Low Budget Dieting

When I was poor I ate a lot of lentils and rice. Cook them together with a can of tomatoes and maybe some chili powder and you've got a very cheap, very filling, nutrient-rich, low-fat meal. You can make a big batch and freeze for later.

I made yogurt out of reconstituted dried milk using a home yogurt maker which I bought at a yard sale.

I also ate a lot of canned vegetables and canned fruits. (Watch for added sugar, though). Watch the sales, and stock up when you can.
And I joined a food co-op where I could work one or two hours a month and get cheap prices on local produce.

Whole chickens can be cheap on sale. Roast it and then use the remaining carcass to make soup.

To eat cheaply, you really need to cook a lot of your own food. Everytime you buy something pre-prepared, you're paying for the preparation. You can cook big batches on the weekend to save time.

I also walked everywhere I could. I had no car and I didn't want to spend $ for the bus. Even if you do have a car, walking and biking can save on gas and even insurance costs (the less you drive, the lower your premium will be.)

Shop at Hispanic or Asian grocers for produce! Last week I got kiwis 10/$1, blackberries 2packs/$1!

So, I am a preschool teacher at a non-profit organization; therefore, have very little spending money. For a long time when I would write out my monthly budget, food would be the last thing that I factor in. Actually, that is still what happens. Sometimes I only have about $100 for food for the whole month (atleast I'm only providing for myself). So, with that said, what are some low cost foods and cost free good habits that I should start incorporating into my new healthy lifestyle?

This is so hard! I tend to use a lot of special foods for myself, but here are my thrifty tips:

Coupons. A lot of times they are only for junk like candy and chips, but every now and then you can find them for lunch meat, yogurt, canned items, dairy. Read them carefully and keep them organized. I star things on my grocery list that I have coupons for.

Day Olds: Bread can be frozen, so when it is on sale or if you have a bakery outlet, buy it when it is cheap and freeze. To use frozen just defrost in fridge or toast / microwave it.

Bulk: Buying in bulk is more expensive intially, but it saves time and money to shop this way. A lot more grocery stores are selling things like oats, nuts, dried fruits and veggies, etc in bulk.

Grocery fliers and meal planning: Pour over the ads each week and plan your meals around what is on sale. It takes patience and time, but you'll soon see it is worth it-- I've run into weeks where there was a dollar+ difference between the same cuts of meat or sales on produce.

Cheers to you on your profession. My son attends a cooperative non-profit preschool and it provides quality education and play-based curriculum for much lower cost than traditional preschool.

when i was single and on a much tighter budget i did alot of my cooking on the weekend and made things that i could freeze in portions to eat throughout the week and pack for my lunches. hopefully you are already packing your food for work, saves tons of money!