How to eat clean on a budget?

WILSONBA

I am a young female living on my own and trying to pay the bills. how do you eat healthy ( say 50-60 bucks a week) and clean? only thing i can really afford are pastas and some fruit. i think i'm over eating starch and processed sugar but i don't know how to change it up. i sometimes eat meat but that's when i can afford it. when i walk into my kitchen the question is do i want quesadillas or spaghetti. i'm so tired of pasta but don't know how to get out of this food rut!

Jaxper

To name a few:

chicken (SKINLESS)
any fish
shrimp
crab
scallops
turkey breast, legs
lean steaks (sirloin, flank, flat iron, filet) - if you feel like splurging sometime
lean ground beef
pork tenderloin
greek yogurt
sottage cheese
spinach salad (vegetables in general, like peas, carrots, squash or corn)
fruits in general
egg whites/beaters
oatmeal
rice (brown, wild or longrain, NOT white) and beans
red or sweet potatoes (only in small amounts)
hummus

Biggest thing is to drink a lot of water and cut out sugary drinks (mainly soda)

That'd be a good place to start, and there are definitely much more options out there!
Good luck!

mrobinson0805

Ward's has good meats at good prices. Their fruits and veggies are cheap too. Also farmer's markets have good produce prices. You may have to go to more than 1 place to stretch your budget. I usually go to Ward's, Wal-Mart. and Publix. Make a list and stick to it.

spaingirl2011

As a single young female myself, I say never underestimate the power of your crockpot and your freezer. You can buy food in bulk, cook it up, freeze it in single serving portions and then heat it up later. Soups, stews, lasagna, chicken, hamburgers/turkey burgers all can be frozen. Buy clean food on sale, cook it and freeze it. Hope this helps some!

sollyn

Grated carrot, raw beetroot, red cabbage,
sliced peppers, white cabbage,
Stir fry white cabbage with a bit of lean bacon and have with baked potato and peas.
If you have a freezer, get frozen veg to stirfry, this will reduce wastage.
These are my regular standby's.

Good luck.

mountainmare

I'm married and our food budget for the two of us is in that range. We eat clean and don't have a problem. Don't buy processed foods--you eat pasta, do you make your own sauce or try pairing it with veggies. If you stay completely out of the center of the store and plan plan plan your meals based on what is on sale you'll be fine.

WILSONBA

thanks everyone, this has been very helpful. now to wait till pay day to start this "cleaner" eating!

RealHealthQuest

They tell you to shop the perimeter of the grocery store for your health, but that is also true for your wallet. Toss out the processed foods and focus on fruits and veggies and you will easily pay less. Also adding veggies or 'filler' in any dish will amp up the volume making you consume less calories and also stretch the food. Think of it this way: pasta sauce with ground meat is how much volume? Pasta sauce with meat, zuchinni, onion, mushrooms, spinach, etc...means a lot more in the same dish. Your pasta sauce will go farther and be more filling, you get the veggies you need, and you stretch your meat out over more meals.

For protein options i highly suggest eggs which are as cheap as you can get. Also tofu by the pound is 1.99 about vs. 6.99 or more for other meats. I also love sardines. At about $1 a can you can get your omega 3s and still come out with a full wallet.

When you see frozen seafood, chicken, etc... on sale, buy it! It might be more at that time, but over the long run it will be cheaper.

Things such as brown rice and beans, if prepared yourself, are much cheaper than already prepared. Make a big pot at once and reuse in different dishes throughout the week.

Frozen is your friend. Buy frozen veggies and fruit if you cant eat it all in the same week. Again, if these are on sale, stock up. They wont go bad, and they are just as healthy as fresh.

Acg67

Pack of 12 only $56.98 shipped from Amazon

maab_connor

do you have an Aldi near you? or another discount grocer? i can feed me and the roomie for about $80/wk from there.

Allie_71

Also the farmer's market is your best friend. Usually way cheaper than the grocery and you're less tempted by quick fix items.

maab_connor

Also the farmer's market is your best friend. Usually way cheaper than the grocery and you're less tempted by quick fix items.

heck yeah! amish markets opened mid may and i LOVE it!!

WILSONBA

Pack of 12 only $56.98 shipped from Amazon

which product?

kwin91

What everybody has listed is really good, the markets and such. Try eating tuna, its cheap and is packed with protein and omegas.

WILSONBA

do you have an Aldi near you? or another discount grocer? i can feed me and the roomie for about $80/wk from there.

i think the alternative store would be winn dixie

jamiem1102

Lentils are an amazing food. They taste delicious, FILL you up, filled with protein and fiber, and are very versatile. I oftentimes put lentils in my pasta sauce. You can also make your own pasta sauce for really cheap -- (i.e. ground beef/turkey, tomato puree, whole tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, paprika (if you have it), crushed red pepper, (lentils) and a little olive oil ) that's like 6 or 7 servings for maybe 30 bucks? Freeze it and have at it.

I also agree with the Farmer's Market suggestion. Produce is cheaper and tastes way better.

Good luck!!!

monkeybrain2012

You've gotten some good suggestions already. The important thing for me is to not let anything go to waste. I save all the little bits and pieces of vegetables and meats (even bones) and keep them in a bag in the freezer. I make a soup out of all of it when I have saved enough. It's delicous and it's like a free meal. Same thing with fruits. If the kids ate half a banana the other half goes in the freezer and same with all other bits of fruits. I've made some great smoothies this way.
I buy brown rice in bulk and once a week I cook a big pot of it. First I might have it plain with some soy sauce. The next morning I might use some of it to make rice pudding for breakfast, the next meal I might take some more and mix it with beans and salsa, or pour chilli over it or I might make rice pancakes with apple sauce. That way for me it's faster to get my meals ready and I don't have to waste any more energy to cook the rice because it's already cooked. You have to get creative with your meals...
Here is a website I might recommend to you with frugal yet healthy meal ideas
http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com

WILSONBA

wow again thanks for all the suggestions, i am def. going to switch over to clean maybe then i'll shed these last 10 pounds!

Jugie12

get wal-mart brand chicken breasts and tilapia - that stuff is the bomb and is cheap! Invest in a jug of egg whites (www.eggwhitesint.com) - i get mine for $30, lasts me 3 weeks or so, depending on how I use it. You can drink them straight not slimey, no flavor, consistency of water and is treated to be safe to drink straight) - make a protein shake with it, bake with it, scramble it or make an omelett... whatever. Adds a lot of good protein and variety with limited funds.

TUNA!! cheapy stuff - Bumble Bee or wal-mart brand. Make it your buddy!

this is just stuff i do that I can think of off the top of my head. Also spend a few bucks and get yourself some spices - cilantro, garlic powder, cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, etc. Those are the main ones I use, actually, and I have lots of yummy recipes for simple stuff if you need them! Add me!

lahstrand

I agree with everyone's suggestions. Find a grocery store that has bulk. Whole grains will fill you up! I make a pot of steel cut oats that last my daughter a whole week. I add in some frozen blueberries or diced apple. It equals like $2.00 for a whole week of breakfast for 2 of us! Same with brown rice and quinoa in bulk. Plus, it freezes really well too.

Frozen spinach is one of the best cost efficient foods. Have you ever sauteed fresh spinach? You need a lot! I've heard that the frozen boxes of spinach start off as 6 cups of fresh spinach and you can get them for under $2. I usually only get frozen berries unless it is peak season. Otherwise they go bad quickly. Sometimes frozen is the better bet for nutrients too. if your food has traveled a long distance than usually the frozen has more nutrients because it is picked at peak and flash frozen right away. Travelling hundreds if not thousands of miles to get to you doesn't help it keep flavor either. Farmer's markets are great for that too.

BigDaddyBRC

What is this "clean" you speak of? Your body has natural filters.
Eat in moderation with what your budget allows.

sarahrbraun

one thing I haven't seen anyone mention...check with the store and find out when they mark down meat that is close to the sell-by date. I have often bought meat that is marked down because it is a few days from the sell by date, then I take it home and pop it into the freezer until I am ready to use it. Right this minute I have like 4 trays of chicken nuggets in the freezer--I couldn't pass them up for quick lunches for the kids. They are usually close to $5 a tray, but I got them for $1.50 a tray because they were close to date.

gatorginger

I see you live in Gville well we are practically neighbors as I'm from Citra. You should try shopping at publix, they have bogo sales every week and you can use a coupon for the one your buying and the one you get free making the product even more cheaper. Also winn dixie has a lot of bogo deals on their meat. We buy whatever fruit is on sale that week but always get bananas regardless.

You can save so much just using coupons. Feel free to add me as a friend if you have anymore questions about couponing.

WILSONBA

I see you live in Gville well we are practically neighbors as I'm from Citra. You should try shopping at publix, they have bogo sales every week and you can use a coupon for the one your buying and the one you get free making the product even more cheaper. Also winn dixie has a lot of bogo deals on their meat. We buy whatever fruit is on sale that week but always get bananas regardless.

You can save so much just using coupons. Feel free to add me as a friend if you have anymore questions about couponing.

yes i mainly shop at publix and use there sales, but i always end up flocking to the bad starchy foods causing my little belly to never disapear!

WILSONBA

What is this "clean" you speak of? Your body has natural filters.
Eat in moderation with what your budget allows.

clean means not processed fresh and from the earth

WILSONBA

thanks everyone for all the suggestions, i am definitely taking everything into consideration and using all the advice i can get!!

ashfuse

I don't think chicken nuggest classify as "clean". Have you read what is in them? I wouldn't give that to my dog. Now, you can easily make your own and they taste much better Ground chicken, bread like you would anything else to fry, bake in the oven at like 350 or so for 30 min I think? Google to make sure.

ashfuse

I don't think chicken nuggets classify as "clean". Have you read what is in them? I wouldn't give that to my dog. Now, you can easily make your own and they taste much better Ground chicken, bread like you would anything else to fry, bake in the oven at like 350 or so for 30 min I think? Google to make sure.

KickboxFanatic

I read this blog when I started on my clean eating lifestyle: http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/100-days-on-a-budget/

MzPix

I'm always so surprised (and saddened) when I see threads about clean eating on a budget and no one suggests growing some of your own food. Even if you live in an urban apartment, there are so many numerous ways to grow at least a percentage of your own foods. Many urban areas offer community gardens now too. Porches, fire escapes, balconies, and roofs can be used as small places to garden. Windowsills can host herbs. Even a certain amount of produce can just be grown in indoor pots.
There are also bartering options with local farmers. Many of them will barter single eggs instead of eggs by the dozen, half-cups of honey, 2-3 pieces of fruit, milk by the pint, etc. in exchange for things, or even in exchange for labor. Some farms and eco-village communities will trade a whole basket of fresh food for a few hours labor each week. Some CSAs are set up this way.
We've been growing our own food for only a year now but our grocery bill is almost half what it used to be. This year our neighbors and us are trying to grow different crops than one another so we can trade more. Our goal is to be completely self-sustaining within 5 years with no dependence whatsoever on grocery stores or utility companies.
I think it's really important to include self-sustainability and self-reliance to any conversation about clean eating and budgeting.