Bummed out.

www.food.com (i've been a member for years) has alot of recipes and it's a free (if you chose) site. They have a category for low calorie meals.

I'd like to know what it is you're buying that's so much more expensive than non-healthy food?

This isn't the first time I've heard this and I'm wondering if people are mixing up organic with whole foods? Organic IS expensive, but whole foods should add no more to your grocery bill than any other shopping trip.

Organic is definitely more expensive. But also, healthier foods are too. Fresh veggies...no they are the same price. But healthier chicken....yes its more expensive. But you should be able to eat lower cal foods without breaking your budget. Buy whole wheat tortillas instead of flour...things like that. I shop on a shoestring budget and I still find ways to lower my cals. Granted my sodium needs help but hey....one thing at a time LOL

Eat what you would normally eat at home, but smaller portions, and with some healthy options. Instead of having fried chicken and french fries say, do a baked breaded chicken cutlet with roasted potatoes. same ingredients, but healthier preparation! Also, if you have a hard time with eating smaller portions, use a smaller plate and don't make more than you need to eat for dinner. no temptation! you can lose weight without having to buy all the crazy healthy stuff - just buy some

When I was living on my own I was living on a very tight budget. What helped me was making my own meals at home. I don't know how many people you feed. It was just me so I would make several meals and freeze them. This way I didn't have the same meal for several days in a row. I made a lot of stir fry. Made my own sauce so it stayed healthy. Made a lot of taco salads. Or salads in general. There are lots of ways you can keep the calories low and the price low. Shop for sales. Do research on recipes. You can take just about any recipe and make it healthy. Soups and chilis are great too. If you are on a time limit, try slow cooker recipes. Good luck!

Don't get down. I have the same problem. I eat great and exercise for 3 or 4 days and then I go crazy and get it all back in a day. I'm just trying to make little changes and slowly it seems to be coming around. I think what has helped me keep the cost of groceries down is meal planning. I try to makea menu for the week and stick to it. It helps cut down on unnecessary purchases and commits me to healthier meals. Ground turkey chili, wraps, and quesadillas are all healthy and fairly inexpensive to make. It's a process. Don't get discouraged, it gets better.

Don't get bummed!! You can do it: ) I agree it's frustrating some times, but I try to focus on buying my fruits and veggies from stores that sell in bulk. The down side is that you don't know what you're going to get, but the upside is it's cheaper and usually pretty fresh. Here's a recipe I made last night that was super easy and cheap.
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 1/4 lb turkey breast fillets
small can of chipotle chilies (you'll use the sauce in the can, and can freeze the chilies for later use)
1 med green bell pepper (i use red)
1 small yellow onion
fresh cilantro
lime juice

marinate turkey breasts in chipotle sauce for 10-15'
char corn in medium nonstick pan (med high heat, takes about 4') and set aside
add a little oil (or olive oil spray) to non-stick pan and cook turkey (in two batches) takes about 1 1/2 min/side. set aside.
add a little oil/spray to pan and add bell pepper and onions. saute onions until translucent.
add corn to pan and saute another 3'
add lime juice and cilantro.
this is your "salsa" that you spoon over the turkey. i serve with a nice green salad and corn tortillas.
Enjoy

Don't be discouraged. You can do it. I really did not stop eating what I usually eat I just make sure to eat a lot less...Portion control is the key....as well as exercise.

I'm kinda in the same boat as you. I'm trying to cut down our grocery bill and try to eat healthier and it can be a bit frustrating (seriously, I spent $10 on easy and "junk" foods and snacks and got 2 or 3 bags full and then later spent $10 on 4 oranges, 3 apples, celery, and a 1/2 gal of nonfat milk!!).

Eating Vegetarian is a way to cut calories and fat and is cheaper than buying meat. Instead of adding meat to tacos, try whole beans mixed with refried beans. Bagged beans are cheaper, but take prep. I try to stock up on a few extra cans of whole beans when they're on sale and have them in the pantry to add to meals - especially mexican dinners.

I've also been buying huge family size packages of chicken when it's on sale and split it up into freezer bags then pop it in the freezer. Adding cheap pasta or rice along with frozen veggies or a salad makes it a meal.

Egg whites have also become my friend, and oatmeal (not the instant packets - the big container of plain with brown sugar added) for breakfast. I've been making my own soup instead of buying the cans to bring to work for lunch (chicken noodle or chicken and rice is relatively cheap and with a crock pot is easy. I don't usually add a ton of chicken because it's expensive) .

Buying in season helps and keep an eye on the produce and meat ads at your local grocery store(s). Buy in bulk when it's on sale (if you can). I typically don't buy any meat unless it's on a heck of a deal or my fiance REALLY wants it for dinner (grumble, grumble grumble... since I pay for groceries).

Really, just making your own meals is cheaper than buying instant (especially soups, chilis, and really anything you can make in a crock pot) but it takes a ton more time.

I work full time so I don't always have time to cook a nice healthy meal when I get home, so I will often grab a box of pasta, cook it up then add frozen peas or broccoli and a can of tuna and call it good. Not the healthiest, but it's better than just the box of pasta or ordering a pizza

Don't worry about making a 100% transformation right away. Focus on doing little things *better* rather than doing everything perfect. Be proud of yourself for grabbing an apple and not a candy bar and work on baby steps instead of trying to do everything at once or you might get burned out.

Do you have an Aldi's grocery store? They have cheap produce. Do you like vegetables? Try eating them without cheese or butter--just maybe a little spray of olive oil, dash of salt and pepper. minced or chopped cooked onion adds alot of flavor to veggies, too. Buy veggies in season. I dont use recipes, I just buy what's on sale and go from there...Post what you like to eat or what's cheap in your area, then I could give you ideas on how to prepare tasty and low cal.

You can absolutely do this on any budget!

I agree with the others.... you'll save if you cut down your portions and choose better for you foods. For example, buy a back of nuts... i know they can be expensive, but you can get MANY snacks out of it. As soon as I get home, I portion them out so when I need a snack I can just grab a baggie. (I also reuse the baggies for the next time I bring home nuts.)

As far as recipes are concerned, 400caloriesorless.com is also a great site! We've cooked many of their meals and they've been great.