Eating healthy on a very tight budget.....

I know I've already posted several times but as I read other responses I really hope you do consider a food bank if you have one in your area my dad used to go there, you can score a good amount of canned beans and veggies to start you on the right path

Organic dried beans at my local health food store are $1.99/lb from the "bulk" section. That's cheaper than most meat. Organic tofu at BJs is also about $1.99/lb. Both options are reasonably priced sources of protein.

Frozen veggies are cheaper than fresh usually...and keep longer.

Peanut butter is a cheap go-to for my kids. Instead of prepackaged snacks, my kids eat A LOT of bananas. I also don't buy snack-sized prepackaged things for my kids lunches. I buy a large container of yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. and I use reusable containers for these snacks.

Do you have a everything 99cent store where you like...they have some great fresh.....really fresh sometimes for a buck....ansparagus, green beans, eggplant, sugar snap peas, green beans and more...also fruit as well

Also for a quick snack I cut up cucumber and Apple's and sprinkle some takin on it, my two kids and I love it so when I find them on sale I stock up

Frozen veggies are just as healthy for you, even if you're not a fan of the texture. Also, there are cheaper veggies than green beans. Cabbage is super cheap (49 cents a head where I live) and I can make that into salads with brown rice and other veggies, add beans if you like, very healthy and cheap.

If you have an ALDI nearby, they are a good source of cheaper groceries and some have recently added organic products and gluten free products. Their produce can be hit or miss, but you can save on staples and then spend a little more for produce.

You might want to consider buying a crockpot. You can make a ton of food for cheap with it. I throw in dried brown rice and black beans and let it cook for awhile. Then, top it with some sour cream. For a veggie, you can put green bell pepper in it. With all the ingredients, it adds up to about 5 dollars total. You can get at least 5-6 meals out of it too!

Now, THE DOLLAR STORE. I live by the dollar store. You can get things like soymilk, beans, rice (all dried), sugar free applesauce, nuts, even pasta. People seem to think that all there is is junk but that isn't true. I'd check out Dollar Tree if you have one in your area.

My Husband and I live on a tight budget and have been successful in losing weight thus far! Be sure to buy what you like but just eat smaller portions.

We go for the golden rules:

- Always make a Week-long Menu and add items to shopping list
- Buy Value, reduced or (at a push) own-brand items from the supermarket
- Don't spend over the budget
- Don't go shopping hungry!

We also are sure to buy the following to keep costs low:

- Tinned Fruit, Beans, Vegetables and Soups
- Wholewheat Bread
- Pasta
- Lettuce and Mushrooms
- Eggs

We regularly eat simple to prepare meals at a low-cost. The majority of our meals are under £1.00 for 2 dishes. Below are samples of the meals we eat:

* Tacos with Wedges and Beans
* Frittata with Beans or Salad
* Chicken Breast, Wedges and Lettuce
* Sausages and Mash with Carrots
* Cheese and Tomato Pasta with Mushrooms
* Spaghetti Bolognese
* Steak, Jacket Potato and Lettuce
* Pizza and Lettuce
* Burgers, Wedges and Lettuce

I hope that this helps you!

Kaela x

I have the same issue. Trying to feed 3 adults on 200 a month is hard. I do a of frozen veggies, eggs, chicken, salads, veggie soups, i use cabbage instead of rice etc to put the veggies on top of. oatmeal, wendys chili.... taco salad, chicken veggie soup, turkey instead of hambuger and you can get coupons from jennie off line every month for 1.00 off. hubby goes fishing so that helps too.

You can also find some healthy recipes here : http://www.preferhealthystyle.com. You can find different combination for budget plan and also healthy and delicious food.

Don't think of food as healthy and unhealthy. Just count calories.

WOW

I know it has already been mentioned a few times but frozen vegetables are the way to go. I am actually only repeating it to give a tip on how to cook them so they aren't so yucky. My family has been much more welcoming to frozen veggies since I have been steaming them rather than boiling them. Don't buy the steam in a bag ones because there go your savings, just invest in a steamer basket which aren't too expensive.

Oh, also, roasted carrots are super good. Sometimes I cook them alone and sometimes with potatoes and onions.

You might want to see if someone you know has a membership to Costco's, Sam's or BJ's. Unless of course you can afford one yourself. I reluctantly bought a membership to Sam's a few months ago and it has been a huge asset to me. But be careful and know your unit prices for other stores because sometimes they are more expensive and it is just hard to tell because you are buying like 1,000 pounds of whatever so you think it must be less until you actually calculate it.

I keep a bowl of lettuce I have chopped up (already shredded is way more money) in the fridge and it is a easy side to anything. Just cut up part of a tomato and whoever wants to eat has a small salad on the side.

And there is nothing wrong with having something like pasta or rice with dinner most nights. Just don't make it the whole meal. I would also say that you could probably do a lot better as for as money goes than buying boxed sides. Or course, you might not have the time to cook from scratch too much so I am not judging but it really is a lot cheaper to make it yourself (and healthier too) than to buy it in a box where you just add water and boil.