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Lets talk about: Eating healthy on a low income!

orangeskiesinlove
orangeskiesinlove Posts: 49 Member
edited February 16 in Chit-Chat
Hi guys and gals :)

The economy is :brokenheart: and a high percentage of us are toeing the bread line. The price of food is sky rocketing and so is the obesity epidemic. What I want to know, is do you believe are they truly related or that people are just using it as an excuse? Opinions, thoughts, personal experience?

Personally, from my own experience, I find it extremely difficult. After myself AND my partner both lost our jobs within 2 months of each other, we are finding it increasingly hard to eat well and stay healthy. Our food budget for the month has been reduced from around £300 to a measly £80. With so little it's hard to have a good diet, nothing can be wasted, that means cheap freezer food would be financially the best option for us.

To lay it all out - 3 days on a bad diet.

Breakfast-
Milk £1.20 - And Cheap sugar filled cereal 80p
Lunch-
White bread 50p And Ramen £2
Dinner-
Bag of 32 chicken nuggets - £2
Chips 82p -
Snacks -
2 Packs of 3 chocolate bars £2

=£9.32 for the 3 days

3 days on a slightly better diet -

Breakfast-
Eggs on whole meal toast with avocado
Lunch -
Whole meal pitta with lettuce and tuna filling
Dinner-
Chicken Korma on brown rice
Snacks -
Oranges

The shopping list -
Brown Rice 1Kg - £1.75
Pataks Mild Korma Sauce 450G - £1.75
3 packs Baby Button Mushrooms 200G -£3.00
3 packs Chicken Mini Fillets 350G -£12.00
6 Wholemeal Pitta Bread - £3.60
Princes Tuna Chunks In Brine 4X160g - £4.00
Avocados 4 Pack -£1.75
Eggs Large Box Of 12 - £2.78

= £31.92

Now I know this has been a long post. But I really want to start a discussion on this issue.
My partner and I we do have a method to eating healthy, but It's very bland and boring. We don't have the funds to eat a good varied diet.

So, let me hear your opinions, or tips and tricks.

HOW DO YOU ALL COPE (or not cope?!)

Replies

  • Sinisterly
    Sinisterly Posts: 10,913 Member
    Try the green stuff, it's delicious. Don't believe me? Ask the dishes!

    Edit: Some people in Africa would probably disagree.
  • srr728
    srr728 Posts: 549 Member
    beans, eggs, veggies you wash and cut yourself, a good fiber cereal and milk, oatmeal, popcorn for snack popped in a brown paper bag,

    frozen chicken that you can make into 3-4 meals or a whole chicken

    eat breast for one meal, eat wings and legs for a meal, make chicken & _____ and then boil carcass and make a broth for soup

    look for coupons and SALES.

    see if your area has a discount / almost expired grocery store, or a co-op where you can get bulk veggies.

    make veggie soup or chicken soup that can last all week.

    spaghetti or lentils with some meat and a sauce





    Meal plan!
  • orangeskiesinlove
    orangeskiesinlove Posts: 49 Member
    beans, eggs, veggies you wash and cut yourself, a good fiber cereal and milk, oatmeal, popcorn for snack popped in a brown paper bag,

    frozen chicken that you can make into 3-4 meals or a whole chicken

    eat breast for one meal, eat wings and legs for a meal, make chicken & _____ and then boil carcass and make a broth for soup

    look for coupons and SALES.

    see if your area has a discount / almost expired grocery store, or a co-op where you can get bulk veggies.

    make veggie soup or chicken soup that can last all week.

    spaghetti or lentils with some meat and a sauce





    Meal plan!

    This is how we do it too!

    Freeze everything, make bulk meals.
    1000G frozen chicken breasts £4
    Veggies from ASDA or Lidl (I find lidl doesn't stay fresh long so that veg goes in the freezer meals ASDA is for salads/fruit)

    and if it cant be bought at the discount store is not being bought! Aha, it works out well, but by the last 4 days before pay day we seem to run out still! :(
  • Slinky_BraveHeartBunsOfSteel
    Slinky_BraveHeartBunsOfSteel Posts: 11,016 Member
    Farmfoods have a deal where you can buy 3x 1kg bags of frozen chicken breasts for £10.
    If you go to the shops at certain times of the day, they usually sell food that expires in a day or two for a fraction of the cost. :)
  • sussexbythesea
    sussexbythesea Posts: 1,335 Member
    beans, eggs, veggies you wash and cut yourself, a good fiber cereal and milk, oatmeal, popcorn for snack popped in a brown paper bag,

    frozen chicken that you can make into 3-4 meals or a whole chicken

    eat breast for one meal, eat wings and legs for a meal, make chicken & _____ and then boil carcass and make a broth for soup

    look for coupons and SALES.

    see if your area has a discount / almost expired grocery store, or a co-op where you can get bulk veggies.

    make veggie soup or chicken soup that can last all week.

    spaghetti or lentils with some meat and a sauce


    Yes sound advice also buy loose veggies not those expensive prepacked things like mushrooms. Its amazing what you can do with a couple of cans of economy chopped tomatoes a few veggies and a can of chickpeas.

    Also consider getting KG porridge oat for about a pound a bag makes a great breakfast with milk and economy frozen berries stirred in. I shop Sainsburys basics and never buy chicken prepared breasts.

    Meal plan!

    This is how we do it too!

    Freeze everything, make bulk meals.
    1000G frozen chicken breasts £4
    Veggies from ASDA or Lidl (I find lidl doesn't stay fresh long so that veg goes in the freezer meals ASDA is for salads/fruit)

    and if it cant be bought at the discount store is not being bought! Aha, it works out well, but by the last 4 days before pay day we seem to run out still! :(

    Very sorry my suggestions got caught up in previous persons quote mynbtablet isn misbehaving
This discussion has been closed.

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