I can't afford to buy the right food...
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jodi_fletch wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »jodi_fletch wrote: »I'm in a financial crisis at the moment. I have two children and a partner and it's easier for me to grab a cheap pizza or frozen fish fingers.....
It's not good for me but I just can't afford to buy more. Could I have my portions and work out more?
Yes. But where in the world is frozen pizza and fish cheaper than frozen vegetables, dried beans, pasta, eggs and rice?
We'll see I as a live in a TINY village in the middle of nowhere we have asda which to most people is wall mart. Pizza is a quid (about $2) frozen veg packs are a quid ($2), then you have to buy the extras so it doesn't taste like *kitten* and water like most frozen veg does
so yes pizza is cheaper and more convenient in the one shop I have
One pizza might be £1 but that's one meal. A £1 bag of frozen veg would do many more meals than that and asda's fresh veg is cheap as well. You can get a head of broccoli for 49p, a cabbage for 58p etc. A 500g pack of mince is £1.99. They do a 500g bag of pasta for 29p, and tinned tomatoes for 31p.
You are busy pizza because it's convenient not because it's cheap. You could feed your family way better food for the same cost overall but it requires effort in terms of thinking about what to buy and actually cooking.
Google a girl called Jack. She fed herself and her son for next to nothing but didn't eat convenience food at all.0 -
Do you shop at co-op or spa by any chance? Totally over priced.
I would invest in some money and do 1 delivery from ASDA a month to stock up on store cupboard/frozen items then maybe do small weekly shops for essentials. 1kg bag of veg is £1, tinned veg starts at 15p. 5k rice is £13. It can be done with little budgeting0 -
Eat what you already eat, just less.0
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There's nothing terribly wrong with fish fingers, as long as you count the calories or use portion control. They do have fish in them, at least! Porridge oats are cheap and healthy - I buy the supermarket value ones, and use them for porridge, but you can use them in other ways too (for bulking out savoury dishes, as a coating for fish, toasted and mixed with yoghurt, flapjacks - if you can cope with the calories!, etc.).
If you're able to store potatoes for a few days, you can use them to make "healthy" oven chips. Just cut them into chip shapes and coat with a tiny bit of oil, seasoning to taste, herbs, etc. Onions, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers and mushrooms are quite cheap and low calorie, and you can use them to bulk out things like bolognaise sauce, curries, stirfries, etc. I find that if you make things like curries and stirfries, the meat seems to go a little further. I use a lot of tinned tomatoes - they used to be very cheap but not so much now, unfortunately. The same goes for tinned fish. I'm not a big fan of frozen veg, but some is better than others (frozen peas are great!).
Pork is often cheaper than other meat. Peanut butter is quite good value for the amount of nutrition, I think. So are eggs. When I was struggling with money years ago before I was dieting, I used to make a LOT of quiches with onion, bacon, cheese, veg, etc. The pastry was cheap and filling. But I wouldn't recommend if you're dieting! You can still use eggs to make omelettes, frittata, souffles, etc.
The suggestions about pulses are great, but I personally haven't had a lot of success with getting children to like them!0 -
DemoraFairy wrote: »Even if you have to buy the cheaper, unhealthier stuff, you should still be able to stick to your calories. I have the opposite problem - I stuck to my calorie goal at uni by eating microwave meals all the time, it was easy. Now my boyfriend wants to cook properly and every home-cooked meal seems to be twice the calories of its microwave equivalent!
AWESOME JINX COSPLAY...
OP you can make a weeks worth of awesome stir fry for a 16 dollar pizza. fresh peas, corn, bell peppers,onions, garlic, some soy sauce, lean beef, frozen shrimps, grilled chicken tenders. I've been saving about $400 a month making sure i cook all my own food, even though i can sometimes spend14 hours at work.
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It is almost never cheaper to eat pre-packaged takeout than it is to cook healthy meals.
It is, however, easier, which is why I think your choice of phrasing in your original post is relevant.
There are lots of great suggestions on this thread. I'll just add that if you're using your financial situation as an excuse not to put in the extra effort, then that's on you.0 -
my husband was unemployed for 11 months of last year and I have two teenaged boys. who eat a LOT of food. I understand BUT think hard about what you are teaching your kids and what you are setting them up for as adults--if they acquire a taste for cheap, quick, unhealthy foods aren't they going to be in the same fat mess that a lot of us were in that made us come here??? aren't they going to have a lot of the same health issues as grown ups that a lot of us are trying to undo and avoid? we ate more rice and beans and egg dishes than I care to remember when we were broke. dry beans keep in the pantry indefinitely and they require virtually no effort--soak them overnight, drain that water and boil the next day--maybe two hours??--until they are soft. done. serve over brown rice, a little salsa on top. eggs--scrambled, in sandwiches, frittatas--add whatever veggies were on sale-done. apples, bananas and oranges are generally pretty cheap too. listen--it gets boring eating the same stuff over and over but boring beats fat and unhealthy. baked potatoes stuffed with veggies, sweet potatoes stuffed with veggies, vegetable soups with added rice or pasta or some other grain. it is totally possible to eat well on a tight budget. don't use that as your excuse. you have to take the exact same public transport to buy the junk food as you do to buy the healthy stuff.0
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You can bulk mince out with grated carrot, it makes the mince go further and cuts the calories.
Roast Chicken can be stretched for two to three days. Roast dinner on day one, chicken stir fry/risotto on day two and the carcass can be boiled up for soup.
Have you looked at A Girl called Jack's blog, she is very inspirational cooking on a budget, and most recipes could be adapted. There is also Frugal Queen's blog which cooks on a budget.0 -
I find that the least processed foods are less expensive. Buy meat on sale and freeze. Buy fresh fruits and veggies that are in season and less expensive. Frozen/canned veggies, canned beans, dried beans, etc are often on sale.0
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jodi_fletch wrote: »DianaLovesCoffee wrote: »In the fall many hunters clear out their freezers to make room for a new harvest. If you know any you may score some free/cheap deer burger. Also where I'm from, many hunters donate the meat to feed the hungry type programs. (Not wanting to start any PETA discussions here - just offering another source of good protein as an option.)
Also you could fish - good activity with your kids too!
Thanks for the advice hun but I live in England and hunting is very frowned upon by most people including myself I appreciate your comment though
Because that fish wasn't hunted before they froze it?0 -
And I do agree with what many have posted. It sounds like OP is choosing convenience over content.
When you travel outside your village, perhaps spend that two dollars (whatever the equivalent is where you are) or whatever on some wholesome foods that will end up leaving your family feeling more filled.
Frozen veggies don't taste as good cause they're watered down? Grab some basic spices. You can make
Let's say you had that pizza 6 days a week. That's $12. For twelve bucks, you can get some meats, grains, and veggies.0 -
Laurend224 wrote: »Do you have an Aldi nearby? They always have the cheapest prices in my area.
This. I can buy all the foods I need for about $25/week per person!0 -
Once upon a time, I had a grocery budget of $20 a month. I lived off of cream of rice and grits. Sometimes I bought eggs, I bought 2 bottles of gatorade a week, and once a week Id get one of the 50c burgers from Wendy's. Not healthy, but I was never hungry...cream of wheat and grits and crazy filling lol
Now that I actually have some money and up to a food budget of $40 a month (LOL I jest) Actually, I was spending upwards of $400-500/mth in fast food and packaged foods for kiddo and I..shes a teen and always hungry..Im gluttonous and always want more pie.
Once I put a self imposed ban on fast food and any packaged foods, I was spending about $200 a month on groceries and eating out (which is rare...like once a month I go to the Jamaican restaurant to buy a Sunday dinner. Thats it.)
Because of my early days of being too poor to eat, I still keep a stock of..I'm "too poor to eat" foods which through the years Ive had to made use of... rice, beans (not in a can...in a bag that I have to actually soak and cook. I dont eat canned foods except tuna) pasta, frozen vegetables, flour, corn meal and yes..I still keep grits and Ive replaced cream of wheat with oatmeal, and seasonings. So all I have to buy fresh are eggs and milk.
Literally, just by combining those foods, kiddo and I can eat well for a good two weeks off of what is about $25 of food. Then, I can still afford to buy a bag of apples, and fresh veges that are in season and on sale to add to our meals. If I cant afford it, then we make do with the frozen veggies. We tend to go meatless most meals when Im broke.
Lately, I buy a whole chicken (.99c a lb here in Miami) cut it up myself, make broth from the bones, and freeze it up in individual servings. When meat goes on sale (whatever it is, I never spend more than $4/lb for red meat or $3/lb for pork. Sales all the way), I buy and package it up to freeze.
Granted..I had a really tough time of it when I was younger and never want to go back to eating grits all day every day, so I have a bit of that "depression era" mentality in case I cant afford to buy food for 6 months kind of a deal lol but I dont even have an extra freezer or a lot of cubbard space...My apt is slightly larger than an RV so its not like I shop at costco or anything.
Giving up food isnt an option, so when money is tight...I cook. No packaged foods, no convenience foods, no fast foods. Not only do they take up too much space per meal, they are far more expensive per meal too..pre-made foods are a luxury I cant afford when Im broke. And honestly? Homemade tastes SOOO much better!0 -
hollyrayburn wrote: »And I do agree with what many have posted. It sounds like OP is choosing convenience over content.
When you travel outside your village, perhaps spend that two dollars (whatever the equivalent is where you are) or whatever on some wholesome foods that will end up leaving your family feeling more filled.
Frozen veggies don't taste as good cause they're watered down? Grab some basic spices. You can make
Let's say you had that pizza 6 days a week. That's $12. For twelve bucks, you can get some meats, grains, and veggies.
Uhhh, what? To feed a family you'll be lucky to get meat for $12, and no way that would last a week. I seriously need to find out where you people shop, because other than scraps, I don't see any good meat in stores for under $5 a pound, and good luck feeding a family of 4 or 5 with only a pound of meat for a week...0 -
jodi_fletch wrote: »I'm in a financial crisis at the moment. I have two children and a partner and it's easier for me to grab a cheap pizza or frozen fish fingers.....
Rice + lentils + frozen vegetables.
Super cheap (way cheaper than what you're buying!), super nutritious, and extremely quick and easy to make.
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tigersword wrote: »
Uhhh, what? To feed a family you'll be lucky to get meat for $12, and no way that would last a week. I seriously need to find out where you people shop, because other than scraps, I don't see any good meat in stores for under $5 a pound, and good luck feeding a family of 4 or 5 with only a pound of meat for a week...
Hrmm..I suppose, like if you only eat organic grass fed then yeah, it will have to be that expensive..or maybe if you live somewhere where all the meat is imported, then finding anything for less than $5/lb would be pretty difficult. But othewise, there are meats that cost less, plus grocery stores have sales on meat as well...at least around me (in Miami) they do.
I notice also, that how its packaged makes a huge difference. Like, I can buy prepacked cuts of chicken for $3lb or I can buy a whole chicken for 99c/lb and cut it up myself. Basically...Im paying for the convenience of them cutting it up for me, instead of doing it myself. Also, buying a roast is less expensive than cuts for grilling. Same thing..more work/less convenient but more savings in the end.
Also, a serving size is something like 3oz of meat... To serve a family of 4 for a week if they eat meat every night for dinner, is like 84oz or 10.5lbs. That would come up to $10.40 a week. Just checked my local paper...chuck roast on sale for 3.99/lb. That would come to $41.90. If I had to feed that many people, we'd be eating a lot of chicken lol
But then, honestly...it would still be a lot less...because we dont eat meat every single night, and also, even when we do its not a lot. Often I stretch it through taking one serving, shredding the chicken (or pork, or beef) and serving it in a pasta dish or as a side dish or whatever. Not for financial savings though..we just dont eat tons of meat in our home...I love carbs and kiddo loves veggies. Neither one of us care that much about meat.
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tigersword wrote: »hollyrayburn wrote: »And I do agree with what many have posted. It sounds like OP is choosing convenience over content.
When you travel outside your village, perhaps spend that two dollars (whatever the equivalent is where you are) or whatever on some wholesome foods that will end up leaving your family feeling more filled.
Frozen veggies don't taste as good cause they're watered down? Grab some basic spices. You can make
Let's say you had that pizza 6 days a week. That's $12. For twelve bucks, you can get some meats, grains, and veggies.
Uhhh, what? To feed a family you'll be lucky to get meat for $12, and no way that would last a week. I seriously need to find out where you people shop, because other than scraps, I don't see any good meat in stores for under $5 a pound, and good luck feeding a family of 4 or 5 with only a pound of meat for a week...
I mostly buy meat that i can take a lb of, like ground beef, and use for the whole family (tacos, casserole, etc.). Whole chickens are extremely cheap, i can get a whole chicken for $5 here and feed my family of 4 for 4 days..soups, casseroles, pasta dishes.
Cheaper cuts of meat cook well in slow cookers, too. I do that a lot. I make all my own chicken broth from the carcass of a whole chicken in the slow cooker with some spices, salt, and leftover veggie scraps that I've frozen for that exact purpose (carrot and potato peels, ends of onions, etc.)
I'm typically broke myself, and i still feed 2 pre-teen boys, a husband who eats anything and everything, and myself quite cheaply.0 -
Eat your portion or less and add in frozen or canned vegetables if you cant afford fresh. You can usually get a good deal if you buy generic.0
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Like if we have fish sticks one night we will have peas with it.0
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I also like making chili with lots of veggies and it's cheap!0
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