Eating healthy on a budget?

AGG115

I am seriously broke. Like, no joke, I may overdraft my bank account if my baby needs more formula before payday. I'd love to eat more fruits and veggies, fresh meat instead of processed, and whole grains instead of cheap, value-priced breads. What I can afford now is a packet of instant oatmeal for breakfast, maybe a PBJ for dinner, and I'm beginning to frequent Wendy's dollar menu and buying the chili for lunch. Because of this I'm also frequently below my daily recommended calories, so I'm afraid my body's going to go into starvation mode and save every calorie it can.

How do I eat healthy when I have about $40 every two weeks for groceries? I think it's impossible!

erickirb

Try going to a bulk food store and only buy what you need, they have oatmeal, cereal, and a lot of other healthy options and you can spend whatever amount you want as you determine the quantity. Good luck.

lawkat

Where do you shop? Do you have a choice of grocery stores to choose from? You could look through their fliers and see which store has the best deal. Also, you should do a little recipe research to find dishes that don't take much ingredients, but are good for you. Plus if you cook something say chili, you can freeze it for future meals. There are also various websites that offer coupons. That might help with finding healthier options and not breaking the bank.

darman

I am seriously broke. Like, no joke, I may overdraft my bank account if my baby needs more formula before payday. I'd love to eat more fruits and veggies, fresh meat instead of processed, and whole grains instead of cheap, value-priced breads. What I can afford now is a packet of instant oatmeal for breakfast, maybe a PBJ for dinner, and I'm beginning to frequent Wendy's dollar menu and buying the chili for lunch. Because of this I'm also frequently below my daily recommended calories, so I'm afraid my body's going to go into starvation mode and save every calorie it can.

How do I eat healthy when I have about $40 every two weeks for groceries? I think it's impossible!

I feel some of you pain - it truly is hard to try and shop healthy on a limited budget - like the others have said it takes effort but you can find good deals if you diligently search
Your story has touched my heart - I will say a prayer for you today!

tamarads

Try this website for inexpensive dinners www.5dollardinners.com she has some great meals and she lists recipes on her site as well as recently releasing her new book. Have you checked into WIC, Woman, Infant and Children, assistance? You may qualify and that would help with the cost of formula and basics. Best of luck.

WShope

Try buying the Campbell's Select Harvest soups. They are packed with veggies and nutrients. The are low in sodium and calories. I found 2 coupons in Sundays paper for them too.

TheMaidOfAstolat

Is the $40 for you or for the family? I know that formula is anywhere from $15-$30 per cannister.
The easiest thing to do is to shop the outside edges of the store. No processed foods. It can be cheaper to eat healthy than to eat junk....it just depends on what is in season.
Right now clementines and bananas are pretty cheap.
Always keep several boxes of whole wheat pasta on hand (just in case...my hubby and I have about 6 boxes in the pantry, should we go broke).
Buy oatmeal by the large store brand canister (it's all pretty much the same)...just make it on the stove in large batches and put single servings in containers to reheat later.
Buy meat when it's on sale in bulk and freeze some (this is what my mom did while I was growing up-I'm a vegetarian so I couldn't tell you how much meat costs now).
I know how you feel...my hubby lost his job almost a year ago...we've been living off my income alone (that's two adults, one 6 yr old, and 3 dogs).

weaverc

I don't really know anything about your situation, but maybe you should look into some programs that will aid you financially. WIC is a wonderful program that helps provide food for new mother and formula for babies. There are other programs as well depending on what state you live in. I work in Social Services and I would be happy to help you identify services that might work for you if you need help!

czar1978

Hello!

Have you thought about buying bulk legumes (various beans, peas, lentils) and rice? These tend to be fairly inexpensive. Also, try to incorporate more vegetarian meals into your meal planning. You can get your protein from the beans. Going meatless more often will definitely save you money.

A few more ideas: Watch sales and use coupons. You can buy frozen vegetables and fruit (no sugar added). These are just as healthy as the fresher, higher-priced versions. Buy the store brand versus name brand foods. Stock up when the stores have mega sales, e.g. 10 for $10, buy one, get one. I always look for the reduced sections in the produce, meats, dairy, and bakery. Many times you can get something for more than half-off just because it is nearing its sell by/expiration date. You can buy foods in larger portions and then divide them up at home and freeze for later use. Also, look for breads/rolls in the store's bakery section. You can usually find healthy versions at a lower cost.

Finally, if you have the room, grow it yourself! I plant beans, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and more. I have an abundance of fresh vegetables all season long, and I freeze/preserve whatever we don't eat and share with friends. This saves me a ton of money of vegetables throughout the late fall, winter, and spring. (I live in Michigan; growing season isn't too long.) If you can't grow your own, find someone who does and hope they share with you!

butterfly09

Try going on Coupons.com for diaper coupons and use generic brand formula, its the same ingredients and the expensive stuff.

AwMyLoLo

Try this website for inexpensive dinners www.5dollardinners.com she has some great meals and she lists recipes on her site as well as recently releasing her new book. Have you checked into WIC, Woman, Infant and Children, assistance? You may qualify and that would help with the cost of formula and basics. Best of luck.

Great website! Thanks for the link! My husband just started back to school full time so we will be surviving off of my income for the next few years. We have always shopped at Aldi, if you have that where you live I recommend it. We're trying to think of more ways to cut costs... We have cancelled our cable and home phone service, I dropped my gym membership and ordered P90X, and we will be cutting back on our meal costs (which is a huge deal because we really enjoy quality foods). Fortunately, it's just me and him that we have to worry about. For you, I would definitely look into assistance such as WIC, shopping at discount grocery stores such as Aldi, and buying in bulk. Best of luck to you and your family. :flowerforyou:

passionhi

I am on a strict budget as well, so I will give a a slight variation on my weekly grocery list

1 lb ground turkey or ground beef
1 pkg turkey burger
1 pkg of skinless chicken breast
1 box of pre-packaged oatmeal / or grits
1 bag of whole grain rice
1-2 pkgs of frozen veggies
tomatoes
bananas
apples
nuts
whole wheat pasta
reduced fat graham crackers/cookies
eggs
milk

As I said before this a slight variation of my list, because I have a 5 yr old so what she wants/likes ( but still healthy) is added in and my tastes for the week. This list should be cost $30-40 depending upon on where you live and gorocery shop. And it should last you about 2 weeks, if you are the only one eating, and you can take what you cook for dinner to lunch the next day. I hope this helps.

benmarcum

i was really able to stock up at sams this past week. found 6lbs of boneless skinless chicken breast for $9 and bought a whole 12 pound pork loin for $17 which i then brought home and trimmed and broke down to lean chops. there should be enough meat around here to keep me going for awhile.

because of my schedule i am not able to keep fresh veggies around that often, but i have found that some frozen (like peas, corn, and lima beans) taste pretty decent and are cheap (i go with store brand)

birgithooker

I sent you a message but then I got to thinking. Aldi is a terrific place to shop. AwMyLoLo suggested that too. In fact I just went grocery shopping and that's where I went. They have a brand called Fit & Active which has low fat alternatives. I just picked up turkey burgers from Aldi. And for snacks, they have low cal snacks that are 100 calories. Try the chocolate creme cakes-awesome! They have fresh produce and a dairy aisle where you can get string cheese or other cheese. I was able to get stuff for salad, yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese, and milk there. They have everything. They also have baby care items like wipes and diapers. NOt sure about the diapers, but I have tried the wipes to save a few bucks and they are ok. Check it out. If I went to the grocery store and stocked up for the family it would cost me $2-300 for three of us, my husband, myself and our son. For half that, I can have a pretty good stock if I go to Aldi. Stock up on lentils and brown rice to have in case you are low on cash at the end of the month.

Also, ask your pediatrician if they have sample cans of formula. They get them in to give out to patients. I know when my son was little my ped asked me all the time if I needed any samples. And not sure what brand you use but Enfamil sends out a lot of coupons for formula. I eventually switched my son when he went to milk based because I could not afford not to. I would at times have $15.00 worth of coupons. Also they would send free cans in the mail. Check out their website. They didn't email me crap or send a lot of junk mail, just coupons and formula. Not sure about Similac. My husband works for P & G and they have a website, P & G brandsaver. They will send you free coupons and samples if you sign up. I haven't signed up because I don't think I can as he's an employee.

Carleybby

You should see if you have food banks in your area.

Good luck.

nat47361

Do you have an Aldi? They are starting to carry fresh meats and vegetables at a reasonale price

breezy81

I know it's hard and takes a lot of work, first of all check into any programs that may help you. They are there for people to use while getting on their feet. Secondly, price match, coupons and plan menues. I run a daycare and have 8 children plus my family of 4 to feed 3 times a day, I do this for around $600/mo, my sister spends three times that fro her fam of 5 because she doesnt price shop. Walmart will match most ads. Plan menues so you can use some of the previous nights dinner for the next nights, liek chilie on spagettie noodle, buy the whole wheat.

Also, if you have to overdraft your account(and I've been there) make sure you get everything you need at once, formula diapers what ever it may be and only pay one fee. If I had to do that I would sometimes write the check for 20 over so I had cash if I neededit and wouldnt pay a second fee. If I didn't need it I put it back.

Look into WIC that is a great program and you can get what baby needs food wise so it should free up some more $$$.

Good luck,

msarro

Do you have time to cook?
There's a saying among healthy eaters: "walk the perimeter." That means stick to the outermost parts of the grocery store. That'll usually take you through a) produce, b) meats, c) dairy. That's most of your food groups wiped out right there, and from those you can cook up just about anything.

Also, the more willing you are to cook, the cheaper food becomes. I'm a veg so I don't worry about the meats, but I do use a lot of dried beans (incredibly cheap, can be bought in bulk). If you're on a crazy tight budget you can look into whole grain pastas, just make sure you're actually eating one serving size. A box of pasta usually contains 7-8 servings.

Do you have farmers markets near you? Often they have cheaper produce since its farmer direct, and there's no middle men to get their 2 cents out of it. Road side farm stands are often even cheaper since they don't even have to pay rent. There's a lot of options.

Do you have any way to join a food co-op, or local CSA? CSA's may seem expensive, but the 200-400$ you spend will provide you with a couple big boxes of veggies every week through the entire farm season. Plus you're helping to support the local farm community.

Basically my biggest points: buy simple ingredients to cook your own foods (that includes bread), and shop around for prices. I wish I could help more I've been there, and focusing on cooking everything myself really helped me lose weight, stay fed, and save money.

bosanka

Here are some great tips that should help you out.

Only thing i can add to the other things like

wic- coupons, defenetely price match- and stuff like that is

cook your own food !

Buying processed food is not only slowing our progress on weight loss but - it's not healthy and it's not cheap- it may seem cheap but it's not.
One small example.

One can of .. whatever soup - is mostly considered to be " 2 servings " .. one small can of soup.. i don't know anyone that can get full of a half can of soup - - you pay for it anywhere between .. what.. 1.50-2.50 $ i don't know don't buy them..
but they are - not fresh- that's a canned soup, it has sodium ' even the " reduced sodium versions " have still to much sodium in it.. and that can - is only good enough for .. you.. one meal..

for almost the same money you can " boil your own water, add your own spices, add a carrot or two ( which is pretty much cheap fresh or frozen ) .. add a bag of frozen veggies - stroe brands alway good options .. and for example " fry's " in my areas- has them almost all the time at 0.75 cents per bag ! of ANY vegtable - washed- cut ready to go..
you can boil a small piece of chicken cut it in small pieces, you can add small amount of noodles or what ever you like
there you go a whole batch of soup for you and few more people - and you can make many servings for the same amount of that " one can " - much better- fresh- healthier..
This is just one example.
I never buy any " potatoe" products.. like frozen potatoes.. or fries etc.. why ?
A bag of " any-thing potatoe frozen in bags ..c osts what .. about 2-3-4 $ p er bag.. and it's abo ut .. 2 lbs..
A bag of potatoes you can get on sale 10 lbs sometimes for 99 cents.. all you need to do is peel them yourself and cut them the way you need them..

So

Potatoes, beans, rice, pasta - help my family out saving money
frozen veggies
seasonal fruits

price match at wal mart- this saves me a ton of money on produce - i get all the " local farmers markets adds and take them to wal mart get the best deals at one place -

i print coupons at home - almost every week - i have them organized by

food
clean supply
cosmetics
etc.. because- every cent you save on .. let's say " cleaning supply " can be a cent more towards your groceries..
so watch for those coupons they are worth it.

plan your meals. I can't plan every meal exactly . But i have at least some " rough " idea of the menu before i go shopping.. Will it be chicken or fish ? turkey or beef ? .. will it be peas and some potatoes .. or broccoli ? .. decide and another thing is don't strictly go by your shopping list- because once you get to the store and see that the item on you list is more expensive that another alternative vegtable- switch to the " on sale ' version and do something with it instead.

I have a family of 5 - one income.. not very big- and a mortgage to pay. Lost my job in february last year..
I know how to live on a budget- this are hard times- but not the hardest i have been through coming from " bosnia ' which has been in the war in the 90's .. going thrugh that " hardship- and hunger " .. you learn to deal with tough situations, but you also learn how to manage on a little..
My biggest " secret " is- just do everything yourself- might be a little more work than you are used to- but it's healthier , cheaper and better for the environment- because we don't give credit to the companies and factories that harm the environment with their business..

Hopes this helps..

check here every coupple days- http://microsite.coupons.com/Couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=10980&zid=or59&nid=10

print coupons for cereals- and buy them when they are on sale - sometimes i end up buying cereals that are usually like 4-5 $ - with the store sale and my c oupon i end up paying no more that 2 $ per box- and i always get the healthier and more quality..

don't buy anything without at least 3-4 gram of fiber in it ( talking about cereals ) if it doesn't have the fiber in it- will not keep you full so it's like eating empty calories and throwing your money away- so .. watch the fiber content..

laundry detergent- print it - i don't stick to a particular brand- can't affor now-a -days.. so what's on sale i get it.. and try to combine with the coupon.. last week got laundry softener - usual cost more than 4.50 - i ended up paying 1 $ ! .. so defenitely a bargain..

aag1030

price match at wal mart- this saves me a ton of money on produce - i get all the " local farmers markets adds and take them to wal mart get the best deals at one place -

It's true AG - I know a gal who collects ALL of the Sunday ads for all the grocery stores, makes a list, and then goes to Wal-Mart and gets all of the other stores sale prices. She said it can take lil while but it's worth it!!

I'm always praying for you guys!! Love ya!!!

C_Beesley

Peanut Butter - this is a GOOD FAT and it's cheap!!! OR EGGS!!! they are cheap too and they are a good fat! Chicken is extremely cheap and it can last you for a long time! You can buy one pack of 6 chicken breats for $6 and that will last you for 6 days (6 dinners)... I am on a pretty tight budget as well and these are the kinds of things i have managed to get that help up my calorie intake and are actually good for the diet process.
Hope this helps

pannellkat

I wish you had a 99c Only Store in your area but I did not see any in Denver. These stores are amazing! Lots of fruits and veggies for a dollar and sometimes you can find some really good name brand items in the frozen section while supplies last. Definitely works out on a budget.

How about Fresh n Easy? They have a 50% off section for meats, bread, fruits, etc. that has the same day expiration. If it is meat, as long as you freeze it on that day, it is still good. I've gotten a loaf of bread for 50 cents, 8 ounces of salmon for $3.00, 2 lb bag of apples for a dollar, etc. when I look for their deals.

Make sure you precious baby has formula first. Good luck!

PureAndHealthy

I didn't read all of the other posts, but have to mention southersavers.com - my sister spends $150 a month for her whole family on groceries including their specialty needs like goat milk using "extreme couponing" tactics. Other than that, I highly recommend dried beans (like a dollar for a pound and cook up a huge pot-full), brown rice (just bought organic yesterday for .86/lb and again, cooks up to make a ton), in season produce (bought a 10 pound bag of potatoes for $2 a couple weeks ago and 3 pound bag of onions for $1.50, bunch of bananas for $1.11 - .39/lb.. you get the idea). And forget the packets of oatmeal, buy the canister. It'll come out cheaper by the ounce AND is healthier.

NykkieC

Hello! I just came across this article and I thought it might help

http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/39474/americas-cheapest-health-foods/

bosanka

I agree 99 cents only store is great ! i have one in my area and i always check them otu first before any thing else- because they get always different products and have lots' of organic produce and other things. Amazing ! .. Other week got a whole basket full for 42 $.. and there was at least 90$ worht of food.. So if you have one anywhere in your area- defenetely check it out- this is not a regular " dollar " store- i like them cause they seem neat and clean.. and not as dusty as other dollar stores