Diet on a budget?

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ForeverBlackBeauty
ForeverBlackBeauty Posts: 21
in Food and Nutrition
any tips for someone with a low budget??

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  • mjculbertson4512
    mjculbertson4512 Posts: 157 Member
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    YouTube has great exercise videos, so no gym required. Walking outside, also free.

    Cook at home, save money. Great recipies and videos on the internet in many places.

    Shop local farmers markets for fresh ingredients

    Pack your lunch, portion control, preplanned, prelogged in your MFP diary. Saves on cheating, money, calories.
  • SharonNehring
    SharonNehring Posts: 535 Member
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    I totally agree with the first response, all great ideas. Try to shop for sale items and start using coupons if you don't already. Walmart have just started a program where to go online and enter your receipt number. It will check other stores to see if there are any items at a lower price and refund you the difference.

    Frozen veggies are often just as good as fresh. Farmers Markets will likely be your best bet for fresh items. Buy larger packages when you find a good sale, like packs of chicken breasts. Just divide it at home and freeze individual portions. A large container of rolled oats is much cheaper than instant packets. Beans, rice, canned tuna, a bag of apples are all cheaper than other options.

    We try to create each week's menu based upon what items are on sale that week. You can go online and look for recipes made from specific foods. Packing your lunch and limiting take out will make a big difference too.
  • KayBallin
    KayBallin Posts: 111 Member
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    I'm on a budget. I've actually saved money with this new lifestyle. Weighing and measuring portions leaves you with more food to save, for example.

    I also don't buy fruit juices or soda. I just drink the tap water at my house. It's delicious.

    Buy whatever is on sale for the week.

    Batch cook your meals. I usually make my lunch and brown bag to work every day. And, on Friday, if I feel like it, I'll eat out since I saved all week by brown bagging.

    Frozen veggies are usually on sale every week where I live. I get 3-5 bags every time I shop.
  • chjones21
    chjones21 Posts: 33 Member
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    This is the second time I have posted this link (I hope that is allowed???). This girl, she writes for the UK market so prices are in £s and pence but they are super-cheap and she puts the cost per person (meaning buying from UK supermarkets) right at the top. It can't be all that different in the US. Hope this helpful!


    http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/series/jack-monroe-low-cost-recipes
  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,013 Member
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    For affordable produce look in your area for discounted produce places, I know they have them in Seattle and Boston. Also, in Santa Cruz they have a program where they give free, organic produce to anyone who needs it. No questions asked, no proof of income or anything. You may be surprised what you can find in your community.
  • juiceeny
    juiceeny Posts: 2
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    First make a meal plan for the week, something you could use for the month. With that meal plan make a shopping list. Then Google coupons or buy them in bulk at BJ's. My meal plan consist of lots of vegetable so I buy bags and bags of vegetable when they are on sale. Invest in measuring cups and a food scale because if you measure things out according to serving size it stretches a long way. 1 cup of frozen veggies is not a lot so imagine if you buy a big bag from target or Walmart, it will last about 1 week depending how many cups you have a day.


    Work out at home! Invest in a few weights and kettle ball and your good to go. Leslie Sansone is a great home work out video and you can find her on YouTube, I add a few weights sometimes to add intensity. Then the local high school track is also available in my town.
  • juiceeny
    juiceeny Posts: 2
    Options
    First make a meal plan for the week, something you could use for the month. With that meal plan make a shopping list. Then Google coupons or buy them in bulk at BJ's. My meal plan consist of lots of vegetable so I buy bags and bags of vegetable when they are on sale. Invest in measuring cups and a food scale because if you measure things out according to serving size it stretches a long way. 1 cup of frozen veggies is not a lot so imagine if you buy a big bag from target or Walmart, it will last about 1 week depending how many cups you have a day.


    Work out at home! Invest in a few weights and kettle ball and your good to go. Leslie Sansone is a great home work out video and you can find her on YouTube, I add a few weights sometimes to add intensity. Then the local high school track is also available in my town.
  • barbmarcell
    barbmarcell Posts: 4
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    Thanks for starting this thread. I'm on a very low budget, too, and I find these replies very reinforcing and informative.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    any tips for someone with a low budget??

    Lentils. Rice. Pasta.

    You're looking at about $1/day to fill caloric needs and make a solid dent in all your macros. Supplement with a little butter and a little meat and you can be golden for about $2/day or less.

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