Need suggestions on what to eat at 7-11

Their sandwiches can be better than you expect.

Our 7-11 has bananas and apples, yogurt, cheese sticks, milk, small "lunchable" type things (but not that brand) with ham and cheese...Some combination of that kind of thing would at least fill you up, even it wasn't terribly interesting.

Eat anything that fits your calorie goals and will fill you up. Beef jerky, cheese, fruits, etc...

The other solution is to stop living paycheck to paycheck (and anyone can do it, it is just harder for some than others). Your financial life works the same way as your weight life. Cash in vs Cash out (CICO) and your goal should be a healthy savings account. Use a program like Mint or YNAB and it is the equivalent of MFP.

I save money in my budget by packing foods. Sometimes for even 2-3 day periods (as in, I pack 2-3 days worth of food in my cooler to eat while I travel. It's only 4500 calories or so total. Most gas stations and convenience stores will let me refill my water bottle with ice which I use to freshen my little cooler when the freezer packs aren't frozen anymore). Getting caught with only fast food or convenience store food as my only (and expensive) option doesn't help my bottom or my bottom line, personally.

I was a single mom of two teens. Hard but not impossible. How you switch from paycheque to paycheque is to cash in on one savings somewhere. It might mean buying a set of clothes at the second-hand store, or taking the bus instead of a cab. I'm not saying never buy new or take a cab ever again; just do it once in a while to build yourself a reserve of cash. Use the savings to buy a staple in bulk the next time it is on sale. Eventually you have enough cash on reserve to only buy on sale and in bulk. Now you have a pantry full of staples that you can turn in to all sorts of meals. I credit my half-size freezer as one of the best investments that I made at that time.

I filled up my teens for their after-school snacks on chinese noodles and canned beans. We still had a nutritious dinner.

To teach them budgeting skills before I launched them out on their own, I gave them the clothing and recreation budget monthly. If they ended up dressing in rags, so be it. Both of them first reacted with joy, then quickly turned in to misers as they hoarded that wealth for what they really wanted. Their tastes changed overnight from (what's the fab store these days; is the Gap still big?) to Army & Navy. My daughter hand-washed everything to keep it nice longer. Both are still frugal to this day.

MFP and these stories have taken me back to those days; quite nostalgic lately. It emboldened me to approach my neighbour who has an apple tree. I asked if I could pick the apples and I would reward them with some home-made applesauce. Gosh, I love those free apples. I've filled up my bucket a second time already.

I have picked up at the 7-ll the Muscle Milk, single serving cheese slice, beef jerky, protein bar, and popcorn with the white cheddar. I like the other poster's suggestion to grab a sandwich.

Is a 7-11 like any convenient store? You can have a can of tuna, a yogurt, can of soup, maybe a banana? I feel like there are a lot of choices. Unless I'm confusing a 7-11 for a typical bodega.

Terri70 wrote: »

Yeah easier said than done. I'm a single mom of 2 teens.

I have no doubt it is harder for some and it won't be an overnight change. Just like weight loss isn't easy for everyone and isn't an overnight change. I have no doubt that if you actually tracked your expenses you could find $50 you could save without really affecting your standard of living. A few months later and you have a small savings to handle small bumps in the road or take advantage of deals. Work some more on it, and all of a sudden you are saving $100/month, then $200, and so on.

Of course, you could always take drastic measures, like downsizing your living or car environment, or even giving away 3 or even all 4 of your pets.

Less financial stress on your life will make everything else easier to deal with, including health and fitness.