My grocery bill and running

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tamtamzz
tamtamzz Posts: 142
in Food and Nutrition
OK. My food bill is getting a little high! I've been doing a lot of running, and burning a lot of calories. I eat my exercise calories, but sometimes that can be 600 to 700 calories. I'm eating A LOT. I feel like I spend all my time running and eating, and eating and running. I'm not used to eating this much, but I know I have to.

How can I get all my calories in without breaking the bank? Some calorie dense food suggestions would be awesome!
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Replies

  • huckleberry0070
    huckleberry0070 Posts: 64 Member
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    Try shopping for produce at your local farmer's market... you can get a lot of fresh fruits and veggies for a pretty low price, most of the time. You could also try growing some of your own produce at home. Things like tomatoes and zucchini grow pretty quickly and one plant will give you a considerable harvest.
  • cmeade20
    cmeade20 Posts: 1,238 Member
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    OK. My food bill is getting a little high! I've been doing a lot of running, and burning a lot of calories. I eat my exercise calories, but sometimes that can be 600 to 700 calories. I'm eating A LOT. I feel like I spend all my time running and eating, and eating and running. I'm not used to eating this much, but I know I have to.

    How can I get all my calories in without breaking the bank?

    Pay attention to the sales fliers. When chicken breast, sirloin steak, canned tuna etc is on sale stock up. Freeze the meat you wont use for awhile. Check out little grocery stores and butcher shops too. I find they tend to be cheaper. Farmers Markets/farm stands are god for produce. I buy a lot of frozen veggies too. I buy dry goods like oatmeal,beans,lentils,rice at Walmart cuz its cheaper.
  • icandoanything2
    icandoanything2 Posts: 36 Member
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    yes! i agree. go to your local farmer's market. once, they told me to fill my bag with as much fruit as i wanted for $5
  • butterflylover527
    butterflylover527 Posts: 940 Member
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    Same issue here, I'm also looking for ideas!!

    I might try to get into couponing, although it seems a bit time consuming....
  • scienceteacherAK
    scienceteacherAK Posts: 94 Member
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    Two words: peanut butter.

    Slather it on!
  • KaidaKantri
    KaidaKantri Posts: 401
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    My man makes a delicious Chili that is 160 calories per cup and usually I only eat 1 cup and I'm full. It feeds us for lunches and dinners for about a week and a half, and it's not that expensive. He uses Bell peppers, tomato sauce, steak or ground turkey, beans, spices, corn, and I think a couple other things. But it's really yummy. ^^
  • emtron500
    emtron500 Posts: 102 Member
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    beans are cheap and awesome for refueling! also frozen veggies (green beans are my favourite, and still super yummy sauteed in butter). and bananas are pretty cheap and are more filling and calorie-rich than most fruit.
  • londongirl2012
    londongirl2012 Posts: 151 Member
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    carbs are usually cheapest and quite filling things like bread, pasta, rice, tortillas, oats, cereal, frozen meat and fish/substiutes, milk/yogurt/cheese (own brand is cheapest) eggs, nuts and seeds (in bulk from health food shops?) as well as adding oil/fat to food to increase cals but not eat more but try and have healthy fats from canola oil. olive oil, nuts, seeds rather than fried foods, butter, junk food eg cookies/chips, cakes etc i'm from England, UK so don't know wheres cheapest where you live, but bulk stores eg costco or cheaper places eg lidl might be worth trying or shop with a friend and share large packs of things that go off/you wont use up?
  • _Mimi_
    _Mimi_ Posts: 233
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    Grains and dried beans. If you have a bulk store nearby, even better!

    Let your fingers do the walking, if you have the space, and see if any grocery stores near you offer special prices on large quantities. Or if there is a place you can buy 1/4 or 1/2 a hog or cow. For instance, we have a store nearby that sells boneless, skinless chicken breasts between $1.19 and $1.39 per pound, if you buy 40 pounds.
  • kmoore02
    kmoore02 Posts: 167 Member
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    Baked sweet potatoes
  • oranb
    oranb Posts: 20 Member
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    Almonds, I like the dry roasted unsalted kind. 1/4 cup is 170 calories with a good amount of healthy fat :O)
  • jsidel126
    jsidel126 Posts: 694 Member
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    I run about 30 min a day (~ 200 cal). I typically do not eat all (or sometimes any) of calories expended for running. I am trying to drop a few lbs.

    I assume you are eating all of your running calories. Personally I do not see a need to eat back all of my calories. Otherwise I am wasting time exercising and spending money for food to cancel the exercise results.

    I used to exercise more to eat more. I don't do that now. I try to save time and money by not doing activities that cancel each other... My solution to a similar issue. Just a thought...
  • spammyanna
    spammyanna Posts: 871 Member
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    Lentils, beans, lean meats (tuna, chicken), buy things on sale, and stock up!

    I make chili and lots of soups at home, and this cuts on costs.

    Good luck!
  • kylTKe
    kylTKe Posts: 146 Member
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    I used to exercise more to eat more. I don't do that now. I try to save time and money by not doing activities that cancel each other... My solution to a similar issue. Just a thought...

    If you don't exercise you'll end up as a fat skinny person (or whatever they're calling it these days). Exercise is a lot more than just increasing your calorie budget. Aside from being all around more fit and looking better there are also many physical health and mental health benefits to exercising (and yes, you can eat more...).

    As far as the actual question, I would recommend looking around for supermarkets with the best sales. The one I go to always has produce and fruit on sale (and sometimes meat). When it does have meat sales, I stock up (since it keeps in the freezer). And (around here) eggs are super cheap, I go through like 36 a week (approx $6.00).
  • tamtamzz
    tamtamzz Posts: 142
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    I run about 30 min a day (~ 200 cal). I typically do not eat all (or sometimes any) of calories expended for running. I am trying to drop a few lbs.

    I assume you are eating all of your running calories. Personally I do not see a need to eat back all of my calories. Otherwise I am wasting time exercising and spending money for food to cancel the exercise results.

    I used to exercise more to eat more. I don't do that now. I try to save time and money by not doing activities that cancel each other... My solution to a similar issue. Just a thought...

    Nah, I have to eat. It doesn't cancel each other out at all.

    Example: I am to eat 1750 calories a day.
    I run for an hour and burn 700 calories.

    If I do not eat my exercise calories back, that means I've only netted 1050 calories for the day.

    That is not nearly enough. Shoot, 1750 probably isn't enough. I'm 5'9" and about 190 lbs. 1050 calories won't be able to fuel my 6 year old for the day. You have to remember, MFP already factors in a calorie deficit. For a person my size who does not want to lose weight (maintenance) I'll need to eat somewhere around 2200 to 2300 calories a day. If I were starting off at 2300 cals, then of course I wouldn't eat those cals back (because I'll be eating 3000 cals), but since I'm using MFP, I must since it's already factored it. It would be like putting the amount gas for a motorcycle into an 8 cylinder truck.

    I don't exercise to lose weight. I exercise to maintain my muscle mass, stave off cardiovascular disease, and for my well being. I enjoy exercise, and I do not consider it to be a chore or a burden. I could lose weight by whittling down my cals to 1200 a day and sit on my rump. I'll still lose weight; muscle, fat and all. But since I want to hold onto my muscle, I need to use it, hence, exercise. Weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise.
  • akmett
    akmett Posts: 75 Member
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    We just bought a 1/4 cow for $3.79 a lb. It includes all cuts of steaks and roasts (1/2 of the supermarket sale price in our area) and whatever you don't want in steak/roast form they ground. It's grass fed and given no hormones or antibiotics and so it's leaner, healthier meat. If you don't have room for that much meat see if you have a few neighbors who would split it with you.
  • historygirldd
    historygirldd Posts: 209 Member
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    Same issue here, I'm also looking for ideas!!

    I might try to get into couponing, although it seems a bit time consuming....


    not time consuming if you don't go crazy with it. I get the sales papers on Sunday in the local Sunday paper, cut them (15 mins tops) make my grocery list, go through my coupon holder (maybe another 10 mins.) and then shop at a store that doubles and yet still has good prices. I know some people who put their's in a photo book so they can see them all at a glance. That may actually speed it up a little.

    But to the question, dried beans (thorw them in the crockpot in the am and done for dinner),
  • tamtamzz
    tamtamzz Posts: 142
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    not time consuming if you don't go crazy with it. I get the sales papers on Sunday in the local Sunday paper, cut them (15 mins tops) make my grocery list, go through my coupon holder (maybe another 10 mins.) and then shop at a store that doubles and yet still has good prices. I know some people who put their's in a photo book so they can see them all at a glance. That may actually speed it up a little.

    But to the question, dried beans (thorw them in the crockpot in the am and done for dinner),

    I am so lost in the sauce when it comes to couponing...I have no idea where how to do it to make it worth while. I buy in bulk and call it a day. There must be a better/different way!

    I like the beans idea. I forgot about 'em.
  • F__7
    F__7 Posts: 371 Member
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    Look into people's diaries and search for meals/food that are your targets... in general you should be spending less than "normal"..

    It is not easy for sure to organize and adapt to new habits.. but at the end it should pay off ... my opinion..
  • EAlexandraB
    EAlexandraB Posts: 98 Member
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    Adding things like nuts, nut butters, and full-fat dairy products can help you get more calories per dollar you spend on food.

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