Need Help Formulating Vegetarian Grocery List

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MaiLinna
MaiLinna Posts: 580 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I need food that's cheaper and lower in sodium. I can't keep eating Ramen and TV dinners every day. I have breakfast covered, but I need help with lunches and dinners.

I'm working my way towards a vegetarian lifestyle. Anything meat that's been in my diary is food eaten downstairs. I buy strictly vegetarian now. (Not vegan, I still eat cheese.)

I don't want to eat a plain spinach salad every day. I at least want some mix ins, but I can't seem to find any cheap ones. (Cheap as in under $2.) Raspberries were expensive and didn't last long at all. I destroyed them in 2 days.

Another thing is that I just got some pots and pans for my apartment. I have no food processors and I cannot bake yet (no bakeware.) I'm hoping to change that soon, but the only things I really have are a pot, a pan, and a microwave.

Any ideas?

Replies

  • jamiedorman324
    jamiedorman324 Posts: 1 Member
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    Beans are a good option. Canned ones can be very inexpensive, but high in sodium. You can learn how to soak & cook dried beans "from scratch" and those dried beans come in huge bags for very cheap. They last a very, very long time. Also, I have a lot of luck buying fruits cheaper from farmer's markets rather than the grocer. That way you know they are in season and local. You're not paying extra money for the cost of shipping the fruits/veggies across the country or world even. (This might be trickier depending on where you live. In California there is always a plethora of local fruits and vegetables available). The more processed things are, the more expensive, and more likely to be unhealthy.
  • iechick
    iechick Posts: 352 Member
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    I eat a diet that's focused on whole foods and is mostly plant based. I average meat/dairy free about 5 days a week.

    brown rice (white is fine too, I just prefer the taste of brown; I buy the 7 minute prep kind) and then mix in mushrooms, bell peppers, onion and carrot (I steam these in water while the rice is cooking). Splash of soy sauce

    stuffed mushrooms or bell peppers-stuff with rice and onion and mushrooms

    refried beans-in burritos, in dips, on top of lettuce and veggies ('taco' salad), or sometimes I mix in tomatoes, onion, black olives and hot sauce and eat it with a fork :)

    oatmeal-love this with different things mixed in (fresh and dried fruit, nuts, different spices etc). Easy to make, good for you, cheap, low calorie and very filling!
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    So many options...Pasta! Cheap and if you make the whole box on Sunday if it's just you, it should last you all week!

    Burritos - tons of options here and if you can find Boca or Mornginstar crumbles, or Gardein has fake chicken strips you can put in it. I made some of the most amazing burritos with just black beans (canned but I always rinse them off, still a bit high in sodium, but cheap, quick and easy), jasmine rice, rotel diced tomatoes and boca crumbles, with 100 calorie guacamole packs.

    I make sandwiches with spinach, fake turkey slices, tomatoes, cucumbers and hummus.

    The classic - peanut butter and jelly or peanut butter and bananas.

    Here's a great site for recipes http://www.food.com/
    You can create your own create your own cookbooks on there, it helps with meal planning, etc.
  • stardancer7
    stardancer7 Posts: 276 Member
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    If you have a freezer, then consider buying frozen fruits. I can buy a bag of frozen raspberries for five dollars and not worry about spoilage. They also maintain their nutritional value.

    I do look at the 'expense' of food differently, tho--to me, it's about nutritional value per penny--so ramen noodles would be incredibly expensive, while raspberries would be cheap, because of the value they provide in nourishment.

    You can save money and not 'waste' food by planning your meals well in advance and only buying the items you will need for those recipes. I take my lunch to work with me every day, so I buy large bags of walnuts or almonds and package them up into small containers while I watch tv one night a week, and then they're easy to grab in the morning, along with an apple and a container of whatever bean/tomato/veggie soup/stew I concocted on Sunday afternoon.

    Enjoy exploring all the wonderful fruits and vegetables and legumes out there! Creating your meals, preparing food--it's so much fun and so rewarding!
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    I do look at the 'expense' of food differently, tho--to me, it's about nutritional value per penny--so ramen noodles would be incredibly expensive, while raspberries would be cheap, because of the value they provide in nourishment.

    Agreed. I am a single homeowner, and eating healthier isn't always the cheapest. However, I see it as an investment in me. An investment in my health, so if it means I don't go many places, or do things I used to, I'm fine with that. If it means watching where I really spend money (used to be going out with friends), or buying things I "thought" I needed/wanted.
  • mrk1185
    mrk1185 Posts: 44 Member
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    You should (to some extent) consider buying some stuff in bulk. Almonds make a great mix in for a salad, and you can get a bang for your buck buying the unsalted ones for baking at a place like Sam's or BJ's.

    Throw in some blackstrap molasses (maybe $4 a bottle, less if you have a place like Job Lot near you) and you can up your potassium and iron intake really easily. I'd also recommend the frozen berries as those seem to be a good value in that they last a long time.
  • crazybookworm
    crazybookworm Posts: 779 Member
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    Like some others have said, Bulk is a great way to go for some things like:

    Oatmeal
    Nuts/Seeds
    Dried fruits(Great for salad toppers!)
    Whole Grain Pastas
    Quinoa
    Barley

    Other Items:

    Frozen Fruits and Veggies
    Sweet potato(You can cook one up in a microwave in 5 minutes!)
    Zucchini(You can grill it, bake it, sautee it. So many options!)
    Mushrooms(With Portobello's, you can stuff them with veggies and cheese and bake. Delish!)
    Beans(Lentils, kidney, soy, red, etc)
    Squash's(Good for so many different things!)
    Hummus(Great for sandwiches, stir-frys, marinades, etc)

    I hope this helps!

    Good luck!
  • rachempoo
    rachempoo Posts: 134 Member
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    I would check out a local Farmer's Market. I LOVE going to mine here in Minnesota. They have plenty of fresh produce at a decent price. I used to be a very picky vegetarian but over the course of the last 10 or 15 years I've learned to LOVE just about every Veggie.
    I love making Pilafs and Salads with Quinoa. It cooks up the same as rice and I toss in whatever I have. (Broccoli, zucchini, carrots, peppers, peas, etc.) It's a very versatile food and I love it.
  • Kristhin
    Kristhin Posts: 442 Member
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    I think its the brand Fresh Express...they have these bagged "strawberry fields" salad..spinach, almonds, dried strawberries, and strawberry vinaigrette.

    Buy bulk quinoa and dry bags of lentils. You can cook those and add in olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, Dijon, sweet onion, and pepper for a tasty meal.

    Also you can get a can of lentils, chopped tomato, chopped onion, pepper, olive oil, and vinegar and that's a good meal.

    Dry bulk chick peas cooked in salt and then cook with onions, tomato sauce, and channa masala seasoning.
  • MaiLinna
    MaiLinna Posts: 580 Member
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    A few of these are really good, but some of them are honestly too much. My weekly budget is around $25-$40 for food, usually towards the low end. Sometimes it falls as low as $10 that week.

    Quinoa is something I've been looking into and I'll definitely try finding that today.
    Dried cranberries would be awesome if I can find them.
    Whole wheat pasta - noted.
    Hummus is really good in wraps. Maybe I'll find some today.
    Frozen fruits would make good snacks too.

    Got my list! Thanks guys!

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