healthful food choices- help

brionuh

I have come to realize that the main reason why I become discouraged and give up is because I have NO idea what I am doing as far as food goes. When I shop for "healthy foods" I find that I come home with bags full of veggies and cans of tuna. What I am learning, however, is that I can't live off of tuna and veggies for the rest of my life.
My problem? Healthy meals that are also inexpensive.
I have found tons of healthful meal plans through various websites, but unfortunately, they require a ton of ingredients that are somewhat costly for my college-student budget.

help!?

dls06

Lean meats( Chicken, Turkey, Pork, Red meat? Cook a bunch at one time so you can use it all week for different meals. Saves time and money.
Fish.
Low cal low carb whole grain breads, pitas or tortillas.
Lots of fresh or frozen veggies( roasted or sauteed with a little olive oil and salt and pepper or steamed or raw for salads and snacks).
Low fat milk, cheese, yogurt.
Try to find lower carb and calorie fruits like Berries, watermellon, grapes.
Bean in chilli, hummus, veggie soups.
Lots of salads with tons of veggies just watch the cheese, croutons and dressings.
Portion control on Potatoes, Rice, Noodles, Spaghetti.
I do Low sodium everything but it's up to you.
Low fat popcorn, Low cal fudge pops, fat free pudding or jello. A handfull of Almonds or Walnuts or a tbs of peanut butter and an apple, 1 oz of a good sharp cheese with some wheat thins make good snacks.
Watch gravys, sauces, condiments they waste a lot of calories. 1/2 Sour Cream, Avacado or yogurt instead of all Mayo
Enter it a day ahead if possible so you can make the changes you need to make everything fit into your day.

brionuh

so by cooking the meats ahead of time, i can just reheat them and such? do you ever cook them and freeze them to save for a later time?
i think meats have been my biggest issue. i feel like i never have time to prepare them, so cooking them earlier in the week to reheat throughout seems like such a great idea! i don't know why the idea never crossed my mind before.

dls06

Yes you can freeze meats. I cook tons of chicken breast on a grill pan, cut it up and freeze it or a pork or beef roast. Take a portion and thaw it for salads, sandwiches or put it right in sauce for spaghetti or just heat in the microwave for another dinner with veggies and potato or rice.
I wouldn't cook and freeze fish.
You can make Chili or soup and freeze in single servings too.

LoraF83

so by cooking the meats ahead of time, i can just reheat them and such? do you ever cook them and freeze them to save for a later time?
i think meats have been my biggest issue. i feel like i never have time to prepare them, so cooking them earlier in the week to reheat throughout seems like such a great idea! i don't know why the idea never crossed my mind before.

I frequently cook meats and freeze portions for later use. Or I buy in bulk and then divide the meat up to smaller serving sizes and freeze those, so I am only using what I need. I've found that using a vaccuum sealer (like a Food Saver) makes this easier.

You might also invest in a small crock-pot.....put your meal inside in the morning and it's ready that evening. Super-easy and there are tons of recipes on the internet!

I agree with a lot of what dls06 said, but my personal preferance is not to do everything low-fat....I personally don't see the point in that - a lot of products have added sugar or sodium to make up for the lack of fat. Not worth the trade off for me. But it's everyone's personal opinion.

Also, try Barilla whole wheat pastas.....they are great! My 4 year old eats them and has never questioned why we don't have "normal" pasta anymore. Good luck!!!

dls06

I forgot to say omelets (I use egg whites for lower calories) are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Add tons of spinach and tomatoes or any kind of veggies you like or just some Salsa, or Bacon Bits and little shredded cheese. You can make sandwiches with them on a low cal pita ( I use Thomas's Sahara mini pita's) . I often have as a low cal meal or even snack.

christinehetz80

The day I decided that I wanted to make a permanent lifestyle change on my eating I also decided that I didn't want to live off of salads and baked chicken. I subscribed to tons of healthy cooking blogs and have them emailed to my inbox. I pin them or save them so that when I plan my meals for the following week I can get some good ideas before hitting the grocery store.

Some of the blogs I subscribed to

www.skinnytaste.com
www.acouplecooks.com
www.agraciouspantry.com
www.sassygourmet.com
www.perrysplate.com
www.naturallyella.com
www.cookinglight.com
www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com

Hope that helps!!!!!!! I've discovered eating healthy can definitely be yummy and I do agree crockpots and batch cooking definitely help for those nights when you don't want to spend time in the kitchen. I also food prep my veggies and fruits for the week so all I have to do is grab n go.

monicaroozo

Also, do you like black bean burgers? You can pick up things like frozen Morningstar burgers or pre-cooked chicken sausages to make sandwiches with. Cut them up and throw them into salads!

Other foods you can buy can double up as breakfasts or desserts. Plain greek yogurt with fruit (fresh or frozen) and in the morning, then use the greek yogurt with a powdered ranch or salad dressing mix to make a dip for your veggies as an afternoon snack.

Snacks:
Peanut butter and rice cakes
Sliced granny smith apples with laughing cow cheeses
Clementines
String Cheese
Nuts

Need a frozen treat?
Cut a banana in half lengthwise and put peanut butter in between the two slices like a sandwich. Cut in this half and store in the freezer for when that sweet treat craving comes on.

brionuh

this is all so very helpful and appreciated! i am so excited right now to grocery shop and prep some meals for the week! it is just so much easier to be able to run to the gym and then pop something (that didn't come in a plastic tray within a box) in the microwave/oven for a few minutes when i get home/before i go.
i will definitely check out those websites, and i will now be doing a lot of cooking/freezing to make eating throughout the week a lot easier.

thank you all SO SO SO much.

Rocbola

Bananas!!!! They are cheap, healthy, and filling. When i eat a banana breakfast in the morning, i don't overeat on anything for the rest of the day, and i feel energized and satiated without feeling weighed down.

Plus, they are the fastest, easiest, "take along" food out there. They come with their own little wrappers, and the wrappers are biodegradable, so they can be tossed anywhere.

wedjul05

I batch cook and freeze foods. Things like spicy lentil stew, chilli con carne all freeze great and even taste better.

I also cook chicken fillets with some harissa paste on a sunday for the week. I can pop them in the freezer and pull them out in the morning time for later on.

ashxo12

bump

Sabine_Stroehm

Consider doing something a bit more...formal while you learn. About 12 years ago I was in your situation. So I read a TON. I read about the Mediterranean diet, I read the South Beach Diet book...I read about the glycemic index/load.... You name it. And then I worked with the best of what I read and designed my own approach to eating healthy. Maybe start by reading up on "Clean eating". It's a fad, sure, but it's based on some damned sound principles. You could use this website as a guide to help you shop/choose/eat out/cook...

http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/what-is-clean-eating/

I just find that having a guide helps.

brionuh

that's also a really good idea. something more solid?

brionuh

bump

dumb.

jinglett

The freezer and crockpot are my friend! I put frozen or thawed chicken breasts in it in the morning with the flavor packets and add a small amount of liquid--whether it's a little pop, juice, water, beer and let cook for the day. At the end of the day it's tender and it can be shredded to be made into whatever I want it to be--whether it's a salad topping, a custom enchilada or part of a normal meat, potato, vegetable meal. I purchase the large bags of chicken breasts when they are super cheap and stock up my freezer. I also prepare lean pork loin roasts this way when they are only 1.19 a pound--most meat counter will cut and package them smaller for mere gratitude. Onion soup is my favorite on the pork---dry packet with either, coke, beer, water, pineapple juice (just need a little bit to wet the bottom of the crock. You can eat it as a roast one day and make pulled pork the next or chow mein--heavy on the veggies. Hams can be had super cheap seasonally and made in the crock with a can of chunk pineapple. I love to make my own ham salad from left overs if it lasts that long.

I also make tons of soups in my crockpot--"souper" cheap, filling and freezable. I hate cooking at supper time--love to fill my pot in the morning and have it waiting for me and my family at the end of the day.

jinglett

Some how the "grilling" flavor packets disappeared from my words. Tequilla lime is really yummy in chicken.

The freezer and crockpot are my friend! I put frozen or thawed chicken breasts in it in the morning with the flavor packets and add a small amount of liquid--whether it's a little pop, juice, water, beer and let cook for the day. At the end of the day it's tender and it can be shredded to be made into whatever I want it to be--whether it's a salad topping, a custom enchilada or part of a normal meat, potato, vegetable meal. I purchase the large bags of chicken breasts when they are super cheap and stock up my freezer. I also prepare lean pork loin roasts this way when they are only 1.19 a pound--most meat counter will cut and package them smaller for mere gratitude. Onion soup is my favorite on the pork---dry packet with either, coke, beer, water, pineapple juice (just need a little bit to wet the bottom of the crock. You can eat it as a roast one day and make pulled pork the next or chow mein--heavy on the veggies. Hams can be had super cheap seasonally and made in the crock with a can of chunk pineapple. I love to make my own ham salad from left overs if it lasts that long.

I also make tons of soups in my crockpot--"souper" cheap, filling and freezable. I hate cooking at supper time--love to fill my pot in the morning and have it waiting for me and my family at the end of the day.

meechi53

Ground Turkey or Turkey sausage, whole wheat pitas, different cheeses, hummus..

I make pita pizzas with whole wheat pita, about a tablespoon of pizza sauce, 1/8 cup of shredded mozzarella then add spinach, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, sometimes some cooked ground turkey. YUM!

Hummus is good with veggies or as a sandwich spread too.

spigenerb

Like said above. Cook, freeze, thaw repeat. I cook 3-4 days worth (around 25 meals) at a time. I would do more but my wife won't let me use anymore freezer/ refrigerator space.

An example is right now I am sitting on my last full day of food before i have to cook again. There are 4 tilapia fillets, half a baked potato, 8oz of brisket, 16 boiled eggs, a sweet potato, various fruits and veggies. All I have to do is pop them in the microwave.

Ready to eat foods are good to. Greek yogurt, Grapenuts, Frozen wild blueberries. I mix all three together and its a great snack. You can substitute the grapenuts with raw oats. The put all three in the blender for a nice smoothie.