Broke and healthy eating

Sorry to hear about your situation. My daughter's over time was cut out two weeks ago as well as her regular hours being cut and it does put a financial burden on you when this happens. I don't have much to add as there are so many helpful post here that I will be trying some of them myself. I buy marked down bananas and put them in the freezer peel and all. A cup of milk and a frozen banana in a blender makes a good smoothie. I buy milk by the gallon because it is cheaper but I divide it up and freeze in smaller portions. You just need to shake up the milk once it thaws. I like to make beef stew and add extra potatos and onions. I take the left over and make a big pot of soup and freeze in meal size portions. Like everyone else says, coupons, sales and buy in bulk when you can. Good Luck

This is going to be long and may kind of ramble or get off track because I'm just quickly running through things that I've learned overtime. First and foremost, get ready to cook. Don't pay more money for a product because someone else has done the work for you. The more work you do in putting your food together the cheaper it will be. Eating on a budget forced me to learn much more in the kitchen and I actually grew as a cook.

Buying in bulk is more expensive up front but pays off in the long run too. I was on food stamps for a while and I suggest looking at your entire month's budget and find out how much you can afford on food and when. Right now we're a single income household with paychecks coming in every two weeks. So I keep track of pay days on a calendar as well as when certain bills are due. For example this month we get paid the 7th and 21st and then Nov 4th. We have rent, car payment, and car insurance due at the first of the month and cell phone due in the middle of the month. So I know I can afford to spend a little more towards bulk food items in the middle of the month or if I really need something at the beginning I know that I have to adjust and cut back on my middle of the month grocery trip. Thats another thing, the more you plan in the bulk the more you'll save too. Right now I grocery shop every two weeks. It's tough to get used to and a lot to plan out ahead of time but it's worth it. Try to find meals that you can cook in bulk and maybe freeze half for later or use leftovers for lunches. It usually doesn't cost much more to cook say two portions of spaghetti and meatballs vs four or even six portions.

The less processed something is the better off you'll be health wise and usually price wise. So think back to basics, literally. Dried beans, lentils, kitchen basics like flour, YEAST(yes I've had to bake my own loaves of bread at times and I prefer to make my own pizza crust too) bulk oil(preferably CANOLA oil, not vegetable oil which 98% of the time ends up being soybean oil which has a horrible ratio of omega-6s to omega-3s, canola is close to 2:1 MUCH better) sugar, eggs, spices and dried herbs, bulk old fashioned oats for breakfast are probably the cheapest breakfast out there and you can dress it up with almost anything for any flavor from maple syrup and brown sugar, to adding a little fruit preserves and milk, or peanut butter and a few chocolate chips just to change it up, block cheeses, bulk pastas, bulk FROZEN veggies (canned are full of sodium and preservatives and just aren't good quality. Frozen veggies are picked at the peak of freshness and frozen that day so they retain more nutrients and flavor), bulk fresh produce (think 5lb bags of apples, potatoes, carrots, etc) when in season is a better value than buying two or three apples at a time. It's important to think of things as the better value, ie price per ounce, rather than just the price up front. Trust me you will pay more in the long run and have less flexibility in your meal planning. Meat can get very expensive so consider what cuts you're buying and how big your portions sizes are. Buy in the largest cuts and then butcher it yourself, like whole chickens. Also, food companies know that more and more people are considering the health consequences behind their foods so they'll make the leaner meats more expensive. Just remember you can buy bulk 80/20 ground beef and just drain the fat off once it's cooked. I've even heard of people cooking ground beef in a steamer basket in a slow cooker on low heat for 6-8 hrs (I think). The meat cooks in the exact shape you put it in but you can crumble it up after and all the fat automatically drains to the bottom of the pan while the meat stays lean and suspended in the steamer basket. Anytime you find yourself reaching for something processed ask yourself if you can make it yourself and it will most likely be cheaper and healthier in the long run. For the cost of one can of spaghetti sauce you could make four times as much with tomato sauce and your own custom blend of dried herbs and spices.

Also plant your own garden, or at least and herb box if you can. And look for pick-your-own farms, farmers markets, and CSA's in your area which will help you eat healthier and cheaper in the long run.

Sadly, when you're on a budget and trying to eat healthy its hard to get enough calories in while trying to include enough low calorie but nutrient dense foods like veggies and fruit which is why so many people end up turning to junk since it's loaded with calories but lacking in nutrients. I personally focus on getting my nutrients from lots of vegetables and fruits, quality protein, and then use a carb packed side to fill in the extra calories a meal may need. Technically carbs are our main energy source with fat coming second and protein being the building block and delivery system for the nutrients. So don't be scared of real foods like white rice, butter, or some natural fats from meat or the right oils. Rice is probably one of the cheapest, easiest sides to add on in order to make sure your getting enough calories. And I don't mean minute rice and not necessarily brown rice either. yes yes brown rice is more nutritious but it can be more expensive even in bulk and can be a little more difficult to cook. I'm a partial to bulk bags of jasmine rice since my hubby is Filipino and grew up with having that at almost every meal. To cook bulk rice is easier than people think, even if you don't have a rice cooker. 1/2 cup of dry rice is enough for one person. So for two people 1 cup is fine. Put it in a pot that can hold 2 cups of water and still allow it to boil without spilling. Then fill the pot with some water, swish the rice around with your hands, drain, and do it again. My hubby's aunt told me you wash the rice as many times as the amount of servings you're making. So wash it twice for two people. Then put in two cups water, put the lid on and put it over med-high heat until it boils. Once it boils, put the heat on low and let it simmer down with the top on for about 20 minutes. Take the lid off and fluff with a fork. Put the lid back on, take it off the heat and leave it until you're ready to eat (at least 5 minutes). So basically if you want to have rice with dinner, start it first, then cook the rest of your dinner and it should be done around the same time as everything else, it''s really easy! But rice is the exception to the make ahead/in bulk rule. It can get dried out or too gummy when you reheat it unless its in a sauce or soup, then you don't want to add it to the liquid until the end of the cooking process or else it'll get too soft and blech. Or you could cook it in bulk and just eat it cold like my hubby does lol.


I do want to point out that I didn't make any mention of coupons because most of the coupons are for unhealthy, processed foods and if you really feel the need to buy something processed like that then usually the store brand will still be cheaper and flavor won't suffer. Of course somethings like certain brands of say hot sauce are a particular flavor and then of course get the coupon before you buy it.

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If you have a slow cooker- you can make some really cheap eats with minimal effort! We throw anything (haha- well almost) and the food is healthy and tastes great! Bonus- it is super easy to prep and there are always leftovers.

Ingredients:
Potatoes- cheap!
Tomatoes- canned or fresh
Onions- cheap
Beans/lentils- sooo cheap
Spices- cheap!!

Hope this helps!

Sorry things are rough financially! I really recommend cooking your own beans, I eat a lot of beans and BROWN rice! Also, shop out of the circular. I am trying to get to the point where I don't buy anything that's not on sale. You can find chicken breast for $1.50-2 a pound if you just go to the rite market that happens to be having a sale frozen veggies go on sale a lot too. Also some places have a meat section that is priced for quick sale. It takes a lot more planning but I have faith in you, you can make it work!

EGGS! I eat so many eggs. (They're a dollar a dozen at me local store.)

I spend 15-20 dollars per week for healthy eating for two people.

I would recommend planning out your menu for each week. ALLL the way. You should know what exactly you are having for breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks every day for seven days. (Schedule some "leftovers" meals, and try to make sure that you are reusing things. That way you don't go out an buy a bag of frozen chicken breasts and only use them tuesday night.)

Also, keep in mind what is on special from your local grocery circulars (i.e. if ground chuck is on sale, accept that you are going to be eating a lot of hamburger-based meals that week.) You will find in-season produce on special- learn to like new things! (and some things, like berries, you can find cheap in season. If you have some wiggle room- buy a little each shopping trip and freeze them, so you don't have to buy any in the cold months when they are expensive!)

Make up a grocery list using all of this info (be sure to clip any relevant coupons!) Go to the store and ONLY buy what is on your list.

When you get home from your shopping trip, pre-make as much as you can- it helps keep you from being tempted to spend money on something more convenient! I bake chicken breasts, cook taco meat, etc then bag it up and put it in the freezer (or fridge if I'm using it the next day.) Also, if you bought veggies for snacks, cut those up right away and put them in an easy access container, or bag them if you like, so that you ACTUALLY eat them. Unused produce is wasted dollars!

I hope you find some of this handy. I was actually thinking about starting a blog about learning to eat cheaply and healthily. It's a challenge to start- but I swear it gets easier!

EGGS! I eat so many eggs. (They're a dollar a dozen at me local store.)

I spend 15-20 dollars per week for healthy eating for two people.

I would recommend planning out your menu for each week. ALLL the way. You should know what exactly you are having for breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks every day for seven days. (Schedule some "leftovers" meals, and try to make sure that you are reusing things. That way you don't go out an buy a bag of frozen chicken breasts and only use them tuesday night.)

Also, keep in mind what is on special from your local grocery circulars (i.e. if ground chuck is on sale, accept that you are going to be eating a lot of hamburger-based meals that week.) You will find in-season produce on special- learn to like new things! (and some things, like berries, you can find cheap in season. If you have some wiggle room- buy a little each shopping trip and freeze them, so you don't have to buy any in the cold months when they are expensive!)

Make up a grocery list using all of this info (be sure to clip any relevant coupons!) Go to the store and ONLY buy what is on your list.

When you get home from your shopping trip, pre-make as much as you can- it helps keep you from being tempted to spend money on something more convenient! I bake chicken breasts, cook taco meat, etc then bag it up and put it in the freezer (or fridge if I'm using it the next day.) Also, if you bought veggies for snacks, cut those up right away and put them in an easy access container, or bag them if you like, so that you ACTUALLY eat them. Unused produce is wasted dollars!

I hope you find some of this handy. I was actually thinking about starting a blog about learning to eat cheaply and healthily. It's a challenge to start- but I swear it gets easier!

You got it down, I also use the same principles & it works out good. Pre-planning is key & I plan based on what I already have in the house making my grocery list small. I go to a local farmers market on Saturaday morning (it's super cheap) and then I base my meals for the week on the fresh produce I got. It is a challenge to get a system down. It takes time & alot of thinking & pre-planning, but it is totally worth it. I spend alot of time on the weekends shopping, prepping & pre-cooking for the week, but I get all of that time back during the week when dinners are planned, lunches are packed or atleast prepped, just knowing what we are eating for the next week or so is a big peace of mind. I would be interested in keeping up with yuor blog if you start one!!

EGGS! I eat so many eggs. (They're a dollar a dozen at me local store.)

I spend 15-20 dollars per week for healthy eating for two people.

I would recommend planning out your menu for each week. ALLL the way. You should know what exactly you are having for breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks every day for seven days. (Schedule some "leftovers" meals, and try to make sure that you are reusing things. That way you don't go out an buy a bag of frozen chicken breasts and only use them tuesday night.)

Also, keep in mind what is on special from your local grocery circulars (i.e. if ground chuck is on sale, accept that you are going to be eating a lot of hamburger-based meals that week.) You will find in-season produce on special- learn to like new things! (and some things, like berries, you can find cheap in season. If you have some wiggle room- buy a little each shopping trip and freeze them, so you don't have to buy any in the cold months when they are expensive!)

Make up a grocery list using all of this info (be sure to clip any relevant coupons!) Go to the store and ONLY buy what is on your list.

When you get home from your shopping trip, pre-make as much as you can- it helps keep you from being tempted to spend money on something more convenient! I bake chicken breasts, cook taco meat, etc then bag it up and put it in the freezer (or fridge if I'm using it the next day.) Also, if you bought veggies for snacks, cut those up right away and put them in an easy access container, or bag them if you like, so that you ACTUALLY eat them. Unused produce is wasted dollars!

I hope you find some of this handy. I was actually thinking about starting a blog about learning to eat cheaply and healthily. It's a challenge to start- but I swear it gets easier!

You got it down, I also use the same principles & it works out good. Pre-planning is key & I plan based on what I already have in the house making my grocery list small. I go to a local farmers market on Saturaday morning (it's super cheap) and then I base my meals for the week on the fresh produce I got. It is a challenge to get a system down. It takes time & alot of thinking & pre-planning, but it is totally worth it. I spend alot of time on the weekends shopping, prepping & pre-cooking for the week, but I get all of that time back during the week when dinners are planned, lunches are packed or atleast prepped, just knowing what we are eating for the next week or so is a big peace of mind. I would be interested in keeping up with yuor blog if you start one!!

YES! There is a trade off- I believe the money you save is your pay for the planning that goes into creating a budget and meal plan. And the time you free up during the week is your bonus for actually sticking to it. It's just my sister and I, but I imagine with your children it's totally worth it!

You can add me as a friend here on MFP, and I will definitely post a link to whatever blog I create. I have been thinking about it a lot lately because, while there are a lot of helpful blogs and sites on the internet, the hardest part about budget health is getting started. It's intimidating and frustrating and all of a sudden you have to put a lot of thought into things you used to do on the fly. I thought people who would like to start budgeting their weight loss might enjoy reading about my mistakes and triumphs as I learn along with them.

Do you have a Sunflower Market in your area? It makes healthy eating affordable. Especially on wednesdays when they
do the sales ad from the last week and the coming week, so you get all of it on sale. I love that place. You get rolled oats for 77cents a pound. Good luck. Casseroles are the way to go to stretch one meal into 2 or 3.