What do you do when you can't afford healthier options?

Improvised

My husband hates brown rice too, but I found he'll eat it if I mix it with white rice, or use it in bean burgers.

bizzywith4

Oh boy, I feel you on this one! I have three teenage eating machines.

I've been gradually switching to organic & whole grain foods. My husband & kids balked at it at first, but they are starting to get used to it. I do not cook separate meals for myself. We all eat the same foods (or, if they don't like it, then I eat it and they starve, lol!). I try to cook things that most everyone will eat, or I just make healthier versions of old favorites. Other times, I compromise. Last night we had spaghetti & marinara sauce with salad, and I just ate the salad. I am hoping that my kids will internalize some of these healthier eating habits, and continue them when they are grown and on their own.

I save money by limiting the amount of meat I use in recipes, and buying fresh fruits, veggies & grains, which are cheaper than packaged/processed foods and meat products. For example, our menu this week includes brown rice/veggie stir fry, whole grain mac & cheese, chicken salad, whole grain pasta primavera, etc. When money is really tight, I skip the organics and just buy the regular produce, but I stick with the whole grain foods whenever possible. I also buy a lot of store brands and sale items whenever possible. The store brands are less expensive, and, with a few exceptions, taste just as good. I do not buy "junk" food ... like chips, candy, pop, etc. They are too expensive ... and too tempting for me to eat.

And yes, I have been known to hide a few things from time to time.

Hope that helps, and Good Luck!!

ilookthetype

I saw someone else has a mom like mine! My mom made dinner and we either ate it or we made our own. She never made separate meals.

I suggest you get your sons in the kitchen with you so they can make their own foods if they don't like what you cook, OR get them to help make the healthy foods and maybe they'll like it. They're old enough to eat you out of house and home so they're old enough to cook.

My other suggestion...when we were in high school we had jobs, if we wanted snack foods that were junk we bought them with our own money/allowance. If they're old enough it might work for them.

CARNAT22

Even though you are healty eating there are still plenty of one pot meals you can make for your family (you can have a small portion and bulk up on salad or veg)

I am thinking things like:
chilli / bolognese (using turkey mince)
Stews / casseroles
Pasta bakes with tomatoe sauce and lots of fresh veggies

You can make these kind of things in bulk and freeze in portions.

(I come from a family of 4 kids!!)

M_lifts

do you do a weakly meal planner? that way you only buy what you need? i find it helps me to stick to my budget. I also buy lots of frozen veg as i found that id buy lots of fresh veg and due to lack of time etc couldnt cook them and had to chuck them. frozen is just as good and lasts you for soo much longer. batch cooking and freezing meals is a good idea as well. also say if you roast a whole chicken you could have it with some veg and potatoes and save some for fajitas the next day?

oBirdieo

Plan your meals and snacks a week ahead of time and make a list of exactly what you need. Buy nothing else. If you can, in the first few weeks, choose meals that you can double or triple (like muffins for breakfast or chili or spaghetti sauce, etc) and freeze them. Try to plan for leftover as well (though I know that's easier said than done with a hungry husband and kids!).

Kids don't like brown rice? Too bad. You cooked it. They can eat it or not. When they get hungry enough, they'll eat it. (Gawd, now I sound like my mother!) :laugh:

M_lifts

Even though you are healty eating there are still plenty of one pot meals you can make for your family (you can have a small portion and bulk up on salad or veg)

I am thinking things like:
chilli / bolognese (using turkey mince)
Stews / casseroles
Pasta bakes with tomatoe sauce and lots of fresh veggies

You can make these kind of things in bulk and freeze in portions.

(I come from a family of 4 kids!!)

all great ideas too. i find jacket potatoes (baked potatoes) wholesome and you can have them with baked beans, grated cheese, tuna and sweetcorn, chilli.

caitastic24

Hey (:

I would shop at a cheaper grocery store if you aren't already. There's Price Chopper, Market Basket, Walmart, BJs, etc.

You could make stir frys (with shrimp or steak), turkey with mixed veggies, chicken with whole grain pasta, chicken kabobs on the grill, or turkey burgers with sweet potato fries for Dinner.

Breakfast could be english muffin with peanut butter, egg whites (scrambled with veggies or in an omelet with salsa), Chobani yogurt (a lot of kids don't like Greek yogurt so maybe they won't eat it!!), french toast with egg whites, Special K cereal, oatmeal with raisins and nuts, etc.

Lunch you could do tuna melts (tuna is pretty cheap!), lunch meat with bread or wraps, salad, lean cuisine or healthy choice steamers, steamers frozen veggies, etc.

BJs has a lot of good package deals- there is Sambra hummus cups, Jiffy To Go Peanut Butter, cereal bars, bulk packages of cheese and lunch meats, etc. Walmart and Market Basket have good deals on frozen veggies and frozen entrees. I absolutely loveeeeeeee Walmart's Sparkling Lemonades. They are 0 calories and carbs and come in 4 different flavors. There is a special right now for a 2 liter for $.88 (:

I hope some of this helped!

Caitlin

healthyjen342

Great topic...I agree with the others...See what's on sale..Plan it out around that...Is there Aldi's or a Save-A-Lot near you? Aldi's has a really FANTASTIC Fit & Active selection. And a lot of their meats are lower in price...

It's a tough job but somebody's got to do it

charityaprill

ilookthetype suggested having them make their own meals but I would NOT even LET them cook their own meals if they are "eating you out of house and home". That is certainly not the answer and will not solve the problem of spending too much on food.

My husband is vegetarian and I don't even cook 2 separate meals. Sometimes I will make variations of a meal but for the most part I eat what he eats. My biggest thing to preach is portion control and making sure there are snacks. I go to a restaurant supply store and get 4-6 ounce Solo cups (they use them in fast food & to-go places) and smaller sized zip-lock bags, then make ahead meals and package them up for the week in brown lunch bags. We allow ourselves 2 snacks each per day and they are already stored in 1-portion containers. All of this makes it possible to grab-n-go without thinking about it. Snacks keep us from over-eating at meal time and you can eat anything you want when you keep it to a portion in direct relation to your weight goals. I'm not saying it's the way to do it, but it is something you can try and see if it works for you.

I know living healthy on little income can be done because my family was dirt-poor growing up and we were always healthy. We lived on food stamps but had something good and filling for every meal and non of us were over-weight. My parents were good homemakers, though. You might try taking up canning and pickling. Buy a lot of produce when it's on sale and bottle it. Pickling adds more intense flavors and is great for when you're cooking with less fat. Good luck! I hope this helps.

MzMiller1215

do you do a weakly meal planner? that way you only buy what you need? i find it helps me to stick to my budget. I also buy lots of frozen veg as i found that id buy lots of fresh veg and due to lack of time etc couldnt cook them and had to chuck them. frozen is just as good and lasts you for soo much longer. batch cooking and freezing meals is a good idea as well. also say if you roast a whole chicken you could have it with some veg and potatoes and save some for fajitas the next day?

Yes, I have been writing out a menu for every two weeks for over a year now for just that reason. Some of my budget goes towards their snacks because they snack all the time!

charityaprill

When my mom was on a dieet at home, she made healthy foods, like what you did, and if we didn't like it we could either eat it or go hungry. End of discussion! You're trying to live your life healthier not only to look better but to feel better and live a longer life! This is something your kids can learn too, even at a young age. Had my mom taught me better eating habits I probably wouldn't be where I am today,

Really?? Didn't you just say your mom made healthy foods and you ate it or went hungry? How did you not learn better eating habits from that? Sorry, just sayin`....

VickiMitkins

My mom never bought us junk food or soda as a kid. If we wanted it, we had to use our own spending money at the corner store. We also ate what she cooked or did not eat. I remember sitting at the table when I was 7 yrs old staring at a plate of green beans. I did not want them and my mom said it was all I was getting. We compromised after I cried a bit LOL. I did not eat them, but I did not get anything else that night. I love green beans now. Someone else mentioned the older children planning, cooking and shopping each week with you. I think that's a wonderful idea. It gives you a little special time with each one on their cooking night. Incorporate the junk food into the shopping and planning meals with them. If they want junk food, they buy it at the store with you. You might even find (once the routine is in place) that you have a little extra time since you don't have to do it all every night.

iamhopeful

Great ideas. I would love some healthy crockpot recipes too!

amfaery

I yakea few things out of our groceries and put them on a small shelf for mommy only

amfaery

sorry.... Take a few things

AlsDonkBoxSquat

cut coupons, find a farmers market in your area for cheaper fruits and vegetables, buy lean cuts of meat when they're on sale and eat some then and put the rest in the freezer for later, cook the brown rice . . . seriously they are your children and you're teaching them how to eat what does it matter that they don't like it? The eat what you teach them to eat, now they're old enough to put up a fight but if it's between eating the brown rice and starving I bet they eat the brown rice.

jdavis193

The thing with frozen meals yes they are high in sodium. When I do eat those I just eat foods that are lower in sodium I still can get 1200-1500 mg of sodium for the day You just have to work with it.