....like REALLY?! That SO pisses me off. Anyway, I usually buy fat free milk, bananas, oranges, pasta and stuff, doesn't come out too expensive. The fat free milk is almost 4 bucks while the regular is almost 3. I'd rather sacrifice all my money and eat healthy.

Besides, i think if you don't buy chips, dip, sweets and treats that you are fine. You can make a healthy meal out of anything as long as you portionize it and eat it in moderation. Treat yourself to something sweet once in a while, i usally grab the one piece of cake like once every 2 weeks or so, your body does need the 'bad food' but the reason why people get obese is because they don't know how to control themselves.

lpaxton1

Bulk is good - But I have also found that having a "work out" pal is nice for splitting the grocery bill. We make our list through the week and compare - then buy whats needed and split the bill. Sometimes we even take the time to prepare meals -almost like a cookie exchange except with dinners.

I am a fan of Aldi's and their produce - but buy in small quantities, because the food is usually ripe and ready to eat within a few days.

ican♥and♥iwill

A carton of eggs (here in NC) is about $2.00.

A bag of frozen mixed veggies is about $1.50.

A bag of broccoli florets is also about $1.50.

A bag of chicken breasts (at walmart) is $7. (There are usually about 5 or 6 pieces and they're all about 7 - 8 oz each, which if you're eating correct portions, that's a good 10 - 12 pieces of chicken!)

A bag of baby carrots is $1.25.

A head of lettuce is about a buck.

Great Value whole wheat bread is about $1.75.

A bag of mixed fruit (green apples, red apples, and orages) is about $5.

Bananas run at most about 60 cent a lbs, so maybe 4 for $1.50.

MzBug

I watch the ads. When fresh chicken breasts go on sale I stock up! Sometimes the frozen chicken breasts are a better value, so always compare. Same with frozen fish, the frozen is almost always cheaper than the fresh.

Turbo_Addict

I have no idea what you can buy that's healthy and cheap, but I do agree with you, i'm sure A LOT of people can agree. At university a pieve of cake costs 1.49 but a Caesar salad costs 4.25....like REALLY?! That SO pisses me off. Anyway, I usually buy fat free milk, bananas, oranges, pasta and stuff, doesn't come out too expensive. The fat free milk is almost 4 bucks while the regular is almost 3. I'd rather sacrifice all my money and eat healthy.

Besides, i think if you don't buy chips, dip, sweets and treats that you are fine. You can make a healthy meal out of anything as long as you portionize it and eat it in moderation. Treat yourself to something sweet once in a while, i usally grab the one piece of cake like once every 2 weeks or so, your body does need the 'bad food' but the reason why people get obese is because they don't know how to control themselves.

LOL....THX GIRL, IT SO TRUE IT CAN BE SO RIDICULOUS AND I WAS THINKING THAT TOO, PORTION CONTROL IS A GOOD THING TO DO TOO. IF YO UWANNA FRIEND ME YOU CAN

Turbo_Addict

WOW THANKS EVERYONE I CANT BELEIVE YOU ALL ARE SO HELPFUL...THIS IS GREAT I GREATLY APREICAT THIS ALOT OF GREAT HELP AND IDEAS.

scagneti

I find that garbagy pre-packaged foods are much more expensive than eating more healthy. I can buy a big box of whole wheat pasta for $1, a can of sauce for $1, half a bag of frozen veggies for $1-$1.50 and ample meat for under $2.00 and get up to 10 individual servings out of that casserole for $6, instead of $2 each for the supermarket "white pasta" ones full of unpronouncable ingredients and far too much sodium. People who like beans are so lucky because they're super cheap and are very versitile. Soup can be made with scraps (i.e. no real costs involved -- just carcasses that were going in the garbage, leftover veggies and a few spices instead of $1-$2 a can for Campbells.

You can make a big batch of healthier muffins, from scratch cake or cookies for far less than what's available on the store shelves. A bag of celery costs around the same as a bag of chips -- what keeps you fuller for longer??

The best way is to write down the things that you want to eat that are healthy and figure out a meal plan and scope out the stores to see the best prices per store. Some items vary insanely by store so figure out what is a good price, and stock up on things like whole wheat pasta, flour, etc when they go on sale or you have a coupon.

I feed my husband and I VERY well on $120 every two weeks (and that's in Canada where we don't get the awesome US coupons or sales!)

xTry2Defyx

Do you have a Trader Joes near you? They have amazing deals on great, healthy food! I also buy fat free yogurt and pudding packs (less than .50 a serving). If you buy large packages of grilled chicken (which are normally cheaper when you buy in bulk) you can always cook more at a time and eat them for various meals (like for dinner, but make extra to put in a salad for lunch).

crissi66

Hey. I actually pick up alot of things in target and in walmart. I also try cooking my own things asmuch as possible this way you control what goes in. I get almost all my frozen veggies there and chicken as well. I eat alot of cutlets they usually have a big bag of boneless and skinless cutlets for about 4bucks and thats a great buy. I was eating alot of lean cuisine's when i started and in the supermarket they were about 4.50 each. You can get them for $1.88-$2.25 in walmart . I also buy in small quantities, because i just buy for myself, this way things arent wasted and i can get a little of anything i want.

I love:
Reduced fat wheat thins
laughing cow light cheese's
special k protein bars and shakes
Kashi go lean crunchy bars
jolly time 100 calorie bag pop corn
frozen french cut string beans
frozen brocolli florets.
green giant "just for one" corn
chicken cutlets
the list goes on and on..

DawnOf1969

http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=what_20_will_buy_at_the_drivethru_and_at_the_supermarket

interesting article

HollyMac20

No matter what you are eating, groceries are soooo expensive! As mentioned above, if you cut out chips, crackers, cookies, dips, ice cream, pre packaged foods, soda, juice and all the other junk, it really can be economical to eat well.

One of the good rules of thumb for the grocery store is to shop the perimeter: fresh produce, lean meats and low fat dairy. All the boxes in the middle are filled with other added stuff that isn't natural.

I have also found savings in buying a large container of cottage cheese and portioning out what I want. Invest in some plastic food storage containers and divide it out.

If you are a baker or cook, that can help too. Instead of buying my bf snack cakes, I make mini banana bread loaves for him to take to work. He loves the homemade stuff better too. Also, like someone said above, make a big meal and eat it all week. Made a veggie soup and have it for lunch during the week. I spend some time in the kitchen on Monday night prepping for the week. That way I can grab and go good food. If lifes gets busy, that is when we have a tendency to slip up.

nsueflorence

The less processed foods you buy the easier th check out is. I went to adli's last night and spend about $90 on food that will last us over two weeks. Avocados were only 30 cents each, same with lemons! Bags of frozen chicken thighs were about $5. and bread under$1.25. Just watch what you are buying and remember the chemicals cost more and do harm on your body. Buy mostly clean and shop around for the best prices.

Good luck