Diet Ideas?

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Hello,
so i am currently going to school and for lunch everyday my budget is around 5 dollars, i also have no time to make lunch at home so always have to buy food. anyone have any healthy recomendations for less then 5 dollars? btw i am near delis, supermarkets... everything pretty much.

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  • 1two3four
    1two3four Posts: 413 Member
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    Do you have a calorie budget with your monetary one?
  • colettefrenchie
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    yes, im trying to stay below 1,310 calories the whole day, so around 400 calories
  • aberc
    aberc Posts: 98
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    Oh no, don't stay under 1300 calories unless you have to for some reason. At least eat 1300.. Have you calculated your BMR and TDEE? If not, do so.
    I used to eat around 1200 calories a day and I put myself into starvation mode. I was moody, fatiqued all the time, irritable, always hungry, and didn't lose anything for months.
    I eat 1500 calories now, feel tons better, and i've lost at least 5 lbs since I started eating more about a month ago.
  • 1two3four
    1two3four Posts: 413 Member
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    Personally, I'd stay away from the deli unless they can give you a mostly accurate calorie count on something like a sandwich, soup or salad. Turkey, chicken and ham are usually the leanest choices. White cheeses, (swiss, mozzarella for sure) are usually the lowest fat (and therefore calorie) cheeses. One sandwich can easily exceed 400 calories though (but some are more reasonable at 300ish). If your deli does $5 lunch specials that can be a choice. Stay away from sandwich spreads and dressings, mustards are OK and avocado is calorie heavy but full of good fats. Soups that aren't cream based or have fatty meats.

    Things that can be gotten at the grocery: fruit and veg. Yogurt/cottage cheese single serving pots. Cooked chicken (I would only get breast and take the skin off if it's present). Check if they have a make your own salad station. Tuna/Cracker kits. Half a bagel with cheese (at my store you get the bagel in one place and they have single serving cheese behind the deli counter).

    Definitely do some investigating where you live/go to school. In my area these things and prices are possible but I don't know if they are where you live.

    ETA: I forgot nuts and seeds! Up by the checkout in the grocery I can get 99-cent (sometimes 2 for $1) packages of nuts (all varieties) and sunflower seeds.
  • colettefrenchie
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    @aberc thanks for the tips :) ill check those out right now! Being healthy and happy is my motivation so i definently do not want to undereat.
    @1two3four thank you sooo much! ill look out for all of those