What does 1200 calories under the poverty line look like?

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?

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.

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.

Here is a previous post that might have some helpful hints:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610754/grocery-shopping-for-a-broke-student#latest

kattymatt3 wrote: »

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.

First off, I'd say that overall it sounds like you're doing really well, both with what you eat and how you budget the limited funds you have at the moment. So congrats on that!

One reason I asked if you really need 1200 is because if you can bump that up a few hundred to around 14/1500 a day, then it's easier to fit in less expensive (but still nutritious) foods, like beans. On only 1200, it can be tough to meet protein and nutrient goals with limited funds bc it severely limits how many inexpensive starchy carbs you can eat. Given the info you provided, it sounds like you could lose well on 14/1500 (maybe even more).

It sounds like you're likely eating an appropriate calorie level most days (i.e, an amount of food that would = weight loss), and your particular challenges to consistently eating at that level are the times you occasionally emotionally eat and when you eat more calories right before your period. So I'd suggest focusing on coming up with strategies to minimize the damage those challenges can cause. That'll take introspection and experimenting to find what works for you.

For your typical and preferred diet that you described, I'd suggest working out how much you're spending per meal. I love big salads too, but they can really add up. I'm also on a tight budget right now (although I have it much easier bc I'm just feeding myself). I restrict how many salads I eat as a meal bc they're just too expensive for me to be a staple. With my current financial goals, I can afford that only two or three times a week. I'd prefer it every day though. You also may find that your smoothie could be cheaper by replacing the berries with a frozen banana and a teaspoon of peanut butter. If it is cheaper that way (it would be with my store's prices), then you might be able to stretch the berries smoothie to last all month if you only eat it twice a week or so and eat less expensive breakfasts on other days. Anyway, the general point I'm getting at is calculating how much each of your meals you frequently eat cost per serving. That lets you brainstorm ways to cut its serving price and see how frequently you can eat that meal per week. It also helps you find cheaper versions/alternatives to eat on other days.

I agree with what's been mentioned about trying to find ways to make mostly the same meals for you and your family, since that would likely save you $. You can bulk up your husband's calories with additional carbs and protein.

For exercise, is it possible you could find time to exercise at home? Maybe waking up before the kids or while they nap? Even 20 minutes every day can make a valuable difference in physical and emotional well-being.

You have a lot to deal with now, with young kids, school, and financial stress. I hope you find suggestions that help you! Hang in there!

I haven’t read l the comments so don’t know if it’s been suggested but frozen fruit with yogurt /granola. (Buy the big tubs of yogurt instead of individual)
I saw you freeze chicken on sale. Eggs for protein in your salad.

My weekly menus are largely dependent upon what is on sale. For example I bought 3 lbs of strawberries last night for $5 at Kroger. That will be a staple for my breakfasts and snacks all week with low carb yogurt. Oatmeal is cheap in the can and is easy to add fresh fruit to. I also prefer to make it heartier by mixing in milk instead of water. Frozen vegetables for $1 a package fill in the gaps when fresh produce isn’t on sale. I mostly use chicken at dinner time. Boneless skinless when on sale. I cut up leg quarters whennthere is no sale on boneless. This week I was also lucky to pick up a couple full pork loins at 1.47 a lb. I am cutting those into boneless chops. I keep canned tuna on hand for lunches as well. I am feeding a family of 5 this week (including a teenage boy) for $130 with an extra pork loin that I will freeze. Also don’t be afraid to ask your store for rain checks when sale items are out of stock.