Best foods to buy on a budget

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Catman_Jellytot
Catman_Jellytot Posts: 40 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi.

I'm trying to diet (again) and I'm just thinking about the kinds of foods I can buy on a budget? I've usually got a limit of aboit £30-£40 and it usually lasts me and my boyfriend about 2 weeks. I don't want to stop buying the stuff my boyfriend likes, so what kind of things can I add/replace without really paying too much more? What kind of budget meals do you cook, too?
Thanks.
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Replies

  • do4fit16
    do4fit16 Posts: 5 Member
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    We cook a few bulk meals a week like chili, spaghetti, extra meat and veggies. Helps keep our costs down!
  • weightliftingdiva
    weightliftingdiva Posts: 522 Member
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    Peanut butter.
    Rice.
    Beans.
    Frozen veggies.

    Buy in bulk. Regular peanut butter in a big tub is less per ounce then natural/no sugar added in a small tub, usually. In bulk rice and beans are cheaper then their canned brethren and can be easily seasoned with whatever spices you have on hand. It is a little less convenient then canned or instant but better on the wallet. Frozen veg is cheap and is often picked in season - so it can actually be better quality. And it lasts longer then in in your fridge.

    Of course you are using euros so I don't know about prices in the region you live in, but on the east coast of the states that's what has worked for me.

    Good luck and happy eating. :)
  • queenjane1023
    queenjane1023 Posts: 24 Member
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    Money is a little tight for us right now as well so I'm trying to go cheap as I can. Frozen veggies are a good alternative to fresh, I just look for the ones with no added ingredients. Frozen tilapia filets turn out to be pretty cheap here as well. If I get fresh produce, I go for whatever is in season at the time. My 4 year old devours many apples a day and while I prefer to buy organic, there are always the lunchbox apples that are always 3 for 99 cents.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    Have a look at the nutrition labels on the cheaper stuff - some is pretty good.
    In some cases it's just a small portion size.
    In other cases it maybe more water.

    I've been eating a fair bit of the cheap tins of custard recently (like 1.6kg in a day, the other day!) - they are lower in calories and fat than the 'low fat' versions which cost more.

    Buy big bags of pasta, potatoes and so on. Try and get to the supermarket when they have the good stuff on offer.

    The other day I got 9 pack of 300g strawberries for 20p each, I think it was - and yes, I did eat the whole 2.7kg in one day - drove over 500 miles that day, so nice to have them sat on the passenger seat to munch on.
  • cadaver0usb0nes
    cadaver0usb0nes Posts: 151 Member
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    Frozen fruit/vegetables can last a long time, also getting rice, pasta, beans, etc from bulk bins. I will usually make a big dinner once or twice a week and then store it in tupperware so you have meals for the rest of the week either to take for lunch or for dinner. If you eat yogurt it can be cheaper to buy it in the big tub instead of individual ones, unless those are on sale. Bananas, potatoes, onions stuff like that is usually pretty cheap.
  • missClark25
    missClark25 Posts: 4
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    Speaking from a college kid perspective...

    I don't have that much money as it is but, I love stocking up on vegetable & fruits!!! If you have a farmers market coming up I recommend going to one they are filled with endless supplies for diet meals. I try to stray away from creamy foods and keep to whole foods. For example, we made grilled chicken with pineapple salsa the other night and it was hardy but with a sweet taste. I prefer "natural flavors" because the natural juices are so tasty when mixed together.
  • motivatedmartha
    motivatedmartha Posts: 1,108 Member
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    I suggest avoiding all highly processed foods - pre-packaged meals are poor value as they are usually high in sodium, fats and sugar and not very satisfying. You can bulk buy rice and pasta etc, veggies are cheap if you buy in season and cheaper cuts of meat are good if you slow cook them
  • SymphonynSonata
    SymphonynSonata Posts: 533 Member
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    Check out some stores geared towards certain ethnicities, like Indian or Spanish.
  • wickedpursuit
    wickedpursuit Posts: 47 Member
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    Crockpot cooking is stupidly cheap. I can make a pot of Panama pork stew for about $10 - and it will feed 8 or maybe 10 if you stretch it. This site is pretty handy for that kind of thing: http://www.slowcookeradventures.com/2011/01/crock-pot-meals-for-10-or-less.html

    If you eat a lot of bread, I'd suggest learning how to make it - ingredients are cheap and the only thing you're really doing is spending time. It's also cheaper to make your own cookies/baked goods for treats, rather than buying them from a store - and they can be much, much better for you.

    Don't be afraid of store brands. Look for meat that's been marked down - it's still good, just make sure to use it that day or freeze it. Look at buying chicken leg quarters - they're about $.60/lb here (not sure of the conversion, sorry!) and you can strip the skin off of them pretty easily. After that, separate thighs from drumsticks, and you have chicken that can be boiled and shredded or baked or what-have-you.

    Get a whole chicken, break it down, boil it with some seasonings - you not only have chicken stock, but you also have a whole chicken's worth of cooked meat to turn into chicken salad or put into a variety of other recipes.

    Rice, lentils, beans and pasta are all pretty cheap - as everyone's said before! - and frozen vegetables are amazing for adding bulk to the meal (and nutrients to your diet!)
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
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    I suggest avoiding all highly processed foods - pre-packaged meals are poor value as they are usually high in sodium, fats and sugar and not very satisfying. You can bulk buy rice and pasta etc, veggies are cheap if you buy in season and cheaper cuts of meat are good if you slow cook them

    I'm sorry but fat and sugar not very satisfying?!? SMH......what the what?!? LUCY you got some 'splain' to do..........
  • chani8
    chani8 Posts: 946 Member
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    Whole chickens.
    Whatever veggies are cheapest.
    Pasta.
    Milk and cornflakes.
    Bread and jelly.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,301 Member
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    OP--in no particular order; inexpensive foods which may hit or help you hit your MACROS:

    Oranges and Apples

    Peanut Butter Almonds

    Kale Carrots Cabbage

    Eggs Tea

    Lentils Oats

    EX. A cup of kale is approximately 70 cents where I live; seasonality and your location to fresh produce will effect inexpensive. Best of luck.
  • _Igotthis_
    _Igotthis_ Posts: 3
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    I suggest avoiding all highly processed foods - pre-packaged meals are poor value as they are usually high in sodium, fats and sugar and not very satisfying. You can bulk buy rice and pasta etc, veggies are cheap if you buy in season and cheaper cuts of meat are good if you slow cook them

    I'm sorry but fat and sugar not very satisfying?!? SMH......what the what?!? LUCY you got some 'splain' to do..........

    Fat and sugar are not lasting satisfaction.... I think that is all the "splain" needed.
  • sandiebro
    sandiebro Posts: 31 Member
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    Do you have an Aldi? They have some excellent fruit and vegetables which are considerably cheaper than the other supermarkets (well Sainsbury's that I know of!).

    Aldi's largish tub of fat free yogurt (plain) is around 59p - I've strained some tonight to make fat free Greek Yogurt which was delicious. It's very versatile.

    Their low fat cottage cheese is also delicious with baked potatoes.
  • sandiebro
    sandiebro Posts: 31 Member
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    Aldi's rice cakes are also excellent - only 27 calories each. (Forgotten price - around 65p ish I think)
  • sandiebro
    sandiebro Posts: 31 Member
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    You could also grow some salad on your windowsill

    http://www.thompson-morgan.com/vegetables/vegetable-seeds/salad-seeds/salad-leaves-speedy-mix/4790TM
  • PinkyFett
    PinkyFett Posts: 842 Member
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    Farmers markets a lot of times are cheaper, you help local farmers, and the food is better and tends to last longer.

    Eggs are cheap and good. I have eggs all the time.

    Whole chickens, as someone else mentioned.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    I suggest avoiding all highly processed foods - pre-packaged meals are poor value as they are usually high in sodium, fats and sugar and not very satisfying.
    How many have you eaten recently?
    How many have you even looked at the packages of recently?
    You're wrong in all accounts for a good proportion of them, so I don't think your 'usually' is justified.

    Oh and Aldi veg etc - often not that great value compared to other supermarkets. Maybe still at the 'good value' end, but can often find better deals per weight on others - ie their '6 for 6' or whatever you always get smaller items or less in a bag.

    Oh and - onions (which I forget to get today) - can usually find somewhere doing a massive bag for not much.
    Lettuce is currently 49p for an iceberg in a good few places.
    Iceland has a lot of good options at sensible prices - including in their fridges (rather than freezers).
  • salembambi
    salembambi Posts: 5,585 Member
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    bulk:
    rice
    potatoes
    beans
    lentils


    apples/apple sauce unsweetened
    frozen corn and other veg
    melons
    nuts
    bagels & english muffins
    rice cakes
    nut butters
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
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    Farmers markets a lot of times are cheaper, you help local farmers, and the food is better and tends to last longer.

    Eggs are cheap and good. I have eggs all the time.

    Whole chickens, as someone else mentioned.



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