First time planning meals ahead

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emily889
emily889 Posts: 296 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I have been eating healthy for the past couple weeks, but only by buying things as I go, and really being strict when it comes to eating on the go at restaurants. I am going to make a meal plan for two weeks and get groceries tomorrow, which seems like a daunting task. Especially since I get paid every two weeks so I have to make sure to get enough to last. Any advice??? What are some yummy meals that are quick yet affordable? I am open to anything and I am not afraid to try new foods!!

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  • TheNewPriceIsLoading
    TheNewPriceIsLoading Posts: 2,135 Member
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    Filling foods. Proteins. Low Carbs. Low Fat products.

    Peanut Butter and Whole Wheat bread is a staple for me. If I don't feel hungry, but need a meal. Bam.

    Tuna is a good choice too.

    Chips and salsa can be your friend. Tostitos Baked Scoops and your choice of salsa (though look for low sugar in the salsa)

    Oasis Hummus is AMAZING, if you can find it there, GET IT..

    More ideas to come.
  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
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    Most weeks I make meals ahead.

    Ground Turkey - I can make tacos, turkey burgers, meatballs, etc...
    Tuna - I can eat it without anything, great snack
    Eggs, Eggs and more eggs - I love eggs any way you make em - boiled, poached, over easy, scrambled, breakfast burrito, veggie omlette


    mmm...
  • camralens
    camralens Posts: 23 Member
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    I like to make simple lunch meals for the week with my protein starch and veg.

    PROTEIN - Grilled Chicken, Meatballs, Chicken or Turkey patties, or shrimp. STARCH - Brown Rice, Sweet Potatoes, or spaghetti squash (box of instant brown rice lasts me about 2 weeks or more). VEG - I buy the steam bags of frozen veggies.

    Publix has these awesome "Eat Smart" bag of Broccoli/Carrots/Cauliflower and they normally are 2 for $5 or if on sale 3 for $5. They are in the produce section.

    I will also make hard-boiled eggs for the week for extra protein. Store them in a bowl of water to stay moist.

    For breakfast, I make mini quiches or Ham/egg cups in a muffin pan and you can freeze them to stay good throughout the week. Great for quick/on-the-go breakfast! Here's a recipe link for the ham/ egg cups: http://myfridgefood.com/Recipes/20854/Baked-Eggs-in-Ham

    I get my Chicken in bulk at Costco. $22 for a huge bag with about 24 breasts in it.

    Hope this helps =)
  • crystalewhite
    crystalewhite Posts: 422 Member
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    We check for sales on chicken on the weekends, and then grill a bunch of whatever was on sale on Sunday. We will usually put a couple of pieces in a bag at a time and add seasonings or marinades just so we don't get bored with the same flavor during the week.

    Also be sure to hit the produce section the day of or day after your grocer restocks. That way, you can get first pick of what is on sale and not looking through a sad pile of picked over items.

    I agree with happysherri, eggs are so quick to cook and there are so many ways to cook and season them.

    There was also a time that I wrinkled my nose up at frozen veggies but they are a lot better than they used to be. You can just have a portion at a time. Green beans are currently my favorite. I steamed some last night and tossed in about a teaspoon of olive oil and a sprinking of almonds.

    Hummus is great, but if you have a food processor or powerful blender, making your own is cheaper.
  • emily889
    emily889 Posts: 296 Member
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    Ahh you guys are a big help. I just feel overwhelmed! Especially since I just moved into my apartment last month and still don't have the usual staples. It gets expensive to start from scratch and fill a fridge and cupboard. It is especially hard because I live with a roomie who eats tons of junk!! :ohwell:

    I have bought ground turkey once and it seemed super wet, I was going to make it for tacos. I felt like I would either undercook it and have it be mushy and no good or dry the hell outta it! So maybe I will give it a go again!
  • tabicatinthehat
    tabicatinthehat Posts: 329 Member
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    I don't limit myself to a strict list. My list is more like "meat, veggies, some brown rice, etc." That way I can take advantage of sales. Yesterday I got two lbs of ground chicken for $1 off each lb. Made 12 HUGE meatballs and froze the ones I didn't use for the next three days' meals.
  • camralens
    camralens Posts: 23 Member
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    Ahh you guys are a big help. I just feel overwhelmed! Especially since I just moved into my apartment last month and still don't have the usual staples. It gets expensive to start from scratch and fill a fridge and cupboard. It is especially hard because I live with a roomie who eats tons of junk!! :ohwell:

    I have bought ground turkey once and it seemed super wet, I was going to make it for tacos. I felt like I would either undercook it and have it be mushy and no good or dry the hell outta it! So maybe I will give it a go again!

    Do you have an Aldi grocery store near you?? I swear by Aldi!! They have great prices for the their foods and most of their produce is local, so it's cheaper.

    Add some whole-wheat bread crumbs to the turkey to help soak up the moisture. I also find that my ground turkey tastes better on the 4th or 5th day - kinda weird. And even Ground Chicken is awesome too!
  • Laurenloveswaffles
    Laurenloveswaffles Posts: 535 Member
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    I love making lettuce wraps for lunch. While you can't really prep them, unless you want soggy lettuce, you can make one in about 5 seconds. They are super easy and delicious. Add that with a cup of greek yogurt and oreos, and that's my lunch!

    I also make hamburger patties every sunday (96%/4%) so that I can have a hamburger every night. I'm really picky with food, so I don't get tired of it. If I do get tired of it, I'll make protein pancakes or I'll make a salad. Meh, I'm weird.

    Chicken breasts are always an easy go to. If you have a slow-cooker, just throw some in there with water and spices. This can cook a whole bunch of chicken without the hassle of checking it all the time.

    Canned soups are a good grab-n-go lunch. Fresh fruits and veggies are super easy and yummy. Peanut butter is a must.
  • 365andstillalive
    365andstillalive Posts: 663 Member
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    My biggest tip is to shop for one week instead of two. When I was living on my own and working with a pay schedule like yours, I would constantly try to just do one big shop, but then by half way or so through, I'd be sick of the plan or want an option I hadn't originally thought of.

    I know you only get paid every two weeks, but consider dividing what you would normally spend into a single week budget. So if you have $100 to spend, spend $50 each week. Or at the very least, plan to only spend $70-80 the first week so that you still have a bit left for things you missed, want, or need to replace.

    Depending on what you like and what you have to re-heat lunches etc, I'd recommend these quinoa burgers (http://eatingwelllivingthin.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/love-my-quinoa-burger/) they're a good source of protein and you can top them pretty simply or elaborately. The recipe also makes 10-12 burgers, so I tend to eat them over the course of a month. Quinoa can be expensive, but if you have something like bulk barn around you, you can buy what you need for a recipe like this for about $3. Then I just use veggies as a side.

    Frozen veggies will be your best friend; they're more cost effective than fresh and give you a lot longer to get through them before they go bad. Try to get a good mix that's going to cover the nutrients you need, or buy a few different mixes over time. I'm not a big fan of frozen fruit, but that's a personal preference thing. I buy all of mine fresh, but I only tend to buy what's in season.

    You should also consider making crock pot meals; that way you have portions for that day, the next and maybe even the day after but can then freeze it to have the following week. This turkey chili freezes really well: http://365-and-still-alive.tumblr.com/post/93114980561/black-bean-corn-and-turkey-chili-nutrition

    So long as you're willing to eat repetitively, it's really easy to keep your grocery budget low.
  • amunet07
    amunet07 Posts: 1,245 Member
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    saving to read later
  • WishUponAStarx
    WishUponAStarx Posts: 41 Member
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    bump
  • CindeeMaree
    CindeeMaree Posts: 16
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    I do the same, shop for two weeks and plan my meals ahead of time. I have 2 inexpensive and Really tasty meals I use, I'll share the recipes with you. The first is a little spicy but not overwhelming, the second is great on rice (I like brown for the nuttiness) or on a salad with the sauce as your dressing.

    Here's an example of the menu I made out for this week and next. The V (vegetarian) P (pescitarian) NV (contains meat) I'd be happy to give you any recipes you might be interested in.

    Week 1:
    Monday: V Home-made EZ Blackbean Burgers and Eggplant Chips
    Tuesday: V Cuban Black Bean Soup and Tossed Salad
    Wednesday: V Fresh Tomato, Basil, Garlic, Parmesan Pasta
    Thursday: P Sriachi & Peanut Butter Tofu with Brown Rice
    Friday: V Chickpea & Cauliflower “Rice” Bowl
    Saturday: V Beyond Chicken Fajita’s
    Sunday: V Chipotle Sweet Potato Bisque

    Week 2:
    Monday: V Pasta Puttanesca on Spaghetti
    Tuesday: V Pan Seared Tofu “Scallops” with Chili Sauce, Brown Rice, Green Beans
    Wednesday: NV Chicken Caesar Salad
    Thursday: V Sweet Potato and Black Bean Taco’s and Eggplant Chips
    Friday: V Spicy Yellow Pepper-Tomato Soup
    Saturday: P Grilled Swordfish, Salad
    Sunday: V Puerto Rican Rice and Beans


    Spicy Yellow Pepper-Tomato Soup (Middle Eastern Flavor)
    Makes 8 cups (a 2 cup serving is under 200 Calories)

    2 ½ tsp. Olive oil
    1 cup Onion, chopped
    2 Yellow Peppers, diced
    4 Plum Tomatoes, diced
    6 Garlic Cloves, minced
    6 cups or 1 ½ boxes Chicken or Vegetable Broth
    1 ½ tsp. Cumin
    1 ½ tsp. Coriander
    ½ tsp. Cinnamon
    ¼ - ½ tsp. Cayenne Pepper
    ½ cup Couscous
    Salt and Pepper to Taste

    Heat oil in a stock pan over medium heat. Ad onion and peppers and sauté 5 minutes. Ad garlic and stir until garlic is fragrant. Now add the broth, tomatoes and spices. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a low simmer, partially cover the pot for about 20 minutes. Stir in Couscous and continue to simmer about 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Spicy Vegan Peanut Butter Tofu with Sriracha (SOOOOO GOOOOO!)
    Makes 3-4 meals (364 calories for 1/3 of the recipe)


    1 pkg. firm or extra firm Tofu, cut as you like
    1 Tbls. Olive Oil
    1 Tbls. Sesame Oil
    2 Large Garlic Cloves, sliced
    1 inch piece of Ginger Root, sliced (no need to peel)
    2 Green Onion, sliced on the diagonal


    Cut and drain the tofu well, Keeping it in the fridge all day between paper towels works well. Meanwhile make the Peanut Sriracha Sauce below.

    When ready to begin cooking heat the oil in a heavy pan (I use cast iron) over high for 1 minute. Add sesame oil, ginger and garlic slices and cook just until fragrant (about 30 seconds) remove ginger and garlic and discard. Lower heat to medium high and place tofu in the hot seasoned oil. Turn often until nicely browned on both sides, about 7-8 minutes.

    Peanut Butter Sriracha Sauce:
    Can be doubled to spoon over rice


    3 Tbls. Soy Sauce or Tamari
    3 Tbls. Rice Vinegar (any white vinegar will do)
    2 Tbls. Creamy Peanut Butter
    1 Tbls. Honey or Agave
    2 Tbls. Water
    1 Tbls. Sriracha


    Whisk together all of the Sauce ingredients. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
    When the Tofu is browned, add the Peanut Sauce to the pan of tofu and turn heat to low, cooking until it begins to thicken (don’t over cook, the sauce will get to thick)
    Remove from pan and plate, garnishing with green onion slices.

    Great served with Brown or White Rice.
  • Patttience
    Patttience Posts: 975 Member
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    You don't need to plan your meals if you shop once a week and:
    buy a ton of vegetables for a weeks worth and fruit and include some greens and at least one fresh herb - preferably in a pot
    some good quality feta cheese and a parmesan cheese
    eggs
    milk - preferably enough to make your own yoghurt as well (a litre)
    natural yoghurt
    some nuts and seeds
    cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
    butter
    balsamic vinegar
    basmati rice or spaghetti
    good quality wholegrain bread
    coarse cut oats
    lentils/beans/chickpeas (preferably dried because its cheaper. Just soak a cup or two the night before you want cook with it.
    some dried herbs and some spices - good ones to start are: cumin, turmeric, thyme, oregano
    a piece of fish
    tea coffee
    can of coconut cream perhaps for a curry with vegies. This is easy to make if you buy a can of some type of curry paste. REad the back for instructions before you buy. Watch out for the ones that put chilli as the first ingredient.
    tea or coffee
    tomato paste and a can of tomato puree/diced tomatoes or similar

    leave off - honey, jams any sweet things. You'll get used to not having it very fast. Keep eating fruit.

    Each week you can add a new ingredient to your cupboard.

    At the end of the week, make a big vegetable soup of any leftover vegetables. Just water and vegies and some olive oil or butter. salt and maybe a dried herb or two.

    Breakfasts can be:
    porridge oats and fruit and yoghurt and seeds
    bread and fruit and yoghurt
    or eggs and vegies on toast
    lunch can be a salad with beans/lentils plus salad vegies plust some crumbled feta.
    Dinner can be sautéed vegies with spaghetti on the side or rice on the side or fried rice or chickpea soup, or lentil soup or grilled fish and sautéed vegies. or any number of recipes you can find. Doesn't matter if you don't have exactly what it called for in the recipe. Or dal and rice and a vegie.


    Get used to living without sugar.

    Look for some great vegetable recipe books and work through the recipes.
    I'm currently working with a fabulous book called Mediterranean cookbook. and am loving it.
    If you want extra protein, make a lentil or chickpea soup to eat every day. My lentil soup is very simple and basic but i like it the best . ITs just red lentils water and salt. I like the greek and italian chickpea soups.

    As the weeks go buy add some basics like flour, breadcrumbs, more different beans, mayonnaise, capers, gherkins (these in mayonnaise make wonderful tartare sauce which goes great with fish., a few dried fruits, a small bag of sugar for a pinch in tomato based tomato sauces, frozen seafood if you like it, tahini (for hummus), more herbs and spices, more nuts and seeds, more cheeses,

    Avoid snacking on nuts and cheese. Stick with about 30g of cheese a day and maybe 1tbsp of nuts per day in other recipes or on top of breakfast or salads.
  • CindeeMaree
    CindeeMaree Posts: 16
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    Oh yeah, frozen veggies and fruits are your friend. They won't go bad, are nutritious and can be used in smoothies and any soup or main entree'.
  • emily889
    emily889 Posts: 296 Member
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    You guys rock! So many good ideas :) My grocery list is filling up quick, I can't wait to go grocery shopping tomorrow.. (never thought I would ever say that!)
  • mariluny
    mariluny Posts: 428 Member
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    If money is tight I would suggest you to try beans, lentils, peas etc. A bag is about 4-5$ around here and will make me about 10 meals.

    Lentils curry is quite taste, super high in protein, ridiculously high in fiber. Overall really good.Lentils has a really mild taste, it's easy to add it in salad, side, etc...
    Dry split peas can make delicious soup for a really low price and again, high in protein and fiber. Just throw onion, celery and carrot (for a traditional peas soup add bacon or ham) all diced in a pot for a few minute, add a cup or 2 of split peas, add enough broth (whatever flavor you prefer) to cover and an inch of 2 over. Add spices, I like rosemary, salt and pepper. 45 minute later you have an absolutely thick and delicious soup.
    Chickpeas can go a long way as well, and bought dry it's really low price. roughly mashed with thinly diced veggie, mayo, garlic salt, it make an absolutely amazing dip or it's delicious in a sandwich (instead of meat, eggs, etc). You can add it to regular lettuce-based salad.
    I like black beans, try them with garlic, diced tomato and onion in a pan, add Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, cilantro (if you have any, don't worry about it) and a bit of chicken broth, it taste the bets over rice or in a taco/burrito/etc.

    All of those recipe will be about 5$ for 4 portions. And I'm not even vegetarian lol but sometimes money is tighter.

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