Healthy Eating = Robbing a Bank?
DestinyDarbi
Posts: 260 Member
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
very very very little time to devote to shopping for healthy foods??
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
very very very little time to devote to shopping for healthy foods?? 0
Replies
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Buy in season locally grown produce, should be dirt cheap.0
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cook in batches and freeze. Frozen veg is also a good idea0
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Local farmer's market or coop.
If not fresh, frozen veggies and fruits are a next best option.0 -
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.0
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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.0
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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.0
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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.
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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.0
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bump0
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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!0
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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.0
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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.0 -
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! 0
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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!0
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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 tomatoes0 -
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.0 -
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!!0
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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!0
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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.0
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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!!0 -
When you think about the actual amount of grocery content in the dollar menu or pack of Ramen... it's not all that cheap.
Shop sales, buy in bulk, and freeze what won't keep.
You can cook a lot of oven-baked "fries" from a 5# bag of potatoes and they'll be healthier than drive-thru fries.
Instead of a $1 burger... I can usually find boneless chicken breasts for $1.99 a pound. That works out to 50 cents per 4oz serving. Get a 8 pack of rolls for $1.99, add a few lettuce leaves and a slice of tomato, and you have a much healthier sandwich for a little over $.75.
If you consider that Ramen noodles are about 3/$1 and 3 oz each, that's 9oz for $1. I can usually get a 16oz box of whole wheat pasta for a dollar. Less for a bag of brown rice. That's almost twice as much for the same cost. Granted, it doesn't come with the nasty little pouch of sodium they call "flavoring," but it's pretty cheap and easy to add your own sauce or dressing.0 -
I'm a little frustrated with some of the responses regarding fresh local produce and the fact that most people think that it should be way cheaper than what is purchased from stores. As a small vegetable producer myself, growing between 6 and 8 acres of a very large variety of produce, fresh herbs, and chickens for egg production, how is right to expect us to sell our items for a loss?
People seem to forget that we are here to make a living with what we are doing. We follow organic practices but are not certified, rarely use any treatments and if we have to only use OMRI approved compounds. Organic ways of production, in general, cost more or are more time consuming (which in turn cost more due to labor expenses) then conventional means. Conventional production is a significantly cheaper route to go because conventional treatments, packaging and time spent is a lot less.
We love to provide a healthier product along with one that has less of an effect on the environment but we also need to cover the expense of production, packaging, transportation and labor. The biggest thing I tell people is that when you want a quality product, you get what you pay for. Our produce is not priced outrageously but we still hear "well, it should be cheaper than whats at the grocery store." People seem to forget too that major store purchasing produce in large quantities get a huge price break from the producer which makes it easier for them to provide it to the general public for a lower price.
Sorry to rant but it just gets frustrating!0 -
Check out your local Dollar stores! Sounds crazy, but once a week a go and get all of my salad items there, 3 heads of romain only a buck! huge bag of radishes and green onions, large package of spinich, brocolliflower, asparagas, carrots, onions, bags of peppers..... Only a buck a piece! I also get my rice there, brown rice, barley, jasmine, ...... It does take longer to prepare, but worth the savings. Many times they have a great yogurt supply as well.0
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I think that it depends on what part of the country you are in. I live in a farming community and our local produce is less expensive and our farmers make more profit selling it directly instead of going through a middle man. In fact, our city just opened a co-op style grocery store specifically for local farmers to sell goods instead of just having a bunch of road side stands.
Thank you for growing healthy produce for us to eat and good luck with your farm!I'm a little frustrated with some of the responses regarding fresh local produce and the fact that most people think that it should be way cheaper than what is purchased from stores. As a small vegetable producer myself, growing between 6 and 8 acres of a very large variety of produce, fresh herbs, and chickens for egg production, how is right to expect us to sell our items for a loss?
People seem to forget that we are here to make a living with what we are doing. We follow organic practices but are not certified, rarely use any treatments and if we have to only use OMRI approved compounds. Organic ways of production, in general, cost more or are more time consuming (which in turn cost more due to labor expenses) then conventional means. Conventional production is a significantly cheaper route to go because conventional treatments, packaging and time spent is a lot less.
We love to provide a healthier product along with one that has less of an effect on the environment but we also need to cover the expense of production, packaging, transportation and labor. The biggest thing I tell people is that when you want a quality product, you get what you pay for. Our produce is not priced outrageously but we still hear "well, it should be cheaper than whats at the grocery store." People seem to forget too that major store purchasing produce in large quantities get a huge price break from the producer which makes it easier for them to provide it to the general public for a lower price.
Sorry to rant but it just gets frustrating!0 -
I'm a little frustrated with some of the responses regarding fresh local produce and the fact that most people think that it should be way cheaper than what is purchased from stores. As a small vegetable producer myself, growing between 6 and 8 acres of a very large variety of produce, fresh herbs, and chickens for egg production, how is right to expect us to sell our items for a loss?
I don't think that's what they mean by "it should cost less." I think they mean it typically costs less.0 -
Do you have a Bountiful Baskets or other similar co-op near you? Or access to a CSA? That's how we get our veggies at a fair price and much cleaner/higher quality than at the store0
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I'm a little frustrated with some of the responses regarding fresh local produce and the fact that most people think that it should be way cheaper than what is purchased from stores. As a small vegetable producer myself, growing between 6 and 8 acres of a very large variety of produce, fresh herbs, and chickens for egg production, how is right to expect us to sell our items for a loss?
People seem to forget that we are here to make a living with what we are doing. We follow organic practices but are not certified, rarely use any treatments and if we have to only use OMRI approved compounds. Organic ways of production, in general, cost more or are more time consuming (which in turn cost more due to labor expenses) then conventional means. Conventional production is a significantly cheaper route to go because conventional treatments, packaging and time spent is a lot less.
We love to provide a healthier product along with one that has less of an effect on the environment but we also need to cover the expense of production, packaging, transportation and labor. The biggest thing I tell people is that when you want a quality product, you get what you pay for. Our produce is not priced outrageously but we still hear "well, it should be cheaper than whats at the grocery store." People seem to forget too that major store purchasing produce in large quantities get a huge price break from the producer which makes it easier for them to provide it to the general public for a lower price.
Sorry to rant but it just gets frustrating!
*applause*
Yes. In addition, grocery store produce is cheap because multiple people along the way are being paid close to slave wages. The amount of money migrant workers are paid to pick all of those cheap strawberries, oranges, tomatoes, etc., is sickening. The pittance that large farmers get, per pound, for their crops, from big retailers, is also sickening. I grew up on a sheep farm (for wool, not meat, but still) and wool prices from big buyers were so low (because of consumers insisting that wool had to be CHEAP!) that some farmers were throwing out their shorn wool to ROT because it wasn't worth the gas to spend driving it to auction.
If you have no money to buy fresh and local produce that's terrible and unfair and makes me angry on your behalf. But it is NOT the fault of the small farmer who is just trying to get by! It's the fault of the economic system that gives you such little money when the owner of the company you work for probably makes something close to the GDP of a small country.
/rant
Okay. As far as cheap wholesome cooking- and I'm a nurse while my husband is a carpenter so while we're not poor, we're not rolling in it either-
-buy in bulk, including from the bulk section at the local co-op or health food store.
-Rolled oats cost around 40 cents a pound in bulk and make a cheap, fast, and very healthy breakfast.
-I hit up the 'bump' rack or section of produce really heavily when we're tight for cash. If it's bruised or on the edge and we can't eat it right away, we can or freeze it.
-Speaking of which, if you can invest in a chest freezer, it's a GREAT cash saver. If my husband shoots a deer, it goes in the freezer . Sale on green beans? In the freezer. Bumper crop of zucchini? In the freezer.
-Water bath canning! A couple years ago we paid to 'glean a row' at the local orchard after pick-your-own season was over. We paid $40 for apples enough to fill the bed of my pickup truck. Then we water-bath canned most of it into applesauce and pie filling. All you need is a big pot, some mason jars, and some tongs. Cheap.
Could write more, but my husband is working on the plumbing and needs a hand. Good luck!0 -
Destiny,
I shope at 3 different stores.
I found a store that sells boxed, canned items (including cereal) and frozen items that have been dented for about 75% less! I usually spend about $25.00 there. Example: Large box of Cheerios = $1.25. Try to find one of these stores!
I go to a store called Save O Lot for my meat and anything I could not get at the scratch and dent place. I spend about $50.00 here
I go to Sprouts (a organic store believe it or not) for my veggies. I spend about 25.00 here.
I spend 100.00 per week on food and feed 4 people. One of those is a grown man and the other is a teenage boy with two hallow legs, myself and an 89 yr old. So everyones food needs are a bit different.
You may have to take a little extra time shopping. Maybe hubby can take care of the kids and you can take care of the shopping once a week? That is what I have always done.0 -
I've always found this this to be mostly a myth. Your genetics and how you process foods will usually determine your health. I eat all sorts of junk from chips, to candy, mixed in with hamburgers and pizza. I've NEVER had a bad physical checkup. One of my friends is a vegetarian and no matter what he does eating and exercise wise, his cholesterol is still high.
So if you're relatively healthy and eat junk in moderation (even though I eat junk, it's occasional and in moderation), exercise and be aware of your weight and have regular check ups, then you don't need to spend all the money on health food.0 -
Clean Eating magazine has two-week menus for families of 4 that supposedly can be made on $50 per week in groceries.0
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