The Poor Woman's Diet

I realize everyone is terribly busy, but really cooking from scratch is the best way to go! Spend one day making whole wheat pasta, perogies, and bread! It saves a ton of money and is much healthier. Also if you can find a farmer in your area farm fresh eggs and usually cheaper than the store and I tend to thing better for you, same with beef, it's a huge investment but if you can swing it you can buy a half or quarter of a cow and it works out to be cheaper plus you can see how the animals have been kept and what they've been fed.
Another idea is there is a cookbook out about big batch cooking. You get together with a few friends and split the grocery bill and when your done preparing food you go home with a bunch of meals that are ready to go in the oven or crockpot!
It is so very tough to eat healthy when the crappy for you foods are so cheap but it can be done! And in my opinion don't ever think your depriving your children, think of it as teaching them great shopping and eating habits that will carry them through into adulthood!

bump for later!!!

When I have broke weeks, I tend to hit the bulk bins in the supermarket. You can get nuts, pasta, flour, sugar, snacks, honey, vinegar, etc. in the bulk aisle for a better price than buying packaged. I also hit the store brands and shop the flyers and circulars. Couponing works, but only if you need/want the stuff you get the discount on. Hope this helps!

I also have 4 kids, and an out-of-work hubby. My income is meager at best. However, I don't find it hard to feed our family healthy foods within our budget. It is my top priority. I serve a lot of tacos bc I can serve the whole family with only 1 lb. of meat or fish. I do not buy ANY processed foods, and I cook almost every night (lunch too). I never buy already chopped fruit or veggies--I can chop myself!

Here's an example of a meal for 6 with leftovers: GRILLED FISH TACOS w/ fruit and veggies. Always buy fruit and veggies in season, and from farm stands if possible. I put out $14.50 for this meal, so it's about $2.42 per person, but really since there are leftovers, my husband, my 13-yr-old and I will have it again for lunch the next day, which really makes the total cost per serving $1.61.

1 lb. tilapia (yes, just 1 lb.), grilled with olive oil, lemon juice and season salt (about 5-6 minutes on the grill) - about $3.99
1 pkg. tortillas (without partially hydrogenated oil) - $2.19
fresh fruit IN SEASON (today I bought a pint of blueberries for $.99, and a pound of cherries for $1.99, and a pound of grapes for $2.99).
salsa (in the fridge)
cheese, shredded (buy in block and shred yourself). don't need much for this meal, so not really counting the cost of the $3.50 cheese.
homemade guacamole ($2.50 for the avocados, -- I know that's cheap, I live in SoCal, they grow 'em here). onion is about 30 cents, and I grow my own tomatoes, so free.

My kids are 13, 10, 8 and 3, and everyone gets their fill plus we have leftovers.

blessings.

Cabbage.

Bumping this for later - poor student over here! there are some great ideas in this thread

Chicken thighs and legs are cheaper than boneless skinless chicken breasts.

Lunch meat is expensive and full of stuff that you probably don't want to eat. Tonight instead of paying $8.99 a pound for roast beef in the deli, I paid $2.65 a pound (or about $30 total) for a HUGE beef roast. I will slow roast it in the oven and we will have it for a meal or two and lunch meat. I also buy turkey breast, roast it and slice it myself. If you do buy chicken breast on sale you can simmer it until tender (best if you can do it in some broth but not required). After it's cooked just shred it and mix with seasonings of your liking and mayo if you eat it.

The cleaner you eat the better it is for you and tends to cost less in many cases. Buy in bulk if you can to get a better price. Check the local farmer's markets for good produce prices. If you go early you get a better selection but if you go near closing they tend to want to move their stuff and you can get some deals.

Dried beans are cheaper than canned, you just have to plan ahead a little since they take a little prep and time to cook. Whole oats are fairly inexpensive and can be used as oats in oatmeal, breads, etc or you can blend it into flour and use it in quick breads, muffins, pancakes etc.

Check the per pound (or ounce) pricing on foods and buy the least expensive items based on unit price, not overall price. You can also check the manager's specials on a variety of items; meat and dairy being very common. These are items that are about to be pulled so they're marked down a bit to try to move them out. If you take them home and use them immediately or freeze them you can save a little that way.

I'm still attempting to turn my brown thumb green but if you can grow your own veggies you'll be way ahead of the game! Another poster's suggestion of frozen vegetables was spot on too. You can pick those up pretty cheaply year round and they're just as good as fresh.

bump

another thing to do is go to shops closer to closing time. generally they will be marking down a lot of stuff to sell it before they have to throw it out.

its still perfectly fine, esp if you are going to freeze it anyway.

Have you ever heard of Angel Food Ministries? There is a whole website dedicated to it & you can look up your zip code to see if they offer it where you live. You can get a whole box of healthy fresh fruits & veggies for $21 a box. Plus they have other healthy boxes to choose from too! It really helps feed a family. We have used it before & I love their Holiday meal & Fruit boxes as well.
http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

Here are some of my favorite low cal "freezable" recipes. I ususally grocery shop every other Friday and cook on Saturday during nap time. I make 2 casseroles for each item then I have 8 meals ready to freeze for the next 2 weeks. They run about $1.50 per person and there are 4 servings in each (except for the crab cakes which are much more expensive.)

Vegetable Meatloaf with Balsamic Glaze
Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay for Food Network Magazine
Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small zucchini, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste with coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (90 percent lean)
1 cup panko (coarse Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Heat the oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Add the zucchini, bell
peppers, garlic paste and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the
vegetables are almost soft, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Whisk the egg and fresh herbs in a large bowl. Add the turkey, panko, grated cheese, 1/2 cup ketchup, 2
tablespoons balsamic vinegar and the cooled vegetables; mix until just combined.
Gently press the mixture into a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup ketchup, 1/4 cup
balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl; brush the mixture over the entire
loaf. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Per serving: Calories 270; Fat 14 g (Sat. 4.2 g; Mono. 6.3 g; Poly. 3.1 g); Cholesterol 104 mg; Sodium
451 mg; Carbohydrate 16 g; Fiber 1 g; Protein 20 g


Pulled Pork
From Food Network Kitchens
Notes
This tender and juicy pulled pork starts with a surprising choice: pork tenderloin.
By simmering large pieces of pork tenderloin in a tangy sauce and then shredding it with two forks the
result is tender pork tossed with lots of rich flavorful sauce. The final touch is a crunchy broccoli slaw with
a mustardy dressing.
Ingredients
3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses
1 pork tenderloin, about 1 pound, cut into 4 pieces
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
3 cups (6 ounces) broccoli slaw
6 whole wheat hamburger rolls, split
In a large Dutch oven heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and season
with salt and pepper. Cook until softened and lightly browned, 5 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin,
cinnamon, and cayenne and cook until toasted, 1 minute more. Stir in the broth, ketchup, 1/3 cup vinegar,
and molasses. Bring to a simmer and add the pork. Simmer, covered, until the pork is just cooked
through and tender, about 20 minutes
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl whisk the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil with the remaining 1 tablespoon of
vinegar and the mustard. Add the broccoli slaw and toss well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and
set aside.
Remove the pork to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes. Increase the heat on the remaining sauce
in the pot to medium-high and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Shred the pork with two forks into large chunks and add back into the thickened sauce. Toss well to coat.
Let stand 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, to let the pork absorb the sauce. Serve on a bun with the slaw
on the sandwich or on the side.
Nutritional analysis per serving (without broccoli slaw)
Calories 289; Total Fat 8g (Sat Fat 1.6g, Mono Fat 2.3g, Poly Fat 3g) ; Protein 21g; Carb 36g; Fiber 4g;
Cholesterol 49mg; Sodium 570mg



Turkey and Spinach Lasagna
Directions
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup dry red wine
3T dried Basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) container 1 percent low-fat cottage cheese
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 ounces Jimmy Dean pre-cooked turkey sausage
9 sheets no-boil lasagna noodles, 5 1/2-ounces, (recommended: Barilla)
1 1/2 cups part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese, 6 ounces
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small pot bring the tomatoes, wine, 1 ½ T Basil Leaves, garlic, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, to taste, to a simmer; cook until slightly thickened, 10 minutes; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, mix the cottage cheese in the bowl of a food processor until smooth. add the ricotta, spinach, 1 ½ T basil, nutmeg, and salt and pepper and pulse until just combined; set aside.
3. Assemble the lasagna: Mist a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Top with 3 noodles, half the ricotta mixture, half the sausage and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers with sauce, noodles, remaining ricotta and sausage and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining noodles and sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake until the noodles are tender and the sauce is bubbling around the edges of the pan, 1 hour.
5. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and continue to bake until melted, 10 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes. Serve.
Nutritional analysis per serving
Calories 350; Total Fat 12.5g (Sat Fat 5g, Mono Fat 3g, Poly Fat 1.5g); Protein 29g; Carb 30g; Fiber 4g; Cholesterol 36mg; Sodium 848mg

Crisp Crab Cakes
Recipe courtesy Ellie Krieger for of Food Network Magazine
Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons nonfat milk
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
Dash of hot sauce
1 pound lump crab or crab claw meat, picked over
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive-oil cooking spray
Directions
Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and bell
pepper and cook until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.
Mix 1/2 cup panko, the egg and milk in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the Worcestershire sauce,
mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay and hot sauce; fold in the crabmeat, panko mixture, scallionbell pepper
mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Shape into 8 patties and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Coat the crab cakes with the remaining 1/2 cup panko. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in the
skillet over medium-high heat. Mist the crab cakes with cooking spray and cook, sprayed-side down, 3 to
4 minutes. Spray the tops, flip and cook 3 to 4 more minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.
Per serving (2 crab cakes): Calories 220; Fat 9 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 155 mg; Sodium 630 mg;
Carbohydrate 8 g; Fiber 1 g; Protein 26 g