What do I do if I cant buy healthy food?

Changingworld
Changingworld Posts: 36
edited 12:50AM in Motivation and Support
I can't afford to buy healthy food, let alone food in general. What do I do?
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Replies

  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
    If you can't afford "food in general" I suggest that this may not be the time to diet.

    ETA: lentils. So good.
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
    Frozen veggies, brown rice, dry beans, boneless skinless chicken breast are all fairly inexpensive
  • teagirlmedium
    teagirlmedium Posts: 679 Member
    You could ask your parents to buy some healthier foods, If you can't cook then you should learn to cook because you'll have more options if you can cook for yourself. Eat smaller portions of the same food you already eat and make sure you take vitamins.
  • Fieldsy
    Fieldsy Posts: 1,105 Member
    If you can afford the internet, you can afford healthy food.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,455 Member
    Eggs, peanut butter and bread. Beans and rice. Spaghetti.
  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
    If you're going to lie about your age to get on an 18+ site, be consistent. It says you are only 17?

    Ask your parents to buy healthier foods or ask if you can go with the shopper. If they won't stop buying crap, use portion control. You can still lose weight eating crap within your calorie goals, although obviously healthy food will take you a lot farther as far as general health and wellness.
  • Changingworld
    Changingworld Posts: 36
    If you can afford the internet, you can afford healthy food.

    I'm at my aunts house using her internet.
  • raeraeti
    raeraeti Posts: 108
    Shop at Walmart.

    haha jk.
    1. There's always sales on dairy the day before it will expire (it's 50% off). Look for that.
    2. You could grow your own vegetables.
    3. Coupons. Print them off before you go to the store.
    4. Plan out your meals for the week BEFORE you shop, so you end up using everything that you buy and nothing will go to waste.
    5. Find expired items in the store and you'll often be given a free food item.
    6. Buy in bulk (as long as you know you'll eat it). Costco or Sam's Club is often cheaper than anywhere else.
    7. Often canned and frozen fruits and veggies are cheaper than fresh.
    8. Check out the sales in produce.
  • Changingworld
    Changingworld Posts: 36
    You could ask your parents to buy some healthier foods, If you can't cook then you should learn to cook because you'll have more options if you can cook for yourself. Eat smaller portions of the same food you already eat and make sure you take vitamins.

    My mom is unempolyed so we're on food stamps. When i ask her to buy healthy things like fruits and stuff she's hesitant. :/ I'm looking for a job right now so this will be a lot easier. Finding a job is difficult, ya know? lol And i can cook simple things.
  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
    You could ask your parents to buy some healthier foods, If you can't cook then you should learn to cook because you'll have more options if you can cook for yourself. Eat smaller portions of the same food you already eat and make sure you take vitamins.

    My mom is unempolyed so we're on food stamps. When i ask her to buy healthy things like fruits and stuff she's hesitant. :/ I'm looking for a job right now so this will be a lot easier. Finding a job is difficult, ya know? lol And i can cook simple things.

    Rice, beans, frozen fruits and veg, lentils. Fruit doesn't have to be fresh, neither does vegetables.
  • Changingworld
    Changingworld Posts: 36
    You could ask your parents to buy some healthier foods, If you can't cook then you should learn to cook because you'll have more options if you can cook for yourself. Eat smaller portions of the same food you already eat and make sure you take vitamins.

    My mom is unempolyed so we're on food stamps. When i ask her to buy healthy things like fruits and stuff she's hesitant. :/ I'm looking for a job right now so this will be a lot easier. Finding a job is difficult, ya know? lol And i can cook simple things.

    Rice, beans, frozen fruits and veg, lentils. Fruit doesn't have to be fresh, neither does vegetables.

    Thanks!

    Do you know any good exercises I can do that doesn't involve running or walking? I sprained my ankle
  • penguinlally
    penguinlally Posts: 331 Member
    you can do it.. rice, beans. peanut butter, tuna.... its all doable... fruit and veggies - cheaper to buy as you eat...some people tend to get too much and wind up throwing it out.... YOU can do it..
  • Changingworld
    Changingworld Posts: 36
    Thank you! I'm going to try that. Also, I need to find a balance in how much I eat.
  • raeraeti
    raeraeti Posts: 108
    Oh! Canned Tuna Fish. It's some of the leanest meat around and for meat it is really cheap. Half of a can makes a good addition to a meal- it provides a ton of protein (which is often expensive) and hardly any calories.

    Potatoes are cheap.
  • teagirlmedium
    teagirlmedium Posts: 679 Member
    You could ask your parents to buy some healthier foods, If you can't cook then you should learn to cook because you'll have more options if you can cook for yourself. Eat smaller portions of the same food you already eat and make sure you take vitamins.

    My mom is unempolyed so we're on food stamps. When i ask her to buy healthy things like fruits and stuff she's hesitant. :/ I'm looking for a job right now so this will be a lot easier. Finding a job is difficult, ya know? lol And i can cook simple things.

    Ya I know its hard to find a job, since you are on food stamps and I have had friends on food stamps, but am not really aware of what types of products food stamps work with I can't really give you any advice. I can only tell you that to diet you would have to eat smaller portions, and if cabbage is allowed you should try to eat that, and if you have chicken it would help if you boiled it and or take the skin off and do not use a lot of ketchup or things like that.
  • Creativeballance
    Creativeballance Posts: 57
    Some small weights. Upper body toning is good, burns calories, and you keep off your ankle.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Just keep track of calories and macros in the "unhealthy" food you buy.
  • Changingworld
    Changingworld Posts: 36
    Oh! Canned Tuna Fish. It's some of the leanest meat around and for meat it is really cheap. Half of a can makes a good addition to a meal- it provides a ton of protein (which is often expensive) and hardly any calories.

    Potatoes are cheap.

    :O I can't eat fish or seafood. The thought of it makes me want to throw up haha
  • Changingworld
    Changingworld Posts: 36
    Some small weights. Upper body toning is good, burns calories, and you keep off your ankle.
    Yes! I really need some upper arm strength.
  • RaeN81
    RaeN81 Posts: 534 Member
    Even local food banks have many healthy options. Check it out.
  • sammielealea
    sammielealea Posts: 245 Member
    Some great suggestions! One of my favs that is easy on the pockets is a big bag of 100% Oats.
  • Changingworld
    Changingworld Posts: 36
    Some great suggestions! One of my favs that is easy on the pockets is a big bag of 100% Oats.

    What's that?
  • sammielealea
    sammielealea Posts: 245 Member
    Quaker 100% Whole Grain Quick Oats. A 2.5kg bag is less than $5, and lasts me over a month (and that includes atleast one meal a day and using it for baking cookies and muffins throughout the month). Super healthy and super versatile :)
  • ProjectTae
    ProjectTae Posts: 434 Member
    I'm in the same boat with you girlie...we're also on food stamps! Or so I was a coupe of weeks ago...The 99cent store has saved my life! They have a fresh produce section now and it's so great! Just this week I got two packs of strawberries, a head of lettuce and cabbage, blue berries, raspberries, bannas a pear and a baby watermelon and each one was a dollar! tuna runs around 60cents a can, you can get yogurt apple sauce and string cheese from the 99cents store girl! JUST GO VISIT ONE! After the 99cents store we head to the regular grocery store where we get chicken and ground turkey which are pretty inexpensive.

    EDIT: And for workouts use youtube, I'm currently doing a free 90day system called befit in 90 on youtube. but since you've sprained your ankle you can still check out their channel http://www.youtube.com/user/BeFit, and just do the arms abs and chest workouts. Hope this helps.
  • Changingworld
    Changingworld Posts: 36
    I'm in the same boat with you girlie...we're also on food stamps! Or so I was a coupe of weeks ago...The 99cent store has saved my life! They have a fresh produce section now and it's so great! Just this week I got two packs of strawberries, a head of lettuce and cabbage, blue berries, raspberries, bannas a pear and a baby watermelon and each one was a dollar! tuna runs around 60cents a can, you can get yogurt apple sauce and string cheese from the 99cents store girl! JUST GO VISIT ONE! After the 99cents store we head to the regular grocery store where we get chicken and ground turkey which are pretty inexpensive.

    The only 99 cent store i know of that sells food like that is far away! The dollar store is near but they dont have food :/ All that food sounds so good! Yum :D
  • Changingworld
    Changingworld Posts: 36
    Quaker 100% Whole Grain Quick Oats. A 2.5kg bag is less than $5, and lasts me over a month (and that includes atleast one meal a day and using it for baking cookies and muffins throughout the month). Super healthy and super versatile :)

    :D that sounds really good! And a great price (: even better
  • hbunting86
    hbunting86 Posts: 952 Member
    Eggs are awesome - I'm a student and live 12000 miles from home, so I have no support system financially other than myself. It can be tough sometimes, though I cut back on other things so that I can eat properly.

    My bucket list for healthy 101 is:

    Eggs - you can get a tray for like $5 - scrambled, omelets, poached, fried... and you can add all sorts of seasonings to them
    Bread - wholegrain stuff
    Brown rice
    Lentils
    Porridge oats
    Bag of frozen veggies (they're generally snap frozen so are as nutritious)
    Tuna
    Chicken thighs/chicken mince - cheaper cuts to keep up protein levels, important if you're working out
    Pulses like chickpeas etc, anything like that is great
    Any seasonal fruits and veggies

    Plus I use loads of herbs and spices to mix things up :)
  • serentity78
    serentity78 Posts: 89 Member
    well you are 19 so possibly living at home? Why dont you start with smaller portions and some exercise? I keep lost of fruit in the house and veggies but it is so pricey! I kinda been shopping adds and going where the sales are for them....good luck:) also there are many healthy recipes to make from simple stuff I just kinda google stuff online.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    You could ask your parents to buy some healthier foods, If you can't cook then you should learn to cook because you'll have more options if you can cook for yourself. Eat smaller portions of the same food you already eat and make sure you take vitamins.

    My mom is unempolyed so we're on food stamps. When i ask her to buy healthy things like fruits and stuff she's hesitant. :/ I'm looking for a job right now so this will be a lot easier. Finding a job is difficult, ya know? lol And i can cook simple things.

    why your mother is hesitant about buying healthy food is beyond me?!
    that is really messed up.
  • slkehl
    slkehl Posts: 3,801 Member
    This is what I do as a flat broke college student:

    -My food bank sells 10lbs of fruits and veggies for $5 each month. I freeze what I can.
    -I buy frozen veggies and fruit when its on sale. The frozen fruit is great for smoothies!
    -I stock up on whole wheat cereal when it's on sale. It keeps for a long time and is filling.
    -I buy store brand everything and always check out the clearance areas.
    -I wait for sales to buy milk and bread, and stock up by sticking it in the freezer. Both freeze really well!

    Here are some really great resources to check out:
    http://www.choosemyplate.gov/healthy-eating-on-budget.html
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