The Poor Woman's Diet

Options
KristensMom314
KristensMom314 Posts: 76 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So...okay I know there are good foods/bad foods to eat for a diet. I know what's best to eat, and what's not good to eat. My problem is this: my husband and I have four kids! It's hard enough to scrape together money for ANY groceries, let alone fresh fruits and veggies, etc. I try to "splurge" by getting 1% instead of 2% milk and whole grains instead of bad ones...

...but it's difficult. And when we do have healthy food I try to save it for the kids.

So I'm stuck. Any suggestions for the "poor" woman's diet?
«13

Replies

  • hstallings13
    hstallings13 Posts: 306
    Options
    bump
  • leftymac
    leftymac Posts: 169 Member
    Options
    Frozen veggies are like 99 cents a bag at my grocery store. They're just as fresh as fresh ones.
  • thegymbunny
    thegymbunny Posts: 602 Member
    Options
    I'm in the same boat...

    Kids don't mind repetition so much.. a nice healthy soup can be cheap and feed you for a while.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    Options
    Here's a pretty cool site to look at.

    http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/category/100-days-of-real-food-on-a-budget/

    and also www.5dollardinners.com

    I also read "Food Rules" by Michael Pollan, one thing he mentioned was he didn't understand why we would pay $3 or $4 for a bag of chips but then say a pineapple is too expensive, etc. One thing I have done to save us A LOT of money is realizing the chicken breasts that you get at the grocery store are usually 9 to 10 ounces each. A serving is 4 ounces. I make a lot of chicken dishes where I take 2 breasts and a lot of veggies, etc. and turn it into enough to feed me, my hubby and son dinner and then leftovers for lunch the next day too. It's all about stretching what you've got and being creative! feel free to add me, because even though I only have one kid, we're poor too!
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    Options
    beans? dry beans are cheap, filling, don't need a TON of seasoning.

    I think I need more info - list some foods you rely on now and we can offer cheap healthier options.
  • chefchazz
    chefchazz Posts: 427
    Options
    off brand cereal, yogurts, whole grain breads. frozen veggies. buy popcorn kernels instead of microwave. you get way more for your $. it is pricey to eat healthier. i got to the store 2-3times aweek now.
  • tcpowell25
    tcpowell25 Posts: 292
    Options
    Try buying the store brand food instead of the name brand. For instance, I purchase Equate or Sam's Club at walmart instead of General Mills or etc. This helps out a lot. Also, I use coupons. It is definitely costly at times and I know what you mean because I'm a family of five with 3 children.
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
    Options
    Have you tried a Costco or a food coop?
  • pickenslmc
    pickenslmc Posts: 47 Member
    Options
    Do you have bountiful baskets in your area? It is a food co-op and to participate it is $15 each week you want to get a basket. It is a lot of produce, 50% fruit/50% veggies. It really helps me to get fresh produce, and has cut down on my food bill a ton. http://www.bountifulbaskets.org/ The remainder of our food is mostly bought at Costco, they have a great selection of quality meats/nuts/staples.
  • EvaiTryst
    EvaiTryst Posts: 695 Member
    Options
    It's hard. My husband, son and I are on FoodShare right now because we can't afford much. That was a hit to the pride this year.
    My son gets fed first then us. Frozen veggies are a good thing. We buy the off brands on everything. Most of the time it's just as good. Turkey Burgers are good for you and not to expensive around here at least. Grilling is actually relatively cheap.
    The thing that sucks is most of the time... Eating healthy is more expensive. At least from what I've seen.
  • CandyR1018
    CandyR1018 Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    I've been told that unless you are getting your produce locally (within 20-30 miles), the frozen is healthier because they blanch it and freeze it at it's freshest (and highest nutrient value), where when you get produce that has been on a truck for who knows how long, it's not considered fresh anymore.

    Hope that helps, of course I've also read that even canned veggies are better than chips!
  • KristensMom314
    KristensMom314 Posts: 76 Member
    Options
    We are picky about a few things, but for the most part I try to buy whichever brand is cheapest, whether I have a coupon that makes it cheaper or the store brand (and sometimes I even like the store brand better!). We tend to rely on the quick meals like hamburger helper and mac & cheese (though I did just discover whole grain versions of both--though more expensive than the store brand I might go out of my way to buy these!).

    Basically if I can find something that's quick, easy, and healthy I'm happy. I generally don't get home until 5:30 every night, so by then I only have an hour and a half to cook, eat, and spend time with my kids before I need to start the bedtime routine. :(

    Thanks for all the links! I'll check them out. :)
  • KristensMom314
    KristensMom314 Posts: 76 Member
    Options
    I've been told that unless you are getting your produce locally (within 20-30 miles), the frozen is healthier because they blanch it and freeze it at it's freshest (and highest nutrient value), where when you get produce that has been on a truck for who knows how long, it's not considered fresh anymore.

    Hope that helps, of course I've also read that even canned veggies are better than chips!

    I had no idea about the frozen produce! Everybody always raves about fresh.
  • MuffinMan25
    MuffinMan25 Posts: 110
    Options
    Black beans are cheap and Yummy!! FIBER!!!
  • Artemis_Acorn
    Artemis_Acorn Posts: 836 Member
    Options
    Feeding a family healthily can be challenging, as you've discovered. Fruits and veggies in season are probably the best you're going to be able to do with the fresh stuff, but here's some of the things I did with my kids - and I wasn't so big back then...

    Buy whole grain bread at the bread outlet store and freeze the extras. (Pass by the other crap they sell as if you're blind)
    Buy brown rice (you can freeze it to keep it from spoiling) and dried beans - they are good foundation foods.
    Potatoes are often a good deal, and are a fantastic source of potassium - eat in moderation.
    Buy cases of tuna when it's on sale - rinse it for a minute to wash out excess sodium.
    Eggs are a cheap source of protein and have many nutrients in them.
    Serve less meat - a very small portion is plenty of protein, especially for children.
    Peanut butter - pick it up on sale
    If you have a freezer, you can do the same with frozen vegetables and stock up when they're on sale. Next best thing to fresh.
    Use powdered milk to cook with. It's usually non-fat. I would often add a little extra powder to boost the protein and calcium.
    Buy whole chickens and cut them up yourself.
    Oatmeal is cheap if you buy it in bulk. The little packets are a rip-off.
    There are lots of ways to stretch that food dollar and still keep it healthy. The BEST way is to refuse to buy any junk food. Easier said than done, I know.
  • shauna121211
    shauna121211 Posts: 575 Member
    Options
    I find that going to Farmer's Markets is cheaper for getting fresh fruits and veggies! Do one lap around the market and take note of prices, then you can usually find big differences in prices and go back to the place that's cheapest (as long as their produce still looks good!) And they're usually pretty fun as well. :)
  • WWH_AJ
    WWH_AJ Posts: 419 Member
    Options
    I have also bought the turkey burgers and the turkey bacon because it's a little cheaper. I don't have any "real" children, but we do have 4 dogs, 2 cats, and 3 guinea pigs that I consider my children and sometimes I have to decide whether I get that $20 bag of dogfood or groceries for the week. I've started buying great value everything (the brand at Wal Mart) and I decided to buy bolonga this week instead of turkey meat because it has more slices for less and bolonga even has less calories! I also stopped buying Smart Ones frozen meals and have instead started buying Banquets for $.88 and Michealina's for $1 and they have the extra calories, etc as the other ones. I also buy the frozen broccoli and such Green Gaint sells for cheap and they're delicious!
  • CeejayGee
    CeejayGee Posts: 299 Member
    Options
    We are picky about a few things, but for the most part I try to buy whichever brand is cheapest, whether I have a coupon that makes it cheaper or the store brand (and sometimes I even like the store brand better!). We tend to rely on the quick meals like hamburger helper and mac & cheese (though I did just discover whole grain versions of both--though more expensive than the store brand I might go out of my way to buy these!).

    Basically if I can find something that's quick, easy, and healthy I'm happy. I generally don't get home until 5:30 every night, so by then I only have an hour and a half to cook, eat, and spend time with my kids before I need to start the bedtime routine. :(


    Even the whole grain version of those foods aren't healthy, though, because they are loaded with sodium, preservatives, etc. And, even though it seems cheap, it's generally more expensive to buy boxed foods.

    What about making crock-pot meals? A lot of frozen veggies or beans and/or a meat and seasonings can make food for a couple of days, not cost much, and can be prepped the day before and just cook while you're at work.
  • ewejewel
    ewejewel Posts: 36 Member
    Options
    I don't know where you live (Canada or USA) but in Ontario we have a dry goods store called the "Bulk Barn" and it's amazing how economical it is to buy food without fancy packaging....you buy what you need so there is very little waste. Especially things like bulgar and quinoa. Another tip is doing baked beans, casseroles and the like is slow cookers...especially if you cook the meat ahead of time and drain it, it makes the meals much leaner....hope this helps!
  • veganbaum
    veganbaum Posts: 1,865 Member
    Options
    We are picky about a few things, but for the most part I try to buy whichever brand is cheapest, whether I have a coupon that makes it cheaper or the store brand (and sometimes I even like the store brand better!). We tend to rely on the quick meals like hamburger helper and mac & cheese (though I did just discover whole grain versions of both--though more expensive than the store brand I might go out of my way to buy these!).

    Basically if I can find something that's quick, easy, and healthy I'm happy. I generally don't get home until 5:30 every night, so by then I only have an hour and a half to cook, eat, and spend time with my kids before I need to start the bedtime routine. :(


    Even the whole grain version of those foods aren't healthy, though, because they are loaded with sodium, preservatives, etc. And, even though it seems cheap, it's generally more expensive to buy boxed foods.

    What about making crock-pot meals? A lot of frozen veggies or beans and/or a meat and seasonings can make food for a couple of days, not cost much, and can be prepped the day before and just cook while you're at work.

    I was just gonna say - the crock pot is your friend. I am a starving student. There's me and three animals to feed, not a lot of money to go around. Look for farmer's markets or a CSA, which I think someone mentioned, can be a really great way to get fresh fruit and veggies at a really good price. Making soups and stews can really stretch food. I'm vegan, so obviously no animal products for me, but you could easily make a crock pot stew using veggies, beans, whole grain like brown rice or barley, and add in some meat if you must have it. With all those ingredients you can use less of some of the more expensive, like meat, while upping the inexpensive, like beans and grains, and still get in those veggies - all while making a meal that is hands-off, healthy, and should feed all six of you twice. And don't forget- investing in good food is investing in good health. Someone mentioned Pollan's persepctive on things like chips vs. fresh fruit - maybe there are some things like that you can cut back on here and there.

Categories