CHEAP but healthy

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Replies

  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
    Maybe this will help you also! :)

    http://www.poorgirleatswell.com

    THIS was a great site! Thank you!
  • lp91413
    lp91413 Posts: 48 Member
    bump....we are on a tight budget since we are paying for our own wedding this fall, and I totally agree that eating healthy can be more expensive.
  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
    Frozen fruits and veggies can be less expensive, and generally taste just about as good in most recipes. I have started making recipes with tofu and/or beans instead of meat. Get those big containers of plain yogurt and mix in your own fresh/frozen fruit - cheaper than the little guys and super healthy.
  • marias2gaa
    marias2gaa Posts: 118 Member
    Eating healthy should not be expensive. Just don't buy packaged "health foods." The best foods for you tend to be the simplest, you just need to do a little more prepping and cooking.

    Brown rice.
    Oats.
    Seasonal fruits and veggies
    Potatoes
    Eggs
    Chicken
    Canned tuna
    Beans
    Corn tortillas

    Done.

    This is my grocery list for the most part lol!
  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
    Oh yes - and SWEET POTATOES. You can get enough for an entire week for like $1-2, and there are a ton of ways to make them - pretty much anything you would do with a regular potato, but with more nutrients. I like to cube sweet potatoes and saute them with frozen veggies, then add an egg to make a hash.
  • sally414
    sally414 Posts: 51
    A great website to find budget friendly recipes: budgetbytes.blogspot.com

    This is one of my faves, and I usually cut her recipes in half since I only have a 2 person household, so it's even less expensive!
  • pollyineedtobeskinny
    pollyineedtobeskinny Posts: 362
    Get frozen veg, less effort and cheaper :-) you can store it for longer too. Lots of chicken, tuna, fish, potatoes, fruit..
  • monjacq1964
    monjacq1964 Posts: 291 Member
    The "diet" foods are expensive, for sure. Try to eat less packaged things, cook in big batches and freeze them, for instance a good healthy veggie chili is cheap to make, and hella nutritious. That way, if you're in a hurry, you can pull that out of the freezer, rather than one of those packaged diet frozen dinners. You can control the fat, sodium, etc.
  • daisiemae123
    daisiemae123 Posts: 277 Member
    Lots of great ideas and websites I can't wait to look at.
  • PaulineKK
    PaulineKK Posts: 30
    I find that you can buy a lot of spices and nuts at Indian (as in Asian Indian) stores usually for quite less than in regular supermarkets.

    Also, if you like things like Miso soup, which is supposed to be very healthy, check your other Asian stores.

    I know in rural areas this can be a challenge.
  • determined2lose89
    determined2lose89 Posts: 342 Member
    I had this problem at the very beginning of my weight loss journey. I had about a $40/week food budget for 2 people but I made it work so, here's my tips:

    #1) FLYER SALES! So important! If something is on for a good price, buy a few. You'll commonly find that whole wheat pastas, rice, low fat yogurt, cheese strings, whole grain crackers and canned beans (try to get the no sodium added or rinse them thoroughly...canned beans commonly go on sale for $0.88-$0.99/per can.....when they do, I buy at least 12 cans) all go on sale for cheap.
    #2) Buy in season fresh veggies/fruit only and get the rest frozen. Frozen vegetables taste pretty much the same after cooking them.
    #3) Don't waste money on "100 calorie" packages of crackers. Buy a box and some little baggies and measure it out yourself.
    #4) COUPON! I'm not sure where you live, but research online where you can get coupons for your area. I save about $15 a week on my grocery bill by couponing.

    Hoping this helps you!

    PS: Feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like some cheap recipes too :smile:
  • DoomCakes
    DoomCakes Posts: 806 Member
    I had this problem at the very beginning of my weight loss journey. I had about a $40/week food budget for 2 people but I made it work so, here's my tips:

    #1) FLYER SALES! So important! If something is on for a good price, buy a few. You'll commonly find that whole wheat pastas, rice, low fat yogurt, cheese strings, whole grain crackers and canned beans (try to get the no sodium added or rinse them thoroughly...canned beans commonly go on sale for $0.88-$0.99/per can.....when they do, I buy at least 12 cans) all go on sale for cheap.
    #2) Buy in season fresh veggies/fruit only and get the rest frozen. Frozen vegetables taste pretty much the same after cooking them.
    #3) Don't waste money on "100 calorie" packages of crackers. Buy a box and some little baggies and measure it out yourself.
    #4) COUPON! I'm not sure where you live, but research online where you can get coupons for your area. I save about $15 a week on my grocery bill by couponing.

    Hoping this helps you!

    PS: Feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like some cheap recipes too :smile:

    ^ This, I was just about to type something similar when I saw this.

    ALWAYS look for sales. Sometimes frozen veggies are on sale cheaper than fresh. Always aim for whats in season (I LOVE strawberries, but I will not buy them out of season, almost 2 dollars more!!) Something I heard, and it's pretty true, most of the healthy stuff is on the outter edge of the store, not the inner aisles. Also, don't fall for gimmicky foods with the "low fat" and "low cal" titles. They usually have extra stuff or trick you in serving sizes. Eating good does not have to be hard or expensive ^_^
  • atrebor18
    atrebor18 Posts: 235 Member
    Not sure if you have an Aldi around you, but you could save some money by buying some items there.

    I totally agree! I alway's go to Aldi's first because they carry staples for super cheap like brown rice and frozen veggies. They also have been having more "healthy foods" I want like almond milk. I got a cart full of stuff there for 20 bucks but then went to my local whole foods and got two things for that much, granted they were specialty items so I justified it. I read somewhere that frozen veggies can actually be healthier then fresh sometimes because they are frozen at their peak. I agree with farmer markets though, super fresh and shopping local are both great things.
  • heatherk72
    heatherk72 Posts: 34 Member
    Thanks for this link!
  • starfish475
    starfish475 Posts: 11
    Hey ..Lentil beans are a great source of protien and very easy to cook...
  • Katie320
    Katie320 Posts: 61 Member
    Hey ..Lentil beans are a great source of protien and very easy to cook...

    Agreed! I just made a great lentil soup this week in the crock pot (if you don't have a crock pot, get one) that fed me and my husband for at least 3 meals. It was delicious, low-calorie and super filling! Here's the recipe: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2012/12/lentil-minestrone-soup-recipe.html. You could make a batch and freeze it so that you have quick, healthy lunches.
  • sbrooks0387
    sbrooks0387 Posts: 167 Member
    frozen veggies can be found for about $1 a bag for the basic store brand ones.
    Tuna
    Chicken (if you can buy in bulk and freeze. where i am thats a $3 difference a pound, you could re-do your budget to include some bulk buying. an item or two a week in bulk)
    fruit in season. check out an Aldi's or save-a-lot or other discount store that tend to have fruit that is in season so it's cheaper.
    brown rice
    dried beans (just have to plan ahead if you soak them over night)
  • SteveJWatson
    SteveJWatson Posts: 1,225 Member
    This won't help you if you live in the town but...

    I find animal protein is the most expensive thing to buy so, I take a day off every two weeks in winter to beat on my local shoot - I get paid (not much) and as many pheasants as I can carry away ( will take maybe 4 brace per shoot). Rabbits are a pain - if you can find someone who shoots them in the fur they probably wont charge you more than 50p. Its amazing what venison costs if you know the right gamekeepers in the right pubs I have been known to return on a friday night with the back end of a deer over my shoulder......

    Other than that; look for when the supermarkets reduce whole salmon because its due out of date the next day. Take it home, fillet it off and freeze in portions. Lesser known fish are often cheap - Morrisons used to sell dabs (small flatfish) and they were never expensive and they are tastier than plaice, IMO.

    You can get dead cheap nuts, rice etc if you buy in bulk from the 'ethnic' isle of your supermarket or find a chinese/indian grocers.
  • jessready
    jessready Posts: 129 Member
    http://www.ebfarm.com/user/register?destination=node/3657

    sign up for coupons....I've gotten free carrots at walmart before with them. Every bit of savings help

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