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

2

Replies

  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Often when I see this complaint, the individual is looking at processed convenience foods that are marketed as "healthy" and/or think they need everything to be organic and/or are shopping at certain stores that market themselves as "healthy"....

    I find eating well to be relatively inexpensive...many of my staples are carryover from my poverty days...

    - beans in bulk
    - lentils
    - potatoes
    - rice
    - pasta
    - cabbage
    - broccoli
    - frozen vegetables
    - apples
    - whole chickens and/or parts
    - ground beef
    - any meats on sale
    - eggs


    Exactly. I think what people are actually saying is, it is too much work for me to eat healthy.
    Cost is not an issue.
  • FreyasRebirth
    FreyasRebirth Posts: 514 Member
    edited January 2017
    (Regular, large) Carrots are cheap. Apples can be cheap. Eggs are pretty cheap. Cans of beans, cheap. Onions, cabbage, ect. My 'splurge' is a large bag of frozen blueberries. $10 for the bag but I only eat 1/2 cup at a time (mixed with oatmeal, cheap, or yogurt, cheaper in tubs). That $10 bag is going to last quite a while.

    ETA: Cutting way back on meat is probably money saving tip #1. I know some people don't but not eating beef and pork every day can save a lot. I still love bacon but I'm cooking it by the slice instead of by the pound.

    Also, drink water. I add as little Crystal Light as possible to stretch it but a little squeeze bottle is cheaper than always drinking sodas, (chocolate) milk, juices, ect. Measuring out your coffee creamer can also save a lot of money. Even buying a box of tea bags is going to save money if you were previously drinking a lot of calories. Green tea can replace the caffeine if you decide you can't take your coffee with less creamer/sugar.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    Ok - Yes, eating healthy will actually be more expensive than living off free food and Ramen (but that is pretty much the extreme of eating as cheaply as possible). Eggs are really cheap. Chicken (when you are not buying boneless, skinless breasts - which are a P.I.T.A. to not make into shoe leather anyway) also very cheap. Frozen/canned veggies & beans also fairly cheap (especially store brand from a cheaper grocery chain like PriceRite/Aldi/Save-a-lot/...). As someone else mentioned, these are also items that can be mixed into ramen to make for a more nutritious, balanced diet. Apples (assuming some breed grows in your region, and some breed or other of apple seems to grow just about everywhere) will also be fairly inexpensive.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    Ramen + frozen veggies + eggs is lovely :)

    Eggs
    Beans, lentils, split peas
    Meat on sale - around here, pork is usually the cheapest. I can get 1 lb of lean pork chops for $3.99 pretty often, even at our pricier stores.
    Canned tomato products
    Aromatic veggies - garlic, onions, shallots
    Potatoes
    Barley and oatmeal (in bulk, not quick cook/convenience packages)
    Popcorn kernels

    My brother buys all "expired" meat (reduced the day after the "sell by" date - and either freezes or cooks it that day. no problems at all, spoilage-wise)
    I also second budget bytes, especially if you have a store where you can get spices in bulk and just buy what you need for the recipe

    I make a lot of slow cooker soups and chilis when I'm tight on time and cash. Lots of beans, peppers and onions, canned tomato, spices, maybe meat. On it's own or over rice or a baked potato. I'll eat it all week for lunch and dinner for around $10-$12.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Frozen store brand veggies. Store brand eggs. Bulk rice. Raw chicken. Canned beans. Plain oatmeal. Store brand large container yogurt. Raw whole potatoes, carrots, cabbage, onions, apples. Other in season fruits and veggies (depending on where you live). Canned tuna and salmon.

    Set aside two hours one day a week to grocery shop and then prep as much as you can when you get home.

    Add to that the cheap convenience foods in smaller portions, and you'll be eating a pretty darn healthy diet.

    I will add to this that most people who say they don't have time, need to give some serious thought to their priorities. We are often oblivious to how much time we waste or spend on things that aren't really important to us. There are people working two jobs and raising three kids who manage to work out and eat healthy most days. When I have one of those days where I don't get enough steps and I eat crap all day because I felt so busy, I'll look back at the day and realize I spent enough time on random crap that I could have done better if I tried. If it's important to you, you'll find a way. Good luck :drinker:
  • legsnbacon
    legsnbacon Posts: 122 Member
    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?
  • Lift_Run_Eat
    Lift_Run_Eat Posts: 986 Member
    xmichaelyx wrote: »
    Unless you live in Alaska, produce and other "healthy" foods are much cheaper than fast food. People who say otherwise either a) shop at ridiculously priced places like Whole Foods, or b) have never bought their own groceries. And if you're near a city, you can go to ethnic markets for cheap meat. Otherwise, look for sales and buy in bulk.

    As far as time, I work around this by cook mountains of food once a month or so in the crockpot, packaging it individually, freezing it, and then thawing as needed. There's a good subreddit for this: https://www.reddit.com/r/MealPrepSunday/

    Finally, I've saved a small fortune by buying a freezer chest ($100 on Craigslist).

    ^^This^^ I hear people complain a lot about not being able to afford healthy foods. It is hard for me to understand their logic when I am able to spend less at the grocery store and purchase "real" foods (fruits, veggies, meat, etc) for my family (including 2 teens) vs when I buy buy boxed junk. If you buy "real" food and stick to portion control, then you can make your money go further.

    My kids eat grilled chicken and carrots & hummus for lunch. It costs less (>$20) for me to buy 2 packs of chicken, a large bag of carrots, a container of hummus, & water vs them buying food at school (~$25/week) or taking a typical school lunch-sandwich (both different meat/cheeses), chips, cookies, soda/juice etc (>$25). (PS, this is their choice too!)
    I pre-prep all my meals for the week on Sunday. It probably takes me 2 hours.
    I do not buy pre-cut. You can save money that way.
    Pre-plan. Make use of all that you buy so you aren't wasting food. If you purchase lettuce for 1 meal and use half of it, make sure you can use it in another meal, etc.
    I also stay away from anything boxed, even if it is labeled as healthy, organic, gluten free, etc. Just because they say they are "Health" food, they aren't. They are also more expensive vs their "non-healthy" counterpart.
    Yes organic for some items can be better for you, if you can't afford it, buy the regular. Don't think you have to buy organic to eat healthy.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    xmichaelyx wrote: »
    Unless you live in Alaska, produce and other "healthy" foods are much cheaper than fast food. People who say otherwise either a) shop at ridiculously priced places like Whole Foods, or b) have never bought their own groceries. And if you're near a city, you can go to ethnic markets for cheap meat. Otherwise, look for sales and buy in bulk.

    Some things are cheaper at Whole Foods than anywhere else. We get those things at WF and the rest of our groceries elsewhere.
  • FreyasRebirth
    FreyasRebirth Posts: 514 Member
    frannieshack wrote: »
    I do not want to insult anyone, but I think a lot of people are just plain lazy.

    That, and people just not having any confidence in their cooking ability. Just getting a handle on the basics can go a long way. I would say learning how to saute onions (in a measured, minimal amount of oil) is step #1. You can build so much on top of that. Saute some mushrooms too! Just the smell of those two together is amazing. You can make a soup base, you can make a stir fry, ect. This morning I added asparagus and 3 eggs. Bam, I had a <400 calorie breakfast and was full before I finished the bowl.
  • dutchandkiwi
    dutchandkiwi Posts: 1,389 Member
    If you are broke Jack Monroe is the one to turn to https://cookingonabootstrap.com/ She was desperately poor with a 2 year old at one stage. Plus the food is really really nice Also https://www.budgetbytes.com/ is really great for low cost great and well tasting food
  • Lift_Run_Eat
    Lift_Run_Eat Posts: 986 Member
    frannieshack wrote: »
    I do not want to insult anyone, but I think a lot of people are just plain lazy. I understand when you are pressed for time and have to hit the drive thru once in a while. It is a hell of a lot cheaper to buy a whole chicken, roast it, and stretch it for 3 or 4 meals, depending on the # of mouths you are feeding. I used to feed a family of 8 this way. I used to make chicken soup from the leftovers with a bag of frozen veggies, and some rice. Also, pay attention to what fruits and veggies are in season at the time. I can find organic greens for 99 cents a bunch when they are in season and eat salads for 3 days off of it. You cannot drive thru Zaxby's without paying close to $8.00 for a salad. Dry beans are cheap, rice is cheap, eggs are cheap, potatoes are cheap, all healthy. I take my Sundays and cook meals for the week, I get tired and do not feel like cooking after work. Last Sunday I made roasted butternut squash with quinoa, minestrone soup, pasta salad with kale and fresh vegetables. I have not run out of food yet. All it takes is a plan, you can do it!

    ^^YES^^ I use to purchase 2 cooked chickens from Walmart ($5-$6 each). I would eat that for breakfast and lunch Monday - Thursday and still have some left over by Thursday evening that I would make soup, quesadillas, burritos, etc with the leftovers for dinner for my family. Thursdays use to be my -Throw together leftover meals based around the chicken, and it was always delicious.

  • FreyasRebirth
    FreyasRebirth Posts: 514 Member
    Another item for when you are short on time is muffin pan fritattas. You can put in really any leftover vegetables you have. I've used broccoli, asparagus, spinach, and my 6 year old even added extra pepperoni we had in the fridge one time. They've done fine in the refrigerator and you just have to pop one out in the morning to have a one-handed source of morning protein.
  • ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken Posts: 1,530 Member
    People seem to be going off about how you can lose weight regardless of budget. The original post is about eating healthy.
  • flatlndr
    flatlndr Posts: 713 Member
    frannieshack wrote: »
    I do not want to insult anyone, but I think a lot of people are just plain lazy

    ^^^ This

    I cut my food budget when I went from eating poorly to eating well, and that was me buying all fresh produce ... instead of factory-made meals and endless supplies of cookies and cakes.

    I could cut budget even further if I went to frozen veg, and frozen chicken breasts, for example.

    Sample dinner:
    - boneless, skinless breast, in the oven for 20-25 mins
    - brown rice (bought in bulk), steams for 40-45 mins on stovetop; you could cut it to 20 min with white rice
    - fresh (or frozen) vegs (brocolli, spinach, kale, ... ) 5-10 mins steamed on stovetop

    So, in 30 mins, I can have a freshly cooked, healthy meal. And I'm not standing over the pots/oven that whole time. 10 mins of work, tops, and in the other 20 mins I change, sort out clothes for the next day, etc. Just watch one fewer 30 min TV show and you've found the time for a fresh, hot, simple meal.

    If you really want to do it, you'll make the time.


  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
    edited January 2017
    Looks like everyone's thoroughly covered this, but oh well I'll add my 2 cents.
    1. Weight loss only requires a calorie deficit. If you're eating currently, you simply eat less. (ETA - I realize the OP didn't mention weight loss, but I wanted to include this anyway.)
    2. There's a lot relatively cheap "healthy" food options. 5 lb bags of frozen veggies are a few bucks and will last a long time. Chicken is pretty cheap, you can buy the untrimmed for even less, and it just takes a few minutes to trim it up yourself. ($1.99/pound where I live, that's enough for a few meals.) Rice/beans, you can buy uncooked very cheap in large quantities and it was last FOREVER!
    3. Throw all the above in a crockpot overnight/while at work. Return for instant meal.
  • legsnbacon
    legsnbacon Posts: 122 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    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...

    Oh you must be one of those people who believe in alternative facts because that's just an opinion.
  • Rowan09
    Rowan09 Posts: 35 Member
    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.
  • Rowan09
    Rowan09 Posts: 35 Member
    Muscleflex79 wrote: »
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
    YOu were eating before, when you were not trying to lose weight - yes? If so, since you need to eat less now, it should not really be a problem.

    This. You should actually be saving money because you're eating less now.

    exactly. if the only thing you do is eat less than exactly what you were eating before - you will lose weight AND save money. period.

    Not being able to afford food is not really a good diet :)
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
    edited January 2017
    Rowan09 wrote: »
    Muscleflex79 wrote: »
    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    StaciMarie1974 wrote: »
    YOu were eating before, when you were not trying to lose weight - yes? If so, since you need to eat less now, it should not really be a problem.

    This. You should actually be saving money because you're eating less now.

    exactly. if the only thing you do is eat less than exactly what you were eating before - you will lose weight AND save money. period.

    Not being able to afford food is not really a good diet :)

    If a person cannot afford food to begin with, is eating "healthy" really going to be a priority though?
    If I could only have one meal today, or was offered assistance, I'm not going to stop and say "on second thought, this is processed/unhealthy/high fat, I don't think I'll accept the help." I would gratefully accept.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    several people in this thread have commented about learning healthy cheap food techniques because of being on welfare and similar

    yes - I've been at the stage where I've had less than $20 in my checking account, 3 days until payday and needing to put gas in the car - it can be done - its about being smart and taking advantage of sales to stock up when you can (i.e. a 10lb bag of rice of normally $20, but maybe its on sale for $13 one day and you have some money that you have stashed away - that would be a healthier purchase and more lasting in the long run than fast food)
  • ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken Posts: 1,530 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken wrote: »
    People seem to be going off about how you can lose weight regardless of budget. The original post is about eating healthy.

    plenty have posted how to eat healthy on a budget...eating healthy really isn't expensive.

    Not if you shop in the right place. See my first comment further up.
  • CrazyCatLady916
    CrazyCatLady916 Posts: 29 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I check out the sales and build my meals around frozen vegetables and affordable starches/grains (potatoes, pasta, oats, rice), cook dried beans in the Crockpot and freeze them to use over a period of time.

    ^^same here, hubby is out of work so things are tight but we try to make the best of it
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Low budget friendly foods where I live are oatmeal, tuna, whole chicken or chicken thighs, dry beans, lentils, rice, pasta, bread, peanut butter, eggs, potatoes, carrots, apples, ground turkey, cabbage, onions, canned tomatoes, frozen vegetables

    Meal planning is a good idea if you have a tight budget.

    A healthy diet is not a specific list of food but everything you consume working together to meet your body's needs. You need to look at nutrients of foods you eat and how they fit your whole day. There are a lot of ways to "eat healthy".
    http://www.vanderbilt.edu/recreationandwellnesscenter/wellness/nutrition_corner/nutrition-101/

    You should start with just logging what you normally eat and sticking to your calorie goal. You want to eat in a way you can sustain. You can alter your diet in small steps like getting more protein or having more vegetables on your plate.

    Typically I eat things like this:
    Breakfast- low prep foods like Greek yogurt, granola bars, cereal with milk, sandwich, dinner leftovers, fruit, cottage cheese
    Lunch- things like sandwich, salad, or dinner leftovers
    Dinner- something different every night of the month. Soup once a week is a good dollar stretcher.
    Snacks- things like fruit, chips, popcorn, pretzels, chocolate, cookies, granola bar, carrots, celery, broccoli, trail mix, deviled eggs, pickles, cottage cheese

    http://www.budgetbytes.com

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10490067/most-healthy-food-options-are-very-expensive-and-im-on-a-very-poor-budget-what-to-do/p1
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