poor, poor college student

girlwapp

As the title suggests, I'm a poor college student trying to lose a little weight. I don't have a lot of time for cooking things and when I'm at home (as I am over the summer), I have a lot less control over what I can eat for the simple fact that mother buys/cooks it. I like cheap food, the problem is that often times it sucks. Eating organic and healthy is 'spensive. Plus I'm not a very good cook and not likely to become one.

Basically I need cheap, easy to make, healthy recipes.... do they exist? I'm sure they must and some brilliant person on here can probably hook me up. Is that person you? Halp meee!

trud72

oh you poor thing....lol
ANYONE can loose weight poor or rich!
i would LOVE to go to a gym but really can not afford it....
right soups/stews are really good value for money and you can make up a big batch too(and even freeze it)!you can leave out the meat if you like to cut down on the price even more just throw in loads of veggies! and everytime you make it,it is slightly different depending on the veggies you use.Flavor it with different spices so you can have a curry one,chineese one or good old english beefy one! Alot of beans/pulses too are cheep and filling....
hows that for a starter?
but as long as you stick to your cals and EXERSICE you can really eat anything!

xraychick77

you dont need 'organic' or so called 'healthy foods' to lose weight and be healthy.

fresh fruits arent expensive..neither are canned veggies or frozen veggies. there are TONS of cheap low cal microwave meals out there..i perfer healthy choice..it is the least processed of most of them. if you eat eggs, only eat the egg whites..they are VERY low in calories with no cholesterol..you can always get the low fat/low cal alternatives to foods.

girlwapp

I know I don't neeeed organic foods, but they definitely taste better :P

I think I need to learn the value of making A LOT of something and freezing it for later. It probably cuts down on prep time, right? But I never know what freezes well and what doesn't.... I guess that calls for experimentation

It's probably also important that I'm kind of picky. I eat a lot more than I used to but there are still things that I just can't get down (beans that aren't green, for instance).

jsh256

have you ever tried quinoa? it can be a great substitute for rice and other side dishes and you can even use it as a morning meal by adding brown sugar and milk for an oatmeal replacement. it is cheap and easy to prepare and can take on the taste of whatever you flavor it with. I cook mine in chicken broth and add garlic and all season.

halobender

These are awesome for getting your veggies in: http://greenmonstermovement.com/

I started with their basic recipe and decided to kinda do my own thing afterward. I like to throw in a couple handfuls of spinach, a couple bananas, mango, carrots and, depending on how good the (cheap cheap cheap) fruit I bought tastes, maybe a teaspoon of honey or a couple tablespoons of peanut butter. They're so energizing and a great way to make sure you get your servings of veggies. You can throw all sorts of things in, so long as you put something in there to contrast it. I'm going to start adding broccoli and see where that takes me

You can get an awesome blender from Goodwill for like $15. Fruits and veggies aren't too expensive; bananas are affordable, as are carrots and spinach. Mangos will cost you, though =/ (I just bought several three for $1.)

Also, sandwiches are pretty good. I don't know what kind of stores are on the east coast, honestly, but when I go to my local Fred Meyer (owned by Kroger) or other store that may be somewhat cheaper than the hoity-toity types I can get whole wheat bread (without high fructose corn syrup!) two for $3 quite often. Whole wheat is totally better for you, and personally I'm not keen on HFCS. It's REALLY not all that much more expensive than the "cheap" bread. To me 50 cents is a fine amount extra to pay for healthier bread.

Anyway, you can get some pretty good deli meats for relatively cheap sometimes. Just watch for sodium on those kinds of things ... I'm a big fan of peanut butter and jelly, even though PB is high in fat. (And you have to watch for HFCS in your jellies/jams.) Apple sauce is a great snack, but another HFCS haven.

Salads are great and chicken is even greater. Chicken is extremely easy to cook and turns out pretty well. Just don't fry it. You can bake some chicken and throw it on a salad with some sauteed veggies for a nice warm salad. I don't know, to me these things aren't that expensive, but I'm going with a $200 budget per month. I remember having only a $50 budget, and now that would only feed me for a week, and I ate terribly.

In college I spent a lot of money on booze, though, so y'know. Priorities! (... Booze is not one )

And you never know ... you may become a good cook Personally, I love to cook and really enjoy making dishes that are really tasty, but fairly low in calories. I started cooking when I was 19, started with hamburgers, steak and fried fish. I moved on to omelets, chicken, casseroles, more inventive versions of my previous dishes, healthier fish meals ... Now I make almost EVERYTHING from scratch (pretty much everything but my cereals that I get for ease sometimes, and I don't make gravy yet, though I should). I cook things more from base than my mom does, and I grew up thinking she was the best cook in the world. I even typically cook more things from base than my grandma and I thought she was also a really good cook. So you could get there.

I'm an extremely picky eater, also, and I find myself cooking the same things a lot. I make some great tacos that have a pretty good level of your veggies in there, with a great taste, though they'll cost you a little more than if you just wanted to buy a couple pounds of beef and throw a pack of seasoning in there (which would be higher in sodium than mine).

If you want some recipes and specifics on how to cook them, PM me I'll give ya some things that even a college student can cook, I think! (Although, I have to worn you that my concepts may have changed, because even hamburgers take me an hour to prepare and cook ...)

girlwapp

Haha, I work on about an $80/month budget during the school year, sometimes more, often less. I do already have a blender, and smoothies are MY FAVORITE when it's hot out (e.g. now, I had one for lunch) but I normally just do fruit. I like the idea of getting more creative with them.....

What deli meats aren't high in sodium? (Probably the ones, I don't like, because I know pepperoni, bologna, pastrami, salami, and sweet lebanon are all pretty high and they're my favorites >.<) I would love to start making my own bread but I don't know if that's ambitious or not because I admittedly don't spend long periods of time in my apartment, except when I'm sleeping.

Also, RE: quinoa, I actually went to Peru in January and ate lots of quinoa there! Especially in soups. But the Wally World down at school doesn't carry it (whomp), and it's the cheapest supermarket, though I go to Lowe's for my organic fruit fix and they might have it...

ilsie99

realsimple.com and cleaneatingmag.com have simple, healthy recipes.

As far as ingredients, do you have local farmers markets or a sustainable food community?

snipsnip2

One of the healthiest proteins is canned tuna. You ge a lot of bang for a small calorie intake (about 100 cal per can), and about $.60 a can at Wal-Mart. Also, egg whites and oatmeal are an inexpensive, healthy way to start your day (average egg white has 17 cal and 3.5 grams of protein). Don't buy the instant oats, as they are more refined. Be careful with the canned veggies, as many are very high in sodium, but usually you can choose a lower sodium option. Brown rice and sweet potatoes are other inexpensive, heart health carbs.

SMarie10

Lots of good advice in the prev. postings. You would be amazed how cheap good food can be... Just be selective. Find certain staples that you can add to your daily food intake that are easy to fix. Pre plan your meals when you can. I bring my lunch to work every day, and have it already prepped and ready to go in my fridge for tomorrow.
I am a huge oatmeal fan for breakfast - add some raisins or craisins and a teaspoon of peanut butter... Important to start the day off right - Don't skip breakfast.
Check the message boards here - many good suggestions on the food category. Good luck.

cupcakecarnivore

These are awesome for getting your veggies in: http://greenmonstermovement.com/

I started with their basic recipe and decided to kinda do my own thing afterward. I like to throw in a couple handfuls of spinach, a couple bananas, mango, carrots and, depending on how good the (cheap cheap cheap) fruit I bought tastes, maybe a teaspoon of honey or a couple tablespoons of peanut butter. They're so energizing and a great way to make sure you get your servings of veggies. You can throw all sorts of things in, so long as you put something in there to contrast it. I'm going to start adding broccoli and see where that takes me

You can get an awesome blender from Goodwill for like $15. Fruits and veggies aren't too expensive; bananas are affordable, as are carrots and spinach. Mangos will cost you, though =/ (I just bought several three for $1.)

Also, sandwiches are pretty good. I don't know what kind of stores are on the east coast, honestly, but when I go to my local Fred Meyer (owned by Kroger) or other store that may be somewhat cheaper than the hoity-toity types I can get whole wheat bread (without high fructose corn syrup!) two for $3 quite often. Whole wheat is totally better for you, and personally I'm not keen on HFCS. It's REALLY not all that much more expensive than the "cheap" bread. To me 50 cents is a fine amount extra to pay for healthier bread.

Anyway, you can get some pretty good deli meats for relatively cheap sometimes. Just watch for sodium on those kinds of things ... I'm a big fan of peanut butter and jelly, even though PB is high in fat. (And you have to watch for HFCS in your jellies/jams.) Apple sauce is a great snack, but another HFCS haven.

Salads are great and chicken is even greater. Chicken is extremely easy to cook and turns out pretty well. Just don't fry it. You can bake some chicken and throw it on a salad with some sauteed veggies for a nice warm salad. I don't know, to me these things aren't that expensive, but I'm going with a $200 budget per month. I remember having only a $50 budget, and now that would only feed me for a week, and I ate terribly.

In college I spent a lot of money on booze, though, so y'know. Priorities! (... Booze is not one )

And you never know ... you may become a good cook Personally, I love to cook and really enjoy making dishes that are really tasty, but fairly low in calories. I started cooking when I was 19, started with hamburgers, steak and fried fish. I moved on to omelets, chicken, casseroles, more inventive versions of my previous dishes, healthier fish meals ... Now I make almost EVERYTHING from scratch (pretty much everything but my cereals that I get for ease sometimes, and I don't make gravy yet, though I should). I cook things more from base than my mom does, and I grew up thinking she was the best cook in the world. I even typically cook more things from base than my grandma and I thought she was also a really good cook. So you could get there.

I'm an extremely picky eater, also, and I find myself cooking the same things a lot. I make some great tacos that have a pretty good level of your veggies in there, with a great taste, though they'll cost you a little more than if you just wanted to buy a couple pounds of beef and throw a pack of seasoning in there (which would be higher in sodium than mine).

If you want some recipes and specifics on how to cook them, PM me I'll give ya some things that even a college student can cook, I think! (Although, I have to worn you that my concepts may have changed, because even hamburgers take me an hour to prepare and cook ...)

mmmmm.....love green monsters:) Really filling and great for breakast!

As far as meals that freeze well, I made a baked barley casserole from clean eating magazine that made about six portions and it was great for freezing. Really healthy to. Here is the link:
http://www.cleaneatingmag.com/Recipes/Recipe/Baked-Barley-Casserole-with-Mushroom-Squash.aspx

I made another recipe from that website tonight to, it was stuffed portabello mushrooms.....so delicious and I have my dinner for tomorrow night to:)

I hate cooking to, so I like to make recipes that last awhile, just so I can avoid the stove if possible lol. One of my go to recipes is

rice cooked in vegetable broth
-saute mushrooms, zuccini, lentil with garlic and a bit of olive oil
-mix in with the rice and top with half an avocado.

Super easy and I always make enough to last me for three days worth of dinners.

halobender

What deli meats aren't high in sodium? (Probably the ones, I don't like, because I know pepperoni, bologna, pastrami, salami, and sweet lebanon are all pretty high and they're my favorites >.<)

Pretty much anything processed is going to be high in sodium, but as for the types of meats you could get, you're basically looking at turkey and chicken.

littlemili

The best thing I have done to save money is discover my local fresh produce market, figure out what time they are closing, and dedicate the rest of that day to cooking everything I buy and freezing a bunch of it. Usually by 9pm on Saturday I have green soup (6 portions worth), tomato sauce for pasta/curry/stew bases (10 portions or so), guacamole (8 portions), fruit juice or smoothie (8 portions), muffins and more... And generally I spend around £10.

There is cheap food to be had, if you bother to spend the time figuring out where and what time to get it.

_Jessica_

A very tasty and quick meal that freezes wonderfully is spaghetti... now I know you are look at carb value and and all that jazz but heres the run down

Cheap:
walmart brand noodles
generic large Can (not jar) sauce
cook and whala!

Healthier:
Whole grain pasta
homemade sause (diced fresh tomatoes, tomatos suase, herbs to season)
for some protien, cook up some lean turkey susage and add italian seasoning to it for a little extra umph!

we makeing spaghetti in large protions all the time and freeze it in single serving freezer sip locks... works great for a take it and go!

fitnesspirateninja

Go to the Farmer's Market at closing time. The sellers are much more likely to be willing to haggle on the prices when it's the end of the day.

Always buy produce that's in season. I find that a commercially-grown strawberry that's in season is a lot tastier than an organic apple that's out of season.

Be mindful of newspaper and mailer ads from your local grocery stores. Clip coupons and use them. Plan your meals around what's on sale.

doit_4life

I definatly know where you are coming from. We have a pretty stict food budget and a 10 year old that can be a picky eater.
The things that I try to stick to is frozen veggies...I can't always afford fresh fruit, and canned veggies are about the same price...We've also found that if we put beans in dishes they take the place of meat in a lot of dishes.

NikkisNewStart

but as long as you stick to your cals and EXERSICE you can really eat anything!

Sure- if your only concern is losing weight and not being healthy- I'm sure you could lose weight eating 1200 calories of twinkies or McDonald's dollar menu... :noway:

milaxx

I'm sure I've posted this before, but eating healthy isn't as expensive as you think. It's take some time to set yourself up but after that you can prep for a weeks worth of food or more at the beginning of the week. This goes for busy people and anyone who wants to save money at grocer
Things to buy:
crockpot -I bought a small, cheap one at Walgreens for $10
Ziploc freezer bags and ziploc snack bags - I bought mine from Family Dollar

1) Buy in bulk, esp onion, potato and bell peppers. They are great for seasoning foods. With the onions and peppers you can chop them up and put them in small servings sizes depending on your need and freeze them.

2) Shop farmer's market or produce markets. You can often get locally grown or organic veg much cheaper there than in the supermarkets. My local produce market also sells eggs (non-organic) for anywhere from $3 - $4 for 3 dozen. I often buy them, sell my sister 1 dozen and keep 2 for myself. I boil one dozen and keep them in the fridge to grab for an on the go breakfast, or to toss into a salad. They also sell steel cut oats, brown rice, quinoa and a wide assortment of dried beans for $1 for a 16oz bag.

3)Don't have a produce market or farmer's market in your area? Buy the quick sale produce in the supermarket and freeze what you can't eat right away. even fruit can be frozen for later use in smoothies or protein drinks.

4) I do go to Whole Foods for some things. I go with a list and stick to that list. I buy almonds from the bulk aisle and sort them into snack size servings. (10 - 20 almonds) Occasionally I also add dried cranberries to the mix as well. I keep some at home and put some in the glove compartment of my car. If I get a craving to hit a fast food place I just reach in and grab,They are also good to have if you are running errands and get hungry.

5) Eat greek yogurt. Buy the 0% plain and add you own toppings. Granola is also available in the bulk food aisle, so while you measure out the nuts, sort the granola as well. Fresh fruit is fairly cheap as long as you buy in season.

6.) Buy a few water bottles so you always have water with you. Fill up at water fountains at work, in school or at the gym. Skip the "enhancers" and add lemons, lime, crushed mint leave, or even ginger if you need to flavor your water.

If fresh veg/fruit is not available go for frozen. Canned should always be last resort to keep your sodium intake down.

sara7elaine7

I am in the same boat as you. I live at school during the fall and spring and spend a large amount of time at home during the summer. my younger sister and boyfriend eat horrible, but they don't have a weight problem unlike me. I do not cook, because I don't have the time and well honestly I don't like to...

I have lost some weight and feel great. I have two dogs that I take for multiple walks everyday. I park farther away when I go to the mall or shopping. I always take the stairs and I walk when it is appropriate. I also just enjoy spending time outside and have found that the more I am outside the more I move. Find something you like or that motivates you and that will help you exercise. Split your routine into shorter intervals and do them more often.

As for the eating thing. I still don't always eat great, but I try. I but fresh fruits like apples and strawberries. In the morning I take the time to cut up a couple servings and pack them in plastic bags. Having this options with me keeps me from grabbing a bag of chips or candy bar. Also I keep a liter of water with me so that i am sure to get my daily amount of water. As for going home ask your mom for healthier choices. I did and although my family isn't ecstatic about the green food they eat it and I know they that are eating healthy which makes my mom smile.

You can lose it, but you need to stay motivated. try to stay away from ramen... alot of sodium. Sandwhiches and salads and cheap and healthy.

imakimm

The Healthy College Cookbook: Quick. Cheap. Easy.
By: Alexandra Nimetz, Jason Stanley, Emeline Starr

It's on amazon used for .93!