Eating clean/ organic/ vegetarian.

ditto to what msarro said, I'd also add that by reducing processed/packaged foods you'll be eating cleaner/healthier just with that change. I'd also encourage you to shop at natural food store if you have any near you, the choices tend to be better (but processed is processed even at a "health" food store....try not to overbuy stuff in boxes). start with small changes, get comfortable with them then try some more new things....if you're shopping at a food coop, ask questions, the staff tend to be very knowledgeable.

good luck!

I agree with the gradual approach others have expressed. Become an obsessive label reader and experiment with making favorite items from scratch, you'd be surprised about how much money you can save. My goal is to not purchase anything with high fructose corn syrup and it has been an eye-opening experiment. Also, when it comes to organic produce you can be selective. Here is a link to a recent list of the items with the best and worst records of pesticides so you can prioritize what may be worth spending extra:
http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php

Well after looking at your diary you need to eat more fruits & veggies definitely. I have been a vegetarian for the past 5 years and not that healthy. I tried raw a couple times and felt amazing. This time around I did it the way we are supposed to eat - the food naturally correct for our bodies and I lost 30lbs in only 2 months. I only eat fruit, veggies, nuts & seeds - some people would call it extreme - I call it delicious. If you would like to go vegetarian there are tons of resources out there as Msarro listed some. You can also go to online recipe sites & check out their vegetarian categories for ideas.

I do have to disagree with some as soy is not the miracle product most people make it out to be. Your top two food categories are fruits & veggies, followed with whole grains/rice/pasta, then legumes, beans, seeds and fortified dairy substitutes, and oils/fats of course last. So don't think that the only place you get protien is from beans - that is not the case. Beans are hard to digest and you don't get protien from protien your body makes it out of amino acids. Look into QUINOA - amazing source of protien if you eat grains. Quinoa has all nine essential amino acids & your body can actually break it down.

As far as organic & money there is a list of the dirty dozen - these are the fruits & veggies you should only eat organically because of all the pesticides. However, organic does entail more than that (sustainability, GMOs, fertilizers and such). People freak out about organic fruits & veggies but then still eat meat which ends up having more of the junk in it, if not organic, as these animals ate high quantities of non-organic corn and grain feed so you end up eating all the pesticides the animal ate - milk is the same way!!

A healthy vegetarian/vegan diet (should be the same) would include high amounts of fresh whole ingredients, listed in order of importance:
Fruit - make sure its ripe!!! (calories & mental well being) (should be organic: apples, peaches & berries)
Non Sweet fruit - tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, zuchinni, eggplant
Veggies (lots of organic baby greens, celery!!)
Grains: Quinoa, brown rice, millet, buckwheat, oats
Beans/Seeds: lentils, garbanzo, black beans. Learn how to prepare these so as not to cause digestion problems
Fortified non-dairy products: soy milk is ok but learn how to make your own almondmilk & rice milk - cheaper & less waste (use the pulp for baked goods)
Oils, nuts, refined goods: Nuts, nut butter, spices, salt

This is the cheapest diet in the world if you learn to do it properly. Seek out farmer's markets & talk to them. Get to know them because produce is the most expensive chunk here. Get your nuts & grains in bulk at a local healthfood store. You don't need all those superfoods people talk about. The majority of them are just companies trying to make a buck on the latest craze. Eat the food that looks good in its natural state.

bump 4 lata

If you are fortunate enough to be in a college town with lots of ethnic foods, investigate the different veggie options. I have access to a Vegan Indian restaurant that is phenomenal. (Yay Ann Arbor! If anyone is interested, the restaurant is Earthen Jar and they make non-dairy mango lasses which are great!) I'm not vegan or even vegetarian, but I like to mix things up. I'm working towards being a functioning flexitarian, but still eat more meat than I really need to.

If you have access to a farmer's market, that's another good choice for locally grown fruits and veggies that are in season. (I have to say it again - Yay Ann Arbor!)

Sounds like this wouldn't be an option for you now, but if you have access to a CSA (community supported agriculture) check it out. These are farms that raise food, often organically, and sell shares or partial shares to individuals and families. You usually buy in for a certain season and you pick up food once per week during that season. My wife and I are doing this for the first time and our first pick up is this Friday.

Also, if you eat eggs, buy them from a local farmer who lets their chickens graze. The eggs tend to be much fresher and much cheaper than organic eggs in the grocery store.

Good luck!

Bumping for anyone that has addtional useful tidbits to share!