Food allergy plus very tight budget...tips?

sufikitkat

I am allergic to dairy and have a strict $50/every two weeks food budget (sometimes less depending on the dates my checks fall on related to rent, etc.) I am just curious...anyone else out there have the same issue? I am working towards keeping a solid 50 carbs/25/fat/25 protein diet but sometimes the food just doesn't last me the two weeks or I just can't afford it. I am getting very creative with my meals to make this work and I am really not that picky of an eater - minus my food restrictions of course! (I also cannot eat too much red meat or saturated fats and no pineapple!) So...tips please! Anyone know of ways to get coupons for items such as Amy's products? I shop at Wegmans it is definitely the most affordable in my area for my food and I have shopped the farmer's market but during winter months here it is very sparse. I cook pretty much every single meal myself, only time I eat out is my weekly date with my boyfriend. I am also huge on leftovers, I eat everything up even if it may be a bit questionable time wise. Any and all advice is welcomed and appreciated!!

Also I am a runner training for a marathon this year and I keep my distance up off training as well. Workout 6-7 days a week every week no fail.

Nikkiray32

Hi. I am on a very tight budget as well. I go to walmart for all of my lean meats ( it's cheaper than most places). I also try to stay from processed snacks and prepackaged foods ( even healthy choice). Also, when I buy meats, when I get them home I seperate them into portion sizes and put them in their own ziplock bag. Fruits may seem more expensive at first, but they hold the hunger over longer, so in the long run it balances out. The biggest savings on my budget was buying Dannon fit and light in the container instead of the dannon individual yougurts. The individuals servings are loaded in sugar and cost about 60 cents a peice. The container is about $2.50 for several servings.

sufikitkat

Thank you for your advice! However, I unfortunately cannot eat your basic yogurt and processed foods are already out for me since I can't have milk...most products have it which stinks! I won't go into details as to why, but I am anti-WalMart and especially in my area with a gold mine of a grocery store like Wegmans I don't think I could ever shop elsewhere. In regards to the fruit, I love fruit and definitely buy up what I can when I can. Bananas, apples, and grapes are my three regulars...most affordable and last a long while. Like I said, your advice is so appreciated, I am just looking for someone with the same restrictions as myself.

to add: I do not do soy based...mostly almond based. Hypothyroid plus soy not a good combo. I know, I sound like I have so much going against me but I never see it that way...I see it as a way to treat my body better :-)

nose6

I'm familiar with budget shopping, and for you I'm also thinking about calcium since you can't have dairy.

1. Chicken with the bones in is usually less expensive than the boneless kind, and if you have the bones you can make chicken stock. It don't think this shows on MFP, but I read elsewhere that stocks made with bones do have some calcium. You can make soups and things that will last for days.
2. Beans and lentils are cheap and filling. When I was unemployed, I lived on lentil soup.
3. Some vegetables that are usually inexpensive and have some calcium are kale and carrots. Those things are also good added to soups.
4. Look for coupons on the websites of your favorite manufacturers. Also, a general coupon site for packaged natural/organic foods is Mambo Sprouts.

sufikitkat

Thank you for the coupon tip!!! And thinking of calcium too :-) I take a supplement and track it on here to also be sure that I am not taking in too much since it can go either way.

bahacca

Beans, lentils, quinoa. Do you have a grocery store like Sprouts that sells stuff in bulk?
I know you have a strict budget, but is there ANYWHERE you can cut from to allow yourself more money for food? Like your cell phone or cable/internet?
Do you have a farmers market near you? go to localharvest.org and they have a search feature. Perhaps you can find a local farm/farm that goes to the market each week and work an arrangement with them. Tell them you are struggling and can you get 4 items each week for a discount or a certain poundage of produce for a set price each week.

mistersmithsbox

I know about being poor and having food allergies. My tips:

1. Rice. If you buy a 10# bag, it'll last all month. Make a pot, put it in freezer bags (portioned) and pull as you need.
2. Steel cut oats. You can make a large batch and refrigerate. It won't turn weird like rolled oats.
3. BestLife margarine. It's parve (hence it has no meat or dairy involved) and is pretty damn tasty.
4. If you have one around, Aldi is the best store ever. I buy their frozen veg and use it to stretch any meal (like pasta marinara) to cover 2-3 meals.
5. IDK if you have Publix in your area, but when they have BOGO sales, they allow you to buy one of the products for 50% off.
6. Beans & legumes. Mixed with the rice, you can eat for a week. Season each portion differently for each meal and you won't grow tired.
7. Eggs. I know, whole eggs often get a bad rap but they're brilliant sources of protein. Boil up a dozen, shell, and keep in the fridge in a zip top bag with a moist paper towel. Amazing for brekkie, salad, a quick egg salad sandwich, etc. I really like them with hummous.

bahacca

Also, if you live in a town where "weird" ingredients is hard to come by, try online. Amazon has a TON of food.
Oh-and since you are dairy free, thought you'd like this recipe. I use coconut milk and this is SOOO good. Her recipes are vegan, so you should be able to find some gems in here for you:
http://ohsheglows.com/2011/02/01/carob-banana-chia-vegan-overnight-oats/
I don't use the salt or vanilla or carob. I use vanilla coconut milk, so...Chia seeds weight next to nothing, so I buy them in bulk. I got enough for probably 20 bowls of this stuff for like $1. It helps thicken it up.

lisasays

earth balance has a dairy-free soy-free margerine that is good.
Dried beans, peas, lentils are full of protein and inexpensive. Brown rice, quinoa, whole grain pasta and pasta sauce can all be purchased cheaply if you look around.
Fruit and veg, of course. Broccoli has more calcium than milk and is much better for you.
Popcorn is a great snack that is affordable if you pop it yourself.
You could make a huge pot of lentil or other soup and have it throughout the week (or freeze for later)

Im a soy-free vegan (no dairy, meat, etc) and though Im not on a tight budget, I am sure you could do it.

sufikitkat

Beans, lentils, quinoa. Do you have a grocery store like Sprouts that sells stuff in bulk?
I know you have a strict budget, but is there ANYWHERE you can cut from to allow yourself more money for food? Like your cell phone or cable/internet?
Do you have a farmers market near you? go to localharvest.org and they have a search feature. Perhaps you can find a local farm/farm that goes to the market each week and work an arrangement with them. Tell them you are struggling and can you get 4 items each week for a discount or a certain poundage of produce for a set price each week.

I don't have any cable period (as in, not even local channels) and my cell bill is as low as I can get it without compromising the benefits of mobile to mobile for free which helps me a ton! :-/ As for internet, I am also as low as I can go for that and I would just get rid of it altogether if I wasn't in graduate school. I literally never go out anywhere unless my boyfriend is taking me. If I didn't have him in my life I would be a hermit that only went out to go to the gym (which my insurance covers). My car payment is what KILLS me and I have until June...homestretch!

We do have a farmer's market I am a regular at but in the winter months it is really sparse here. It was doing good while we had an unexpected warm december but now Buffalo winter is here and less vendors go to it unfortunately. I have my regular farmers I go to that give me discounts already, just some don't attend consistently in winter since turn out isn't so great for customers.

Never heard of Sprouts before but Wegmans does sell beans in bulk I believe. Thank you for the advice!

sufikitkat

Bulk food and freezing.

Depending on where you live, it might be worth seeing if your government can give you some money (either as a grant or as a tax rebate) for your allergy (you would need to save some receipts). This is common in some places.

I already tried. I'm in NYS...they don't give money out very easily. I've had doctor's notes, everything to try and get even $25 a month and I was denied because I have a one person household and you can't make more than $900 a month BEFORE taxes, insurance, etc. It's so ridiculous...a whole other debate I could get into haha. In regards to the receipt deal, they do it for Celiac's but I was informed that is the only one so far. If I am being misinformed though and other NYS people know it please let me know!! I am a fighter!

sufikitkat

earth balance has a dairy-free soy-free margerine that is good.
Dried beans, peas, lentils are full of protein and inexpensive. Brown rice, quinoa, whole grain pasta and pasta sauce can all be purchased cheaply if you look around.
Fruit and veg, of course. Broccoli has more calcium than milk and is much better for you.
Popcorn is a great snack that is affordable if you pop it yourself.
You could make a huge pot of lentil or other soup and have it throughout the week (or freeze for later)

Im a soy-free vegan (no dairy, meat, etc) and though Im not on a tight budget, I am sure you could do it.

Got most of what you mentioned already :-) its probably bad to do...but I consume products like the earth balance past their "date" to make them last since they are so expensive. Buy in bulk for fish for a variety of dinners too. Ironically, my fruits/vegs put me over my carbs for my ratio every day haha. Not a bad way to be over in carbs but definitely means a lot.

Thank you for the advice!

sufikitkat

I know about being poor and having food allergies. My tips:

1. Rice. If you buy a 10# bag, it'll last all month. Make a pot, put it in freezer bags (portioned) and pull as you need.
2. Steel cut oats. You can make a large batch and refrigerate. It won't turn weird like rolled oats.
3. BestLife margarine. It's parve (hence it has no meat or dairy involved) and is pretty damn tasty.
4. If you have one around, Aldi is the best store ever. I buy their frozen veg and use it to stretch any meal (like pasta marinara) to cover 2-3 meals.
5. IDK if you have Publix in your area, but when they have BOGO sales, they allow you to buy one of the products for 50% off.
6. Beans & legumes. Mixed with the rice, you can eat for a week. Season each portion differently for each meal and you won't grow tired.
7. Eggs. I know, whole eggs often get a bad rap but they're brilliant sources of protein. Boil up a dozen, shell, and keep in the fridge in a zip top bag with a moist paper towel. Amazing for brekkie, salad, a quick egg salad sandwich, etc. I really like them with hummous.

Just bought a bulk rice package :-) I will look into Steel Oats next paycheck for sure, they didn't make the cut this time :-/ I think I avoided Aldi's mainly because of my allergy (milk is in everything!) but I'm ok with buying my frozen vegs from there for certain, didn't even cross my mind! Egg whites are my preference...I have never been able to handle the taste of eggs and egg whites don't have that strong sulfur taste as much to me. I always eat them with ketchup too :-) Thanks for the advice!

sweet110

Twenty five dollars a week isn't very much for someone who needs enough calories to train for a marathon.

No amount of coupon cutting is going to give you a colorful, diverse diet on 25 a week. Something has to give, and I think variety is going to be the thing that goes. Your diet will rely on beans, eggs, whole chicken, and a grain of your choice. Throw in some cheap veggies, and that's 25 dollars.

And, if you rely on these things that require cooking, food allergies will not be a problem. You might, however want to invest in some protein powder (a birthday present?) ...because monotonous diets will kill your appetite...you will get mighty sick of looking at the same 4 things for every meal, which will be a problem if you are in training. [dairy free, soy free protein powder might be hard to find! I wonder if it even exists?]

shiseido_faerie

A lot of great ideas here...so I'm just going to add one I didn't see...
At my grocery store, and all the ones in my area they have a rack of fruit and veg thats not as fresh...it's always discounted 50% and you can get say bananas that are at peak ripeness, apples that perhaps have maybe a small bruise, a lot of veg is usually there which is still totally edible, make sounds or stirfrys etc....you can usually do the same with the bakery, day old bread.

bahacca

There is hemp protein powder that is both soy and dairy free.

StarIsMoving

Thank you for your advice! However, I unfortunately cannot eat your basic yogurt and processed foods are already out for me since I can't have milk...most products have it which stinks! I won't go into details as to why, but I am anti-WalMart and especially in my area with a gold mine of a grocery store like Wegmans I don't think I could ever shop elsewhere. In regards to the fruit, I love fruit and definitely buy up what I can when I can. Bananas, apples, and grapes are my three regulars...most affordable and last a long while. Like I said, your advice is so appreciated, I am just looking for someone with the same restrictions as myself.

to add: I do not do soy based...mostly almond based. Hypothyroid plus soy not a good combo. I know, I sound like I have so much going against me but I never see it that way...I see it as a way to treat my body better :-)

Coupons.com, smartsource.com, red plum site are great for coupons and you can print 2 each. I also can't have dairy (long story) and don't like the reaction of soy on me. When I have my frozen strawberries and blueberries, I use Dream Whip and make it with almond milk (super yum!). I am sole income for a family of 5 and have very little budgeted for groceries - usually $50 weekly... that's food, household, personal (and I have 2 teen girls), etc... so my normal is to get Kashi cereal for me as a "in a pinch" meal, and use coupons and grab it on sale. For most of the other meals - I can get whole chicken cheaper than selections. So I put in a crock pot, once cooked, I make multiple meals from it ... casseroles, stews (kids love my chicken stew), soups (great for bringing to work), etc. There are also some of my blogger buddies that get me deals through CVS for groceries too (even though not my main store at all), but have gone many times where they pay me to shop cause of their ECBs. Just thought I would toss that out there

sweet110

There is hemp protein powder that is both soy and dairy free.

Good to know! I knew someone on MFP would be able to answer that question!

yentess

No amount of coupon cutting is going to give you a colorful, diverse diet on 25 a week

That is completely FALSE! I have a budget of $125 a week for my family of 5 for all our groceries, household, and personal item including diapers. I hardly ever buy generic items and we eat plenty of fresh produce. Every week your local stores will have a variety of meat and seasonal produce on sale and that is what you should base your menu around. You can often get free or extremly cheap pasta, cereal, crackers and other pantry items by combining a sale with a coupon. A lot of people think you can only get unhealthy food shopping with coupons, but when an item is on sale most of the time the lowfat, low sodium, and whole grain versions are also on sale.
A lot of couponers get their household and personal items for free (or even get PAID to buy them) and apply that savings towards fresh produce. I never pay for toothpaste, floss, bandages, or dish soap and a lot of other everyday items we use. I would recommend you find a money saving blog or 2 to follow on facebook. Most of them include a diet plan on a budget too. My favorite is www.moneysavingmom.com and not too long ago she did a series on how to do p90x on a budget. During that time she spent $60 per week to cover all of her family of 5's food, household and personal supplies.

andrejjorje

Can you tell us what exactly from milk is that you get allergic to? Do you know? Has that been confirmed by an allergist? Are you doing something to alleviate it (allergy shots etc)?
Just curios because myself I'm not a fan of diary products anyways.

sufikitkat

Can you tell us what exactly from milk is that you get allergic to? Do you know? Has that been confirmed by an allergist? Are you doing something to alleviate it (allergy shots etc)?
Just curios because myself I'm not a fan of diary products anyways.

Yes, confirmed multiple times. Dairy allergy stems from a reaction to the proteins whey and casein. There are no allergy shots for food allergies unfortunately. It's simply avoid it completely.

sufikitkat

Twenty five dollars a week isn't very much for someone who needs enough calories to train for a marathon.

No amount of coupon cutting is going to give you a colorful, diverse diet on 25 a week. Something has to give, and I think variety is going to be the thing that goes. Your diet will rely on beans, eggs, whole chicken, and a grain of your choice. Throw in some cheap veggies, and that's 25 dollars.

And, if you rely on these things that require cooking, food allergies will not be a problem. You might, however want to invest in some protein powder (a birthday present?) ...because monotonous diets will kill your appetite...you will get mighty sick of looking at the same 4 things for every meal, which will be a problem if you are in training. [dairy free, soy free protein powder might be hard to find! I wonder if it even exists?]

Well, I eat a ton of fruits and veggies and whole wheat products every day so I think I am doing ok. No lack of anything. Supplements are covered by insurance too which helps. I am mostly concerned with the fact that certain staples are NOT cheap since I have an allergy. Most of what I have to buy are not your typical on sale or coupon cutting items. I have friends with Celiac that have it even worse so I was looking for some advice to pass on for them as well. I already have Hemp protein, but honestly find I only need it on my long run days (7+ miles where I burn more than 1,000 cals)

I believe it is completely possible to have a well rounded diet on a budget, I see people do it everyday. The food allergy is an extra challenge and I was interested to see if there was something I haven't thought of yet to help my dollars go further to supply the items I have to buy more expensive because I have to.

sufikitkat

No amount of coupon cutting is going to give you a colorful, diverse diet on 25 a week

That is completely FALSE! I have a budget of $125 a week for my family of 5 for all our groceries, household, and personal item including diapers. I hardly ever buy generic items and we eat plenty of fresh produce. Every week your local stores will have a variety of meat and seasonal produce on sale and that is what you should base your menu around. You can often get free or extremly cheap pasta, cereal, crackers and other pantry items by combining a sale with a coupon. A lot of people think you can only get unhealthy food shopping with coupons, but when an item is on sale most of the time the lowfat, low sodium, and whole grain versions are also on sale.
A lot of couponers get their household and personal items for free (or even get PAID to buy them) and apply that savings towards fresh produce. I never pay for toothpaste, floss, bandages, or dish soap and a lot of other everyday items we use. I would recommend you find a money saving blog or 2 to follow on facebook. Most of them include a diet plan on a budget too. My favorite is www.moneysavingmom.com and not too long ago she did a series on how to do p90x on a budget. During that time she spent $60 per week to cover all of her family of 5's food, household and personal supplies.

I have a friend that ventured into couponing recently, she has a stock pile that she has given items out from occassionally (mostly things she wouldn't use) and mostly donates to those even more needy than myself. I guess my dilemma is how time consuming couponing can be. I have finally gotten a grip on balancing full time job, my workouts, and my accelerated graduate program workload, but I will definitely look into it more. Perhaps it can just be a Sunday night thing as those tend to be my nights where there's nothing planned and I have most of my homework that is due that week completed. Thanks for the sites!!!

sufikitkat

Thank you for your advice! However, I unfortunately cannot eat your basic yogurt and processed foods are already out for me since I can't have milk...most products have it which stinks! I won't go into details as to why, but I am anti-WalMart and especially in my area with a gold mine of a grocery store like Wegmans I don't think I could ever shop elsewhere. In regards to the fruit, I love fruit and definitely buy up what I can when I can. Bananas, apples, and grapes are my three regulars...most affordable and last a long while. Like I said, your advice is so appreciated, I am just looking for someone with the same restrictions as myself.

to add: I do not do soy based...mostly almond based. Hypothyroid plus soy not a good combo. I know, I sound like I have so much going against me but I never see it that way...I see it as a way to treat my body better :-)

Coupons.com, smartsource.com, red plum site are great for coupons and you can print 2 each. I also can't have dairy (long story) and don't like the reaction of soy on me. When I have my frozen strawberries and blueberries, I use Dream Whip and make it with almond milk (super yum!). I am sole income for a family of 5 and have very little budgeted for groceries - usually $50 weekly... that's food, household, personal (and I have 2 teen girls), etc... so my normal is to get Kashi cereal for me as a "in a pinch" meal, and use coupons and grab it on sale. For most of the other meals - I can get whole chicken cheaper than selections. So I put in a crock pot, once cooked, I make multiple meals from it ... casseroles, stews (kids love my chicken stew), soups (great for bringing to work), etc. There are also some of my blogger buddies that get me deals through CVS for groceries too (even though not my main store at all), but have gone many times where they pay me to shop cause of their ECBs. Just thought I would toss that out there

Thank you!

sweet110

No amount of coupon cutting is going to give you a colorful, diverse diet on 25 a week

That is completely FALSE! I have a budget of $125 a week for my family of 5 for all our groceries, household, and personal item including diapers. I hardly ever buy generic items and we eat plenty of fresh produce.

Well, it wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong. I guess I was thinking...she nixes walmart, lives in one of the most expensive states in the union, and is training for a marathon, which is like feeding 2 people. I live out east and won't shop at places like walmart, and I couldn't do it on 25 a week if I had to eat both the amount and level of high nutrition required from an athlete without resorting to monotony. So, I spoke from my experience.

Good thing there is a wealth of experience on MFP.

sufikitkat

No amount of coupon cutting is going to give you a colorful, diverse diet on 25 a week

That is completely FALSE! I have a budget of $125 a week for my family of 5 for all our groceries, household, and personal item including diapers. I hardly ever buy generic items and we eat plenty of fresh produce.

Well, it wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong. I guess I was thinking...she nixes walmart, lives in one of the most expensive states in the union, and is training for a marathon, which is like feeding 2 people. I live out east and won't shop at places like walmart, and I couldn't do it on 25 a week if I had to eat both the amount and level of high nutrition required from an athlete without resorting to monotony. So, I spoke from my experience.

Good thing there is a wealth of experience on MFP.

I'm lucky to live in an area that has Wegmans :-) and a Co-Op that is fantastic...plus a year round farmers market which is great when its busy!