Good food but cheaply priced

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flowerchild178
flowerchild178 Posts: 1 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My boyfriend and I are on a budget. How can I make healthy, but cheap meals, and snacks?

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  • ashleyweatherholtzmathis
    ashleyweatherholtzmathis Posts: 24 Member
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    What is your budget? My family spends $150 - $160 for a family of 3, I get two packages of potato medleys ( red potatoes, purple potatoes, and yellow potatoes) I get 2 fresh bell peppers, 2 large yellow onions, two squash, white rice, peanut butter, low carb bread, boneless skinless chicken breasts, steak (if it's on a good sale) broccoli ( 2 heads), olive oil spray, low sodium bacon, large eggs, honey wheat sandwich thins, frozen meals (about 5 for my husband for work through the week when I don't make enough for him to pack leftovers, usually lean cuisine or atkins) 2 cartons of chocolate almond milk, 3 boxes of quaker strawberry and banana cream oatmeal, salsa, queso, canned sodium free green beans and peas, carrots, crushed pineapple in juice, yogurt, bananas, strawberries, and light cool whip ( we like to substitute it for ice cream and eat it with our berries and fruits).
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Eating healthy is cheaper, so if you can afford to eat out and boxed dinners, you will surely be able to eat healthy food. :)

    Frozen fruits and veggies are pretty cheap. :)
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    edited July 2015
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    -Potatoes, rice, dry beans
    -Ground turkey, frozen chicken breast, on sale beef
    -Raw onions, celery, carrots, apples, bananas
    -Frozen broccoli, spinach, mixed berries
    -mixed nuts, TVP, peanut butter
    -olive and vegetable oil
    -eggs, milk, cottage cheese
    -canned tomatoes, tuna, salmon

    ^these are typically the cheapest staple food in my area. Whether you think they're healthy depends on your preferences.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
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    Fresh veggies and lean meat. Snack an apple. For breakfast some oatmeal with fruit and nuts.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Rice. Lentils. Frozen vegetables.

    Boom.

    Done.
  • jaqcan
    jaqcan Posts: 498 Member
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    MENU PLAN!
    Emeals.com has an amazing plan to get you started. They even have portion control and low calorie plans.
    If I don't menu plan it's easier to grab whatever and lots of it. But with a plan, I know THIS food is for THIS meal and it will only make THIS much. 1 dinner portion and usually 1 left over portion for lunch!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Staples when I was broke:

    - Legumes (in bulk, not canned)
    - Lentils
    - Rice
    - Potatoes
    - Oats
    - Cabbage
    - Broccoli
    - Frozen Peas
    - Apples
    - Eggs
    - Milk
    - Whatever meat/poultry was on sale...I ate a lot of whole chickens or chicken parts (skin removed)
    - Canned Tuna

    All of that stuff is still pretty much staple stuff for me...except I don't drink much milk anymore. I eat a lot more fish these days, but it isn't exactly cheap.
  • marm1962
    marm1962 Posts: 950 Member
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    That question actually depends on a few things...What do you like to eat, how much money you have to spend, and if you know how to cook.
  • Dandelie
    Dandelie Posts: 153 Member
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    For meats, always shop sales. Or you could ask the butcher/meat department manager what day they mark their meats down. My local Food City marks them down every morning between 6:30 and 7. So I am able to go inside and look at the deals when I pick my hubby up with ease.

    Shop farmer markets! Especially at the end of the shopping day. Most farmers will negotiate pricing because they do not want to take it home.

    And learn to garden. Not only is gardening a great exercise, but you can ensure healthy, cheap food right outside your house. I have eaten more healthy food since learning to garden than before. It is wonderful!
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
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    flowerchild178 wrote: »
    My boyfriend and I are on a budget. How can I make healthy, but cheap meals, and snacks?

    Shop at Aldi
    Buy in bulk from stores like BJ's and Sam's Club
    Buy frozen meat
    Buy frozen fruits and vegetables (unless in season)
    Use coupons
  • snowflakesav
    snowflakesav Posts: 646 Member
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    Beans and lentils
    Soups
  • MsJulesRenee
    MsJulesRenee Posts: 1,180 Member
    edited July 2015
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    budgetbytes.com/ <--best site :)

    I also buy in bulk when I can and when it's a great price.
    Meat is usually on sale right before the holidays. Ground turkey is buy one, get one free during summer holidays.

    Bulk buy veggies/fruit that can be frozen and in season. Pre frozen fruit in general is cheaper, I just bought a HUGE bag of frozen berries for only $8 at my grocery store.

    Buy a turkey when it's on sale, cook the whole thing and freeze the extras for later.

    Do one slow cooker meal a week, make big pot of it and use that for your lunches or dinners for work - now you don't have to worry about buying all these extra ingredients for 7 different meals. And you get time to spend with your boyfriend instead of worrying about making dinner.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Buy in bulk one time that will cover a month or two. I can buy fish, chicken (BOGO) all the time at my local super market.. I also still clip coupons... Our local market is always selling BOGO's and it takes matching coupons for even the BOGO's... I also get free gas with rewards cards..

    Buy frozen, use what you need in stead of fresh (unless a recipe is for when fresh will only do..)...

    In the winter I use my crockpot. In the summer, big on fish and chicken and occasional steak on the grill...

    Get creative and use the recipes on the internet... you will learn to cook on the internet...guaranteed.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
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    Eating healthy is cheap, my faves are:

    chicken
    beans, especially black beans
    rice
    frozen veggies
    fresh cabbage

    IME its the processed/premade foods that are more $$$, hence why there's always coupons for processed/premade foods.
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    Here's a cookbook put together to help SNAP (food stamp) recipients make the most of the small amount they're given.
    Yummy healthy recipes, great photography, a nice departure from the usual bland government output.

    https://8e81c55f4ebf03323905b57bf395473796067508.googledrive.com/host/0B2A2SnkA9YgxaHdzbEhGSmJOZDg/good-and-cheap.pdf

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