Impossible

TheFireBirdsChild
TheFireBirdsChild Posts: 1 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am trying to eat healthy and lose weight but I barely have 100 a month for food. If it isn't pasta or maybe cans on sale the budget is just not there. How in the world can do this? It feels impossible 😪

Replies

  • SuzySunshine99
    SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,989 Member
    Is there a food pantry near you? Most have fresh fruits and vegetables and other staples.

    Depending on what country you live in...do you qualify for any government assistance?
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,089 Member
    Second the idea to check into food pantries in your area (local, government, churches, charities).

    If that's not an option or you don't qualify (although many don't have requirements they check) - it's going to be work - but it can be done.
    Dried beans, quinoa, bulk oats, rice are all cheap and can go a long ways.
    Figure out when your grocery moves things like meats into the clearance section and hit them up right after that and pick up meats when they are half off or more.
    Freeze what you can't immediately use.
    Shop the sales and specials.
    Learn to cook things you maybe wouldn't otherwise eat.
    Buy more and freeze (I do find you may need to double bag things to avoid freezer burn, so I divvy up single-cooking portions into quart bags, and put those into a gallon bag by meat type - I can reuse the gallon baggies that way too).
    Try different stores for different things - for example, I use Lidl/Aldi for some things, Walmart for some, Amazon Fresh for some, Sprouts, Kroger - but going to just one store will generally end up running more than splitting a shopping trip into a couple different stops.
    Spices are your friends - much cheaper than buying a bunch of sauces and stuff. Even better if you can find a place to get them in bulk (for example, near my mother there is a Mennonite store that sells them for crazy cheap, so I always have her pick me up what I want/need and then ship it or exchange when I see them).

    I've been known to live on rice and beans and toss in some frozen peas, and with the right spices, it came out pretty tasty!
    Beware of waste as well - recently had some meat leftovers and some random veggies that had been in my freezer for a bit too long, so I put them into a slow cooker together with a bunch of spices and made a huge pot of "stew" that I served on top of rice - it was actually pretty delicious (although not pretty to look at LOL).
  • paints5555
    paints5555 Posts: 1,233 Member
    HoneyBadger302 wrote: »
    Second the idea to check into food pantries in your area (local, government, churches, charities).

    If that's not an option or you don't qualify (although many don't have requirements they check) - it's going to be work - but it can be done.
    Dried beans, quinoa, bulk oats, rice are all cheap and can go a long ways.
    Figure out when your grocery moves things like meats into the clearance section and hit them up right after that and pick up meats when they are half off or more.
    Freeze what you can't immediately use.
    Shop the sales and specials.
    Learn to cook things you maybe wouldn't otherwise eat.
    Buy more and freeze (I do find you may need to double bag things to avoid freezer burn, so I divvy up single-cooking portions into quart bags, and put those into a gallon bag by meat type - I can reuse the gallon baggies that way too).
    Try different stores for different things - for example, I use Lidl/Aldi for some things, Walmart for some, Amazon Fresh for some, Sprouts, Kroger - but going to just one store will generally end up running more than splitting a shopping trip into a couple different stops.
    Spices are your friends - much cheaper than buying a bunch of sauces and stuff. Even better if you can find a place to get them in bulk (for example, near my mother there is a Mennonite store that sells them for crazy cheap, so I always have her pick me up what I want/need and then ship it or exchange when I see them).

    I've been known to live on rice and beans and toss in some frozen peas, and with the right spices, it came out pretty tasty!
    Beware of waste as well - recently had some meat leftovers and some random veggies that had been in my freezer for a bit too long, so I put them into a slow cooker together with a bunch of spices and made a huge pot of "stew" that I served on top of rice - it was actually pretty delicious (although not pretty to look at LOL).

    Definitely get to know the sales in stores near you. There is a grocery store near where I work that puts out "reduced produce" for 99 cents/bag in the mornings. And by reduced, it generally only means that they got in some newer stuff and cleaned out the older items before restocking. A day 2 weeks ago I walked out with half a paper grocery bag full of bananas (some still slightly green), a dozen green peppers, 3 salad kits, a couple packages of mushrooms, 6 cucumbers, a dozen tomatoes and a couple of opo squashes - all for under $5. It really pays to know when to look.
  • pamperedlinny
    pamperedlinny Posts: 1,688 Member
    Almost everything @HoneyBadger302 said is what I was going to put down. We struggle financially sometimes and I use Aldi/Lidl, Publix/Ingles, Walmart, ethnic markets, bulk stores and even Amazon if I see a good deal on spices or something. Actually, spices and fun ingredients can sometimes be a lot cheaper at ethnic markets... find an Asian, Latin, European or whatever market and ask a worker about budget friendly items or ingredients you don't recognize.

    Food pantries are fantastic and you can often go to different ones on different days. Usually you get whatever they have but on occasion you can ask for if they have special items or an excess of items that they need to give away faster.

    Also, look at https://www.lasagnalove.org/ and see if they have anyone in your area. You can sign up for someone to donate your dinner once a month. The kindness of those I've met with the program is amazing.
  • lngrunert
    lngrunert Posts: 204 Member
    pamperedlinny wrote: »

    Also, look at https://www.lasagnalove.org/ and see if they have anyone in your area. You can sign up for someone to donate your dinner once a month. The kindness of those I've met with the program is amazing.

    I am a Lasagna Love volunteer chef and can vouch for the org as well. Some chefs (like myself) can make a vegetarian, gluten or cheese free lasagna if you have any dietary restrictions.

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    My library has a little food pantry which is available during library hours. It always has legumes. I also saw produce there recently.

    I volunteer for the senior center in my town. They have food available when open and a "shopping" day on Fridays. I deliver the donations from BJs. They also get donations from Panera and Whole Foods, among other places.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Assuming you are in the US, here's info about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program (formerly known as food stamps.)

    https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/361
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Earlier this summer, I dropped off a box of excess cucumbers at a food pantry distributer - they had cases and cases and cases of summer squash and zucchini.

    I have also given away excess produce from my garden via freecycle.org and a local gardening group on FaceBook.

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