GROCERY LIST

i am in the same boat, i am on 1200 calories, and find it somewhat hard to find things that will keep me at my caloric goal, an dthings that my kids an dhusband will eat. so maybe we can swap ideas an dxreciepes back and forth. I use frsh groud turkey when i cook things like spaghetti, hamburger helper, meat loaf, etc and it cuts way down on the calories. I preportion these items an dother things i cook and put in freeze to have quick heat and eat meals on days when i am in a hurry i also buy prepackaged 100 calories or less snacks to grab and go

If you have a sam's club membership, we get the bird's eye stir-fry for a quick meal when we don't have much time to cook. About 5 bucks for a huge bag. It comes with a seasoning packet and makes a TON, so you can just put the left-overs in the fridge. Really low-cal. (140 per serving, I think) It's also good with a little chicken mixed in.

All i can suggest is fresh veggies, veggies, and more veggies!! You get the healthiest (clean eating) most nutritious bang for your buck. I usually buy a bunch of veggies and then use them 5 different ways in different dishes every night. They're cheaper in the long run than buying so many pre-packaged processed foods that typically contain ungodly amounts of sodium. And Garnet Yam! So good, i eat them baked with a bit of real butter on them instead of a regular potato. I can usually also prepare a meal with the intent to have 2 or 3 servings of left overs and portion them out into tupperware and keep them handy in the fridge or (if its the right kind of recipe) freezer. There are lots of webpages that have free recipes for healthier eating that are quick and easy! Even if you're not much of a cook, there's lots out there that is fail-proof.

One thing that can help with the calorie intake is to substitute your pastas (this does make the cost go up a bit). For example, I make lasagna with eggplant instead of pasta and we use spaghetti squash instead of noodles.

Specifically for cost savings, use lots of beans to fill up. Not baked beans, which are full of fat, sugar and salt, but find ways to incorporate a can of beans here and there: bean salad, Mexican Charro style beans. The other day I put a can of pinto beans, a jar of salsa and a lb of chicken in a pan, covered it with cheddar cheese and threw it in the over. I made eggplant lasagna the same day to heat up during the week, but my partner finished off the chicken casserole without touching the lasagna, which is one of his favorite foods! You could do something similar with about half as much ground turkey as you would normally use, kidney beans, stewed tomatoes, chili seasoning, sprinkle the cheddar on top and bake.

Stay on the perimiter of the store (produce, meat, dairy). The center is crammed with processed, callorie packed foods.

I am not sure how smart this is but whatever it works when you have a busy sched. like I do...I buy protein shakes maybe slim fast or special k or whatever...I use those as a snack in between meals because all it is, is a protein shake. Not only am I doing the calorie counting but I am also doing low carb high protein. I also tend to buy a lot of chicken breast and grill that on the stove with minced garlic and olive oil. Stir fry steak is also very good with some bell peppers .

allrecipes.com is a great site if you are looking for new recipes

Here are typical things I buy. We cook 95% from scratch. Make things ahead of time and pre-package to freeze or take along. I try for a protein, essential fat and some fiber at every meal.

eggs (hardboil for a quick snack)
dried figs and apricots
pistachios, almonds, pecans, walnuts
beans and rice
apples, bananas, mango
almond butter
cauliflower, broccoli, peppers
lettuce, spinach
tomato, avocado
protein (smoked salmon, tuna, turkey, chicken breasts to cook ahead, beef)
skim milk, cheese
oatmeal, flax cereal

Stay on the perimiter of the store (produce, meat, dairy). The center is crammed with processed, callorie packed foods.

My Thoughts exactly! Thats all i do now, other then bread and rice.. but its a fantastic way to start eating a lot healthier and semi cheaper

Below are two recipes that I make that reheat well and can be frozen.

One of my favourites recipes for using up left over veggies (or any that are going a bit manky) is a vegetable frittata.

Beat up 4 or 5 eggs with a little salt and pepper (to taste). Throw in whatever veggies you have. For stuff like spinach/silverbeet chop it roughly. For veggies like peppers, tomato, mushrooms, carrots, pumpkin or sweet potato dice it into small cubes. For carrot or zucchini grate it up and squeeze out the excess liquid before adding it to the mix. If you can afford the calories you can add some grated cheese or bacon pieces. Poor the mix into a quiche dish and bake at about 180 degrees celcius (350 fahrenheit) for about an hour or so (you'll know it is done when you touch the centre and it is spongy to the touch).

You can have this dish hot with a side salad or take cold slices to work for lunch. It also freezes - just pre-cut your portions then you can take it out and microwave it on an as needs basis.

You can also experiment adding left over fresh herbs or dried herbs to give it different tastes.

Another good (cheap) meal is vegetable soup, I love making it on a cold winters day. In a big stockpot put about 1 litre of veggie stock and half a litre of water. Throw in a third to a half of a packet of soup mix (you'll find it in the soup aisle, often on the bottom shelf). I add a tub of tomato paste so that the end product doesn't just look like dirty dishwater. Then throw in your chopped up veggies - include a variety such as turnip, potato, onion, sweet potato, pumpkin, zuchinni, parnsip, carrots, spinch/silverbeet (add this in the last hour of cooking) - whatever is in season or cheap. Add herbs, salt and pepper to taste. If you want meat you can throw in a ham bone (take this out about an hour from the end and remove the meat and add it back into the soup). Let the whole lot simmer for 4-6 hours. You will probably need to add water along the way. I like my soup super thick so it is more like stew so I let it simmer right down but if you like watery soup just add more liquid. Now here is the neat trick my mum taught me. To freeze portions get out all your coffee mugs and line them with freezer bags. Ladle in the soup and tie the bags shut. Pop the coffee mugs into the freezer overnight. The next morning remove the mugs and run them under hot water for 30 seconds each. The frozen soup portions will slip out easily. You then throw the frozen bags of soup back into the freezer and voila you have a stack of individual serves of healthy, yummy home made soup.. When it comes time to eat it just grab one out of the freezer, run the bag under hot water for a few seconds then turn it into a bowl and microwave it.