I'm broke and hungry!

kirschenregen

So, as of right now I have no income whatsoever but I'm still trying to maintain my diet. But it's so incredibly hard. The only thing I have to eat is boxes of pasta with some spaghetti sauce and two boxes of generic Hamburger Helper (which I've been avoiding since I feel like it'll ruin my whole diet). I have a few whole grain tortillas and some canned pinto beans and lettuce which I just ate one burrito of. But I'm still so hungry! I've been sticking to eating exactly a serving size of everything I eat which makes this even harder. If I even decided out of desperation to eat the Hamburger Helper (don't even have milk anyway) it's half a cup a serving. I'm sorry but that's so ridiculous. That's like 4 forkfuls and I'm done. I dunno what to do.

hmahjoub96

have you looked into couponing? i always see people buy things for "free"

kirschenregen

have you looked into couponing? i always see people buy things for "free"

I have thought about it and would really like to. I looked at several grocery store's coupons online awhile back but didn't actually do it. I'm a horrible coupon shopper. I look at them and don't really know where to start. I wish I had someone who was into it that could sit down with me and show me how to do it properly.

Also, I have horrible social anxiety disorder so I already get paranoid in the grocery store and start thinking people are judging me. I can't even imagine whipping out 30 coupons in front of people. I really need to get over that. -_-

Confuzzled4ever

I would go get food stamps if I were you and use them wisely.. If you have nothing.. even if they give you next to nothing, it'll be something and if you watch the sales and clip coupons you'll stretch them..

wo1wendy

Does your town have a food cupboard or a FOODSHARE kind of service. The one in my town distribut food twice a month and it is usually a good amount and pretty healthy. Mine is run by some churches but you could check with the community/senior center or maybe your town website (if you have one). If this embarrasses you remember you are not the only one needing it. I think you would be surprised how many people utilize this. You might even offer to volunteer at it which in turn helps you get to know people who may have a job for you in the future. Hope your town or somewhere nearby has something for you

rensife

Follow the couponing blogs - they do all of the work for you! They direct you to what store and where to get the coupons. See if your local dollar stores sell the sunday paper for $1, and ask friends or family for leftover coupon flyers, or print the coupons online. Also, look for food pantry in your area - sometimes you can eat organic for free!

wo1wendy

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Also, I have horrible social anxiety disorder so I already get paranoid in the grocery store and start thinking people are judging me. I can't even imagine whipping out 30 coupons in front of people. I really need to get over that. -_-

hmahjoub96

have you looked into couponing? i always see people buy things for "free"

I have thought about it and would really like to. I looked at several grocery store's coupons online awhile back but didn't actually do it. I'm a horrible coupon shopper. I look at them and don't really know where to start. I wish I had someone who was into it that could sit down with me and show me how to do it properly.

Also, I have horrible social anxiety disorder so I already get paranoid in the grocery store and start thinking people are judging me. I can't even imagine whipping out 30 coupons in front of people. I really need to get over that. -_-

there are plenty of youtube videos on couponing!

wo1wendy

if you do have something like I mentioned dont feel anxious or judged. I volunteer there and the first thing you realize is everyone is in the same position noone is better or worse than someone else.

ddky

So, as of right now I have no income whatsoever but I'm still trying to maintain my diet. But it's so incredibly hard. The only thing I have to eat is boxes of pasta with some spaghetti sauce and two boxes of generic Hamburger Helper (which I've been avoiding since I feel like it'll ruin my whole diet). I have a few whole grain tortillas and some canned pinto beans and lettuce which I just ate one burrito of. But I'm still so hungry! I've been sticking to eating exactly a serving size of everything I eat which makes this even harder. If I even decided out of desperation to eat the Hamburger Helper (don't even have milk anyway) it's half a cup a serving. I'm sorry but that's so ridiculous. That's like 4 forkfuls and I'm done. I dunno what to do.

If that's really all you have, then you have to make do. If thats all you are eating then you have to eat more than a serving to get your calories in. Remember that eating too few calories will also stall your weight loss. I had spaghetti with sauce and garlic bread for supper last night. I got to have two servings of spahetti and two pieces of garlic bread to finish out my calories for the day. I think the bean and lettuce burrito sounded like a good idea. Is there a food kitchen or pantry in your area where you can get some food?

dylan_d69

try to hit a local food pantry and you can also call the saint vincen de paul in ur area they will help you with food and deliver it to you just tell them what you can eat and they will do the best they can same with any pantry and even if you can get just enough milk to make the helper you can use the serving size with the lettuce on the tortilla and it will help fill you up a bit then drink a lot of water before and after see if that will help

sofielein

Getting quick fixie jobs like washing cars or walking other people's dogs? Bit of exercise, bit of pocket money...

kirschenregen

I actually just went to a food panty a few days ago but they didn't have all that much. At least not very healthy things. That's where I got the beans and the Hamburger Helper. Other than that I just got some canned veggies and fruit.

And I applied for food stamps but I have yet to hear back from them which is getting really frustrating.

MercenaryNoetic26

Eat what you have and if that doesn't cut it seek the local pantry as others suggested. Today I dug out oats and dried beans because we were out of so much stuff.

ETA: just saw above post. Lol

Okay well I'm sure while not the healthiest it'll do! We're talking survival, right?

33Freya

Go to the foodbank and/or the local church for help.

Ed98043

Why do you stick to exactly one serving size instead of just counting the calories?

Edited to add - did you figure out the calories of the hamburger helper without any hamburger? Since you didn't say you had any, I assume there wouldn't be any in it.

JenniferNoll

The food pantry is a great idea. You can likely find one through City Hall or county government. Also, WIC could point you in that direction. St. Vincent de Paul can be reached through your local Catholic church, and you don't have to be Catholic to get help. In fact, St. Vincent de Paul often helps people out with things like medication, basic mental health care, utilities, and clothing. Their funding comes mostly from their thrift store and donations. Most churches can help you out, or at least point you in the right direction. They'll give you lots of canned and boxed goods. Things like beans and rice. Some of the food pantries can help you out with frozen goods and even some fresh fruit.

I've been where you are now back in my student days. It's a scary place to be, and I also hope you are able to find a new job fairly quickly. Good luck.

Edit: I wouldn't be concentrating on how low-cal, etc., the food is at this time. It's survival time, and you'll just have to do with what you find. I am a Katrina survivor, and I lived on donated food for months before other things became available. Make do until you are able to get a paycheck.

NYCNika

Research if there are any food co-ops in the area. They very often are looking for volunteers and offer a generous food share in return -- a LOT of fresh, often organic produce that would have been very expensive in the store for very little of your time per month.

Also, do not buy pasta as your carb sides. Organic quinoa, brown rice, steel cut oats, lentils... all of those things are far more nutritions and CHEAPER per serving than pastas. I get them from stores grain bins (the kind where you pour it in a plastic cup or bag), and a serving of organic steel cut oats comes to about 8 cents.

lessofkimberly

If you are in the states, you should dial 211 in most states that is a helpline for people. They can advise you what to do before SNAP kicks in. Try a church or a soup kitchen. If you can get one meal a day you can make the rest stretch. I will pray for you so that you can find work, even if temporary and enough food. These are tough times dont let pride stand in the way. There is help out there.

JessyJ03

Eat within your calories and you will still lose weight. It's better than not losing or gaining. Coupondivas.com is a good place to check out the couponing stuff if you are interested.

Colleen1980

Try Hip2Save for couponing. She has a great introductory section on couponing, and if you like her page on FB she posts at least a few times day about great sales/chances to get a freebie/etc.

Best of luck!

KateKatelyn

I'm broke too, I rely on my parents mostly..I hate asking them for money but since I want to continue getting healthy I have to ask them. Are you able to get food stamps ? I would do that also.

kjericks6401

The Salvation Army does a free hot lunch in many urban areas and they often have a good idea what other resources are available in the community. I used to drive a friend to the food shelf in my county and I was always suprised to see mass quantities of random produce (bagged lettuce that just expired and so forth) that you could take as much as you wanted, so there might be healthy options even if you don't have much income. Things like dried beans and lentils are actually good for you and were usually freely available at the food shelf as well.

If you do start couponing look for stores that double manufacturer coupons and try to use manufacturers coupons on items when they are on sale or on a store coupon for farther savings. I'm not an extreme couponer but have knocked as much as 1/3rd off my monthy grocery bill through smart coupon use. If you are worried about people judging you, go during times when the store is not as busy, like early on Saturday or Sunday morning so you don't feel like you are holding up the line.

It's stressful being broke and trying to eat healthy. Good luck and don't give up!

labellecanuck

I think your hunger should be prioritized over dieting right now. Regardless of how much you lose, you won't get fit if you're starving all the time.

caribear1984

Here's what I would do - call a local church and ask if they know of any resources like community meals or soup kitchens. They will be happy to help you. Also, call about your food stamps and see what is going on. In emergency cases, they are supposed to expidite your benefits. Call and bug them, and make sure they know how little food you have. I know how hard social anxiety can be, but you have to eat. I will be praying for you.

kirschenregen

Thanks for all the replies everyone. They were definitely very helpful.
I'm really going to have to make some serious effort do some couponing once I have some money. I know that'll help.
Also, I'll probably be going to some other food pantries as well.

I think I have been doing pretty okay the past week or so though. It's mostly been the past day that I've really started to run out of food. The past week I've pretty much been living off of spaghetti. But I've tried to make it as healthy as I can with 100% whole wheat pasta, spinach, and lots of tomatos. I know that I'm eating way too much pasta though even if it is whole wheat.

And to answer someone's question about why I've been choosing to make it a serving size instead of watching calories, I don't really have an answer. I guess I just figured that it would help me with portion control. I always eat way more than a serving so I decided that measuring everything would help me control my portions. Although, everyday that I'm done logging my food I never have enough calories. For example, I feel like I totally pigged out on dinner. I even let myself have some whole wheat french bread with spinach artichoke dip and more than a serving of pasta yet I still have over 900 calories left after workout calories. -_-

I'm not very good at this diet stuff obviously. I'm not very knowledgable when it comes to healthy eating or proper nutrition so I just decided to wing it. =/

DesireeLovesOrganic

A pound (bag) of dried beans is about a dollar and you can make burritos, chili, beans with veggies, beans with rice. Black beans, pinto beans, black eyed peas, kidney beans, white beans.....they last and go a long way. Protein and fiber too to make you feel fuller. Do you like pea soup and lentils? You can also get a pound of those for about a dollar. Chuck in a pot with a couple potatoes and some salt and it lasts awhile too (and filling, lots of protein and iron.) I'm sorry you are in this position. If you get hungry do you have family or friends who would help?

kirschenregen

A pound (bag) of dried beans is about a dollar and you can make burritos, chili, beans with veggies, beans with rice. Black beans, pinto beans, black eyed peas, kidney beans, white beans.....they last and go a long way. Protein and fiber too to make you feel fuller. Do you like pea soup and lentils? You can also get a pound of those for about a dollar. Chuck in a pot with a couple potatoes and some salt and it lasts awhile too (and filling, lots of protein and iron.) I'm sorry you are in this position. If you get hungry do you have family or friends who would help?

My family are pretty broke as well. All on food stamps so no, not really.
I do have a big bag of dried beans I was eyeballing earlier and the food pantry always has a bunch. I just suck at cooking so I haven't tried making them.

DesireeLovesOrganic

Do you have a crockpot? You can use a regular pan too though. I love to throw them in the crockpot with some sea salt and spices (paprika or red pepper flakes are my favorite.) I do 6 cups of water (or broth for more flavor) to 1 bag (1 pound) of dried beans. You can top with anything you have on hand, tomatoes, peppers, etc. Do you have any room to grow anything where you are? Spring is coming and seeds are cheap. I know that doesn't help NOW but in a couple months it will be helpful...

kirschenregen

Unfortunately, no to both. No crockpot (although I've seen them at Goodwill often) and nowhere to plant anything (I live in apartments).

I'll definitely look for a crockpot the next time I'm at Goodwill with money.

Tdacks

For awhile last year, I lived on just boiled beans for dinner and oatmeal for breakfast. It gets old after while, but you survive. Dry beans are much much cheaper than canned, and haven't got added sodium. Even without a crockpot, bean soup doesn't take much more cooking skill than spaghetti, it just has to be cooked for longer at a lower heat. Depending on the variety, you may have to soak them, but it will tell you exactly how on the packaging. I did it last week for the first time, it helps!

Your spaghetti sounds tasty, and you could use the same sauce/veggie with your beans and it would come out nice. Broth and onions will also perk it up, if available.

I know it is tough balancing your desire for healthy food and eating what is available. This is why so many people living in poverty are also overweight. Please don't starve yourself rather than eat something that isn't optimally nutritious, though. You have to survive.

I also have chronic anxiety, so I also know how it feels in the gut to have to ask for assistance. I'm not religious, but I will always be grateful to the local Catholic food bank for keeping us kids from starving at one point. People who run assistance programs really do care and have big hearts, and they aren't going to think negatively about you for needing help.