need to lower my salt intake but dont know how

Silver_Star

I would suggest you try shopping in other smaller stores..like Aldi's or local international markets or Asian markets...they arent fancy but their produce is a LOT cheaper.
It helps if you cook from scratch..cheaper and healthier too.

processed foods and boxed stuff WILL have tons of sodium..there is no way out of that. :grumble:

im on a severely chopped budget myself, but i found , shopping around. saving receipts and comparing prices with different stores...it really helps.

and you need to start drinking more water...that is the only way you can flush the salt out...you have to ask yourself..how bad do you want this:flowerforyou:

2hmom

You don't have to eat processed and boxed food to eat for cheap.

Buy brown rice in bulk. It seriously lasts forever, I haven't purchased rice in like 2 months. I also buy boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders in large quantities, cook about 3-4 days worth and freeze the rest. That way they're easy to heat up for dinners/lunches, one package of them runs around $6-$7 and lasts my family of 3 a couple days (including me eating chicken as a snack, lunch, and dinner). You can do the same thing with ground beef or turkey, although ground turkey can get pricey so just get lean ground beef and drain off the excess fat. I don't really eat bread or pasta, but you can buy pasta in bulk as well, and it lasts a long time.

Fruits and veggies can be a little tough, but you can either a. stock up on frozen veggies (they last a long time, have the nutritional value, and no added sodium), or hit up a local farmer's market for deals on produce. Buy what's on sale. My son LOVES strawberries, so I get them if they're on sale or if a farmer's market has a good deal on them. But if they don't, he's out of luck, I'll get whatever fruit is affordable at the time.

Don't add salt to your food. I know that seems impossible for some people, but I don't do it at my food tastes just fine. Instead, I have a well stocked spice cabinet (spices last a really long time too---I can't even remember the last time I had to buy any of my spices). You can season food with some lemon juice and basil/oregano/cilantro/whatever spice you like and you're good to go.

pamelak5

Go with as unprocessed as possible and remember that you don't need much meat.

One of my favorite meals is mujadarrah - basically rice and lentils with caramelized onions. I like to add some spinach (fresh or frozen), or have some roast or steamed veggies on the side.

1.5 cups of brown rice - about $1
1 cup of lentils - about $1
2 onions - about $2, maybe less depending on where you leave?
salt, pepper, olive oil shouldn't add up to more than 50 cents or so.

Bag of steamed veggies on the side - get something on sale for $1-2.

For $6 you have a super healthy meal that can easily feed six! The biggest thing is to plan your meals. Plan every single meal, and make sure you have a use for leftovers. I buy dried beans instead of canned, that saves a lot. Buy a whole chicken and cut it yourself; eat what's in season and what's on sale!

cmeade20

I'd stop buying cheap processed *kitten*. You aren't doing youself an favors. Frozen veggies are pretty cheap if you buy the store brand. Brown rice and dry beans are also cheap. As far as meat and fresh produce don't be loyal to one store. Keep an eye on the prices for all the stores in your area and buy whats on sale. When meat is on sale buy extra and freeze it.

him1025

thanks for all the suggestions i will be looking coupons for fresh products and fyi i dont add salt to my food the only salt i get is in my food cause my family has heart problems. but thanks everyone for the great ideas

meshashesha2012

it's actually cheaper to make the non processed versions yourself but might not be easier in terms of time.

just stop buying so much of the processed stuff. farmer's markets have cheaper produce and when you go grocery shopping, make sure the majority of your items come from the outer edges, the more you go into the aisles, the more likely you'll be getting processed foods

wftiger

Cut out all canned unless it is no salt added. Frozen veggies are better than canned anyways.
No boxed meals (hamburger helper, potatoes, etc.)
No lunch meat (none are acceptable on salt limits)
Review your condiments (soy sauce isn't the only bad one. Ketchup, BBQ, steak sauce -- all super high)
Breads - Buy a bread machine. Make your own and you know what goes in it.
Frozen Meals - Only buy veggies frozen, rest are bad (some meats okay but some they dip in sodium solution before they freeze)
Throw the salt shaker out. You don't need it nor does the rest of the family. Your taste buds will change after a while and you will not miss it.
Search net to find low sodium alternatives to items like spaghetti sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, etc.
Read all labels before you buy
Watch your cheeses. Unless it specifically says low sodium try to stick to Swiss it is naturally low.

m_shuman

#1 you need to drink water, period! Try flavoring it with cucumbers, mint, orange or lemon slices if you don't like the flavor.

#2 stop buying processed food. I am an avid Dave Ramsey follower and I too live on a very strict $300 a month budget for groceries, for 4 people and this includes paper products like TP and paper towels, personal toiletries like shampoo, soap, razors, toothpaste etc, cleaning products, and diapers so I know you can eat healthy on a budget. Here is how I save money:

I make everything from scratch and I mean everything. I bake my own bread. I make my own soups and spaghetti sauce and freeze them. I even make my own cleaning products, laundry detergent and hand soap. By making everything from scratch I can control what and how much goes in it.

I grow a garden in my backyard. What I can't grow I buy at the farmers market in season and it is alot cheaper than Walmart. Last week I got a huge grocery bag Probably 15#'s of Broccoli for $5. I then put these fresh veggies in the freezer or can them. I go to the local U Pick farm and buy strawberries, blackberries and blueberries for aroun $1 a LB. I have made friends with local farmers and get alot of produce for free. For example last week a guy let me pick up a 50# sack of onions for free another farmer let me dig a 5 gallon bucket of red potatoes for free and I buy tomatoes for $8 a 5 gallon bicket at another u pick farm and I can them every summer. I grow all of my herbs myself and dry them to use all year long.

My husband hunts and we butcher 2 deer every year. We use ground venison instead of hamburger and eat deer steaks instead of beef. As for chicken I only buy it when it is on sale and freeze it. I buy bone in chicken breasts for .89 to .99 a LB and debone it myself. I buy pork tenderloins and make my own pork chops and freeze them. You can typically get these for $1.99 a LB (SAMS Club has them for this price all of the time.) I try to buy my seafood direct from the fisherman. We live on the coast and you can get shrimp, heads on, for around $2 a LB. I buy these in season and freeze them. As for seafood I can not get from fisherman I buy it at Kroger (typically on wednesdays) when they mark it down because it is within 2 day of the expiration date and I either eat it right away or freeze it.

You can live on a budget and be healthy one of my favorite summer treats is fresh salsa which is easy to make it is tomatos, onions, cilantro and a jalapeno chopped up and seasoned with cumin. I eat it by itself with a fork. You can toss in an avacado if you want or black beans to add protein. I also make veggie soup which is whatever I have in my freezer with a can of tomatoes and a can of beer. It is about 85 calories a 1 cup serving. Another one of my favorites is cauliflower carrot soup. It is cauliflower and carrots boiled in water then you strain off half the water puree it and add ground ginger for seasoning. It is about 50 calories per serving. I like to serve any of these with a simple protein like a grilled chicken breast (which I season with ACV or regular vinegar), a grilled pork chop or baked fish.

Eggs are another cheap yet often forgetten about protein. I like to make spinach quiche and fritattas. I also like them just boiled or scrambled on bread as a sandwich.

You need to stop using money and not liking to drink water as an excuse buy a cookbook, read some forums on healthy scratch cooking and make a lifestyle change.

jmlynch502

Certain medications can cause things to taste metallic. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist and see if a medication could be causing the problem, maybe you could be switched to something else. Or if it's just the tap water where you live, you could try drinking bottled water or (since I know you're on a budget) getting a Brita filter?

GoTakizawa

I also need to lower my salt intake, incidently I already knew the reason. So, I will have to agree with what most of the people here already did. Just Say No to processed food! Also with the water thing, I live in a small city that has the most horrible tasting water ever known to man. I get Culligan water delivered (water cooler and 5 gallon jugs). It costs me about $25 a month, but it is totally worth it. If you can't afford that, maybe try getting a Britta pitcher. I used those before and they do a good job for most water and they're not real expensive. Otherwise, as a last resort Walmart does sell cases of bottled water for very cheap too. No matter what you do, it is imperitive that you start drinking water.

marie_cressman

You don't have to eat processed and boxed food to eat for cheap.

Buy brown rice in bulk. It seriously lasts forever, I haven't purchased rice in like 2 months. I also buy boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders in large quantities, cook about 3-4 days worth and freeze the rest. That way they're easy to heat up for dinners/lunches, one package of them runs around $6-$7 and lasts my family of 3 a couple days (including me eating chicken as a snack, lunch, and dinner). You can do the same thing with ground beef or turkey, although ground turkey can get pricey so just get lean ground beef and drain off the excess fat. I don't really eat bread or pasta, but you can buy pasta in bulk as well, and it lasts a long time.

Fruits and veggies can be a little tough, but you can either a. stock up on frozen veggies (they last a long time, have the nutritional value, and no added sodium), or hit up a local farmer's market for deals on produce. Buy what's on sale. My son LOVES strawberries, so I get them if they're on sale or if a farmer's market has a good deal on them. But if they don't, he's out of luck, I'll get whatever fruit is affordable at the time.

Don't add salt to your food. I know that seems impossible for some people, but I don't do it at my food tastes just fine. Instead, I have a well stocked spice cabinet (spices last a really long time too---I can't even remember the last time I had to buy any of my spices). You can season food with some lemon juice and basil/oregano/cilantro/whatever spice you like and you're good to go.

^^ this.

eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive. buy in season fruit and veggies and frozen. we are a single income family of 4 and i'm a cheapo. i buy meat in bulk especially when i catch a good sale and if you make 1 meal or so a week that is meatless you'll save money that way too. also, i do not waste. we eat leftovers all the time. if it freezes well and there is a single serving left, i will freeze it and have it at a later time. i don't coupon because a majority of what you find coupons for is processed foods.

StacyJCrain

If possible grocery shop in the mornings so that you can get the discounted meats. They are close to expiration date but still good. Pop them in the freezer until the day you cookk them. Its the only I buy Meats anymore. I have bought as much as 100 dollars worth for about 25 dollars. Farmers markets are graet fore cheap veggies and fruits. Maybe you find some one to share a garden with . Split everything own the middle.