Eating Healthy...on a VERY limited budget

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mommaPeach72
mommaPeach72 Posts: 30
in Food and Nutrition
Just wanted to see if anyone had any ideas on how to eat healthy on around $70 a week. Feeding 3 or more people....
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  • CountryMom03
    CountryMom03 Posts: 258 Member
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    I want to hear this also, thanks for posting it!!! :flowerforyou:
  • sun33082
    sun33082 Posts: 416 Member
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    Beans are your friend. Meat on sale. If you're going to use it immediately or freeze it, look for the manager's specials. Bananas. Seasonal fruit. Vegetables in their natural state (not prepackaged or precut). Some people say the farmer's markets are cheaper.

    Whole chicken. Rice. Oats in bulk (not the little instant packages).

    If you have an Aldi, there's where I buy my staples. Much cheaper than most grocery stores and walmart.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    okay...so you'll want to buy in bulk when you can and buy frozen fruits/veggies or only things in season...so for some staples...

    1. 2 dozen eggs ($3)
    2. pound of beans (1)
    3. pound of brown rice (1)
    4. 10 bags of frozen veggies- on sale ($13--usually 1.25 is a good sale per pound)
    5. 5 pounds bananas (5)
    6. 5 pounds apples/oranges (7)
    7. 1 whole chicken or 4 pounds of chicken--in bone, 1/4s are cheaper (6)
    8. 2 pounds ww pasta (2)
    9. cheese-1 pounds (3)
    10. HUGE container oatmeal --will last more than a week (4)
    11. jar of peanut butter (4)
    12. 2 loaves bread (4)
    13. 2 jars pasta sauce (3)
    14. huge container yogurt (3)
    15. 2 pounds other meat on sale (6)

    So you'd have 10 pounds meat...that's $65... you could make with that...you can buy other stuff like baby carrots, make your own hummus or dip, etc.

    1. eggs and oatmeal for breakfast...with a banana
    2. banana/pb sandwiches with yogurt for lunch
    3. chicken and rice casserole
    4. baked chicken and other varieties of chicken---(bbq'd, herb crusted, panko crusted, soup, etc)
    5. spaghetti if you buy ground turkey or beef
    6. beans and rice topped with a bit of shredded cheese with homemade tortillas
    7. grilled cheese sandwiches with homemade soup
    8. meatloaf and mashed potatoes
    9. slow cooker pulled chicken or pulled pork
    10. fettuccine alfredo with chicken/broccoli
    11. chili--huge pot

    all make great leftovers for lunch
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    also some things you might keep on hand/keep in mind:

    freeze large portions of cooked beans for later use.

    lasagnas freeze well and it's a pretty affordable meal

    casseroles freeze well--usually rice/pasta based ones are best

    you can "Stretch" your dollars by buying bulk

    shop at ethnic food markets--usually great deals

    always compare the price of the generic version of your staples

    bulk bins are your friend for grains

    steer clear of pre-prepared foods

    make whole grains pancakes or waffles in ziploc bags and freeze them for later/quick breakfasts

    hard boiled eggs are a great snack/breakfast staple and are a cheap source of protein

    omelets for dinner--utilize that cheap protein source!

    canned tuna/chicken is affordable and versatile in casseroles
  • dvnjustina
    dvnjustina Posts: 114 Member
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    Buy meat when it's on sale, and pick up on the manager special or discounted meats. Be sure to use it same day or freeze it. I find it best to invest in foil and freezer bags and repackage all fresh meat to curve freezer burn as long as possible. When buying produce, I find it cheaper to get a mix of fresh and frozen vegetables and fresh seasonal fruit. Frozen fruit is expensive, and canned fruit is often packed in syrup. Rice and beans are great meal fillers, and can be used to stretch out ground meat dishes. Follow the sales ads carefully and try to only purchase foods on sale. Use dry milk for cooking and baking purposes. Oats and eggs are inexpensive breakfast foods.
  • mommaPeach72
    mommaPeach72 Posts: 30
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    Yes, I have a feeling that Aldi is going to be a great place for me to shop. I can't eat any of their processed foods, which is a good thing. The last few years their meat has been excellent, also. Thank you for your input :)
  • sun33082
    sun33082 Posts: 416 Member
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    okay...so you'll want to buy in bulk when you can and buy frozen fruits/veggies or only things in season...so for some staples...

    1. 2 dozen eggs ($3)
    2. pound of beans (1)
    3. pound of brown rice (1)
    4. 10 bags of frozen veggies- on sale ($13--usually 1.25 is a good sale per pound)
    5. 5 pounds bananas (5)
    6. 5 pounds apples/oranges (7)
    7. 1 whole chicken or 4 pounds of chicken--in bone, 1/4s are cheaper (6)
    8. 2 pounds ww pasta (2)
    9. cheese-1 pounds (3)
    10. HUGE container oatmeal --will last more than a week (4)
    11. jar of peanut butter (4)
    12. 2 loaves bread (4)
    13. 2 jars pasta sauce (3)
    14. huge container yogurt (3)
    15. 2 pounds other meat on sale (6)

    So you'd have 10 pounds meat...that's $65... you could make with that...you can buy other stuff like baby carrots, make your own hummus or dip, etc.

    1. eggs and oatmeal for breakfast...with a banana
    2. banana/pb sandwiches with yogurt for lunch
    3. chicken and rice casserole
    4. baked chicken and other varieties of chicken---(bbq'd, herb crusted, panko crusted, soup, etc)
    5. spaghetti if you buy ground turkey or beef
    6. beans and rice topped with a bit of shredded cheese with homemade tortillas
    7. grilled cheese sandwiches with homemade soup
    8. meatloaf and mashed potatoes
    9. slow cooker pulled chicken or pulled pork
    10. fettuccine alfredo with chicken/broccoli
    11. chili--huge pot

    all make great leftovers for lunch

    Awesome list!
  • ColochaMocha
    ColochaMocha Posts: 10 Member
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    this was great!! Also lentils are cheap and good for you
  • CountryMom03
    CountryMom03 Posts: 258 Member
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    Some nice responses with good ideas:) Thanks everyone:) Our prices are quit a bit higher than some of the prices listed above, but some of the foods are a great idea like beans, rice, whole chickens, etc:) Thanks!!:)
  • Justacoffeenut
    Justacoffeenut Posts: 3,808 Member
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    Bump always can use ideas myself.

    Also if Milk is on sale it freezes well for those of you who didn't know. Just let it set out and dethaw in the fridge. Then give it a good shake and you are good to go.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    Options
    okay...so you'll want to buy in bulk when you can and buy frozen fruits/veggies or only things in season...so for some staples...

    1. 2 dozen eggs ($3)
    2. pound of beans (1)
    3. pound of brown rice (1)
    4. 10 bags of frozen veggies- on sale ($13--usually 1.25 is a good sale per pound)
    5. 5 pounds bananas (5)
    6. 5 pounds apples/oranges (7)
    7. 1 whole chicken or 4 pounds of chicken--in bone, 1/4s are cheaper (6)
    8. 2 pounds ww pasta (2)
    9. cheese-1 pounds (3)
    10. HUGE container oatmeal --will last more than a week (4)
    11. jar of peanut butter (4)
    12. 2 loaves bread (4)
    13. 2 jars pasta sauce (3)
    14. huge container yogurt (3)
    15. 2 pounds other meat on sale (6)

    So you'd have 10 pounds meat...that's $65... you could make with that...you can buy other stuff like baby carrots, make your own hummus or dip, etc.

    1. eggs and oatmeal for breakfast...with a banana
    2. banana/pb sandwiches with yogurt for lunch
    3. chicken and rice casserole
    4. baked chicken and other varieties of chicken---(bbq'd, herb crusted, panko crusted, soup, etc)
    5. spaghetti if you buy ground turkey or beef
    6. beans and rice topped with a bit of shredded cheese with homemade tortillas
    7. grilled cheese sandwiches with homemade soup
    8. meatloaf and mashed potatoes
    9. slow cooker pulled chicken or pulled pork
    10. fettuccine alfredo with chicken/broccoli
    11. chili--huge pot

    all make great leftovers for lunch

    Awesome list!

    glad i could be of assistance :)
  • CountryMom03
    CountryMom03 Posts: 258 Member
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    Bump always can use ideas myself.

    Also if Milk is on sale it freezes well for those of you who didn't know. Just let it set out and dethaw in the fridge. Then give it a good shake and you are good to go.


    Ooo I didnt know that!! lol Thanks!:)
  • hadaniel
    hadaniel Posts: 1
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    This is actually very easy to do once you have some experience with cooking healthy and re-purposing your food. Notice I don't say "eat leftovers" because that just doesn't sound very appealing or exciting. Create new recipes with food that you have leftover. For instance, tonight I grilled a Jenny-O Turkey tenderloin and made a huge dish of roasted vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, onion, garlic, fresh herbs, lemon and a little paresan cheese and olive oil). I had a whole tenderloin left over as well as plenty of veggies. Tomorrow for breakfast, I will make a frittata (open faced omelet) with eggs, my veggies, some goat cheese and fresh basil. For dinner, I might have a cup of soup and a salad topped with the sliced turkey. Very different meals...but repurposing the food.

    I'd also recommend getting your pantry stocked with healthy basics that you will use over and over again; like olive oil, balsamic vinegar, dijon mustard, garlic, chicken broth, fresh herbs, greek yogurt, almonds, eggs, and always have fresh veggies and fruit on hand. You should be fine with buying just a few lean proteins a week (chicken breasts, fish, and maybe a lean meat should get you through a week.) There are tons of websites out there with great healthy recipes on them. Once you start experimenting, the options are limitless. Good luck!
  • elm2008
    elm2008 Posts: 95 Member
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    That's a great list - my first thoughts were eggs, pasta, bananas, rice, and oats.
    You can make easy tortillas with just flour and baking powder for pennies.
    Try building your meals around the grocery store's sales for that week. Look on coupons.com.
  • eig6
    eig6 Posts: 249 Member
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    I always have a hard time keeping my food cost down too, bump :-)
  • pamperedlinny
    pamperedlinny Posts: 1,574 Member
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    Is there an Aldi food store near you? This is a super cheap grocery chain that is world wide. They now have a special brand in store called Fit & Active. All those items are healthier than the regular alternative. Also, the entire store doesn't carry regular name brands and therefore are super cheap all the time. No sales, no gimmicks and no coupons. Just a good bargain every day.
  • TeenaMarina
    TeenaMarina Posts: 420 Member
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    Bonk
  • ashprather
    ashprather Posts: 227 Member
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    reduced meats and produce. they usually put them out around 8-9 o clock am. also, store brands seem to be branching out with "healthier" options.
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
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    Eggs have tons of protein and are relatively inexpensive. Chicken is usually pretty reasonable. Canned beans, frozen veggies. Fresh produce that is in season and on sale.
  • Mama_Jag
    Mama_Jag Posts: 474 Member
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    Bump to refer back to that list!

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