Healthy Eating = Robbing a Bank?

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DestinyDarbi
DestinyDarbi Posts: 260 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've recently come to the conclusion that I really should just plant my own garden... if only I had the time!!

My husband and I have two kids, a 5 year old daughter and a 5 month old son. His car broke down several months ago and has been driving his mother's single cab truck. I have been driving the same car since I was 17: a tiny two door Cavalier. Getting our kids anywhere requires my car, and getting them in and out of it is a nightmare! A few days ago, someone pulled out in front of my husband and BAM! My poor car is now missing a bumper, a headlight, and several other smaller things.

So now, we have to get the car fixed. We NEED a new, BIGGER, SAFER, car really really really bad. Neither of us make very much money, despite having 4 years of college under our belts. Money is tight, as I'm sure it is for a LOT of people right now.

Eating healthy is, as of right now, a top priority for me. But it seems so expensive. It's so much cheaper to live off Ramen and a dollar menu. I'm sure if I had the time to actually shop around, maybe I could find ways to eat healthy without emptying my wallet.

Any advice on the matter? How do you shop when you have A) very little money and B) very very very little time to devote to shopping for healthy foods??
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Replies

  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Buy in season locally grown produce, should be dirt cheap.
  • newgal1
    newgal1 Posts: 15
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    cook in batches and freeze. Frozen veg is also a good idea
  • LifesPilgrim
    LifesPilgrim Posts: 498 Member
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    Local farmer's market or coop.

    If not fresh, frozen veggies and fruits are a next best option.
  • jperrysunlover
    jperrysunlover Posts: 96 Member
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    I go to Big Lots for Melba Toast, Diet Cranberry, Protein Bars, Vitamins, etc. You never know what you will find there, but it's worth a look if you have one in your area.
  • lisapickering
    lisapickering Posts: 374
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    Buy in bulk - I buy club packs of things like chicken breasts and freeze in portion sizes. For produce look to see if there is a farmer's market in your area.
  • Crystals422
    Crystals422 Posts: 382 Member
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    I buy the big pack of boneless chicken breast at Walmart for $10. It makes about 6 meals. You can get great value frozen veggies for $1.30 each. I love putting a little bit of EVO on the sprouts then baking them. If you know some one who can take you to Sam's club I got 16 Bocca burgers and 16 whole wheat sandwich thins for $12. I bring my lunch everyday, which is either nautural pb and fruit spread on whole wheat bread (250 calories) or Starkist low sodium tuna on whole wheat.
  • milissiaharriel
    milissiaharriel Posts: 8
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    Hi.

    I can truely understand your frustrations. I am a divorced mother of two with no support from my ex husband. It seems that doctor after doctor promotes healthier lifestyles but how can a person afford it? I mean, in my opinion, should organic food be cheaper than regular food? I mean, there are no additives to organic items so why is it higher?!?!? So in the emantime, while money is tight, try frozen vegetables. The advantage is that it does not have preservatives or the heavy salt. And its cheaper than canned vegetables. I hope this information helps a little bit.:smile:

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  • NancyAnne1960
    NancyAnne1960 Posts: 500 Member
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    If you see a fruit / veggie stand, stop!! So much cheaper, and tastier, than grocery stores, and supports your local community. I also found a ground beef and navy bean soup that is really filling, and it makes a lot and you only need small servings.
  • LaurenH2010
    LaurenH2010 Posts: 71
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    bump
  • bella8282
    bella8282 Posts: 188 Member
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    I never really looked at healthy food being expensive. my shopping bill is always cheaper than a friend of mine that stocks up on alot of junk! But today was an expensive shop- My 4yr old son was diagnosed celiac and dairy free this morning..... bread is 5 dollars dearer!! and cereal about 6 dollars dearer and both a halfthe size of regular products! thank goodness he loves his fruit and Veg!
  • Riebop
    Riebop Posts: 275
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    Coupons! Scour the internet for sales and coupons when you have the time. I don't do this nearly enough, but it really does help when you're on a budget.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    Is there a farmers market by you? That always helps.

    Also Super Walmart/Target. You can find lots of healthy food in there for a lot cheaper then at a grocery store. I really like brownberry 10 grain bread and at one of those stores its like 2.50 dollars a loaf while at Jewel its closer to 5 dollars a loaf.
  • sorberc
    sorberc Posts: 6 Member
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    As a college student, I'm having the same issue. I've been buying fresh produce when it's on sale at Kroger, and then I get the rest of my fruits and veggies frozen. It does seem like it'd be easier to eat healthy if we could afford all the other health foods though, I know the feeling! Good luck! :)
  • NaomiLyn15
    NaomiLyn15 Posts: 388 Member
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    See if you have a local farmer's market (especially since it is summer), they are always cheaper. Also, see if you have a local Sprouts or Sunflower market. The produce is much cheaper there. Plus, they have double flyer days on Tuesday or Wednesday (I can't remember), so there are double the sale items. I can get enough fruits and veggies for two weeks for about $35 there. If you don't have one close, then frozen veggies and fruit are always an option. Also, buy things when they are on sale, make the meal and freeze it. If you have food in the freezer you won't be as tempted to eat out. Good luck!
  • MJKing2
    MJKing2 Posts: 177
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    Do you have a local Farmer's Market close by? We took the kids and headed to our's on Saturday morning and got a ton of fresh produce for next to nothing compared to the grocery store. Plus that got my sons (6&4) involved in what we were going to be cookinig this week and seeing all of the bright colors and large variety only increased their interest to try new foods.

    We bought the following all for around $25 and it'll last us way more than a week. :-)
    -6 Red peppers
    -4 Green peppers
    -4 Yellow peppers
    -5 Plums
    -3 Large oranges
    -1 Pineapple
    -9 Limes
    -5 Peaches
    -2 Cucumbers
    -4 Ears of Corn
    -6 Roma tomatoes
    -5 Larger tomatoes
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
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    With a little pre-planning with meal menus, it really doesn't have to be expensive. Some of the staples in my meals include:

    * Plain Greek yogurt in the larger tubs. Portioned out, it can be mixed with many different things. I like mine with Hidden Valley Harvest Dill dry mix which makes a very good veggie dip. One 5.3 oz. container of greek yogurt lasts for about 5 days when used as a veggie dip for me. Otherwise, you can also mix it with fruit, honey, almonds, granola, etc.

    * Dry beans or lentils. I buy the dry black beans to make with tacos and salads. Loaded with protein and it is low in sodium when you make them yourself. One bag lasts a week depending on how often you use them in recipes.

    * Lettuce. I buy the large back of romaine hearts at a warehouse store (Sam's Club). I use it for salads, tacos, fajitas, sandwiches, etc. Again, it lasts about a week.

    * Oranges, grapefruit and apples. I buy a lot of fruit, but these 3 fruits last longer without spoiling quickly.

    * Peanut butter also goes a long way on a tight budget. I have it on toast, apples and celery for snacks.

    There are quite a few other things I get from the store too, but these are the main items I get that can be stretched out a long time on a tight budget.
  • jpeterburs88
    jpeterburs88 Posts: 201 Member
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    ever been to aldi??? they have a wonderful line of fit and active products that are low calorie and their produce isn't bad either. Plus, their prices can't be beat!!
  • laurad1406
    laurad1406 Posts: 341
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    Try to save in other areas....I'm not an "extreme couponer" by any means, but I do spend $2.50/week on the Sunday paper for the coupons....My local Harris Teeter doubles them (and even has "triple coupon events" sometimes!) up to $1.00. When you pair this with the weekly specials in the circular, you can REALLY save on toiletries! This has opened up my "grocery" budget to more actual food. (For example, get a .50 coupon for Suave body wash. My store doubles that, so it's a $1.00 off. Wait until Suave body wash goes on Sale, or even better, buy one get one, and get two body washes for $2 or so.) It only takes a little bit of time, and I mostly focus on the toiletries section of my shopping because I think this is where I save the most, but keep an eye out, cut every coupon, and check every week for what's on sale!
  • spinaddict4life
    spinaddict4life Posts: 93 Member
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    I grow veggies in a container garden to the seeds were cheap and the cootainers were what I had around the house! I read sale ads and buy in season produce and buy frozen on sale. Sam's helps a lot too.
  • rachaels7
    rachaels7 Posts: 20
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    Yes, it can be expensive to eat healthy. Our money is very tight too and we have two little ones-the four of us fit in a Toyota Camry. In my humble opinion, our culture tends to think that we need bigger vehicles for our families when we really don't. Yes, it's tight for us, but we save on car insurance, gas, and overall price of the car compared to a bigger vehicle.

    I am a big fan of gardening. Square Foot Gardening is a really great concept. You can even get a 'kit' that has all the boards for about $40. Then you have to purchase the dirt and plants. Start up cost is a bit pricey but in the end, if you really eat out of your garden, it will really save you $.

    My favorite blog is www.moneysavingmom.com. She shares lots of ways to save money and they lived on a grocery budget of $40/week that fed her family of 5 for a long time. (They're now up to $50/week)

    Good luck!!

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