What does 1200 calories under the poverty line look like?

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kattymatt3
kattymatt3 Posts: 8 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My goal.is 1200 calories a day to lose weight..
We live well under the.poverty line.
What does 1200 calories a day look like on an EXTREMELY tight budget?
Meal plan for the day, week, month?
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Replies

  • Chunkahlunkah
    Chunkahlunkah Posts: 373 Member
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    Hello and welcome. :)

    Before you put too much time into researching 1200 calories a day on a tight budget, are you sure 1200 is what you need? How did you reach that number? If it was here at MFP, what did you select as your loss per week (1 pound, 2 pounds, etc)? Also, how much are you aiming to lose and how active are you?

    As far as diet...What foods do you currently eat and how many calories would you estimate you're currently eating a day?
  • kattymatt3
    kattymatt3 Posts: 8 Member
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    maureenkhilde wrote: »
    For example what do you drink daily? If you drink water all day then you can save money. No soda regular or diet. If the water tastes bad then get a purifier for kitchen sink one time cost of less than $30 that will have paid for itself in less than two weeks. Because on any diet we are all told to push water so that can be a savings right there replace all other liquids with water. If you ever get carry out, that stops, I have no idea of knowing if you do or not. But that food is not healthy and that money is saved. Make a cheeseburger, but no bun. Buy a head of lettuce and that is good for you not too expensive and you have had protein, almost no carbs. It can be done, but look at foods, and the nutrition in them. Think goodbye sugar, and goodbye grains as in bread, muffins etc. Hello fresh and most meats. Just cannot be fried at all. Think baked, grilled, poached. Need to adjust your thinking it can be done.

    For the most part I drink water. I occasionally drink 1% milk and tea (no caffeine). I usually drink 32 to 64 oz of water a day.
    I am not big on cheese on burgers and rarely get beef because it is expensive, but I will try your suggestion of eliminating the bun.
    I only eat food prepared at home. When I go to school or will be away from home, I pack food.
    I do not eat fried foods. Most often meats are baked, sometimes grilled.
    Sugar is a weakness that I need to and am working on.
    I do have carbs in the form of wither whole wheat bread or white rice.
  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
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    My basic grocery list is along these lines:
    eggs, milk, bread
    family packs of chicken and pork (they can be divided down into smaller packs and frozen)
    rice
    lettuce, carrots, broccoli, onions, potatos
    bag of apples
    peanut butter
    turkey or ham sandwich slices
    frozen veggies
    canned mushrooms
    pasta & sauce
    cheddar cheese (the block is cheaper and you can shred it at home)

    With the above and what you likely have on hand (seasonings, butter, dressing), you can make a wide variety of foods that would fit within your calorie allowance.

    Basically, though, look at what you're already eating and you can likely made some minor adjustments in cooking styles (if you fry often) and portion sizes to get your meals down to meet your calorie goals. I would double check that goal as usually means someone is going for too much weight loss, too fast. If you don't have much to lose, you should consider setting your rate of loss lower.
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    edited May 2018
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    kattymatt3 wrote: »
    My goal.is 1200 calories a day to lose weight..
    We live well under the.poverty line.
    What does 1200 calories a day look like on an EXTREMELY tight budget?
    Meal plan for the day, week, month?

    Under the poverty line with an extremely tight budget in which country?

    ETA: How much money per month is considered "tight" by you? Are you accessible to arable land?
  • kattymatt3
    kattymatt3 Posts: 8 Member
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    Chunkahlunkah wrote: »
    Hello and welcome. :)

    Before you put too much time into researching 1200 calories a day on a tight budget, are you sure 1200 is what you need? How did you reach that number? If it was here at MFP, what did you select as your loss per week (1 pound, 2 pounds, etc)? Also, how much are you aiming to lose and how active are you?

    As far as diet...What foods do you currently eat and how many calories would you estimate you're currently eating a day?

    Thank you for the welcome :)
    I am happy to be a part of the community. I have found a lot of inspiration and accountability for myself here in the past.

    I came up with 1200 based on MFP's suggestion and success with that amount in the past.
    I selected 2 lbs/week loss. I would like to lose 15 lbs at minimum but would be thrilled to lose 25 lbs. I am not totally set on numbers though because my primary goals are to lose fat, gain muscle, and resume a more consistently healthy way of eating and living.

    As far as diet now...

    I ideally have a smoothie in the morning which consists of 12 oz of 1% milk, 1 scoop of whey protein powder, and 1 1/4 cup mixed berries.

    For lunch I have a big salad with shredded carrots, beets, tomatoes, red or green leaf lettuce, cucumber, kale, and a small amount of zesty italian or greek dressing.

    For dinner I usually have a chicken thigh or drumstick, some type of steamed vegetable, and either rice or pasta.

    For a snack between lunch and dinner I usually eat a banana and some yogurt or some cubes of cheese, almonds, and some ham.

    I am not usually able to afford this menu through the whole month though and by the end of the month I just kind of eat what I can. Breakfast may turn into 2 eggs and a piece of whole wheat toast or maybe a bowl of cereal. Lunch may turn into two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Dinner turns into just pasta. Snacks turn into chips or some slices of cheese.

    I also sometimes eat my feelings, so if I am stressed about a test or something like that, then I will eat more. I also have a hard time eating well right before my period starts. I just want chocolate and something salty like chips. I cosume the most calories right before my period starts.

    I am on again off again active. Yesterday Iimbed alot of trees, raked the yard, moved rocks, and ran around after a 2 and 4 year old. Today I spent most of my time idoors cleaning, taking care of the kids, and a lot of time in the car so not so active. I had a gym membership for a couple months as my one luxury item, but that has to be put on hold again until it is in the budget again. My mental and physical state is vastly improved when I can exercise in a gym, so I look forward to havong that again in the future. Mostly I would say I am not very active though and when active I am moving at the pace of a toddler and preschooler which is much slower than I would go.
  • maureenkhilde
    maureenkhilde Posts: 850 Member
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    You need to check and see when the chicken or pork is on sale or the buy 1 get 1 deals. Same with veges often they are on sale. I looked at list that serindpte listed, using eggs, veges, milk and potatoes, there is a yummy casserole that can be made it can take cheese as well. That would have 6-8 servings and be healthy and has about 275 calories per serving. Then have with fruit, canned or fresh. Look for sales buy one get one, and look for coupons. Or the apps with coupons on your phone. I am pretty sure there some good recipes on here that could be used that would fit in budget wise, but be healthy wise as well.
  • kattymatt3
    kattymatt3 Posts: 8 Member
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    PloddingTurtle wrote: »
    I enjoy the easy-to-prepare, delicious, and frugal recipes featured on this website: BudgetBytes - designed for small budgets and the site is a pleasure to navigate because it isn't all advertising and pop-ups, so refreshing! She has an app, and you can subscribe to her e-mail recipes, and there are meal plans and tutorials for her SNAP challenge project that may be particularly informative.

    Get the free pdf recipe book download of Good and Cheap by Leanne Brown in English or Spanish.

    I'm a single, which in itself presents some challenges when purchasing/using up food and implementing an interesting meal plan. I can't buy a food and only use 10% of it in my meal plan without having an issue with excessive waste. After three months of balancing the needs of my budget with the needs of my diet, I've discovered that my more efficient and successful meal plans start with the understanding that the most cost-efficient meal plans will require me to eat the same meals for a week at a time, or at least five of the seven days. This repetitive meal plan serves two purposes: it uses up the fresh food I just bought, and I find I don't mind eating the same meals every day for a week. In fact, I find it easier to have less choice. I think I also have problems when provided with too much choice, so when I open the refrigerator to get out the ingredients for my evening meal, there is no dithering around wondering what I feel like eating.

    This topic interests me. I'm looking forward to what others might suggest.

    I am going to peruse that website as soon as I finishing typing this. Thank you!

    I can definitely eat the same thing over and over for not just a week, but months. Although I love variety, I can also be quite militant when needed in keeping with routine and repetition.

    I tend to run into difficulties in trying to create totally different meals for myself, my children, and then my husbamd since we all have such different needs, but that's another thread!
  • kattymatt3
    kattymatt3 Posts: 8 Member
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    serindipte wrote: »
    My basic grocery list is along these lines:
    eggs, milk, bread
    family packs of chicken and pork (they can be divided down into smaller packs and frozen)
    rice
    lettuce, carrots, broccoli, onions, potatos
    bag of apples
    peanut butter
    turkey or ham sandwich slices
    frozen veggies
    canned mushrooms
    pasta & sauce
    cheddar cheese (the block is cheaper and you can shred it at home)

    With the above and what you likely have on hand (seasonings, butter, dressing), you can make a wide variety of foods that would fit within your calorie allowance.

    Basically, though, look at what you're already eating and you can likely made some minor adjustments in cooking styles (if you fry often) and portion sizes to get your meals down to meet your calorie goals. I would double check that goal as usually means someone is going for too much weight loss, too fast. If you don't have much to lose, you should consider setting your rate of loss lower.

    My shopping list for the family has some very similar items. I would prefer not to eat pasta, but it is filling and I can get it on sale for 79 cent to $1 and everyone else will eat it with $1.49 for a jar of sauce. I think limiting my portion size more, like you suggested, in cases like this would be helpful.
  • kattymatt3
    kattymatt3 Posts: 8 Member
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    777Gemma888 wrote: »
    kattymatt3 wrote: »
    My goal.is 1200 calories a day to lose weight..
    We live well under the.poverty line.
    What does 1200 calories a day look like on an EXTREMELY tight budget?
    Meal plan for the day, week, month?

    Under the poverty line with an extremely tight budget in which country?

    ETA: How much money per month is considered "tight" by you? Are you accessible to arable land?

    Country: United States of America

    Budget: Ideally $259/month (excluding milk, cheese, bread, peanut butter, yogurt, beans) for myself, 2 year old, 4 year old, and husband who is incredibly active, very high metabolism and requires a high amount of calories

    Arable land?: The growing season is short at 10,200 ft. elevation and cold temps but there is some arable land.
  • kattymatt3
    kattymatt3 Posts: 8 Member
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    maureenkhilde wrote: »
    You need to check and see when the chicken or pork is on sale or the buy 1 get 1 deals. Same with veges often they are on sale. I looked at list that serindpte listed, using eggs, veges, milk and potatoes, there is a yummy casserole that can be made it can take cheese as well. That would have 6-8 servings and be healthy and has about 275 calories per serving. Then have with fruit, canned or fresh. Look for sales buy one get one, and look for coupons. Or the apps with coupons on your phone. I am pretty sure there some good recipes on here that could be used that would fit in budget wise, but be healthy wise as well.

    I abide by sales :) Thankfully we have a deep freezer, so I usually buy chicken thighs when they are on sale for 79 cents a pound but can be as high as $1.09 a pound. The deep freezer is a lige saver too since it is 90 miles round trip from home to grocery store.
    I should look.into downloading coupons more. Usually I find the store brands cheaper than the ne brands with coupons, but I should look because you never know.
    What is your casserole recipe?
  • PloddingTurtle
    PloddingTurtle Posts: 283 Member
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    I can't help on the different meals for husbands and children. Sorry. :)

    I have found it particularly cost efficient to maintain a pantry and a freezer. I deliberately reserve 1/3 of my monthly grocery money to use for buying items in bulk and when on sale. I will let the funds build up until there is something I need or a really good sale is offered. I've noticed that many foods have a repetitive sale cycle. It might be monthly, or 8 to 12 weeks. Once I notice a sale, if it's something I use a lot of (like canned tomatoes), I will buy three months worth of the item. Usually by the time I'm getting low again, there's another sale. Check out the Flipp app which loads the flyers for your area on your device and let's you search for sales and loss leaders. The app is free, and it works in the US and Canada based on your postal code to select the flyers in your area.

    I began the process of building a pantry and stocking my freezer by setting aside 10% of my monthly grocery money for bulk/sale purchases. That strategy has saved me a lot of money. I now divert a full third of my food money to sit and wait for sales.
  • KParrott1348
    KParrott1348 Posts: 14 Member
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    What is your budget and how many people are you feeding? My household food budget is $150 per person per month. But we never eat out, all of our meals are prepared at home. We eat a largely whole food plant based diet with a lot of grains, potatoes, beans and legumes, vegetables and some fruit. Meat increases our expenses so we keep it to a minimum.

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