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

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  • Savyna
    Savyna Posts: 789 Member
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    I use my sales paper a lot. Buy dried beans, rice and cook those on my own. I also buy frozen vegetables if the fresh vegetables are out of my budget (sometimes also canned veggies too, I just wash them). I cook in bulk to have a dinner become lunches for the rest of the week. I bought 1/2 a pound of ground turkey yesterday that came to $2.60. Made 3 burger patties with it and still have a ton left over. I also buy cuts of meat that are less expensive. A nice big slab of london broil top round cost me $2.50 or so earlier this week because they were doing a sale.
  • trisH_7183
    trisH_7183 Posts: 1,486 Member
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    So much good advice. Years ago when we had a small family,only my DH worked.In order for me to be home,every penny had to be squeezed,then squeezed again,so grocery shopping was a study in getting the most for the money.

    Never shop without a list & I learned to divide that list into 3 parts.What had to be bought that day,what we needed if there was money after buying the "must haves".Things like "extras" were bought few & far between.

    I learned to total the grocery bill as I went,because there was a certain amount & no more if I spent over that.Basic cookbooks from the library were my textbooks.They teach how to cook most foods,from dried beans to pancakes.There is no rule saying a meal has to have meat,pasta,a veggie & salad.You need to buy only food that will be eaten,with almost none thrown out. It takes time to learn,experience to save while feeding a family or yourself.From the posts on here,take what works for you.Keep at it & you will see a difference.Good luck.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    FreyasRebirth wrote: »
    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.

    How long do you want $10 to last?
    (Using actual prices from Kroger's ClickList, not including sale price)
    • Variety Pack Generic Oatmeal: $1.59 for 10 packets
    • 3 lb bag yellow onion: $1.50
    • Generic Black (or any variety) Beans: $0.69/can
    • Generic Italian Style Stewed Tomatoes: $0.73/can
    • 1 lb Whole carrots $0.89
    • 1 dozen generic eggs $1.59
    • 1 lb Generic long-grain brown rice $0.89
    • 3 "small gala" apples ~$0.99
    • 1 Green Bell Pepper $0.89
    I'm up to $9.76. We don't have a food tax in Michigan so it doesn't break $10. It probably isn't the best balanced diet but it is a step above ramen noodles.

    When I was in college, I used to get packages of brown rice for under a dollar and packages of dried black beans for under a dollar, which would last me for like two weeks worth of dinners. Dump about half the package of black beans in the crock pot for a few hours with some water, a chopped onion and a bay leaf (if you have an ethnic grocery store near you, they're cheap and will last forever if you store them in the freezer). Brown rice + black beans + any other veg if I had it + hot sauce = NOM. I don't eat meat, but if you add some chicken to that it's bonus protein time.
  • 3rdof7sisters
    3rdof7sisters Posts: 486 Member
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    There are a lot of recipes and web sites that you can use for getting recipes and tips for tight budgets.
    Are you making use of food shelves and/or food stamps?
    There are many ways you can save and eat "healthy"
    A lot of great tips and suggestions here OP.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    edited January 2017
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    Couscous - £1.40 per kilo
    Tesco Everyday Value White Fish Fillets 520G £1.90
    Tesco Sweet And Crunchy 370G £1.50
    Some kind of flavouring for the couscous eg salt, herbs

    That's good for 6 meals for £1 each, post-Brexit prices! Easy to prepare - I can do it and I can't be arsed with cooking. Yeah, it'll be the same meal every time but who cares.
  • Rowan09
    Rowan09 Posts: 35 Member
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    Also just a note...
    We don't know OPs situation here. Not everyone has access to a stove, or to huge amounts of fridge or freezer space. All well and good to say cool a huge batch of something and freeze it but that requires a stove, large pots, and freezer space which not everyone has or can afford right now.
    Just saying. You don't know their situation so let's not assume they're being "lazy".
  • 3rdof7sisters
    3rdof7sisters Posts: 486 Member
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    Rowan09 wrote: »
    Also just a note...
    We don't know OPs situation here. Not everyone has access to a stove, or to huge amounts of fridge or freezer space. All well and good to say cool a huge batch of something and freeze it but that requires a stove, large pots, and freezer space which not everyone has or can afford right now.
    Just saying. You don't know their situation so let's not assume they're being "lazy".

    We don't know what OP is eating either (besides Ramen), but it is kind of logical to suppose that Op doesn't consider it healthy.
    Most of the comments have been very helpful, but that is just my opinion.

  • Savannah2990
    Savannah2990 Posts: 19 Member
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    I use to think when I was young this same way !
    Bought into all the hype, diet this low fat that .
    I then educated myself and I do not buy anything special or marketing as such ..
    Learn the ingredients and read labels ,then learn portion control is all you need to eat healthy and loose or maintain weight .
    Plan and prepare -)).

    Save your money dear , many of these diet foods are super high in sodium anyway and not actually proven scientifically. .
  • sugaraddict4321
    sugaraddict4321 Posts: 15,801 MFP Moderator
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