Cheap dieting?

In addition to ideas gathered here, i would suggest searching the forums for ideas, using the Search button above. There are a lot of great ideas out there. Here's one thread that had some great ideas: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/305918-does-anyone-else

Some things that we do to help keep the grocery bill down...

FROZEN VEGETABLES
Frozen veggies are typically a great value, and very nutritious. Less sodium and more nutrients than canned. Plus, you can choose if want them crisp or soggy. Canned are always soggy. :laugh:

BEANS
Crock pot (slow cooker) is great way to go. Cook 'em overnight and then freeze any surplus. If you go with canned beans, I would recommend rinsing them to cut down on the sodium. Some nice folks have even added the rinsed versions of most canned beans to the food database.

OATMEAL
Oatmeal is another great, cheap, healthy food.

EGGS
A great low-calorie, protein-rich food. Don't fear eating the whole egg!

GROCERY STORE PRICE MATCHING (WALMART)
We have been able to buy a lot more fruit and veggies (along with meats and other items) thanks to Walmart's price-matching policy on groceries. We check all of the special that come in the junk mail for local grocery stores, jot them down and head to Walmart.

The best fruit and veggie prices here are found in the Latin markets -- it's not uncommon for us to pick-up 6 lbs of oranges for $0.99, for example. Sometimes, though, the quality can be poor at the store offering the sale, so we just take that price to Walmart. It will also save you time and gasoline/bus fare. Walmart's price match policy is that you don't have to bring the ad -- just be able to tell them where you found the offer. They keep the local ads there, supposedly. We've never gotten any hassle though.

The cheapest food I buy is produce. And the best stuff for you

how low is your budget? ramen is ok, without the broth, or with just a teeny bit of it. I used to eat it in college with just a little bit of butter and throw in some peas. one of the other things I do to save some money is when I am making a recipe that calls for 4 chicken breasts, I use only two and just cut it into smaller chunks before cooking and just mix all of the food together. No one even notices there is less chicken. Not sure what else to say, you can add me as a friend if you'd like and ask away! I don't have a terribly low budget, but I try to be as thrifty as possible so we can afford to do other things!

We keep the ads that some in the mail and find the lowest prices. Examples of price matching we were able to do @ Walmart this week: I picked up 18 oz bags of frozen veggies (without the sodium that canned veggies have) for $0.77 a bag! I got broccoli for $0.49 a pound!

DON'T BE CHEAP ON YOUR HEALTH. Plus ramen noodles are nasty.

THIS!!

Top Ramen isn't food. You body can use the calories for fat, but if you don't have enough protein, vitamins, and minerals from other sources, it can't use it for lean body mass. You're actually wasting your money on it.

You might research healthy vegetarian diets. You don't have to spend a lot of money to be healthy. It's cheaper to eat grains than to feed them to animals in order to eat meat.

Cooking from scratch is a great way to save money. Baking bread is ridiculously easy and cheap if you are going to be around the house anyway, and it's better than anything you can buy. Vegetable soup is easy -- just saute some onions in butter or oil, add some other vegetables and cover with water, add salt and pepper to taste. (Because the oil floats on the top where you can smell it, a small amount of butter gives a lot of flavor.) Skim milk is a great low cal protein source.

Check out ethnic grocers. They tend to sell things in bulk at low prices. You can share a bag of rice or spices with friends and save a lot of money.

okay, I have to answer because.... well money is tight a lot of times.... Ramen is very high in sodium and although it will fill you up, it also has like 500+ calories in it.

So my advice on healthy eating on a budget. First and foremost.... plan your meals and never shop without a list. Utilize what you purchase to the maximum capabilities. Remember, if you are willing to put more work into it... it will cost less.

Although salads are a great filler, in some areas, they really are not cost effective. Unfortunatly, your startches are going to be the cheapest things you will find. BUT... a pre-marinated porkloin may go for about $7 but can suffice for nearly 4 meals for one person. Cool up some low-sodium green beans and some instant mashed potatoes... you have 4 to 5 meals for under $10.

Pasta bake:
elbow noodles ($1)
Ground Beef- 1lb ($3)
Canned Sauce ($1)
Velveeta Cheese ($3)
Boil the noodles and make "mac and cheese", brown ground beef and stir in with the sauce... bake in the oven for about 40 min topping with more cheese... pair it up with a bag of salad ($3) and maybe some home made garlic bread and you can make a lot of meals... the healthier option is to substitute turkey for the beef, and natural cheese but think budget and portion sizes....

Tuna noodle cass:
Tuna ($3 for 4 cans, use 2 cans)
Peas ($1)
Cream of Mushroom soup ($2)
noodles ($2)
Milk ($?)

Halupkies:
Cabbage ($2)
Canned Sauce ($1)
Ground Beef ($3)
Rice ($1)
Makes AT LEAST 6 meals with the above....

Oatmeal with a piece of fresh fruit for breakfast, leftovers for lunch, don't discriminate against the off brands but know what you can't comprimise, pair things with a side salad.... I got lots of hings... friend or message me if you need more ideas!!!

Top Ramen isn't food. You body can use the calories for fat, but if you don't have enough protein, vitamins, and minerals from other sources, it can't use it for lean body mass. You're actually wasting your money on it.

I'm pretty sure it is food. Obviously pasta isn't a complete meal but it is still food.

My favourite (AND CHEAPEST) breakfast is coffee and hot cereal (like the flax kind... Red River or Sunny Boy). Each serving is just 1/4 cup of seed but turns into 1 cup of cereal, and the bag and boxes are big!

Eat local and in season as much as possible! Around me, squash and root veggies are super cheap and filling right now.

^This