Buying food on Food Stamps

HockeyFan1987
HockeyFan1987 Posts: 59
in Food and Nutrition
I did see an earlier posting regarding purchasing food while on Food Stamps, my situation is slightly different, however.

I am looking for ways to get food at grocery stores or wherever accepts Food Stamps that's not only low calorie but healthy. I've eaten a lot of the boxed meals lately, though I know it isn't healthy for me, it's inexpensive. I have $200 of food stamps to last me for a month's time each month and really don't know what to get. I know how to cook to an extent, so it wouldn't be a problem fixing something up there either.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated from everyone!
Adam
«13

Replies

  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I know this is a lame answer, but have you tried a Google search. Seems that people would have addressed this issue.
  • gabriellejayde
    gabriellejayde Posts: 607 Member
    brown rice with a can of black beans is good for you, and probably under $3.
    Tuna, eggs, whole wheat pasta, frozen veggies, buy chicken breasts in bulk and freeze half of it., buy whatever fruit is in season (apples should be cheap).
    get ground chicken or turkey and brown it with garlic, drain off the fat and pour some tomato sauce in it for an easy meat sauce for the pasta.
    hope that helps- i'm sure i'll think of more later.
  • HockeyFan1987
    HockeyFan1987 Posts: 59
    mfpcopine, I'm perfectly content asking people on here. I'd rather get information from those that are or have been in this situation and are using this site instead of relying on google. If I wanted to rely on Google for all of my information about weight loss, I wouldn't have joined this site.
  • HockeyFan1987
    HockeyFan1987 Posts: 59
    brown rice with a can of black beans is good for you, and probably under $3.
    Tuna, eggs, whole wheat pasta, frozen veggies, buy chicken breasts in bulk and freeze half of it., buy whatever fruit is in season (apples should be cheap).
    get ground chicken or turkey and brown it with garlic, drain off the fat and pour some tomato sauce in it for an easy meat sauce for the pasta.
    hope that helps- i'm sure i'll think of more later.

    Thanks Gabrielle, I'll look for that stuff next time I go shopping :)
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    mfpcopine, I'm perfectly content asking people on here. I'd rather get information from those that are or have been in this situation and are using this site instead of relying on google. If I wanted to rely on Google for all of my information about weight loss, I wouldn't have joined this site.

    I made a reasonable suggestion; I'm not going to apologize for it.
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
    Beeeeans! Beans are cheap and healthy! Black, white, red, garbanzo, and especially lentils. If fresh greens are too pricey, stores sometimes have great stock up sales on canned veggies. Do you have a farmer's market nearby? That is a great way to get healthy and nutritious produce and a low price, and many of them accept EBT cards or WIC.
    Aldi is a great store for cheap, good quality food if you have one nearby.
  • HockeyFan1987
    HockeyFan1987 Posts: 59
    Beeeeans! Beans are cheap and healthy! Black, white, red, garbanzo, and especially lentils. If fresh greens are too pricey, stores sometimes have great stock up sales on canned veggies. Do you have a farmer's market nearby? That is a great way to get healthy and nutritious produce and a low price, and many of them accept EBT cards or WIC.
    Aldi is a great store for cheap, good quality food if you have one nearby.

    I don't know of any farmers markets, but I do have an Aldi up on the hill. I also have a Valu King which is where I went a few weeks ago
  • 1972mom
    1972mom Posts: 10
    We have a local farmers market that accepts food stamps. High quality produce for about half the price that is is at the store.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    Costco accepts EBT now. Do you have one close by? I just bought 3 lbs of broccoli florets for $4.49.
  • Jennvandemark
    Jennvandemark Posts: 179 Member
    Gabrielle is right frozen chicken in bulk is a great idea along with frozen veggies. I know eatting healthy can get pricey but once you find things you like you will get the hang of it. Good luck to you on you weight loss adventure.
  • HockeyFan1987
    HockeyFan1987 Posts: 59
    Costco accepts EBT now. Do you have one close by? I just bought 3 lbs of broccoli florets for $4.49.

    Nope, no CostCo near me, unfortunately
  • Factory_Reset
    Factory_Reset Posts: 1,651 Member
    wheat pastas, brown rice, beans....some of these items might be available in the bulk section of your grocery store for a better price than boxed items. oatmeal is a good choice too. tuna and chicken are usually good cheap items you can cook with. as for produce, I know it can seem expensive but if you buy a little at a time, even if it means 2-3 trips a week to the store, you can usually get what's in season for a really good price. It might help to map out some meal options and only buy the amount of produce for those meals/snacks. would also look on the recipe section of this site to get some ideas. don't let that overwhelming feeling stop you from changing a few or all of your meals. it's so worth it in the long run.

    just wanted to add the frozen veggies and fruits can come in handy too! Gabriella has some good ideas.
  • Keiko385
    Keiko385 Posts: 514 Member
    If you have a freezer and a crockpot you are half way there. Soups and stews stretch out the grocery budget nicely. Check the stores produce section for items that need to be sold that day, even if you cant use them most veggies can be frozen till needed, any type of berries, bananas(peeled) or stone fruits freeze well and can easily be added to oatmeal or smoothies. I buy a lot of dried beans instead of the canned, frozen veggies are more economical than canned especially if you are a single person.
  • jrwatson87
    jrwatson87 Posts: 66
    I do a lot of shopping at 99 Cent/Dollar Tree stores and they take EBT. They always have (relatively) fresh produce and a frozen section. I think the only thing you can't get there is meats.
  • HockeyFan1987
    HockeyFan1987 Posts: 59
    If you have a freezer and a crockpot you are half way there. Soups and stews stretch out the grocery budget nicely. Check the stores produce section for items that need to be sold that day, even if you cant use them most veggies can be frozen till needed, any type of berries, bananas(peeled) or stone fruits freeze well and can easily be added to oatmeal or smoothies. I buy a lot of dried beans instead of the canned, frozen veggies are more economical than canned especially if you are a single person.

    Unfortunately no crockpot, but I'm sure I could borrow my mom's when she isn't using it
  • HockeyFan1987
    HockeyFan1987 Posts: 59
    wheat pastas, brown rice, beans....some of these items might be available in the bulk section of your grocery store for a better price than boxed items. oatmeal is a good choice too. tuna and chicken are usually good cheap items you can cook with. as for produce, I know it can seem expensive but if you buy a little at a time, even if it means 2-3 trips a week to the store, you can usually get what's in season for a really good price. It might help to map out some meal options and only buy the amount of produce for those meals/snacks. would also look on the recipe section of this site to get some ideas. don't let that overwhelming feeling stop you from changing a few or all of your meals. it's so worth it in the long run.

    just wanted to add the frozen veggies and fruits can come in handy too! Gabriella has some good ideas.

    thanks Green :)
  • ber3023
    ber3023 Posts: 146 Member
    I agree with Aldi. Their fit & active brand stuff is great. I haven't bought anything there and been disappointed. I don't know if they're all the same, but our Aldi's produce dept isn't the best. It's usually stuff that needs used quickly before it goes bad, but if you're eating fruits and veggies daily, that isn't much of a problem.
    I actually think if you buy like a pack of steaks or chicken and then separate them into servings before freezing them, you'll probably end up making a cheaper meal than the boxed/prepared things. Also making a big pot of chili or soups and freezing them by serving size works great for a quick meal.
  • girlnamedlee
    girlnamedlee Posts: 96 Member
    If you don't have a crockpot, but you can still make soups on the stovetop. Most of the things people mentioned already can be combined into soups, stews or chilis & then eaten for a few days (which makes them convenient as well as easy).

    I also don't know how big your freezer is, but I know at my local grocery stores, sometimes they'll have a big meat or freezer sale & that's always a good time to stock up.
  • Nekoashi
    Nekoashi Posts: 220 Member
    If you have a crockpot, make it your friend when you're on a budget! :) I like to get a big bag of frozen chicken and put it in the crock pot with a big container of salsa, some canned tomatoes and tomato sauce; cook on low for 6-8 hours; after its done shred the chicken and put it back in the crockpot to soak up all of the liquid and now you have chicken to put in tacos, wraps, in pasta sauce, use with cans of light vegetable soup, and much more. I know for my husband and I it lasts all week and helps with our budget.

    I also buy wheat pasta, rice, beans, frozen veggies to help stretch the budget, mix well with other items, and they can be filling too :)

    Feel free to add me if you want to, and anyone else on here who would like another friend :flowerforyou:
  • Nekoashi
    Nekoashi Posts: 220 Member
    I took too long writing my post, others beat me to it :laugh:

    if you don't have a crockpot, you can still cook it on the stove low and slow or in the oven too :)
  • HockeyFan1987
    HockeyFan1987 Posts: 59
    If you don't have a crockpot, but you can still make soups on the stovetop. Most of the things people mentioned already can be combined into soups, stews or chilis & then eaten for a few days (which makes them convenient as well as easy).

    I also don't know how big your freezer is, but I know at my local grocery stores, sometimes they'll have a big meat or freezer sale & that's always a good time to stock up.

    I have a standard refrigerator with freezer above (not much storage space)
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    Is it just you or are you shopping for a significant other/children? I spend about $200 on food (sometimes less) per month and am able to get plenty of healthy fresh vegetables and fruits, in addition to the other great suggestions on this thread. Sometimes that $200 even includes toiletries/dog and cat food, depending on my needs. You can go online and look at sales flyers for various stores and compare prices. Sunflower Market/Sprouts (if there is one in your area) has great produce and great sales. You can get a bag of 6-8 frozen chicken breasts at Walmart for $6-8...frozen veggies are often cheap or on sale and can be added to some lean protein for a good meal. Add some brown rice/whole wheat pasta/sweet potatos etc if you want some starches...

    Good luck!
  • HockeyFan1987
    HockeyFan1987 Posts: 59
    Is it just you or are you shopping for a significant other/children? I spend about $200 on food (sometimes less) per month and am able to get plenty of healthy fresh vegetables and fruits, in addition to the other great suggestions on this thread. Sometimes that $200 even includes toiletries/dog and cat food, depending on my needs. You can go online and look at sales flyers for various stores and compare prices. Sunflower Market/Sprouts (if there is one in your area) has great produce and great sales. You can get a bag of 6-8 frozen chicken breasts at Walmart for $6-8...frozen veggies are often cheap or on sale and can be added to some lean protein for a good meal. Add some brown rice/whole wheat pasta/sweet potatos etc if you want some starches...

    Good luck!

    I am single, no children
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
    that is GREAT that you have an Aldi nearby. Their food is much cheaper and is just as good as name brands. Mostly they sell off brand stuff, but I prefer their spaghetti sauce and canned tuna to name brand stuff. We were on a severe food budget when we first got married and Aldi helped us so much. I would estimate that we saved about 30% overall by shopping there.
    They also have decent frozen foods, dairy, coffee, cheese, and some meats and produce. They are lacking in the last two things but it's not bad. Bring your own bags and a quarter to "rent" the shopping cart, (you get it back when you return the cart).
  • 2hobbit1
    2hobbit1 Posts: 820 Member
    crockpots are inexpensive - check out your local thrift shops - or walmart has them for around 20 - it is worth it to save for one.
    Buy store brands and learn to check unit prices - look for the store adds and buy on sale and in bulk.
    Dry beans, lentil, peas, rice, old fashioned/steel cut oats are staples that are inexpedient to buy in bulk. Corn tortillas work well as wraps, tacos, burritos and are better for you than the flour ones. Pasta can be as little as a buck a box,
    Walmart has bigger sizes of many staples for less compared to many chains
    You can get powdered milk in bulk and make your own as you need it.
    Frozen veggies can be found for as little as a buck a bag.
    Check out your market and see when the meats get marked down because they are almost out of date- frequently you can get them for half price,
    look in the produce section for their markdown produce - when a new shipment comes in the older but still good stuff gets packaged at discount.

    Do you have dollar stores? produce marts? Many take EBT cards and can be a lot cheaper than big box markets.
  • MoniMoni2u
    MoniMoni2u Posts: 211 Member
    The best thing to do is plan. How many meals are you going for. (3 a day with snacks?)

    I would google for a meals template and get one for a week and print. Be specific if you can. Realize that if you are busy on a specific evening than you need to have something simple for supper and plan accordingly.

    Make a meal plan of what you want to eat each meal and then work up a grocery list.

    This will allow you to see what you need and then shop accordingly.

    So, if you are going to start with 2 eggs each morning you will need 2 dozen eggs (2*7 = 14 so 2 dozen would give enough for breakfast and then more for other things or to start out with next week.)

    Include things like:
    Fresh fruit for meals and snacks
    Fresh and frozen veggies (I find it easy to prep some veggies on the weekend to help me make it thru the week. Peel carrots, wash and cut up broccoli and cauliflower, etc)

    I like to snack on cheese, white cheeses (mozzerella, monteray jack) normally have fewer calories than yellow cheeses per ounce (check to verify, I'm going off the cuff here!)

    Incorporate beans and whole grains to help you stay full.
  • awilmeri
    awilmeri Posts: 218 Member
    There are several decent cookbooks out there for people on a rig budget, you might check the library for a few. My library I can even get them as ebooks instantaneously.

    I think your best bets are going to be soups and the crock pot. You can stretch chicken and beef a lot with soup. I would shop twice a month so you can still get some fresh stuff. Also use the fliers before you go to see what's on sale and then use cookbooks or online recipe sites to find recipes for those foods. There are a some great blogs for people trying to save money that might help you too! A year of slow cooking, money saving mom, bargain Brianna, sites like those will help get you started on shopping well with a budget.

    Good luck, it's tough but definitely not impossible!
  • Heather_Rider
    Heather_Rider Posts: 1,159 Member
    Dried beans. We lived off them for a long time! Cook them down with onion & chicken broth. Get the 15 bean soup (dried beans) and add a can of tomato sauce and diced tomatos and throw in some cooked elbow noodles & you have dinner for a week! You can freeze it too, in portion sizes (before you add the pasta)

    Good luck!
  • HockeyFan1987
    HockeyFan1987 Posts: 59
    that is GREAT that you have an Aldi nearby. Their food is much cheaper and is just as good as name brands. Mostly they sell off brand stuff, but I prefer their spaghetti sauce and canned tuna to name brand stuff. We were on a severe food budget when we first got married and Aldi helped us so much. I would estimate that we saved about 30% overall by shopping there.
    They also have decent frozen foods, dairy, coffee, cheese, and some meats and produce. They are lacking in the last two things but it's not bad. Bring your own bags and a quarter to "rent" the shopping cart, (you get it back when you return the cart).

    Yeah, I've shopped at Aldi before lol when I was younger, but I used to go up there all the time with my parents.
  • Suzy_in_DE
    Suzy_in_DE Posts: 191 Member
    I didn't see this yet, but Oatmeal for breakfast is a great stable. Filling and healthy.

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