The Poor Woman's Diet

jklmum

I realize everyone is terribly busy, but really cooking from scratch is the best way to go! Spend one day making whole wheat pasta, perogies, and bread! It saves a ton of money and is much healthier. Also if you can find a farmer in your area farm fresh eggs and usually cheaper than the store and I tend to thing better for you, same with beef, it's a huge investment but if you can swing it you can buy a half or quarter of a cow and it works out to be cheaper plus you can see how the animals have been kept and what they've been fed.
Another idea is there is a cookbook out about big batch cooking. You get together with a few friends and split the grocery bill and when your done preparing food you go home with a bunch of meals that are ready to go in the oven or crockpot!
It is so very tough to eat healthy when the crappy for you foods are so cheap but it can be done! And in my opinion don't ever think your depriving your children, think of it as teaching them great shopping and eating habits that will carry them through into adulthood!

KnottyNCrotchety

I do like crock pot meals (when I remember to thaw the meat ahead of time!). Sad thing is that I have a total of about 3 things I know how to make in it! :embarassed:

You dont have to thaw the meat before you put it in the crock pot. That is my favorite part! I have never followed a recipe for my crockpot. I just throw stuff in there. Random frozen chicken breast from the freezer, whatever is looking limp in the veggie drawer and some chicken broth (or water and boullion cubes) to cover. Add in some herbs like rosemary or tarragon and turn it on. When you get home you just need to make some couscous, rice or pasta to add to it and it will be yummy!

Buy a whole chicken or turkey breast and roast it for Sunday dinner. There will be lots leftover, which you can add to rice and veggies for a yummy meal on Monday.

Make your own spagetti sauce, just buy the cheapest canned crushed tomato cans, add your own zucchini and onion (and ground sausage if you like) with the usual italian herbs like parsley, basil, etc. Make a huge batch and freeze it in one quart ziploc bags. Freeze them laying down flat, then when they are frozen they stand up perfectly. This is much healthier because you control what goes into it, especially the sodium and is a lot cheaper than buying jar sauce. Spagetti is an easy meal to make for dinner on a weeknight.

Make your own chili, same deal as above.

I know it is a bit of a time commitment, but bake your own bread, muffins, etc. I have a big bake day every three weeks or so on a Saturday. I like to bake my own wheat bread and throw in lots of different grains. I leave two out for the week and put four in the freezer for the next two weeks. It is just as easy to make 6 loaves as 2, so it works great. I will also make a couple of batches of muffins at that time too and freeze a bunch of them. These are great in lunches, or for breakfast for kids. Much, much cheaper to make healthy whole grain breads than to buy them.

Lastly, look into other places to buy your food. I love Grocery Outlet, they even have good cheap veggies and fruits. I shop there first, then go to the regular grocery store afterwards to fill in what Grocery Outlet didn't have. I also shop at the farmer's market for fresh veggies (and I buy lots when it is in season and plentiful and cheap and freeze the extra). We also think it is fun to go berry picking at U-Pick farms in the summer for berries. We get lots ($2/pound vs $2/pint at the grocery store). We eat lots and lots when they are fresh, but I will also freeze them for later for smoothies (put them on a cookie sheet individually then put in the freezer so they will freeze without being a big clump). I also make our jam, which is cheaper than buying jam after the initial investment in the jars and rims (but you can find these at the thrift store pretty easy).

msmandyjo

bump for later!!!

silver02bullet

Good ideas!

sunshinel397

When I have broke weeks, I tend to hit the bulk bins in the supermarket. You can get nuts, pasta, flour, sugar, snacks, honey, vinegar, etc. in the bulk aisle for a better price than buying packaged. I also hit the store brands and shop the flyers and circulars. Couponing works, but only if you need/want the stuff you get the discount on. Hope this helps!

FaithsVegWorkout

So, you are buying hamburger helper . . .are you buying a lot of processed/premade food? What's a typical grocery cart for you?

sleepytexan

I also have 4 kids, and an out-of-work hubby. My income is meager at best. However, I don't find it hard to feed our family healthy foods within our budget. It is my top priority. I serve a lot of tacos bc I can serve the whole family with only 1 lb. of meat or fish. I do not buy ANY processed foods, and I cook almost every night (lunch too). I never buy already chopped fruit or veggies--I can chop myself!

Here's an example of a meal for 6 with leftovers: GRILLED FISH TACOS w/ fruit and veggies. Always buy fruit and veggies in season, and from farm stands if possible. I put out $14.50 for this meal, so it's about $2.42 per person, but really since there are leftovers, my husband, my 13-yr-old and I will have it again for lunch the next day, which really makes the total cost per serving $1.61.

1 lb. tilapia (yes, just 1 lb.), grilled with olive oil, lemon juice and season salt (about 5-6 minutes on the grill) - about $3.99
1 pkg. tortillas (without partially hydrogenated oil) - $2.19
fresh fruit IN SEASON (today I bought a pint of blueberries for $.99, and a pound of cherries for $1.99, and a pound of grapes for $2.99).
salsa (in the fridge)
cheese, shredded (buy in block and shred yourself). don't need much for this meal, so not really counting the cost of the $3.50 cheese.
homemade guacamole ($2.50 for the avocados, -- I know that's cheap, I live in SoCal, they grow 'em here). onion is about 30 cents, and I grow my own tomatoes, so free.

My kids are 13, 10, 8 and 3, and everyone gets their fill plus we have leftovers.

blessings.

Mamapengu

We tend to rely on the quick meals like hamburger helper and mac & cheese (though I did just discover whole grain versions of both--though more expensive than the store brand I might go out of my way to buy these!).

My husband makes a 'poor man's hamburger helper:' a box of mac & cheese, hamburger meat and frozen veggies added. My kids both like 'noodle soup' (top ramen) - cut the salt packet in half or even more and add frozen veggies, broccoli is a favorite. I've also made a noodle dish from 2oz whole grain noodles, 1TBS teriyaki sauce, and 3oz chopped chicken per serving. It's filling and my kids both love it. add canned fruit or frozen veggies (again) and its complete.

I'm trying to figure out how to dig up part of our yard to add a small garden. Less mowing for my husband, more exercise for kids and I, and fresh veggies. Can you add anything, even in pots? potatoes, carrots, lettuce, broccoli are easy to grow.

ecpiersk

Cabbage.

zorbaru

dont forget , if you are going to use crock pots, you can use the cheaper cuts of meat. they come up awesome. such as chuck steak, lamb shanks etc. because it cooks for so long, it always comes out tender.

you can usually get recipe bases for crock pot meals for like $1 too. we add meat, potato carrots peas corn and whatever other veg, then a tin of diced tomato (another 50c) and the recipe base. if the recipe base calls for some water, add some stock cubes as well it just gives it a bit extra.

this is the kind of thing im talking about..... (ok, they are $1.50 but you can get them cheaper and other brands too)

http://tinyurl.com/3korbkk

you dont have to take too much notice of the meat or veg it tells you to use. just add whatever and then whatever liquid the recipe says.

Des92

Bumping this for later - poor student over here! there are some great ideas in this thread

nikip6454

I find that junk food and processed foods are the most expensive. I only have a 3 month old so I don't have kids to feed but I am on a budget regardless. Ideas...

Costco-I love it! I buy cans of black beans, stewed tomatoes, boxed pasta, cereal, well just about anything that stores well and that I can throw together for a quick "I'm out of food" meal.

Ramen Noodles-throw away the packet, or use a little of it, throw in frozen veggies or whatever you have laying around-its a quick and cheap lunch.

Frozen Veggies-Add more to casseroles and crock pot meals and use less of the pricier ingredients.

Meat-a serving is smaller than you think!

Bags of Frozen chicken breasts--way cheaper than buying fresh

I cut chicken breasts in to small strips so leftovers can be saved rather than serving a whole breast and throwing away what isn't consumed.

knittnponder

Chicken thighs and legs are cheaper than boneless skinless chicken breasts.

Lunch meat is expensive and full of stuff that you probably don't want to eat. Tonight instead of paying $8.99 a pound for roast beef in the deli, I paid $2.65 a pound (or about $30 total) for a HUGE beef roast. I will slow roast it in the oven and we will have it for a meal or two and lunch meat. I also buy turkey breast, roast it and slice it myself. If you do buy chicken breast on sale you can simmer it until tender (best if you can do it in some broth but not required). After it's cooked just shred it and mix with seasonings of your liking and mayo if you eat it.

The cleaner you eat the better it is for you and tends to cost less in many cases. Buy in bulk if you can to get a better price. Check the local farmer's markets for good produce prices. If you go early you get a better selection but if you go near closing they tend to want to move their stuff and you can get some deals.

Dried beans are cheaper than canned, you just have to plan ahead a little since they take a little prep and time to cook. Whole oats are fairly inexpensive and can be used as oats in oatmeal, breads, etc or you can blend it into flour and use it in quick breads, muffins, pancakes etc.

Check the per pound (or ounce) pricing on foods and buy the least expensive items based on unit price, not overall price. You can also check the manager's specials on a variety of items; meat and dairy being very common. These are items that are about to be pulled so they're marked down a bit to try to move them out. If you take them home and use them immediately or freeze them you can save a little that way.

I'm still attempting to turn my brown thumb green but if you can grow your own veggies you'll be way ahead of the game! Another poster's suggestion of frozen vegetables was spot on too. You can pick those up pretty cheaply year round and they're just as good as fresh.

rankailie

A lot of great tips already. The best I can offer is try buying your produce at ethnic markets if you have any available. I started buying my veggies primarily at an Asian market we have nearby because its WAY cheaper then I was paying at the name brand grocers and its just as fresh and tasty, sometimes more so.

OnMyWay2STay

bump

Shishkeberry

Bump

zorbaru

another thing to do is go to shops closer to closing time. generally they will be marking down a lot of stuff to sell it before they have to throw it out.

its still perfectly fine, esp if you are going to freeze it anyway.

sugarbugger

(I live in the UK, we eat a lot of baked beans here! I'm not sure what hamburger helper is. I'll give you my ideas anyway)

Steamed frozen mixed veg is our staple, I normally have grilled chicken with mine, and brown rice. Or grilled fish, or boiled potatoes instead of the rice.
Baked beans on wholemeal toast, maybe with scrambled or fried egg (fried in olive oil)
Baked potato with baked beans and a sprinkle of cheese, and whatever salad veg we have in.
Cheap white fish fillets, grilled or fried in olive oil, flaked with rice and steamed veg, and a sprinkle of soy sauce.
Raw veggies (peppers, carrots, cucumber, cauliflower, celery, whatever is cheap) with breadsticks and a dip, which could be hummus, sour cream and chive dip, garlic mayo or just cheap soft cheese.
Roasted vegetables, carrots, quartered red onions, parsnips, or peppers, aubergines, courgettes, tomatoes etc, with any cheap roasted meat, chicken etc.
Spaghetti cheese... spaghetti snapped into short lengths, layered up in an oven dish with tinned chopped tomatoes, softened onion, mixed herbs and seasoning, and a sprinkle of cheese on the top. You could add cooked minced (ground) beef if you had some, or sweetcorn/sliced mushrooms etc
Pizza toast! Toast one side of some wholemeal bread under the grill, then flip it over, spread the untoasted side with some cheap pizza/pasta sauce, little bit of cheese, finely chopped veggies and grill it. Stick a load of veggies or fruit on the side.
Anytime porridge (oatmeal) - I should add my kids are little and would eat "breakfast" any time of the day so maybe older kids would complain about this, but here it is anyway. Oats are nutritious and cheap, and simple to cook up a big pan full when you haven't got much in! Make it with dried fruit, cinnamon, perhaps a little brown sugar or splenda at the end (it may not need it) or add stewed fruit, applesauce, mashed banana. You can even add some peanut butter too, to add protein.
Peasant soup - potatoes, onions, carrots, tomato puree, vegetable stock (I use stock cubes) mixed herbs, salt, pepper. You can add meat if you have it, different/extra veg, red lentils, beans, or simple homemade dumplings to bulk it up for the kids.

angijunbug

Have you ever heard of Angel Food Ministries? There is a whole website dedicated to it & you can look up your zip code to see if they offer it where you live. You can get a whole box of healthy fresh fruits & veggies for $21 a box. Plus they have other healthy boxes to choose from too! It really helps feed a family. We have used it before & I love their Holiday meal & Fruit boxes as well.
http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

bcattoes

Cheap but healthy good staples -- brown rice, frozen veggies, eggs, white fish (pollock, haddock, tilapia, catfish are usually as cheap or cheaper than any other meat), canned tuna, beans (either canned (watch the sodium) or dry).

Buy in season fruit and veggies, look for sales on non-perishables and stock up. Once you get the hang of it, it's actually as cheap or maybe cheaper to eat healthy than not.

kfitz10103

Here are some of my favorite low cal "freezable" recipes. I ususally grocery shop every other Friday and cook on Saturday during nap time. I make 2 casseroles for each item then I have 8 meals ready to freeze for the next 2 weeks. They run about $1.50 per person and there are 4 servings in each (except for the crab cakes which are much more expensive.)

Vegetable Meatloaf with Balsamic Glaze
Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay for Food Network Magazine
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small zucchini, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (90 percent lean)
1 cup panko (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, bell
peppers, garlic paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the
vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the turkey, panko, grated cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2
tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled vegetables; mix until just combined.
Gently press the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup
balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl; brush the mixture over the entire
loaf. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Per serving: Calories 270; Fat 14 g (Sat. 4.2 g; Mono. 6.3 g; Poly. 3.1 g); Cholesterol 104 mg; Sodium
451 mg; Carbohydrate 16 g; Fiber 1 g; Protein 20 g


Pulled Pork
From Food Network Kitchens
Notes
This tender and juicy pulled pork starts with a surprising choice: pork tenderloin.
By simmering large pieces of pork tenderloin in a tangy sauce and then shredding it with two forks the
result is tender pork tossed with lots of rich flavorful sauce. The final touch is a crunchy broccoli slaw with
a mustardy dressing.
Ingredients
3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 pound, cut into 4 pieces
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
3 cups (6 ounces) broccoli slaw
6 whole wheat hamburger rolls, split
In a large Dutch oven heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and season
with salt and pepper. Cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin,
cinnamon, and cayenne and cook until toasted, 1 minute more. Stir in the broth, ketchup, 1/3 cup vinegar,
and molasses. Bring to a simmer and add the pork. Simmer, covered, until the pork is just cooked
through and tender, about 20 minutes
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil with the remaining 1 tablespoon of
vinegar and the mustard. Add the broccoli slaw and toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and
set aside.
Remove the pork to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes. Increase the heat on the remaining sauce
in the pot to medium-high and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Shred the pork with two forks into large chunks and add back into the thickened sauce. Toss well to coat.
Let stand 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, to let the pork absorb the sauce. Serve on a bun with the slaw
on the sandwich or on the side.
Nutritional analysis per serving (without broccoli slaw)
Calories 289; Total Fat 8g (Sat Fat 1.6g, Mono Fat 2.3g, Poly Fat 3g) ; Protein 21g; Carb 36g; Fiber 4g;
Cholesterol 49mg; Sodium 570mg



Turkey and Spinach Lasagna
Directions
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup dry red wine
3T dried Basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) container 1 percent low-fat cottage cheese
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 ounces Jimmy Dean pre-cooked turkey sausage
9 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles, 5 1/2-ounces, (recommended: Barilla)
1 1/2 cups part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese, 6 ounces
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small pot bring the tomatoes, wine, 1 ½ T Basil Leaves, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, to taste, to a simmer; cook until slightly thickened, 10 minutes; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, mix the cottage cheese in the bowl of a food processor until smooth. add the ricotta, spinach, 1 ½ T basil, nutmeg, and salt and pepper and pulse until just combined; set aside.
3. Assemble the lasagna: Mist a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with 3 noodles, half the ricotta mixture, half the sausage and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers with sauce, noodles, remaining ricotta and sausage and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining noodles and sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the noodles are tender and the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the pan, 1 hour.
5. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and continue to bake until melted, 10 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes. Serve.
Nutritional analysis per serving
Calories 350; Total Fat 12.5g (Sat Fat 5g, Mono Fat 3g, Poly Fat 1.5g); Protein 29g; Carb 30g; Fiber 4g; Cholesterol 36mg; Sodium 848mg

Crisp Crab Cakes
Recipe courtesy Ellie Krieger for of Food Network Magazine
Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons nonfat milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
Dash of hot sauce
1 pound lump crab or crab claw meat, picked over
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive-oil cooking spray
Directions
Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and bell
pepper and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.
Mix 1/2 cup panko, the egg and milk in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the Worcestershire sauce,
mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay and hot sauce; fold in the crabmeat, panko mixture, scallionbell pepper
mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Shape into 8 patties and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Coat the crab cakes with the remaining 1/2 cup panko. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the
skillet over medium-high heat. Mist the crab cakes with cooking spray and cook, sprayed-side down, 3 to
4 minutes. Spray the tops, flip and cook 3 to 4 more minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.
Per serving (2 crab cakes): Calories 220; Fat 9 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 155 mg; Sodium 630 mg;
Carbohydrate 8 g; Fiber 1 g; Protein 26 g

Fit_ClaudiaQ

Definitely try buying frozen veggies they're cheaper, I buy broccoli & the california mix all the time. Also, I'm not sure where you live & what stores you have around your area but there's an Aldi & Save-A-Lot in my area, the stores carry off brand groceries & are often wayy cheaper prices than those from Target, Walmart, etc. Aldi I LOVE because it carries a fit &a ctive brand that basically is lower in calories/leaner & not too pricey. Good luck lady, I know times are tough, just hang in there!