Hard to eat healthy when you don't have $$$$$

legsnbacon wrote: »

rainbowbow wrote: »

I'm sorry, not only is this not true, it's being used as an excuse unjustly.

I absolutely guarantee you can lose weight regardless of budget or time.

This is helpful how?

It's just a fact. *SHRUG*

There are a million posts on myfitnesspal about how to eat healthy on a budget, cheap shopping, recipes, and more. The search feature exists for a reason.

Hell, one can easily google "how to eat healthy on a budget". We are all busy. We all could use more money. We all could use more time.

frannieshack wrote: »

I do not want to insult anyone, but I think a lot of people are just plain lazy

Not only when it comes to cooking, shopping, planning, etc. but also when it comes to researching...

I wish there weren't so many people being judgmental rather than helpful when you were looking for support, so I'll apologize on their behalf.

As someone who has gone from a family who frequented soup kitchens and food banks to not having to worry about what something cost to getting a divorce and now having to count every penny...I feel you. I've been on all sides and the biggest difficulty I've faced is that fresh goes bad quickly and therefore costs more.

If you live in the US, these are things that are fresh and healthy that last longer: frozen steamed veggies (buy more when on sale), apples (last forever), bulk frozen meats, fresh spinach (portion out salads for the beginning of the week and then saute the rest until it wilts with a little olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper), potatoes last awhile although they take up a good chunk of my calories which also makes them last longer. Plum tomatoes are always the cheapest by the pound. You can buy a ginger root and put it in the freezer and shave a little to add some spice to your Ramen. Use half the packet of Ramen or put your own spices to reduce the calories (ridiculous amount of calories in Ramen packet plus sodium). Making soups in general is a great way to make ingredients last. They're filling and it's nice to have a warm belly in the winter.

Take pellenga up on her offer of that awesome facebook group. Don't give up!! You may need to work out your monthly and then weekly budget for food. For example, I always pay rent with my second paycheck of the month so I know that more expensive items like olive oil will need to be purchased at the beginning of the month instead.

You need to make yourself a priority though, you're worth taking that extra time. The time portion may be hard but it's not impossible. If you prep ahead, you'll actually save that time throughout the week as you won't have to cook.

Also, if you still want to eat the free stuff, that's fine but cut your portion. I know for those of us who have had to go without food at some point in our lives, this can lead to an unhealthy relationship with food. You feel an urgency to eat because you're not sure when you'll be able to eat next. Even if this is no longer your situation, that compulsion can still be present. Try to figure out what your relationship with food is, why you overeat and it will be easier to combat all around.

Surround yourself with people who will cheer you on and keep you accountable. It makes all the difference!!

Rowan09 wrote: »

Anyone saying it is cheaper to eat healthy has obviously never been poor...
Sure, maybe it's cheaper in the long run to purchase health food and ingredients in bulk. But if I have 10$ to my
Name I'm not thinking about the long run. I don't have 20$ to spend on a huge bag of rice that would admittedly last me a long time, but if I don't have the money... I don't have it.

I have been poor. I have literally had NOTHING and had to rely on a food bank, knocking on a neighbors door and asking for canned goods they aren't using, or literally eating nothing as a child. I have had to rely on eating condiments, cereal with water, a "ketchup sandwich", and more.

Potatoes, rice, canned vegetables, canned or frozen fruits, generic brands of pasta, oats, etc. These foods can be purchased cheaply and can sustain someone for a long time and you don't even have to purchase them in bulk.

Beans and rice
Spaghetti
stir fried veggies
mashed, boiled, roasted, baked, etc. potatoes
oatmeal
etc. etc. etc.

The problem is when you start going to the store and buying fresh produce, meats, milk, eggs, and other foods without having a plan, which expire quickly and don't translate over to multiple meals. Or when you for the sake of convenience, buy a coffee and mcdonalds every day, etc. This is poor planning, not a lack of budget.

We had a shopping budget of $50 a month for my mom, me, and my younger sister in the 2000's. With the skills I learned in home-ec i was able to put together a grocery list, a meal plan, and schedule how and when we'd eat certain foods.

Now, the problem with the OP is that they didn't say "I have x budget and only had x amount of time to feed x amount of people", they didn't leave any information at all other than just complaining about it being expensive to eat "healthy" whatever that means to them. They didn't leave any information whatsoever. Now I don't know about you... but how on earth can we give good advice without knowing their budget, their time allowance, their food preferences, the number of people they need to feed, or the area of the world they live in? This is going to make a huge impact on the responses. We can all say "buy these foods", but how is that helpful?

For this kind of post it's best to refer them to research, provide more info, and get rid of the excuse that it just can't be done.

If OP was here, literally starving, i'd be posting helpful advice/tips/resources for them to survive. But I doubt very seriously this is the case considering they are posting this to the internet. It's more likely a case of...well... i shouldn't have to say.

Last night I bought a 10 Lb bag of russet potatoes for $1.99