How Can I Eat Healthy And Cheap?

epj78

In fact - if you buy ALL the protein listed - you have 26 meals -- you only need 14 for a week. So you almost have 2 full weeks of food here!!!

drsub

Look for a local farmers market for fresh produce. Try http://www.localharvest.org/ for a community supported farmers program near you - you could pay a small amount upfront or in instalments and in return get fresh produce shipped to you. Some things on Amazon are cheaper than your neighborhood grocery - coconut water for example - esp if you buy in bulk and buy regularly. Good ole' Costco if you are a bunch of students and willing to share..... You may also want to curb eating out for example if that is applicable to you - just one meal and drink could add up to lot of cents... my 2 c...best wishes.. :-)

littlemili

Cook from scratch. A lot. Soups, risotto, pasta sauce, chili etc. All really easy and the base ingredients are cheap, they are cheaper to make yourself than to buy. Make in bulk and freeze for later. Buy whatever is reduced especially if it is long-life (eg cans/tins) and cook stuff from that. Find a farmer's market. Their produce is many times cheaper than in regular stores. Find out what time your local store reduces end-of-day stock and go at that time. The main thing though, is to have a list and stick to it. Don't just buy stuff because it looks good in the store. If you have a list of things based on your meal plans for the week, you will not waste any food.

bachooka

If you can make time to cook yourself a batch of brown rice at the beginning of the week, you can eat that with most meals and it is a good cheap carb coming in at aout 2-3$ a bag and lasts my family of five about 2-2 1/2 weeks, so I can only imagine how long it would last for you.

sinclare

I disagree with the coupon thing. Buy generic. The store brand is almost always cheaper than the coupon brand-name item.

Learn how to cook beans. Buy the generic ones in a bag. Do you have a crock pot? Get one at a thrift store. You can cook once and have like several meals.

Pasta? Again, buy generic. Try to have once/week.

Potatoes. Onions. Garlic. These are staples you should try to keep around.

Rice? Go generic. A pot of rice is great for everything. Breakfast I add cinnamon and milk. Lunch, make a rice salad with some veggies: red pepper, cucumber, make it crunchy and fun. Add raisons or nuts even.

I used to buy canned lentil soup and add frozen spinach. Oh and rice too. Makes a meal, cheap and easy. Try getting your favorite soups and adding stuff to them to make more of a stew--plus, you will have leftovers.

Omlettes? I used to steam the frozen veggies and make omlettes. Add some salsa, yum!

Take it easy on the meats. That is what is so expensive. If you must have meat, try cutting your portions in half, adding more veggies to your meal. That way the meat will go farther.

Good luck in school~!

Stumbleine

Do you live near a Trader Joe's?

I saved $50 a week by shopping there instead of the regular grocery store. Produce is significantly cheaper, along with many other things.

rileysowner

I sure others have said that but dried bean should be a staple. Whole grains and steel cut oatmeal can be gotten fairly cheaply as well. Frozen veggies are a healthy and usually less expensive alternative to fresh just check the ingredients to make sure they don't season them. They should just be the actual veggies frozen. If you can get a small freezer in where you live shop the sales on meat and freeze it when it is really cheap. It is possible but will require some cooking work. Oh with the dried beans you can cook more than you need and freeze the rest in serving sized packages. I do that all the time after someone here said they did it. Wonderful way to get protein and fiber.

cheesesandwich

Girl if you're in Boston you need to be shopping at Trader Joe's. It's cheaper than Shaw's, and it's totally worth taking the extra time on the T one day a week.

lvnspoonful

bump