Grocery shopping! Need help! Please :))

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Moofey2
Moofey2 Posts: 327 Member
in Recipes
Okay so, I am on my own and I really do not have alot of money to spend. I also want to be healthy but cannot afford alot of fancy diet food.. So what items would you put on my list?

Need help!

Lets say my budget is about 50-100 dollars for food.
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Replies

  • PDXRunningMom
    PDXRunningMom Posts: 2
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    Lean protein, fruits and veggies are what you need. If you can't afford fresh then go the frozen route and it will last a little longer. My local grocery store will often have a frozen food sale where I can stock up on plenty of fruits and veggies if need be. Try to incorporate fresh when you can and when in budget. You don't need diet food.
  • yoshi91610
    yoshi91610 Posts: 177 Member
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    when I shop I buy off-brand healthy stuff, (wal-mart has cheap whole-wheat pasta) I also shop around, I go to two or three different stores to make sure I can stretch my $$ and still get what I need. I would say the best thing I've ever done is plan out every single meal I am going to cook, count out how many days until we get paid again (1st/15th usually) and figure out what I need to buy from that list. Healthy eating doesn't have to be expensive and you shouldn't have to limit your choices. I buy my vegetables frozen instead of canned (for lower sodium) I also buy big packs of meat which are usually cheaper than buying the smaller ones, I divide them up into sections and freeze them. It takes time but it saves money.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    Whole food can be surprisingly cheap. Proteins are a bit harder to find on a budget, but very doable.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
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    For dinner - chicken, lean beef, tortilla, fat free grated cheese, eggs, and tons of veggies. Some cereal and milk for fast breakfast. With a tight budget, you really do need to plan your meals out and buy accordingly. Frozen fruit is nutritious and lasts a long time. Processed foods (in a box or can) are not as healthy and don't keep you as full for as long (in my experience).

    cereal (oatmeal or box)
    milk 1/2 gal
    eggs doz
    Turkey lunch meat
    Cheese slice and shredded
    loaf bread
    Chicken 1 lb
    Beef 1 lb
    Br rice or box of pasta
    package of Tortilla
    head lettuce
    2 tom
    2 onion
    asparagus
    broccoli
    bag carrots
    Sauce-2 (spagetti/salsa)

    The above list can be purchased for just around $50 in my region. And that includes organic, all natural chicken/beef. Divide them into 4oz serving sizes and there are 8 servings there. The eggs, cereal, milk or an omelette for breakfast, tortilla with turkey lettuce and tomato for lunch and rice or pasta with protein and veggies for dinner. Delish!
  • Sydney0710
    Sydney0710 Posts: 61 Member
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    I think eggs and oatmeal are great options for breakfast when dieting on a budget.
    Also, buy dried beans (instead of canned), and frozen veggies. Canned is more expensive, and contains preservatives.
    I try to watch for when meat goes on sale at the grocery store and to cut down on portions sizes of meat. Buy wholesale if you have the space.
  • chicpower1
    chicpower1 Posts: 169 Member
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    I like to purchase alot of raw fruits and veggies, which can get very expensive, so I collect grocery ads from all my surrounding towns (within a 45 mile radius) and scour them for sales on the items I need. Then I ad match at Walmart since I have a Walmart just a few miles from my house.
  • Shesabigstar
    Shesabigstar Posts: 17
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    I like to make a large dish with plenty of leftovers to eat throughout the week... I find that helps to stretch my dollars. I'll make a large turkey chili, or soup, or even a chicken dish and just make one big batch and it's enough to feed me for at least a few meals.
  • rosieflo
    rosieflo Posts: 218
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    PLAN! PLAN! PLAN! And I agree about oatmeal and eggs being wonderful choices. Much more filling and cost effective than normal cereal. Also, I don't know if you have an Aldi, but I just went shopping there today for almond milk, fruits and veggies, salmon and chicken! :)
  • Sydney0710
    Sydney0710 Posts: 61 Member
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    Oh yes, soup is a great way to cutdown on grocery bills.
  • rosieflo
    rosieflo Posts: 218
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    Oh, and I'm really big into precooking. My favorite recipe right now is a cottage cheese chicken enchilada...I prepare it and freeze them so they are all set to throw in the oven individually. It saves on waste and I have an accurate calorie count really easily by saving it in my recipes! I also do chicken/veggie casseroles topped with a little stove top stuffing. Oh, so good and comfort food at its finest! :)
  • Happybunny37
    Happybunny37 Posts: 213 Member
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    I got lots of veggies, chicken, nuts, and drink lots of water. Hope that helps.
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
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    Baby carrots
    Celery
    Cucumber
    Grape Tomatos
    onions
    mushrooms
    green pepper
    Lettuce
    Apples
    Bananas
    Oranges
    eggs
    chicken breast boneless skinless
    greek yogurt
    ground turkey
    Pork chops or ground pork
    rolled oats
  • CampbellsGrampa
    CampbellsGrampa Posts: 1
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    If you buy fresh fruits and vegetables, don't buy too many. They can spoil fast then you throw out money. Look for frozen. They usually have more vitamins. Don't get the pre flavored or butter added. This is just additional cost and calories. Get generic or store brand. Just as good and cheaper.

    Look at firm Tofu. Very healthy and can make lots of meals. I take sliced tofu and sprinkle cinnamon on each side. Then cook in skillet for a couple of minutes on each side. Tastes just like french toast. Good and filling.
  • msjamartin
    msjamartin Posts: 148
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    Best advice...plan, plan, plan. Make a menu for the paycheck/payperiod you are buying in that week. Then make a shopping list of EVERY ingrediant (even if you know you have it). Then take that list and go through your kitchen crossing off everything you already have in the house. Take what is left and go through the coupons in the paper or search online. I also have gone to Safeway or Alberstons online to get pricing. Online ordering is, most of the time, higher but it gives me an idea if what I have to purchase fits in the budget (I don't buy/order online but I use it for pricing estimates). If not, adjust meals accordingly. You may have to re-inventory your kitchen if you need to adjust the meal, and it is a lot of work, but you will leave the house with an exact list of what to get, where to get it and how much it should cost.

    I love to do freezer meals on the weekends for future meals as well. Also,soups and chilis in the crockpot that I can portion out for lunches. All homemade with fresh ingrediants and I get several meals from one pot. I once spent a weekend and made 5 different recipes that was lunch for over a month when mixed in with an occaisional salad or business event. I no longer purchase the frozen diet meals..not nearly as healthy as they appear. They were not bad to help me jump start into the eating changes (especially portion control) but I eventually moved to cooking at home and freezing.
  • crazylil1
    crazylil1 Posts: 20
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    Best advice...plan, plan, plan. Make a menu for the paycheck/payperiod you are buying in that week. Then make a shopping list of EVERY ingrediant (even if you know you have it). Then take that list and go through your kitchen crossing off everything you already have in the house. Take what is left and go through the coupons in the paper or search online. I also have gone to Safeway or Alberstons online to get pricing. Online ordering is, most of the time, higher but it gives me an idea if what I have to purchase fits in the budget (I don't buy/order online but I use it for pricing estimates). If not, adjust meals accordingly. You may have to re-inventory your kitchen if you need to adjust the meal, and it is a lot of work, but you will leave the house with an exact list of what to get, where to get it and how much it should cost.

    I love to do freezer meals on the weekends for future meals as well. Also,soups and chilis in the crockpot that I can portion out for lunches. All homemade with fresh ingrediants and I get several meals from one pot. I once spent a weekend and made 5 different recipes that was lunch for over a month when mixed in with an occaisional salad or business event. I no longer purchase the frozen diet meals..not nearly as healthy as they appear. They were not bad to help me jump start into the eating changes (especially portion control) but I eventually moved to cooking at home and freezing.

    how do you store your foods? I have tried freezer bags, and ziplock containers and i dont like wasting food because it has freezer burn any suggestions?
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    A bag of potatoes
    Frozen veggies
    Low sodium beans (for chili)
    Low sodium canned tomatoes (for chili)
    A big box of cereal like Corn Flakes
    Milk
    Sandwich meat
    Whole grain bread
    Pitas
    Pasta
    Sauce (can be used to make pita pizzas, too)
    Tuna
    Eggs
    Brown rice
    Peanut butter
    Light mozzarella

    Light salad dressing, chili powder, ketchup, sugar...whatever other extras you need.

    I'm on a very tight budget, and personally, I can't afford chicken or ground turkey very often, so I rely on beans/peanut butter for protein, and frozen chicken meatballs to go with pasta. You do what you must when you're on a budget AND a "diet."
  • JTH11706
    JTH11706 Posts: 2,947 Member
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    You don't want diet food, you want real food. Like the others said, lean protein, fruits, veggies, nuts, whole grains and drink lots of water. I have oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, 4 oz of whatever protein was left over from dinner (usually chicken) either wrapped in a tortilla or on a bed of greens for lunch, dinner is chicken or fish and vegetables (lots of vegetables and if you saute them or roast them in a bit of olive oil they are really satisfying without a lot of calories). For snacks I have fruit or nuts. Sometimes I throw in some beans, quinoa, etc. Nuts are expensive but you could do peanut butter on celery as a snack. We can find chicken on special for less than a dollar a pound. Oatmeal, beans, whole grains are cheap. You'll have to spend a bit more on fruit and vegetables but what's in season is both fresher and cheaper so look for that. We don't buy any white bread or pasta or processed food. Buy real food, cook it yourself, and if you are short on time cook ahead on weekends and freeze.

    I find the guidelines Alton Brown(celebrity chef) follows very helpful: Take a look:

    http://weightmaven.org/2010/01/05/alton-browns-live-and-let-diet/
  • helnahandbasket
    helnahandbasket Posts: 26 Member
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    I'm sure you've heard this before, but the #1 tip is stick to the perimeter of the grocery store, that's where you'll find the whole, relatively unprocessed foods (remember, more processing = more expensive and less nutritious).

    Also, when you're buying fresh produce keep in mind what produce is in season, those things will be much cheaper, more nutritious and tastier. In the summer, u-picks are an awesome option (especially if you have room to freeze stuff), you can often get stuff for less than $1/pound plus you're supporting local farmers!

    As others have said, buy frozen fruits and veggies when you can't afford fresh (buy fresh when you can, it's more nutritious and tastes better) they're cheaper and keep longer.

    While I was in university and shopping on a *super* tight budget, I never bought meat at full price. I would buy large quantities while on sale (where I live, there's a different type of meat ~50% off every week on approx a 2 month rotation) and parcel it out into individual servings (make sure to label with the date and type of meat!) and freeze it. Shopping the flyers (and planning my meals around what was on sale) got me through University.

    Casseroles and slow cooker meals (if you don't have one, I bought mine for ~$20 at Walmart) are a huge cost saver as well.
  • sbrooks0387
    sbrooks0387 Posts: 167 Member
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    i shop cheaper produce in the winter. carrots lettauce. is most of my prouduce. i spluge every now and then on grapes or berries. i try to buy what ever is in season. so in the summer i have a lot more fruit in my diet.

    milk, eggs, whole weat bread. chicken.

    shop around and compare prices.
  • murfstroo
    murfstroo Posts: 9
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    I bought a 1,000 count box of Dry Waxed Patty Paper at Cabela's for a nominal amount and use it in a variety of ways to keep my frozen food tasting good:

    Homemade grain/pumpkin pancakes - Use them to separate each pancake, put in a sandwich freezer bag. Frost stays off of them and they are easy to just two from the bag. 150 calories

    When making a dish that stays together well such as wheat pasta mac n cheese with pumpkin sauce for most of the cheese I cool the dish, cut into portioned squares and stack them in a freezer container with the paper between.

    When putting a soup in the freezer but it doesn't fill the container, I press a piece of the paper to the top of the soup to keep out air.

    I really dislike the taste the freezer gives to meat so I will also place cooked meat servings and cover them completely with vegitable broth or chicken broth to keep out air.

    Hope that helps. Like you, I really dislike freezer taste and damage to my food.

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