Can it be inexpensive and still healthy?

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  • IzzyBooNZ1
    IzzyBooNZ1 Posts: 1,289 Member
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    bump !! = )
  • DoubleNs
    DoubleNs Posts: 9 Member
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    @DancinSMartiPants

    Thank you so much! This sounds awesome and really hard to mess up. I can't wait to try it!
  • DoubleNs
    DoubleNs Posts: 9 Member
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    @jagh09

    Thanks for the link. This is a really cool site. I bet I could spend hours here!
  • DoubleNs
    DoubleNs Posts: 9 Member
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    @ilookthetype

    What do you spice your beans and rice with? I just put in a packet of Goya while the beans were boiling.
  • RedL1988
    RedL1988 Posts: 55
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    Bump
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
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    @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
    Edithrenee Posts: 546 Member
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    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
    MeredithRN Posts: 119 Member
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    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
    cedarhurst2006 Posts: 378 Member
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    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
    mrdavidjk Posts: 105
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    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.

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