I need cheap, healthy and filling food ideas!

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I really want to get this weight off but I seriously need some help on some healthy food for not much cost. My family is on a budget. There is 3 of us. I would just like to see what you guys are eating and about how much you are paying for it. Thanks in advance!

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  • hmitchell01
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    some great ideas i've found is using a roast one night in the crock pot and the next night you could use it in a stir fry with brown rice, so re-purposing meals is a great way to save money. Also, I found that breaking the amount of meat i'm putting into recipes by half has helped a lot since meat is so expensive and I will substitute it with peppers/onions in sloppy janes or fajitas. It's also very budget friendly to do that when you're using green peppers. Also, the expensive grains like quinoa and barley, I buy at amish markets that do bulk packaging and also lentils are SUPER cheap. Some specific cheap suggestions:

    Breakfast Ideas:
    martha stewarts egg, bacon, & toast cups-super simple and cheap (could do it with wonton wrappers too which is way lower calorie, but pricey unless you buy at an asian foods store)
    a few tablespoons pumpkin mixed in with your oatmeal and some lowfat milk

    lunch ideas:
    tuna/white bean salads at walmart I can find tuna for 68 cents and beans for about 98 cents
    garbanzo bean/tomato salad with lemon juice, olive oil, & lemon pepper seasoning
    putting a bunch of shredded chicken in the crock pot for 8 hours with 1/2 cup chicken broth and dividing it into individual cups with very low calorie sauces (buffalo sauce, bbq sauce, and curry sauce (add some apples). I can usually find 4 lbs FRESH chicken breasts for about $8. Frozen is only 2 lbs in the bag and it's about $6

    dinner ideas:
    chili with less meat and more beans (you can buy your beans and cook them in the crock pot all day the day before and they are SUPER cheap that way....about 98 cents a bag and I usually get two crocks out of it)
    asian dishes made with bean thread (kinda like noodles)....SUPER cheap (like $1 for a few meals worth) at asian food stores and pretty low in calories
    bulk shredded chicken in the crockpot that you can add to meals during the week
    jimmy dean turkey sausage crumbles (by the bacon usually) that is plenty for two meals and it's microwaveable.....only $2 or so, which is less than a lb of meat!

    dessert ideas:
    fat free/sugar free puddings 60 cents in the box and add milk
    sugar free jello with frozen strawberries 60 cents in the box and frozen strawberries are about $1.98 and you will get several uses out of that
    healthier brownies (LOVE these from hungry girl)-devil's food cake mix mixed with a can of 100% pure pumpkin instead of all the things they tell you to add. Super easy and they taste like amazing fudgey brownies, can't even taste the pumpkin (even tested it on my husband and co-workers) and it's only like $2.50 for 12 brownie muffins and 181 calories each. Can't beat that!!

    My main rule of thumb is to try to use the same ingredient in a couple different meals that week....and buy whatever meat is on sale. Also, I only buy a couple vegetables to cut up and eat each week, so i'm sure to eat it all.

    hope these were some helpful ideas!
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    eggs.
    milk.
    peanut butter.
  • littlenoms
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    eggs and egg whites.
    beans
    in-season produce
    yogurt
    natural peanut butter
    ground turkey/chicken
  • EdgyMcSterious
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    Rice and beans. Super cheap, plenty of carbs and protein.