Eating healthy on a tight budget

I'm trying to do this on a tight budget, too. I'd recommend slow cooker recipes. Yes, you have to buy a ton of stuff, but it usually makes enough food for many, many meals.

I think meal planning is key to eating healthy on a tight budget. And also eating similar foods frequently. I know it may not seem like fun but if you do it one week at a time then it's not so bad. Each week you can try picking two breakfast recipes (oatmeal and eggs are cheap), two lunch recipes (I usually eat sandwiches, wraps or salads) and 2-3 recipes for dinner by doing what the above posters said about making meals in a slow cooker and other freezer friendly meals. Also, don't forget about snacks! And then the next week you can try new recipes!

Pinterest is a great resource for finding cheap & healthy veg meals! I hope this helps!

There are a lot of Progresso soups you can find to be vegetarian that are affordable. Do you have a Kroger close? I buy tofu, veggie burgers, and different things like that out of the vegetarian section and it is pretty affordable as well.

Do a search for crock pot recipes using dried beans. I've been making a vegetarian chili out of chili beans, salsa and lentils. Super-high fiber, good protein, and is good alone, on nachos, on hot dogs (vegetarian or not), etc.

The other day I made beans and bacon--you can sub to make vegetarian-- and it was great for lunches all week.

Research your area and find where you can get the best quality produce for cheap. I buy some of my produce at a local Hispanic market. 6 limes for a dollar, for example - can't beat that. Good prices on avocados, mangoes, sweet potatoes, as well, and they stock items the mainstream grocery doesn't. They have cheap beans, rice, corn tortillas, etc. too. Other times I'll go to the Asian or Indian market, and I'm almost always at the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. Some items at the Farmer's Market are very expensive, but others are not. It just depends. Today I got 5 small sunchokes (a root vegetable) for $1.50, a bag of watercress for $3, and a bunch of turnips for $2. They also had kohlrabi for $1 each. Kale is usually $3 for a big bunch. That's about the same price or a little cheaper than it would cost in a regular grocery store except the quality and nutritional value is higher because the items are local and thus fresher. Unfortunately not everyone has access to a local farmers market though (I live in Durham, NC).

I'm not vegetarian but I have increased the portion of vegetables in my diet over the last few years and it absolutely helps with weight loss and maintenance. I have had a lot of fun trying new veggies and cooking/food prep techniques and expanding my horizons. I get a lot of recipes from Pinterest but I have a good cookbook of very simple vegetable-based dishes. I've also learned to reduce my food waste. I stay aware of what I have bought and try to eat it before it goes bad. I make bigger batches and freeze the extras (soup or chili, for example). I buy veggie burgers and other staples when they are on sale.

Research your area and find where you can get the best quality produce for cheap. I buy some of my produce at a local Hispanic market. 6 limes for a dollar, for example - can't beat that. Good prices on avocados, mangoes, sweet potatoes, as well, and they stock items the mainstream grocery doesn't. They have cheap beans, rice, corn tortillas, etc. too. Other times I'll go to the Asian or Indian market, and I'm almost always at the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings. Some items at the Farmer's Market are very expensive, but others are not. It just depends. Today I got 5 small sunchokes (a root vegetable) for $1.50, a bag of watercress for $3, and a bunch of turnips for $2. They also had kohlrabi for $1 each. Kale is usually $3 for a big bunch. That's about the same price or a little cheaper than it would cost in a regular grocery store except the quality and nutritional value is higher because the items are local and thus fresher. Unfortunately not everyone has access to a local farmers market though (I live in Durham, NC).

I'm not vegetarian but I have increased the portion of vegetables in my diet over the last few years and it absolutely helps with weight loss and maintenance. I have had a lot of fun trying new veggies and cooking/food prep techniques and expanding my horizons. I get a lot of recipes from Pinterest but I have a good cookbook of very simple vegetable-based dishes. I've also learned to reduce my food waste. I stay aware of what I have bought and try to eat it before it goes bad. I make bigger batches and freeze the extras (soup or chili, for example). I buy veggie burgers and other staples when they are on sale.

Me too on all of this! If you live in or close to a city, the ethnic markets are the way to go. You're talking 30-50% savings on produce and meat.

I'm also a vegetarian and a student. I'm in love with the "salad in a jar" concept. You can prepare salads for your entire week in one day using mason jars. I usually make them on Sunday and they're just as fresh a week later. I usually use a greek yogurt and cilantro dressing and then tomatoes, chickpeas, black beans, corn, green onion, and then spinach/kale/romaine. To make five salads for my week it costs $1.59 each. It's a grab and go item that helps a lot when you're so busy! Just google "salad in a jar" and you'll find plenty of recipes.

I also liked the idea of salad in a jar. Only problem I had was finding forks long enough to eat right out of the jar. So I just shake it up and dump it out on a paper plate. I've gone back to BPA free plastic wear. The lunch bag is a lot lighter that way.