Can it be inexpensive and still healthy?

DoubleNs · July 2011

I am trying to diversify my food choices but at the same time trying to stay in budget. Here are the three things I cook because they are healthy and not expensive... but this gets a bit bland. Anyone have other ideas? Thank you!

Chili
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground turkey (I do 99/1 even though it costs more because it is so much healthier)
- 1lb ground beef (I do 93/7 ... also due to healthier... this is the one place I don't skimp)
- 3 large cans of petite diced tomatoes
- 4 cans of beans (I use pinto, black, kidney, and black eyed peas) ... I have also experiemented with cooking dry beans for this.
- 1 bag of frozen veggies fajita mix (this has onions, green peppers, and red peppers)
- 1 (or 2) packets of McKormic Chili seasoning (mild, original, or hot based on your interest)
Instructions:
1. Brown the meat together and the turkey takes on the beef flavor. I sometimes add a bit of beef broth or some onions if I have any.
2. Cook the beans (if you choose to use dry beans)
3. Drain everything in cans and put everything in a big pot.
4. Boil 30 minutes and then I simmer it overnight for even better flavor.
I freeze half and keep half in the fridge.

Stir Fry
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Chcken (I buy two pound bags and keep them in the freezer)
- 2 eggs (if you want for a little extra protein and flavor) scrambled and put aside
- 1 cup uncooked Rice and water to cook it
- 1 bag of frozen veggies stir-fry mix
- Your choice of soy sauce, sweet and sour sauce, teriyaki sauce, etc
Instructions:
1. Cook the chicken, cut in small cubes, and then cook a little longer until brown on each side
2. Cook the rice
3. Put the rice into the skillet with the chicken (add scrambled eggs if wanted)
4. Add a little olive oil and the sauce of your choice as well as the frozen veggies
5. Heat until veggies are fully cooked

Beans and Rice - Yes... simple. But super inexpensive and very healthy
Ingredients:
- Dry beans of your choice
- Rice
Instructions:
1. Cook the rice as instructed on the package
2. Heat beans as instructed (I often add chopped carrots or onions)
3. Serve the beans on the rice

I'm sure you can see why my diet is a bit boring. I also eat grilled chicken salads. Anyone with new ideas? Thank you!

Jennifer

P.S. According the my genetic test, I need to stay low fat so I have been working on putting together some healthy options that have 6g of fat or less per serving (since I am supposed to be until 25g a day). So if your recipe is low fat, all the more love!

crystalmichelle82 · July 2011

this is how i make my chili:

2 lbs ground turkey
4 cloves fresh garlic (chopped)
whole onion (sweet vidalia is good) (chopped)
whole tomato (chopped)
can of chili beans or pinto beans (do not drain)
can of whole kernel corn (do not drain)
can of black beans (do not drain)
2 packets of Lawry's chili seasoning

I brown the meat w/ the onions & garlic in a big pot, then put all the other ingredients in, heat to a boil and then serve shortly afterwards. Very simply and soooo low fat and low cal. It's amazing. Love it. And even my husband that doesnt eat as clean & healthy as me likes it.

And it can be reasonably priced but i do price comparisons and coupon-ing. I also go to the farmer's markets and get fresh produce when I can. Do what you can

DancinSMartiPants · July 2011

I wish I could just send you some of the recipes from my food diary. I am from New Orleans and tend to eat a lot of tradition food here which, when prepared in a healthy way, is delicious, filling, and inexpensive.

Do you eat okra? I have an okra and tomato recipe that make 8 servings for $8 including shrimp!
Red beans and rice? A pot of that feeds my whole family of 4 with leftovers for $5
Jamabalaya? I make a veggie version (occasionally through in some turkey sausage), same deal.

papastu · July 2011

just a random thing, that you in the photo's crystalpaul? are you trying to lose weight ?

lovin the food DoubleNs, gonna steal the chilli 1, sorry i have no ideas of my own for you :ohwell:

ckncj · July 2011

If you don't already, I would make all of your "rice" brown rice - instead of white. That way you're, at least, getting fiber along with all of those carbs. Chicken is a great, inexpensive ingredient that you can do so much with. Frozen veggies aren't too expensive and can go a long way if you stay within one serving size each meal. I suggest frozen veggies over canned - simply to eliminate some of the sodium intake at your meals.

Canned chicken is an option - you can simmer on the stovetop with some salsa and serve over a half-cup of cooked brown rice or a half-cup of refried fat free beans.

crystalmichelle82 · July 2011

just a random thing, that you in the photo's crystalpaul? are you trying to lose weight ?

lovin the food DoubleNs, gonna steal the chilli 1, sorry i have no ideas of my own for you :ohwell:

Yeah those are my photos. I guess I am trying to make sure and keep my belly fat off and then build muscle. Why what's up?

mx5nos · July 2011

Just from personal experience, I find that I eat the same foods every day. Because I lift weights a lot, I need at least 120g of protein a day, but my calorie goals are only 1240cal/day.

I eat:
Eggbeaters
Cold cuts
Low carb wraps
Salad (lettuce, coldcuts, fat free dressing)
Subway black forest ham subs, no cheese
Coffee
Diet soda
Water

And that's it. I find the less variety you have, the easier it is to stay on track.

crystalmichelle82 · July 2011

I wish I could just send you some of the recipes from my food diary. I am from New Orleans and tend to eat a lot of tradition food here which, when prepared in a healthy way, is delicious, filling, and inexpensive.

Do you eat okra? I have an okra and tomato recipe that make 8 servings for $8 including shrimp!
Red beans and rice? A pot of that feeds my whole family of 4 with leftovers for $5
Jamabalaya? I make a veggie version (occasionally through in some turkey sausage), same deal.

I love okra!

SueInAz · July 2011

Try tilapia. You can use it so many different ways. We made fish tacos (no breading on the fish) with some recently. We made a white sauce of fat free Greek yogurt and lime juice to thin it out. Broil the fish, put 2 oz. tilapia in a 6" corn tortilla, add cabbage, tomatoes and the white sauce, serve with a side of pinto beans and enjoy. Less than 350 calories for 2 tacos and the beans with only 4 grams of fat.

DoubleNs · July 2011

I wish I could just send you some of the recipes from my food diary. I am from New Orleans and tend to eat a lot of tradition food here which, when prepared in a healthy way, is delicious, filling, and inexpensive.

Do you eat okra? I have an okra and tomato recipe that make 8 servings for $8 including shrimp!
Red beans and rice? A pot of that feeds my whole family of 4 with leftovers for $5
Jamabalaya? I make a veggie version (occasionally through in some turkey sausage), same deal.

I like Okra. I'd love that recipe! Thanks.
What is Jamabalaya? I'm up to try anything once!

MiladyMetal · July 2011

@ Crystal Paul - I was thinking wouldn't if you didn't drain the cans it would make the ingredients in your chili higher in sodium? Just curious not trying to be mean in any way hun! Overall the recipe looks delish though.

Congrats btw on your figure you look great!

~Stephie

crystalmichelle82 · July 2011

I was thinking wouldn't if you didn't drain the cans it would make the ingredients in your chili higher in sodium? Just curious not trying to be mean in any way hun! Overall the recipe looks delish though. Congrats btw on your figure you look great!

~Stephie

Probably, you could add water if you wanted, but i buy cans that say "no salt added". I don't have issues w/ sodium b/c i never add it to my food but yeah you do bring up a valid point for those that need to watch it. So buy the no salt added cans and/or drain and just add water if need be.

jagh09 · July 2011

There are some pretty good ideas here:

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_budget_friendly_recipes

I go to this website a lot to get some creative ideas.

Mzliv · July 2011

Try tilapia. You can use it so many different ways. We made fish tacos (no breading on the fish) with some recently. We made a white sauce of fat free Greek yogurt and lime juice to thin it out. Broil the fish, put 2 oz. tilapia in a 6" corn tortilla, add cabbage, tomatoes and the white sauce, serve with a side of pinto beans and enjoy. Less than 350 calories for 2 tacos and the beans with only 4 grams of fat.

That sounds delicious, thanks for sharing!

ilookthetype · July 2011

Chili
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground turkey (I do 99/1 even though it costs more because it is so much healthier)
- 1lb ground beef (I do 93/7 ... also due to healthier... this is the one place I don't skimp)
- 3 large cans of petite diced tomatoes
- 4 cans of beans (I use pinto, black, kidney, and black eyed peas) ... I have also experiemented with cooking dry beans for this.
- 1 bag of frozen veggies fajita mix (this has onions, green peppers, and red peppers)
- 1 (or 2) packets of McKormic Chili seasoning (mild, original, or hot based on your interest)
Instructions:
1. Brown the meat together and the turkey takes on the beef flavor. I sometimes add a bit of beef broth or some onions if I have any.
2. Cook the beans (if you choose to use dry beans)
3. Drain everything in cans and put everything in a big pot.
4. Boil 30 minutes and then I simmer it overnight for even better flavor.
I freeze half and keep half in the fridge.

Beans and Rice - Yes... simple. But super inexpensive and very healthy
Ingredients:
- Dry beans of your choice
- Rice
Instructions:
1. Cook the rice as instructed on the package
2. Heat beans as instructed (I often add chopped carrots or onions)
3. Serve the beans on the rice

I'm sure you can see why my diet is a bit boring. I also eat grilled chicken salads. Anyone with new ideas? Thank you!

Jennifer

P.S. According the my genetic test, I need to stay low fat so I have been working on putting together some healthy options that have 6g of fat or less per serving (since I am supposed to be until 25g a day). So if your recipe is low fat, all the more love!

I go hog wild with my veggies in my chili. I also don't use meat most of the time. Lots of beans (as you have) broc, carrots, peppers (bell-red/orange/yellow) jalapeno, habanero (whatever burns your tongue the right way), onions, the spice cabinet (for real a dash of coco powder is heavenly), WHISKEY! I don't know when I started this but I do a shot for the pot and a shot for me. I eat all chili on rice. It's not chili without the rice in my book. I often throw in some yogurt when i'm eating it because my roommate likes it super spicey and I'm not as strong as she is. BUT mixing the veggies or the spices will offer totally different kinds of chili.

Spice the beans and rice, too. I love beans and rice. It's been my lunch for the past week.

cedarhurst2006 · July 2011

Go to chili recipe:

2 1/2 lbs. ground turkey 93/7
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 red onion
1 can lo salt diced tomatoes (not drained)
1 or 2 cans black beans (drained & rinsed to reduce sodium)

4 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. cumin
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Saute' chopped green pepper, red pepper and red onion in a little olive oil. Add ground turkey. Sprinkle seasoning mix over everything and work in. Cook till turkey done. Add tomatoes and beans and let simmer briefly. Top with shredded lo fat cheese if you must. Awesome and it makes a bunch which we eat for leftovers,stuff in hard or soft tacos or put between tortillas for quesadillas. It has a kick! I also make the seasoning and keep it on hand for a rub on beef or chicken. From beginning to end, about 30 minutes. FAST, EASY & TASTY!

chubbychristianchick · July 2011

Thing of adding more whole foods. I love hard boiled eggs to snack on, fresh fruits and veggies as a side. This time of year produce is very cheap here. Also I use ground turkey in most recipes it's actually cheaper then beef. Additionally try a side like allrecipes.com and they have lowfat lowcal section and also budget friendly sections. We also buy a lot in bulk and freeze.

jr1985 · July 2011

Do you have like a costco or sam's where you live? I buy a lot of my food there and they are pretty inexpensive... and expecially if you are buying something that is frozen, dried, or canned then you can get phenominal prices on that...

I make a lot of whole wheat pasta meals... brown rice or dried beans are also cheap easy and healthy go to... I LOVE shimp... which isn't the most inexpensive meat out there... but I but like a 5bl bag of frozen peeled shrimp at sam's for around $10, and eat that a lot... I also do quite a bit of ceral and spinach salads...

Do you have a local farmers market? Produce there durning the summer would be super in-expensive and help out your local farmers too

I also always buy spices in bulk... add low sodium chicken broth to EVERYTHING it adds a TON of flavor with very few calories... experiment with your spices... depending on what you do with your spices you can take plane old chicken and rice and have a million different flavers with it from your spice combinations.

SueInAz · July 2011

I second Costco or Sam's. If you stick to things that won't go bad, you can really save a lot of money over the course of a year. Not only food, but toilet paper, dishwashing soap, laundry detergent and fabric softener, paper towels, shampoo, toothpaste, makeup... I could go on and on. They have great prices on Fiber One bars, Greek yogurt, pasta, beans, frozen or fresh meats (chicken, beef, fish (tilapia!), shrimp), fruits, veggies, dairy and just about anything else you might want. Their rotisserie chickens are $5 and they are huge! Just stick to the stuff that you'll either use right away, is non-perishable, is frozen or has a long shelf life and you can't go wrong.

DancinSMartiPants · July 2011

This recipe is for 6 GENEROUS servings and its stats are as follows:
Cals-331
Carbs-55
Fat- 11 g
Protein- 6 g

Being in Louisiana, we eat shrimp a lot, and whenever we eat shrimp we boil the shells to make shrimp stock. Consequently when I make jambalaya I use shrimp stock from my freezer, but you could probably use fish bouillon or something like that.

To make the shrimp stock I used (approx.)
4 cups shrimp shells and heads
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
1 carrot
3 stalks of celery
3 or 4 cloves of garlic
2 or 3 bay leaves
8 cups of water

Simmer ingredients until the 8 cups becomes about 6 cups. Strain. Freeze to save.

“Veggie” Jambalaya
This recipe is not vegetarian since I use shrimp stock. I also sometimes add whole shrimp or sautéed turkey sausage just before the last part of cooking, but it is not counted in the nutrition info below.

You will need

6 cups of (heated) shrimp stock
1 ½ cups brown rice
1 cup diced green bell pepper
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 cup diced red onion
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 cup zucchini, diced
1 cup yellow squash, diced
1 can Italian tomato paste
3 tablespoons unbleached flour
3 tablespoons olive oil (not extra virgin, or another light oil)
2 bay leaves
granulated garlic, creole seasoning, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste

1. In a large pot, heat the oil and before it begins to smoke, add unbleached flour, stirring constantly with a whish or fork. This makes a roux. Cook the roux, stirring constantly, until it is a medium brown color.
2. Slowly, still stirring, add the hot shrimp stock. This will make very thin gravy.
3. Once the shrimp stock is fully incorporated, add tomato paste and stir until smooth.
4. Add this point you can add all other ingredients EXCEPT the rice. Bring to a boil then simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Taste for salinity and seasoning level to suit your family.
5. Add rice. At this point you can either add a lid and cook it on the stove top over a very low temperature until the rice is cooked or transfer to a covered casserole pan and cook it in a 350 degree over for about an hour or until the rice is cooked.
6. Add sautéed sausage or raw shrimp before putting it in the oven. For stove top add them just before the rice is cooked.

DancinSMartiPants · July 2011

Loads of typos, but y'all forgive me, right? Here is the okra recipe. It's much simpler

Okra and Tomatoes
This dish is traditionally served over rice, but I leave the rice off. To me it just dilutes the flavor and adds WAY more calories.

Makes 4 servings
Cals-255
Carbs-24
Fat-3
Protein- 32

You will need:

1 can tomato paste
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 large bell pepper, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 stalk diced celery
1 serving turkey sausage (I use turkey andouille), thinly sliced
1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp
1 cup stock (I usually use shrimp, you could use water)
4 cups diced okra (I use two bags of the frozen kind)
Diced garlic (I use as many as 6 toes)
Creole seasoning to taste

1. Throw everything except the shrimp in a pot with a lid and simmer until it smells amazing!
2. Stir in shrimp and turn the heat off. When the shrimp are cooked it’s ready.

IzzyBooNZ1 · July 2011

bump !! = )

DoubleNs · July 2011

@DancinSMartiPants

Thank you so much! This sounds awesome and really hard to mess up. I can't wait to try it!

DoubleNs · July 2011

@jagh09

Thanks for the link. This is a really cool site. I bet I could spend hours here!

DoubleNs · July 2011

@ilookthetype

What do you spice your beans and rice with? I just put in a packet of Goya while the beans were boiling.

RedL1988 · July 2011

Bump

ilookthetype · July 2011

@ilookthetype

What do you spice your beans and rice with? I just put in a packet of Goya while the beans were boiling.

curry, chili powder and whatever else is in the cabinet...

Edithrenee · July 2011

I am having the same problem..Id love to read some inexpensive healthy options. why is it the healthy foods are so much more expensive.?? Makes me think someone is wanting the majority of Americans be chunky hmmm There isnt that many people can afford healthy options now days.

MeredithRN · July 2011

These recipes are awesome! I agree that it is difficult to eat healthy while on a budget, but I recently cleaned out my cabinets to take the foods I wont eat anymore to the shelter (since I'm starting this diet) and found so many expired things, it made me sick! I throw away so much because we buy what is cheap instead of what we want. I stopped doing that in the last few weeks and buy what we want so that it gets eaten. We leave the store with less, not often spending more, but it doesn't go to waste and we are eating better! I'm not sure if this would apply with you, but I had to take a long hard look at how/why I buy what I buy and gave it a shot at buying the "healthy" to see if it was worth it. Sometimes we have to get a little creative (i.e. throw this veggie, some spinach, and the rest of this pepper, and this mushroom in a pan for a bit and spread some laughing cow cheese on a La Tortilla High Fiber wrap and eat... or mix whatever veggies we have left and put some eggs in there. Its an adventure sometimes lol. I go on this site alot for ideas!)

Now we only buy what we will eat. We try to stay within budget, we don't go crazy, but our cabinets now have room in them and our trash is less full at the end of the week :-D

If this doesn't apply to you, you can always try to alter what you already eat. I would add veggies in our mac and cheese. I also used to cut the seasoning in the ramen noodles in half because of the high sodium content. I would make our own pizzas out of left over hamburger/hot dog buns/bagels and add whatever we had left so I didn't eat an entire pizza, lol. Use applesauce instead of oil when baking. Stuff like that!

cedarhurst2006 · July 2011

I have been unemployed for some time and always looking to find ways to eat healthy inexpensively. I think the more homemade the better. I started making my own croutons for a snack and with salad. One day I tried to put something in my freezer and I had frozen so much bread ends, rolls, or random slices that I thought we would use. It was taking up so much room. So I pulled it all out and found a great recipe:

Homemade Croutons

Leftover (defrosted) bread, cut in cubes

Put in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and add dried herbs (I used a smidge of salt, pepper, and oregano and parsley). Toss till mixed.

Spread on foil lined baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees - 20 minutes for softer croutons, 30 minutes for crunchier croutons.

Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy. Store up to 2 weeks in an airtight container or ziploc bag.

We have them as a snack (only a few) or add to a salad. Fresh tomatoes are in season in the northeast so we have a tomato & mozzarella salad with them. If there are crumbs or you are tired of them, crush and use as a coating for fish.

Now that I think of it, I would have never thought of doing this before but I am really trying to stay away from processed foods and by using all the different types of multigrain, ryes and dark breads we eat now, this is quite tasty and yet so simple!!!

Let me know if you try!

mrdavidjk · July 2011

i grow my own mung beans, they are full of protein and vitamin c
£3.50 for 500grams. 30 grams of seeds is enough for 4 people in a stir fry.
i use a 2 liter water bottle soak the beans over night then drain and put in the airing cupboard, i wash them twice a day and after 4 days i have a 2 liter bottle bursting with sprouts, and you don't need to prepare them.

i also grow my own veg.
i spent £1 on a pack of cucmber seeds and i have 3 plants growing in my greenhouse , they provide me with 5-6 cumbers a week.
Lettuce £1.20 for pack of 1400 seeds. i sprinkle 4 in a small pot and when they are bigger i plant them out. i have a fresh lettuce every day.
chives £2 last year, it supplies me with fresh every day
radishes £2 for 800 seeds i plant 30 a week and 4 weeks later i have fresh radishes
land cress (like water cress but no need for water) grows in the shade and is nice and peppery
nasturtium flowers, leaves are peppery and grow like mad, although prone to black fly seeds can be dried and used as a pepper substitute.
mange tout are expensive, but easy to grow, i get a few handfuls every day

any salad stuff can be grow in the garden, usually needs to be kept moist or it will turn bitter, but i started growing veg last year.
the internet is great for help, and ebay is brilliant for seeds

its not expensive, its not difficult. it requires a little planning, but if you are into veg you can not beat fresh from the garden.

Can it be inexpensive and still healthy?

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