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MyFitnessPal Community

Poverty and diet

ChaiMagic

Hey all

So this is embarrassing to admit, but I don't really know where else to turn to. What should I do to keep to my diet when I'm living in poverty? There's a lot of days were I don't really have anything to eat, or am only able to eat carb laden cheap foods like rice and potatoes and noodles. How do I make sure I'm eating healthy, or that I'm at least hitting the 1200 calorie minimum? Does anyone have any tricks for this?

Chai

Replies

Chain_Ring

Keep on keepin' on.....................

albayin

Keep on keepin' on.....................

man, I must have missed a good lot of posts...

Swiftdogs

Beans/legumes are a good source of protein, and filling. Most groceries have sections for meats and produce that are getting a little old. Good luck!

ebbingfat

Try looking around to see if you have any grocery co-ops in your area. A lot of them have bulk foods sections where you can get all kinds of things by the pound. I'm lucky enough to have one up the street from me, and it makes cooking on a budget so easy. That way, you can just buy what you need instead of having to buy whole packages of things. It makes it really easy to buy food for a meal if you only have a couple dollars to spend.

fivethreeone

You'll be happy to hear that --for strict weight loss alone-- the type of foods you eat do not matter at all.

One professor of nutrition ate nothing but "junk food" and lost 27 lbs to prove to his students that it really is total intake, not types of food, that is responsible for weight loss. http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/

For health, you'll want to eat a balanced diet, but carbs are not inherently bad. There's no reason to avoid them.

Also, 1200 calories is probably not enough for you. Try using a TDEE calculator to find your approximate energy requirements for fat loss. Try this one: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

sheedy17

If you are on a budget and sometimes cannot afford food and don't hit your calories, try drinking a liter of water before you eat, it will fill u up and keep you full and then when you do get hungry, drink another liter of water as if it is a meal, I am not suggesting to just drink water, but in your situation, you should try to consume alot of water, could keep you going and make you feel full from time to time.

Its really hard to give tips without food, I know your situation isn't the greatest but your body needs fuel to properly function, hope everything works out for you

Vune

I've spent the better part of the past year homeless, currently in a program to help me get out of the situation. Food stamps have been incredibly helpful, as have food banks. Eggs are a good, cheap source of protein if you're like me and hate the texture of beans. I scour sales flyers in the hopes that my favorites will be on sale. Sometimes i go without. I've been known to eat a bowl of dry grape nuts! Sometimes I'll even treat myself with food that some people would be appalled that someone would buy with food stamps!

usmcmp

Food pantries offer lots of canned goods. Usually vegetables and sometimes canned chicken or tuna. For weight loss alone it doesn't matter if all you ate was carbs. If you can get beans they have protein.

m0dizzle

Rice, beans, legumes, frozen vegetables, all pretty cheap and good for you!

williams969

Rice, potatoes, and noodles are a great start. Beans (by them in bulk and dry, cook in a slow cooker, or on the stove, according to direction) have been the backbone of my family's diet when we were in extreme poverty. Eggs and big frozen bags of chicken breasts or thighs can be had when money allows, and will provide the most protein per dollar. Giant canisters of oatmeal for breakfast, and "day old" produce (seriously, ask the produce manger for this, it can't hurt to score some bruised, but clearly edible produce).

Don't worry about getting loads of protein. If you hit 30-60g a day (I can't believe I'm saying, this, but it's true--100g is NOT vital for optimal, normal health), you're doing GREAT. Yep, you'll be eating the same damn thing every day, but you'll be maintaining your health, even through a difficult life trial.

Also, do NOT be ashamed to seek out resources such as a food bank or, if you qualify, food stamp benefits or any public assistance. That's what it's for--for people who've fallen and need a hand up.

ChaiMagic

Thanks everyone for the replies and advice. I'm currently on the waiting list for EBT/Food stamps in my area, so hopefully things won't be so bad soon. It's heartening to know that as long as I'm taking in less than I'm putting out, I'll still lose weight. Right noe my calorie limit is 1500 a day, so hopefully I'll be able to work it out. Thanks again everyone for your help and kind words.

FireOpalCO

If you qualify for assistance, take it. If there are food banks in your area, visit them.

Dry beans are a great choice that others have mentioned. Very inexpensive and can be livened up with some spices or maybe some bacon or shredded chicken added. Don't forget couscous, it's also very inexpensive in it's traditional form (not instant).

Frozen fruits and veggies can be cheaper then fresh or canned per serving. Keep an eye out for sales, of course you want to skip the fancy steamer bags.

Store brand is your friend.

I had a tight budget in college and quite often dinner was just a baked potato, that's a perfectly fine dinner.

zoeysasha37

Frozen bagged veggies are usually on sale, or the store brand ones are pretty cheap. I love them! You can throw in any spices or even butter. I also get rice cheap as well. You could make a veggie stir fry with the rice and veggies. I saw someone else mentioned canned beans, I love them also. They are good source of protein. definitely look at the sales flyers and see what's on sale each week and try to plan around that. I hope the food stamps come quickly for you :-) I know it can be a rather long wait sometimes. I've been on them before when my Son was a baby. It's nothing to be embarrassed about at all. Good luck to you!! :-)

ChaiMagic

:P the worst part for me is that I'm a culinary student, so just going to class really teases me. On the plus side, my back garden should be ready to harvest soon. I'll have all the cucumbers and melons I can eat.

On another note: what about sodium? A lot of the cheaper food brands are just loaded with it. I know sodium is one of those things you need to be careful of. How do I mitigate the problem?

MelisMusing

Have you looked into the Food Depot? I know in some cases you can go and pick up produce and healthy stuff- you should look into it.

http://www.thefooddepot.org/

I live in NM- I feel you. I know it's hard. Keep your head up.

jennifer_417

It's a tough situation, and I lived like that for many years. Here are some thoughts:

For meat: Shop sales and buy in bulk when you can.

For fruits and veggies: Perhaps you can grow some? It doesn't take much of an investment, pots and seeds and dirt and a sunny corner. If you have the time/space to take care of them, it could really help.

ETA: I should've read all the posts before I posted, I see that you already have a garden, so good for you!

smantha32

On another note: what about sodium? A lot of the cheaper food brands are just loaded with it. I know sodium is one of those things you need to be careful of. How do I mitigate the problem?

I only worry about sodium when I'm retaining water. When I'm bloated i can tell.

After that I don't think you need to worry about it too much unless you hit a weight loss plateau. Like the others said, as long as you are hitting your calorie goals, you should still lose.

Itskaleena

Stock up on beans and legumes when you can. If you can by in bulk.
cans of tuna and chicken are usually pretty cheap.
plan oats are also a good buy.
shop for produce that is in season or at farmers markets.

If you can talk to your local store manager and see if you can buy the foods that are past the sell by date for a cheaper price.
it's still safe to eat but they have to throw it out so see if you can get it on a discount.

IlluminatedMayhem

When things get tight for us we turn to beans, eggs, brown rice (a little more expensive but better for you), frozen or canned fruit and veggies canned tuna, apples, bananas and potatoes. When its on sale we look for other fresh fruit or veggies and boneless skinless chicken breast.

FireOpalCO

On another note: what about sodium? A lot of the cheaper food brands are just loaded with it. I know sodium is one of those things you need to be careful of. How do I mitigate the problem?

The issue of sodium is usually in heavily processed foods that are treated to be made shelf stable or palatable for reheating (frozen dinners). It will not be a concern with frozen fruits and veggies or dried beans/rice/couscous. Stuff you buy canned, look for low sodium versions.

Since you are a culinary student, you probably realize that anything you buy that has them do the extra steps, cost more. Boneless skinless chicken costs more then just a whole chicken, prime cuts (breasts) will cost more then thighs.

A crockpot will be your friend, cook beans all day, make chicken & dumplings, etc. and have several days worth of food in one go.

tracydr

Find a place to purchase bulk- we have a place called Sprouts here in AZ with great deals.
Stop shopping Walmart and regular chain groceries
Find a produce "market", we have one here that sells incredibly cheap "seconds"
Grow a few things in pots or yard if you can-try dollar stores for pots and dirt, lettuce, basil, chard and cilantro are all great options, easy and vitamin loaded
Find a food coop for low income-I think most large cities have them
Produce stands if you live in more rural areas can be great, especially for seasonal produce, hit them at the end of the day for good deals
Learn to dehydrate,freeze or can foods when you find super cheap deals
Go vegetarian, except maybe whole chicken or leg quarters
Try Mexican and Asian groceries, more good deals
Watch the weekly sales-I feed my dogs raw meat and never buy anything unless it's marked way,way down
Chicken and pork are cheap, beef expensive. Turkey around the holidays can be found super cheap, bake and use for sandwiches and salads
Pasta, beans, rice,potatoes,sweet potatoes. You can buy pinto beans in 20-50 lb bags at Hispanic groceries.
Learn to bake-flour, yeast/sourdough starter are cheap, baking powder for quick breads, find a place with bulk grains
Try some unusual whole grains-example whole wheat can be purchased in bulk from Mormon pantry supplies, we have lots of them in our area, use wheat/barley as rice for increased whole grains.
Try a new fruit or vegetable, and/or grain every time you grocery shop. Asian groceries are great for unfamiliar,cool stuff.
We eat lots of eggs. We eat no processed foods except an occasional frozen pizza. We also eat stone ground and rolled oats, which I find really cheap in bulk.
If eligible, apply for Food Stamps and Wic.
Many cities have community gardens where you can have a plot to grow veggies. Learn what types of things to grow and when to plant them. Seeds are cheap, just don't buy all the bagged dirt and fancy fertilizers.
Learn how to lacto-ferment your excess produce to make pickles, saurkraut and kimchi. Lacto-fermentation provides lots of extra nutrients and only requires salt, water and a jar. You can pickle just about any veggie and most fruits. Don't let produce go to waste. Pickle it or get it in the freezer or dry it either in the sun or the oven. Asian and European cultures pickle everything!

amwbox

Grew up eating cheap, and its not a problem nutritionally.

First, don't be afraid of carbs. Carbs are perfectly fine, even for weight loss. Don't buy into the carb nonsense.

The expensive stuff, such as fresh produce and meats, should the minority of the meal, rather than main course. (Though you can get a giant tub of greens at Safeway for like 8 bucks....might as well eat lots of that.)

Stick with basic staples that can be purchased in bulk, such as rice, beans, flour, eggs, milk, bread, etc etc, and compliment this with the more expensive stuff. Avoid ready to eat or boxed dinners, as on a calorie/dollar basis, these things are actually more expensive.

Best thing can do though? Get a crock pot and google up some cheap crock pot recipes. You can calculate the calories of everything you put in before hand, weight it, and then divide it up into serving sizes with known caloric contents. You would be shocked at what happens when you put a couple of chicken legs into a crockpot with a bunch of potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions. You wind up with a like a gallon of extremely nutritious and extremely tasty food that is extremely easy to diet with. Just have to measure and weight portions.

Its a myth that cheap food isn't nutritious. It absolutely can be. Something like Easy Mac or Ramen Noodles...not so much.