Trying to eat healthy can be a challenge when you are broke and kind of picky... help?
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Scrambled eggs. Quick. Easy. Cheap. and filling!0
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You said $20-30 for the weekend, Sunday-Friday...did you mean Friday-Sunday?
I do like: Most berries, yogurt, nuts, steamed veggies, other fruits not listed above, chicken, beef, peanut butter... just to name a few.
You can certainly have a huge plate of steamed veggies and 3 oz. of beef, or peanut butter and yogurt, or chicken and veggies and some berries, or beans and a salad and fruit, for well under $10 per day.
I think OP means she's going shopping this weekend for food that has to last Sunday-Friday.0 -
I work for a non profit and was a student for a long time, so I'm pretty much always doing the "eat healthy but cheaply" route. I cook usually on Sunday or Monday and make a meal big enough for the week, or most of the week.
For example, I'll make a turkey chili - the canned beans and canned tomatoes and stuff are things that I tend to stock up on when they're on sale, along with the frozen vegetables, so I'll only really be buying the ground turkey, lean, for about $5. Once cooked, I literally have about ten meals worth of chili. And I can't eat that much chili without wanting to be violent, so I'll freeze half of it for another week when I don't feel like cooking and have recovered from chili, and eat five meals worth for lunch that week.
Other good cheap recipes are lentil loaf (cooked lentils, sweet potato, onion, and then kitchen sink worth of spices and such - most of the time I'm only buying the sweet potato), soups, and Indian food. Indian food can have a bit of a start up cost - you have to get the spices, which will be cheaper at an Indian grocery store. But once you have that, dal is like "buy tomato, buy red onion, use half a bag of split peas." Which works out to like, three dollars. For 4-5 meals.0 -
Leftovers, or sandwiches + salads. Ham and low-fat cheese sammies with mustard hit the spot for me.
I know you don't like beans, what about lentils? If you put 1/4-1/3 a can in your salad, it will keep you fuller longer. One can lasts three days for me this way. Cabbage is very filling too, I sometimes do a salad of cabbage + carrots + apple.0 -
I always have homemade soups and pinto & black beans on hand in the freezer. I prefer to cook a large crockpot full so I can control what goes in there. They are filling, cheap, and not to costly on calories. I try to pick produce that is on sale that week and eat a lot of frozen veggies. Walmart will usually price match grocery stores in your area so it make be more time/cost effective to shop the ads at one store.0
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The good news is: I am ready to start eating healthier!
The bad new is: I am picky and money is kind of tight. So here I am, MFP friends, asking for your advice.
I have about $20 - $30 to spend this weekend for lunches for Sunday - Friday. (It's not a lot, I know. I have found eating healthy on a budget is really, really hard sometimes.)
I do not like: Bananas (or most tropical fruits for that matter), avocados, citrus-y fruits, beans, asparagus, fish... (I know, I know! I am the worst!)
I do like: Most berries, yogurt, nuts, steamed veggies, other fruits not listed above, chicken, beef, peanut butter... just to name a few.
I only have a 30 minute lunch break, but I do have access to a microwave and a toaster over. I am not opposed to lean cuisines, but I wonder if they are actually good for me? I also need suggestions for healthy/quick snacks. I am trying to do well within my means... but I am not really sure where to start. Help?
If you're broke, it'd be hard to overeat!
Eggs, rice, beans, lentils and frozen fruits / veggies are now your friends. Also, if you can afford lowfat cottage cheese or yogurt, 99% lean ground turkey, chicken breast or lean cuts of pork, go for that, too. I would aim for high protein, low cost.0 -
I spend less than $50 a week for groceries - breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I eat really well. Lots of fresh or frozen fruits and veggies, tons of chicken, pb&j, and yogurt.
Healthy doesn't have to be expensive.0 -
The good news is: I am ready to start eating healthier!
The bad new is: I am picky and money is kind of tight. So here I am, MFP friends, asking for your advice.
I have about $20 - $30 to spend this weekend for lunches for Sunday - Friday. (It's not a lot, I know. I have found eating healthy on a budget is really, really hard sometimes.)
I do not like: Bananas (or most tropical fruits for that matter), avocados, citrus-y fruits, beans, asparagus, fish... (I know, I know! I am the worst!)
I do like: Most berries, yogurt, nuts, steamed veggies, other fruits not listed above, chicken, beef, peanut butter... just to name a few.
I only have a 30 minute lunch break, but I do have access to a microwave and a toaster over. I am not opposed to lean cuisines, but I wonder if they are actually good for me? I also need suggestions for healthy/quick snacks. I am trying to do well within my means... but I am not really sure where to start. Help?
You don't have to buy lean cuisine dinners unless you like them.
I think you'd get more for your money if you buy ingredients rather than a pre-made frozen meal though.
Buy a loaf of bread. Have sandwiches. A sandwich is quick to make, not expensive or unhealthy.
Buy a bag of potatoes. Have a baked potato with some cheese and vegetables.
Buy eggs. Hardboiled eggs for snacks.
Make a big pot of soup. Take it for your lunches. Bean or lentil soup would be cheap choices but other soups are probably pretty cheap to make too.
Eat nuts, a granola bar, carrots, an apple, popcorn or cheese for a snack. Whatever fits your calories that day.0 -
And frozen tilapia. Cheap and protein-tastic.0
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My opinion for what it is worth, try to eat balanced meals, protein, starch, veggies,fruit, milkl, eat the good fats such as olive oil, or butter is better than margarine. I do agree eating less, but your meals need to be satisfying, thats why personally I feel balanced is best. For example if normally ate 3 cups of pasta and you cut it down to 1 and 1/2, your not going to be satisfied, but if you incorporated some proteins, veggies, fruits and milk in with that you would be more satisfied.0
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I buy a big pack (10-20) of chicken thighs at Costco or a grocery store and bake them on a broiler pan (or cookie rack on top of a cookie sheet) to remove excess fat while it cooks. I toss one or two into my lunch every day. Low calories, healthy. Should be between $10-$20 depending on where you shop and size of package. Perhaps some Halos/Mandarins and Chobani. You should be able to do this for under $30 and your week is covered.0
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I am so glad to see I am not the only picky financially challenged eater out there! I love this community. Thank you so much, everyone for the awesome ideas!
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I bring Progresso Light soups for my lunch. My favorite is chicken pot pie, chicken corn chowder and chicken and dumplins. The whole can is only 160 -200 calories, depending on which one. The sodium isn't too bad. I sometimes add green beans or mushrooms to make more filling. For snacks I like Quaker Popped mini rice cakes. BBQ, Cheddar and Ranch are all good flavors. It's my chip fix. Light microwave popcorn is great too. I'm the only one in my house eating healthy so I have to budget my food and theirs. Sometimes I lose out on the money so I got to find inexpensive stuff. Sometimes I get small cans of chicken and make chicken salad. I go to Panera's and get the Kraft light olive oil mayo packets. They are free. I don't eat mayo often but when I do it's free. I always take extra condiments, napkins and utensils. Saves me money.0
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I won't eat most of the same things as you, hello fellow picky!!!
there are still plenty of great things out there you can eat! I eat a lot of chicken, salads and beans. All are very budget friendly. Eat the fruits and veggies you like, where I live frozen is much much cheaper this time of year! As always water is a readily available cheap drink option. I hated drinking it the first couple weeks but now aside from coffee it's pretty much all I drink! If you have better self control than I have you may be able to eat whatever you want just in moderation. You can do it!!! 0 -
FrozenTundra511 wrote: »I buy a big pack (10-20) of chicken thighs at Costco or a grocery store and bake them on a broiler pan (or cookie rack on top of a cookie sheet) to remove excess fat while it cooks. I toss one or two into my lunch every day. Low calories, healthy. Should be between $10-$20 depending on where you shop and size of package. Perhaps some Halos/Mandarins and Chobani. You should be able to do this for under $30 and your week is covered.
This is what I do for the most part and it works and is a lot cheaper than going out for lunch. I also will buy lo-cal premade lunches (boo sodium) for 10/$10. Love 'em.0 -
Everyone's posting great advice! I haven't read them all, but I do want to add something. If you like fruits and vegetables, don't overlook your local produce stands. My parents own one and I currently work for them. You can find great deals at them! We often reduce produce simply because it's not pretty anymore. You still get the good stuff but save money!0
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You'll never go broke eating soup and sandwiches. I've got family that think nothing of eating that for lunch and dinner every day. There's a 101 different ways to make both.0
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