on a budget of $20-$50 a week...

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BeautyFromPain
BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
in Food and Nutrition
what foods are essential that i should be buying, that are awesome for weight loss?
i am very behind of my bills right now so this is all i can afford right now.

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  • williams0789
    williams0789 Posts: 1
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    You should be able to get Fresh fruits and veggies and very lean meat if you eat any!!Idk what state your in but what i eat for lunch is lean gourmet meals and they are only $1.00 each and very tasty!!!because i too try to budget while buying food for the rest of my houselhold.
  • NyxDominique
    NyxDominique Posts: 271 Member
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    I found that healthy lunch meats like turkey bought at the deli only cost like $4 Along with pita or low cal bread $2, a bag of salad for $3, a bag of apples $3.

    Also nuts are cheap and go along way too.

    When I have limited income this is normally my shopping list.

    Good luck!
  • 1a1a
    1a1a Posts: 761 Member
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    My first thought was lentils - for dahl - mmmmm delicious.

    Perhaps you could take up this challenge, or at least peruse it for healthy meal/snack ideas http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/man-lives-on-2-a-day-diet/story-e6frf7kx-1225885885019
  • bubbles143
    bubbles143 Posts: 65
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    rice and pinto beans!
    cheap, cheap, cheap, and great for you!
  • bonjour24
    bonjour24 Posts: 1,119 Member
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    yeah, i'd say just buy fresh 2 or 3 times a week. see what's on special. plus rice and pasta for carbs, and they go quite far.

    i used to live on baked potatoes, chicken breast and salad- that would be my main meal for 3 days straight!

    can you grow any of your own stuff? i can't- i kill anything organic (plant wise!).
  • Jade_Butterfly
    Jade_Butterfly Posts: 2,963 Member
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    Fruits and veggies,

    Bag of apples, oranges

    Romaine is cheap, tomatoes, I generally buy whatever is on sale if I am on a budget. . .

    You can get roasted peanuts at walmart that aren't too expensive. . .

    I like to eat potatoes or sweet potatoes and you can get a bag of potatoes really cheap. . . So yummy. . . I eat beans and lentils as well, so like today for lunch I had a fresh sweet potato with madras lentils on it. . a little cheese. . yummy. . .

    carrots and hummus are very nutritious. . . .
  • cheesesandwich
    cheesesandwich Posts: 79 Member
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    I'm on a very small first job out of college kind of budget, pretty similar to to your price range. I find it helps to make sure that the fresh veggies you're buying are in season, as those are the ones that will be cheaper, or go with frozen ones. Leafy greens like kale are super good for you, and cheap! I also make sure to buy things like nuts form bulk bins, as it's usually cheaper and you can choose the amount according to your budget. I also avoid frozen meals since I have a little time to cook, and the price per meal is usually a little less if I make them myself.
    Since I don't know what your eating habits are like, here's an example of some usual suspects on my grocery list - my bill is usually around $30, and this gets me through a week if i have some staples in the cabinet already:

    kale
    spinach
    zucchini
    strawberries
    avocados if they're on sale
    walnuts
    eggs
    almond milk
    chicken breast, if there's a good deal on them per pound
    ground turkey or beef
    canned or frozen artichokes
    canned stewed tomatoes
    frozen asparagus
    peanut butter
    high fiber tortillas
    sharp cheddar cheese
  • cheesesandwich
    cheesesandwich Posts: 79 Member
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    ALSO, I forgot to add that http://www.poorgirleatswell.com/ is a great resource for meal ideas on a budget!
  • Tonyajangel
    Tonyajangel Posts: 106
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    I would buy any sale fruits and veggies, can tuna (at Kroger this weeK for .59 per can), brown rice, eggs, peanut butter, bread, dried beans, any sale lean meats, large canister of plain oatmeal, bags of plain frozen veggies, skim milk, maybe a large container of yogurt. I feed my family of 4, 3 meals per day (very produce heavy, NO processed foods) for $100 per week.
  • spanglish
    spanglish Posts: 14 Member
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    My go-to meal when things are tight is usually an omelet. Eggs are cheap and easy to cook, and you can use whatever vegetables are on sale.

    A few other things to keep in mind:

    You can save money on chicken if you buy it in parts, rather than boneless and skinless, and just trim the skin off yourself.

    I've found that I can save on produce if I go at the end of the day when they're marking down the bruised peppers and things, and less than perfect vegetables still work really well in stir fries and pasta sauces.

    Greens are cheap and filling, and with different dressings and toppings you don't have to feel like you're eating the same thing every day.
  • Honey1990
    Honey1990 Posts: 81
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    coupons help alot at the grocery store. i buy for my boyfriend i and i both and it only costs about 100 a month. but i use couponds for everything.
  • mamashatzie
    mamashatzie Posts: 238 Member
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    I feed 2 adults and a child on $50 a week. A sample of meals for a week:

    Monday: Eggs over Garlic Cheddar Grits
    Tuesday: Spinach Cheese Bake
    Wednesday: Homemade Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese
    Thursday: Spaghetti
    Friday: Bean Burritos
    Saturday: Quesadillas
    Sunday: Leftovers

    Grocery list:
    Eggs
    Grits
    Shredded Cheese
    Spinach
    Tomatoes
    Bread
    Sliced Cheese
    WW pasta
    Spaghetti sauce
    FF refried beans
    Flour tortillas
    Salsa
    Sour cream
    salad mix
    Fresh fruits and veggies
    Milk

    I shop at a discount grocery (Aldi's) and things are much cheaper there. If money is really tight we will eat more beans and rice--if you buy dried beans and long-cooking brown rice, it's insanely cheap.
  • conniehgtv
    conniehgtv Posts: 309 Member
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    canned beans, baked potatoes,for cheap protien
    egg substitute,soy or almond milk last for a long time no waste
    count your fruit serving 3X7 and buy whatever is on sale,in season a whole water melon is 3.99 around here
    I can stretch that al week, if it starts to get watery blend it and drink as juice
    good luck be frugal!!!!
  • kitinboots
    kitinboots Posts: 589 Member
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    I always used to do a budget diet of onion and tomato with spices on white rice. Now I know the importance of a real balanced meal, but its still the beginning of a cheap meal. Brown rice with some veggies and some turkey or whatever protein you find most budget-friendly. You can bulk it up with beans or pulses, and change the flavour with different herbs and spices. Never gets boring.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
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    what foods are essential that i should be buying, that are awesome for weight loss?
    i am very behind of my bills right now so this is all i can afford right now.

    Go to the grocery store first thing in the morning when they have meats marked down really, really cheap. Buy fruits and vegetables from farmers markets (much cheaper) or if you have to buy from grocery store, buy only what is on sale that week.

    Stock up on frozen vegetables and make your own chicken stock and such to steam veggies in for extra flavor.

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