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How to eat healthy on a low budget
getrichslowly.org — Change the way you eat. If you ’re looking for healthy food on a small budget, then fruits and vegetables and other whole foods are the way to go. They’re the basic building blocks of a nutritious diet, and they’re much cheaper than processed foods.
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- Jonny5alive, on 10/12/2007, -75/+9"I am looking for unique ideas for making quick, easy, heathy, inexpensive dinners (in my case, for two) every night… or at least most nights. “Dinner Hacks” you might say."
OMG.... I can HACK my dinner now!!! Lame...- j0c1f3r, on 10/12/2007, -28/+19shut it dumbass
- popularme, on 10/12/2007, -33/+5McDonald's cheap and healthy. so easy, cheap, and healthy, no wonder it's number 1.
- Alchemeron, on 10/12/2007, -8/+9You can stop the list at "Ramen".
- nesagwa, on 10/12/2007, -2/+21Ramen is terrible for you.
Saturated Fat and Salt, MM MMMMMM - AeonTorpor, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2What about Chef Boyardee and PB&J sammiches?
- tagor, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1What about dry ramen without the added flavoring? It tastes like a cheap bag of chips to me!
- nesagwa, on 10/12/2007, -2/+21Ramen is terrible for you.
- fanboydcs, on 10/12/2007, -3/+9Its hard to eat healthy, I wish I could find good healthy cheap fast food restaurants, oh god that would be nice. I am going to start today not drinking any more soda, only water and juice. I also want to cut down my sugar levels so I don't become a dietetic.
- Alchemeron, on 10/12/2007, -13/+14"I also want to cut down my sugar levels so I don't become a dietetic."
I don't think that word means what you think it means. - fanboydcs, on 10/12/2007, -4/+6diabetic, stupid digg spell check
- Otto, on 10/12/2007, -14/+7How much sugar you eat has absolutely no impact on whether you get diabetes or not. That's a total myth.
You get diabetes in one of two ways:
a) Your body stops making enough insulin due to organ failure, age, genetics, whatever.
b) You get fat and your body can't make enough insulin for your new size.
That's basically it. Eating sugar doesn't change either one of those things (well, you might get fat from all them candy bars, but it's not likely to be just the sugar that causes that). - DrMindHacker, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8 How much sugar you intake has a *lot* to do with whether or not you get diabetes.
When the level of sugar in your bloodstream exceeds a certain quantity your pancreas
begins pumping insulin (to counter). Over time, the effect of insulin lessens (hyper-
glycemia is the result). Damaged organs can result in hypoglycemia (your pancreas
not producing *enough* insulin to counter sugar levels).
Grab a book and RTFM before your speak bitch. - freakmod, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1DrMindHacker, it's the other way around. Hypoglycemia is low blood sugar (ie too much insulin), and Hyperglycemia is high blood sugar - when there's not enough insulin to transport the blood glucose to the cells.
- dolson, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3Usually grammar nazis should be dugg down, but Alchemeron shouldn't be because he/she used a Princess Bride reference!
- mrFREEZE, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5dolson:
"princess bride reference"??!
that's it; your man card has been revoked. please hand over your testicles at the counter ;p - Inbal, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2"I wish I could find good healthy cheap fast food restaurants, oh god that would be nice."
One word: sushi.
I don't know how it is where you live, but after a bit of research, I found some really cheap sushi bars, without the big fancy Japanese-styled rooms and the complicated desserts. Just sushi. - Otto, on 10/12/2007, -4/+2"Grab a book and RTFM before your speak bitch."
I suggest you do the same, because you're a complete ***** idiot. Insulin doesn't "lose it's effect" over time, you ignorant fool.
My sister is diabetic, and I do know what I'm talking about. Sugar does NOT give you diabetes. Ask any ***** doctor in the world, bitch.
- Alchemeron, on 10/12/2007, -13/+14"I also want to cut down my sugar levels so I don't become a dietetic."
- drw2583, on 10/12/2007, -24/+3This just in: Oxygen required to sustain life; news at 11.
Thanks for STATING THE OBVIOUS with this story. - romperthegm, on 10/12/2007, -0/+25watch juices, they tend to be loaded with sugar and/or HFCS
- shockwavedave, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9I second that there are a lot of sugars in typical store bought juices. There are some with healthier sugar levels, you just have to look real hard.
- nsummy, on 10/12/2007, -3/+13Hardly any of those foods are actually healthy for you. Cheese and Crackers? That is totally unhealthy. Bascially its fruity, vegetables, and beans. Also it doesn't even list any real protein choices, i.e. meat.
- drw2583, on 10/12/2007, -7/+21Yeah, this story is a complete joke, just like anyone who would actually believe it.
You want to eat healthy for cheap? Go buy a cylinder of generic brand oatmeal for 3 bucks; that will last you at least a month if you eat it every morning for breakfast.
A bag of tenderbird chicken breasts is like 7 dollars and should last a few days.
A box of brown rice is dirt cheap and is very nutritious.
An entire BAG of broccoli is like a $1.50
...and so on. - proton, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Normally you don't even have to try and get protein. Eating the beans, for example, would help a good deal with getting your daily protein - along with other types of vegetables. Remember that it's only been since the industrial age that meat has been in such abundance as it is now so that nearly everyone can have meat three times daily. We survived before that.
- kimos, on 10/12/2007, -1/+14@drw2583: As much as I totally agree with you, the problem is preparing it. People need to learn to cook. Lentils and dried beans are almost free, they're good for you, filling, and a great central part of a meal when combined with a starch like rice. The problem is that they're not easy to prepare. Pizza pops, ramen noodles, or burgers are brainless to prepare. That's one of the main reasons people eat badly...
- drw2583, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11Interesting to see the people who can't follow a healthy diet modding us down. Mod me down all you want, it doesn't make it ANY LESS TRUE.
You are exactly right Kimos. It's much easier to call and have someone bring pizza to your door. The 20 minutes it takes to boil or grill a chicken breast and boil some rice is so much more effort than dialing a 7 digit number and reading a 16 digit credit card number
Not everyone can follow a healthy diet, just like not every one can be accountants or hit home runs. - drw2583, on 10/12/2007, -12/+1whoops, double entry
- kimos, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3Except being an accountant or hitting home runs doesn't reduce your life expetancy...
- PayneX, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8@kimos
You're absolutely right.
If it's healthy, tastey, and easy to prepare, it's expensive!
If it's cheap, easy to prepare and tasty, it's certainly not going to be healthy.
It's like one of those triangle of choice deals. - The_Dude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Since when is calcium and protein (cheese) unhealthy? Yeah, too much will make you fat and raise your cholesterol, but I'd hardly call cheese unhealthy.
- noamsml, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Beans provide you with loads of protein. They are, for that reason, rabidly recommended to vegetarians as a substitute to animal protein. Also, cheese contains all the protein you would get from meat, and less saturated fat.
- Inbal, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2How hard is it to put a potato in the microwave for 4 minutes, open a can of beans, and wash one vegetable and one fruit? That takes 6 minutes tops, no cooking involved.
- FederalSource, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2@Kimos
You are correct and it is sad that people can't learn to simmer lentils for 20-35 minutes (depending on the lentil). Plus, you can make a huge batch of lentils and brown rice that lasts almost all week!
Indian specialty sources are amazing sources for lentils and relevant spices - mrroach, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0@proton
Beans generally have at least twice as many carbs as protein. If you're shooting for anywhere near 30% of your diet from protein, I think you need something with a different ratio. - takameyer, on 07/24/2008, -0/+0Beans contain plenty of protein...
- drw2583, on 10/12/2007, -7/+21Yeah, this story is a complete joke, just like anyone who would actually believe it.
- The_Dude, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3All food costs too damned much in the grocery store. Healthy or not. All these fricken agricultural subsidies and crap still costs a boatload. High quality healthy food costs more than any kind of processed food. Go buy red peppers or tomatos and get back to me. The title is just wrong. And nuts cost a boatload.
- nesagwa, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Go buy tomatos and red peppers IN SEASON from farmers markets and they basically GIVE them away.
Its all about shopping smart and buying produce when its in season.
Suprise Suprise, vegetables and fruits are only really ripe a few months a year! - Mesach, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Who has time to goto the farmers markets? Around me they are all on the week days! the only one's on the weekends are quite a few miles away, and in Los Angeles traffic I try to stay as close to home as possible.
I really wish they were alot more accessible, i would certainly go more often and get more food from the growers. - nesagwa, on 10/12/2007, -4/+5I guess getting a good deal on produce isnt for the LAZY.
- FederalSource, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Nuts do cost a boatload, but check the serving size. If people only ate a "serving" of nuts, that same bag would last all week.
- Vejadu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Farmers are paid about $6.00 for a bushel of soybeans (roughly 60 lbs.) Soy-based food products sell for usually around $2-$3 per pound (which have about 10¢ of soy in them). The farmers aren't the ones making the money, it's the companies who process, market and package the food.
- nesagwa, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Go buy tomatos and red peppers IN SEASON from farmers markets and they basically GIVE them away.
- castlegrey, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1The best tasting "healthy" food at a fast food restaurant imho is probably the fruit and walnut salad at McDonald's. Too bad it costs $3.50.
- kimos, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6That's a joke.
90% of restaurant salads consist of the following:
- Iceberg lettuce (almost entirely water)
- Pinch of shredded other veggies
- Oil based dressing
Many of the salads at somewhere like McSicnkess are worse than the burgers, since they don't actually have any healthy parts in them. Just water-lettuce and dressing, sometimes bacon too...
Salad does not always mean healthy. A bunch of fresh cut veggies of assorted varieties with a light oil and vinegar dressing is way more expensive to make than one big chopped head of inexpensive lettuce, packaged bacon bits, and ranch dressing. Less appealing to most too... - JuliusErving, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Depending on the dressing you get, and how much you use, it probably is one of the healthier options on the menu. However, it's not going to fill you up. I'd say the most filling and healthy option would be the grilled chicken sandwich without mayonnaise.
- solidcube, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Try getting one of those salads sometime, remove everything but the vegetables (shouldn't be much) and put the veggies in a closet or somewhere and let them decompose. Or don't, and just let me tell you what happens. They all turn to this innocuous black dirty water that doesn't even smell much. So you're paying 3.50 for water and dirt.
How do I know this? A large party tray of vegetables got left on a high closet shelf (don't ask). Unfortunately, it was me that found it. Fortunately, I'm tall enough to reach it, so I pulled it out and was about to carry it away but... Unfortunately, it was full of said black water, which sloshed, broke the seal on the tray's cover and splashed all over me. Fortunately, it didn't smell nasty :) - JoeWall, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4silly how could you write mcdonalds and healthy in the same sentence
- kimos, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6That's a joke.
- Jaybob404, on 10/12/2007, -22/+6it should be "healthily", you need to use adverbs, bitch.
no digg.- JuliusErving, on 10/12/2007, -2/+11No digg because you're an absurd grammar nazi? Wtf is wrong with you?
- solidcube, on 10/12/2007, -1/+10When you live in grass houses, don't stow thrones.
- theven7, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4I think that's a glass house...
- giantrobot, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9I lost so much weight cooking for myself. I lose approximately 5 pounds per month, which is a healthy rate. (Fast rates of weight loss tend to be temporary and unhealthy.)
Cut the soda out and cook your own food for a month and see how you feel afterwards. Cooking itself is a physical activity that most people have cut out of their lives, even the act along may make you lose calories. - chezzman, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Keyword is portion control.
- ezkiel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8keyword #2 is exercise. if you exercise alot and keep your metabolism up (and heart rate down) you can eat virtually whatever you want (as long as you get proper nutrients) and not get out of shape. People need to start biking, walking and such instead of driving the 10 min walk to the corner store get off your ass.
if you lose weight and arent exercising your just digesting your own muscle and thats not good. ever notice how certain people who are unhealthy seem disproportionatly liable to get hurt from normal mishaps. They have low calcium and poor strength and things that should ordinarily not be and issue now become a torn logiment or broken wrist. - arizonagroove, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Very true, exercise it just as important as eating right.
It recently occurred to me that a great time to exercise is whilst watching TV. It means you don't have to set aside time just to exercise and it doesn't seem like as much of a chore because you're doing something something else you would be doing anyway at the same time. Buy some exercise equipment you can easily stash out of he way when not in use and get it out when watching Lost or whatever. Instead of sitting on your ass for an hour you just got an hour's exercise.
- ezkiel, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8keyword #2 is exercise. if you exercise alot and keep your metabolism up (and heart rate down) you can eat virtually whatever you want (as long as you get proper nutrients) and not get out of shape. People need to start biking, walking and such instead of driving the 10 min walk to the corner store get off your ass.
- LOUiSSCHiSM, on 10/12/2007, -8/+15Be Vegetarian.
Healthy and REALLY cheap.
But you NEED to learn to cook. Preprocessed vegetarian food has become much more available in the last decade, but it can't compare in taste to freshly homemade, and is also quite expensive.
Get a couple of cookbooks. Study. Practice.
Invite Guinea Pigs to dinner/lunch/breakfast
I highly recommend Madhur Jaffrey's books. I've got "World Vegetarian" and "World of the East" and they are mindblowingly great.
My personal favorite region of cooking is Middle Eastern. Spectacular variety of foods, with the recognition of being one of the healthiest diets available.
Check out "Vegetarian Dishes from the Middle East" by Arto der Haroutunian
and "Middle Eastern Vegetarian Cookery" by David Scott.
Cooking "from scratch" is a cheap, healthy, meditative, and CRITICALLY important skill. In most parts of the world, being a competant cook is essential for life. In most of our wealthy cultures however, we can simply pick up the phone, place an order and pay for it when it arrives.
And continue to pay for it. Cause and effect.- The_Dude, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4They also like their lamb meat in the Mideast too. But I agree with you. Vegetarian is healthy. But I just enjoy eating meat so much it ain't gonna happen. Takes more work to prepare also. And I would think you'd have to physically eat more because meat is so concentrated with calories usually.
Avacados do rock though.
Plus you can't take over the world on a vegetarian diet. You gotta be eating something that was once at lease minimally conscious in order to really fire up your blood lust. - felchdonkey, on 10/12/2007, -6/+7I'm not a vegetarian, but I don't see why people are modding down an intelligent, well-written post that suggest kicking meat.
A vegetarian diet can give you PLENTY of energy to take over the world. Take a look at a list of vegetarian athletes sometime. (I'll avoid the obvious example of one WWII dictator who tried taking over the world - he had stomach problems, he wasn't a vegetarian for moral reasons) - The_Dude, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Yeah but I bet all those Germans marching around weren't eating lentils and baba ganoush.
- theven7, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4Most of the vegetarians I've ever seen looked pasty and unhealthy. Maybe they're thin, but they don't appear to be the picture of health.
- Beej, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1If you're good enough, the "guinea pigs" you invite to dinner will pay the cost of their part of the meal, too. :-) Cheaper than eating at a restaurant, and a good excuse to be social. Put chairs in the kitchen and have snacks out, too; it works pretty well.
And you get to keep the leftovers. :-)- eatbeefjerky, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1Going vegetarian is a great nutritional choice -- one of my best mates (who also happens to be violently anti-PETA) went vegetarian a year ago and he says he's never felt better. I don't eat a lot of meat, but I enjoy that which I do eat, so me becoming vegetarian won't happen... but I applaud anyone who does it for health reasons.
- The_Dude, on 10/12/2007, -2/+4They also like their lamb meat in the Mideast too. But I agree with you. Vegetarian is healthy. But I just enjoy eating meat so much it ain't gonna happen. Takes more work to prepare also. And I would think you'd have to physically eat more because meat is so concentrated with calories usually.
- tijer, on 10/12/2007, -7/+6Eat the food and drink the fluid you want to. There are only one simple and basic principle that you need to balance:
Input Ouput = 0. You need to make this equation true. Input is food, output is exercise and every-day energy use. If you feel like you're gettin to fat, then up the input or lower the output, and vice versa. It's really that simple.
If you want to eat fastfood then do so, but don't eat more than you can use. If you wanna eat much then go for veggies, pasta, rice, stuff like that. I'm so sick and tired of people saying that I should eat other stuff than I do. I eat exactly the amount of junkfood that I need, and I don't get any fatter or any smaller - telling me that I should eat veggies instead is a misunderstanding of basic human biology.
* one thing though, you might want to keep those chemicals short, some foods contain lots of chemicals and those are not good for the balance, but they only show up on the long-term and it might be too late then
- hence, no digg- recursive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Being fat and being unhealthy are 2 different things. I am neither, but just because you are not gaining weight doesn't mean you are healthy.
- C00001, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5yeah, that's a great plan. a friend of mine has a fairly high metabolism and he ate (unfortunately still eats) anything he wanted, all sorts of junk food, and was still thin. then he started having heart problems, and found out that it was because his cholesterol was dangerously high. there's a lot more to health than whether or not you look a little pudgy.
- Funfetus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8Beans and rice are practically free.
Produce is usually really cheap if you go to an ethnic market. I can get several big grocery bags of fruits and vegetables for under $10 at the Mexican or Indian markets around here. Your location may vary, but give it a shot.- CBTF, on 10/12/2007, -6/+0digg this down. :(
- ericnmu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2I really cant stand the taste of water. For some reason it gives me shivers and makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. It tastes fine when I'm playing sports or doing something active, but for casual drinking purposes I can't do it.
Is there a healthy way to flavor my water (besides lemon, its just not enough)?- maiku00, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Tea. Extremely healthy. And there are many different types to try out!
- felchdonkey, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I use a trick my cousin taught me when she was modelling. Get some fructose (you'll find it with the sweeteners like Splenda and Equal) and put it in your water.
It'll taste great, and the bonus is that you can have it when you're feeling like a snack - it fools your stomach into feeling like you've eaten. Makes a great appetite suppresant. - kimos, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Plenty of ways. Tea is a good one, especially if you get herbal and naturally caffeene free ones.
Juice is great if you're careful to look at the side of the package. Get ones that are naturally sweet or unsweetend. Lots of juice is almost as bad as soda. If neither of those work for you, at the very least get diet soda. It's the high fructose corn syrup that kills you, so diet is way better, but soda of any type is still pretty bad for you (except soda water). - kimos, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1@felchdonkey: Hmm... Not sure how good/bad streight fructose is for you, but if you're careful to not use too much that could be a good solution.
You could even get a couple of those bottles of flavored syrups. Turn every drink into an italian soda! Again, in moderation of sweet:water. :P - EricTheGrey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I've found that I cannot drink water unless it is cold, regardless of the time of year.
What I do, and I highly suggest it, is take one of the big Aqua Fina bottles and fill it about 3/4 full, and stick it in the freezer. I take it out and stand it in the sink about an hour (half-hour, if it is really warm out) before I leave, then fill it to the top as I'm headed for the door.
I have cold water for a couple of hours while running around. You'd be amazed at how well your body will crave it during the heat of the summer.
EtG - Ogopogo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Drinking ( cold ) water forces your body to burn more calories as it brings it up to body temperature.
- eatbeefjerky, on 10/10/2007, -0/+1There are all kinds of flavored waters out there (Fruit20, Propel, etc), as well as iced tea. These days there are all kinds of different delicious flavors of iced tea, even for the not-so-keen-on-tea people. Just make sure you check those labels.
- takameyer, on 07/24/2008, -0/+0Crystal Lite powder is pretty good and healthy to mix in with water.
- Otto, on 10/12/2007, -6/+3How to eat healthy on any budget: Only eat when you're really hungry.
Seriously, I know so many people that eat because it's noon or dinner time or breakfast time or whatever, then snack in between, and why? They sit behind a desk all day! What energy expenditure are they making that requires them to eat 3 full meals a day?!?
I generally eat once a day, and that's at dinner. Sometimes I have a snack before bed. And no, I'm not super thin, I'm the right weight for my height. But I also sit behind a desk typing most of the day, and I don't need massive amounts of food intake to do that. If you start to listen to your own damn body and eat when it needs to eat, and not before, then you'll get to the proper weight for your body to be.
And if you listen carefully, it'll even tell you *what* you should be eating. All you have to do is to think about what would taste good for 15 freakin' seconds, and you'd know. Haven't you ever eaten too much chocolate and thought it tasted bad after a bit? Or if you're eating, say, a burger, and half way through, it tastes terrible? That's your body telling your brain to stop eating this stuff because you don't need it right then. Taste is in the tastebuds, true, but it's interpreted by the brain. Chocolate isn't always tasty. Neither are french fries. If something starts to taste bad, then don't freakin' eat it. Switch to something else. Always think "what would taste good right now" and eat that instead. Buy smaller portions. The body's needs change moment to moment, and the idea that you can eat this or that diet and be healthy is ludicrous. What you need varies, and if people would only *LISTEN* to their own needs, they wouldn't have all these problems.- felchdonkey, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I'd half agree with you. People often eat more than they need to, or eat until they're full to bursting.
If you are trying to stay thin, the thing is to eat five or six SMALL meals each day - and don't eat before bed. Anything you eat in the last four hours or so before bed fails to get burned by activity, and goes straight to fat. - kimos, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Eating lots of small meals also raises your metabolism, so you can digest meals more quickly and effectively. It's a good way to help you control your weight and health.
- CaseyUCF, on 10/12/2007, -2/+2you're an idiot. 1 meal a day? your metabolism must be awesome.
the BEST way to go about things is cardio a couple times a week, lifting weights a couple times a week, and eating 6 smaller meals a day that consist of healthy organic foods. - recursive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Skipping breakfast is not good advice. If I skip breakfast, I have no energy during the day.
- felchdonkey, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4I'd half agree with you. People often eat more than they need to, or eat until they're full to bursting.
- dhuck, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8this was the first year that i lived away from a dining hall (two years at college, four years at boarding school) - i moved off campus to save money and such. i've lowered my food bill to about 40-50 dollars per week. my only vice is soda (and pot, but that's another issue ;) ), but otherwise, here's what i usually get:
- 12 large eggs
- green peppers, red peppers
- vidalia onions
- asparagus
- garlic
- 1.5-2 pounds of chicken breast
- bagels, cream cheese
- shredded cheese
and some random stuff, but not as often. i make mostly stir frys for dinner and omelets for breakfast. i can't say i'm the best cook, and it certainly gets repetitive after a while, but if you've got to eat for cheap (and healthy) this is the way to go. you do have to learn how to cook though - check out the videos at www.epicurious.com, i've found those to be especially helpful. there are plenty of recipe sites, but really - just start playing with the food. buy different spices, add different types of produce, explore a little bit and you'll find something that you like.
if there's anything i've learned... cooking for yourself is not hard. it's intimidating, but it's not hard. the first time you do something, it'll suck, but do it two or three times and you'll get it down...
anyway, this is much too long already, hope it helps. - The_Dude, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Damn, I want some cookies...
- nocode, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1eating healthy doesn't mean you need to eliminate meat. there's barely any protein in that diet and eating lean chicken is good for you. i was excited to see something like this, because i'm on budget and i don't get to eat as healthy as i'd liked to, but this didn't help at all. i wish i could take my digg back....
- Funfetus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Unless you're a bodybuilder, you don't need as much protein as most people think. If you're eating a decent variety of unprocessed foods, you'd have to go out of your way to be protein deficient, even if you're eating no animal products at all. I'm a fit 170 at 5'8", active in sports, and I haven't eaten animal products in years.
Dried beans, brown rice, whole grain breads & pastas, oatmeal, fresh or frozen fruit & vegetables, maybe some tofu, if you like it, garlic, onions, and an assortment of spices & sauces, and you're set. Lean meat won't hurt you, but you don't need it, either.
- Funfetus, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Unless you're a bodybuilder, you don't need as much protein as most people think. If you're eating a decent variety of unprocessed foods, you'd have to go out of your way to be protein deficient, even if you're eating no animal products at all. I'm a fit 170 at 5'8", active in sports, and I haven't eaten animal products in years.
- bennypowers, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/index.htm
this site has helpful meal plans such as the emergency $45/week food plan. it's geared towards housewives with whole families to feed, not single college students, but you might be able to pull something good out anyways.- bubba9999, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0
That's an awesome site - they have alot of info about eating cheap but healthy.
- bubba9999, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0
- dhughes, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1 I try to eat healthy food but the problem is it spoils so fast, especially in the summer, you pretty much have to buy it the same day or no more than a day or two before. The exception of course is rice, and possibly potatoes, onions etc., any other dry or root type food that lasts. Maybe I've become spoiled by preservative filled food.
I find that organic food is very expensive and if it spoils before I eat it then I end up losing more money.
More than learning to eat healthier I think it's harder to learn to eat in a different way. - VeganG, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2"If you’re looking for healthy food on a small budget, then fruits and vegetables and other whole foods are the way to go. They’re the basic building blocks of a nutritious diet, and they’re much cheaper than processed foods."
People need to be TOLD this?!- arizonagroove, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Yes, yes they do. Many people leave home having no idea how to cook.
- sspooner, on 10/12/2007, -3/+0How to eat healthily on a low budget. You cannot eat a healthy, the title looks silly to me.
- albedo, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0We can all adapt to a crappy diet. Early death is a form of adaptation.
- snapcase, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Hmm, Ramen is much cheaper than fruit a lot of times, fresh fruit can be expensive. And it's not like you can't eat healthily with processed foods. You can, and it takes a lot less effort. As for the switch water, to soda thing, don't do bottled water. Talk about a waste of money, bottled water comes from municipal sources (sources you already payed for with your tax money), and they sell it for more than Gasoline. Use tap water, if you don't like your tap water, put a couple of ice cubes in it, or even buy an inexpensive filter if you have to. And as for what it is in soda that makes it unhealthy, it isn't just the high fructose corn syrup, or any one ingredient, it's the overall caloric value. Soda has a lot of calories, and if you drink primarily soda for you source of fluids, then you will up on weight unless you are actually burning all those calories.
- C00001, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1soda is also a terrible source of fluids: it's a diuretic (makes your body flush out fluids and dehydrate).
- JuliusErving, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2If you have a costco or BJs nearby, a 28 pack of poland spring sport botttles costs $6. Also, you can usually get a gallon of bottled water at the grocery store for $1. Not overpriced if you ask me. And yeah, a brita filter is always an option too.
- midnightjury, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0http://www.naturalways.com/medValFd.htm
^^This site (linked in the article) lists whole foods and their benefits, such as cancer fighting, acne reducing, and promotion of healthy sperm. Interesting tips to have when get common ailments (did you know that berries, lemon, and chili peppers can alleviate headaches....Good stuff). - signal15, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Sadly, it's MORE expensive to eat healthy than it is to eat crap. This is not how it was several years ago, but now you can go buy a 1200 calorie microwave dinner for under $2, and all sorts of other freezer food for almost nothing. Just try going into a store here in Minneapolis and buying all of the ingredients separately to make something similar, but healthy. It will cost you a fortune, even if you make a ton of it. Fresh food is far from cheap here.
Not to mention that if you want to buy things without hydrogenated oils (pretty much the worst thing for you that's legal), corn syrup, tons of chemicals, or organic ingredients, it's going to cost you even more.
Eating healthy in the US has become a very expensive activity. The worst part, is that poor people cannot afford to eat healthy, and they eat all of this crap that negatively affects their health, and then more privileged people pay for their medical care on their taxes.
I will say this though, even though it's expensive, it's worth it. Since I've cut out hydrogenated oils, chemical sweetners (including HFCS), and anything else that is not "natural", I feel like a million bucks. I actually wake up early without an alarm, I get out of bed on time, feel rested, feel sharper throughout the day, and maintain my weigh better (I struggle to keep weight/muscle mass on, never had a problem w/ fat). The doctor said he's never seen a lower cholesterol level (bad chol was 45, good was 60).- mimizhusband, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1WOW - cholesterol of 45 and 60! Do you eat a lot of fatty foods? I've heard that is the key (oddly enough) to reducing the Chol. numbers.
- h4lofourt33n, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Thanks to whoever posted this link. I'm looking to lose a fair amount of weight this summer and this is perfect, this site links out to plenty of cool "health hack" sites and other food forums. Cool stuff.
- moussam, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1True,eating healthy is a little more expensive than eating junk,but would you risk your health just to save a couple of dollars a day? I'd put in an extra hour of work a day to keep myself eating healthy,I don't know about you.
- mimizhusband, on 10/12/2007, -4/+0Rice and Beans as "healthy food" ?? Please. Wild rice is the best rice, but it is really pricey. White rice is cheap, but is basically sugar. Beans are phytoestrogenic = your body thinks of them as small sources of estrogen = fat rear ends and bigger bust line, for women AND men.
It just isn't ever cheap to eat healthy food.
This list proves a point that I learned in The Wisdom of Crowds : when "experts" answer questions about which they aren't really experts, they are frequently WAY off. - ktjensen, on 10/12/2007, -2/+0anyone know of a MEAL PLAN that contains a GROCERY LIST for food for a whole month? The list should be of healthy only foods, that can be found in most grocery stores. Seems their are large lists of recipes, and large lists of food at grocery stores, but no clear healthy marriage between the two.
- Meier, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0The link provided earlier (http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/index.htm) has a grocery list to go along with recipes and everything (complete with caloric intake, etc.). Very thorough site.
- ernkush, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I doubt anyone will seriously take that advice poor or not vegetables/fruits do not taste as good as sythesized food for many.
- Caius, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1As a 'geek' that spends more time in front of the computer than exercising, tips and tricks like this help me keep my weight under control. :)
- JuliusErving, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I'm surprised no one mentioned this, but egg whites are extremely healthy and relatively cheap. Add in some vegetables and low fat cheese and you've got a pretty filling meal. Also, turkey sandwiches on wheat bread are good. And if you're looking to get a caffeine fix without the calories, try unsweetened iced tea. If you want some sugar, buy individual sugar packets. They're only 15 cal a piece. Doing these things helped me to lose 40 lbs freshman yr of college.
- seethesky, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2---lazy, poor single person's guide to food shopping and healthy eating---
when i was a "starving art student", my rule was simple:
-only buy food that costs under $2 each at a supermarket-
some tips on following this rule:
buy lots of veggies, fruits, grains as suggested by the author. it really is a healthy, cheap way to go.
this rule almost automatically rules out overpriced, over-packaged gourmet foods - though you'd be surprised at "fancy" food that you can find for under $2! (artichoke hearts in a bottle, capers, exotic salad dressing, etc...)
use coupons. look through sunday papers that people toss away and free mailers that fill up your apartment mailbox.
ramen is overrated. yes, it's cheap, yes, it's bad for you. i'm so lazy i munch on it dry as a snack, instead of boiling it. in the end, though, i find cooking my own chinese noodles is a tastier (and probably a healthier) way to go.
i had some fast-food every once in a while (since it is indeed under $2). $1.07 seven-layer burrito at taco bell was a dining-out experience (since it was so rare to be able to afford dining at real restaurants). in the end, it's cheaper (not to mention healthier and tastier) in the long run to cook your food.
snag free "gourmet" condiments from cafes, takeouts, restaurants, etc. (crushed chili peppers and parmesan packets from pizza places, brown sugar and honey from cafes, jams and ketchup packets from restaurants, hot mustard and soy sauce from asian takeouts)
sometimes i can only afford to buy two pieces of fruits/veggies for $2. that was okay - it's portion control and still follow the rule!
ONE EXCEPTION: i invested in a good olive extra-virgin olive oil. you can find a good one at trader joe's for about $7. combine it with balsamic vinegar (under $2) to make salad dressing.
good for stir-frying veggies in medium heat (use sesame oil or canola oil (both much cheaper than olive oil) for high-heat stir-frying)
cook your meals. a lot of posters here are concerned about this, so i'd like to encourage you by saying that basic cooking isn't as hard as it seem. i had to learn how to cook on my own, so i only do basic, simple things that takes less than 20 minutes to prep, 30 minutes tops. i still don't know how to cook meat except for opening a can of tuna and ***luxury of luxuries*** buying sashimi (buy it at the end of the day at japanese market, where you can buy it for under $2), mix it with wasabi and soy sauce, put on top of rice.
-----five simple healthy recipes for a lazy single person on a tight budget----
equipment needed (i'm assuming you have access to those things, unless you live in a dorm or a bachelor apartment):
refridgerator with freezer
toaster or toaster oven
stove (no oven necessary)
microwave (optional but very handy for a lazy person)
sink (with garbage disposer for optimal kitchen experience)
tools needed (mine was passes down from my mom. the following are all you need):
wok (can get for cheap at chinese markets)
non-stick pan (can get for cheap at target, bed bath and beyond (use coupons), etc.)
spatula (made of nylon so it can be used on non-stick pans)
long chopsticks, fork or ladle with holes in it for stirring pasta
chef's knife (one is all you need to start)
cutting board (cutting directly on your countertop will not make your landlord happy)
can opener
omelette (open fridge, take out two eggs and leftover veggies, scramble eggs, toss veggies on top of egg, wrap, eat. can melt cheese on top of veggies i you have some.)
chili (open can, dump in bowl, add extra beans/meat. microwave. add cilantro, chopped onions, tomatoes or avocadoes. add hot sauce/salsa to taste. i like to eat this on top of rice.)
stir-fry (open fridge, take whatever vegetables are in there (non-leafy stuff is better; lettuce tastes like wilted, bad version of cabbage when cooked), toss onto hot wok. stir. fry. add peppers, soy sauce/any other asian sauces to taste. eat. optional: can cook with sesame seeds and/or garlic for 30 seconds before adding vegggies. can add leftover chicken pieces, tofu, vegetarian meat, etc.)
pasta (boil water. add pasta. while it cooks (9-11 minutes), chop leftover veggies. drain pasta, toss with veggies and sauce from a bottle.)
sandwich (being ultra-lazy, i tend to go for peanut-butter and jelly)
above five recipes have infinite variations depending on ingredients and spices. mix and match according to what's in your fridge at the moment.
look through flyers for local supermarkets - believe me, there are deals! ralph's actually had vine-ripe tomatoes on sale for $1 a pound last week!
shop at ethnic markets for cheaper and more exotic produce and spices.
thanks to that rule, i never caught a cold, remained right weight for my height, and had lots of energy.
here are the specifics:
some things i bought:
-rice (i cook 8 cups at a time, divide and saran-wrap into single serving portions, toss in freezer. microwave for a few minutes as needed. go for brown rice if you want to be super healthy.)
-oatmeal in a canister. trader joe's have a version that is microwavable.
-pasta (barilla is good, and sometimes it's on sale for 99cents)
-whole grain bread (freeze, toast as needed)
-beans (in a can - i'm too lazy to soak them! garbanzo, kidney, refried, or chili.
89 cent can of garbanzo + stir fry in curry powder = delicious!)
-dozen eggs (look for sales and coupons for best deals, though they're usually under $2 anyway)
-veggies.
some cheap staples:
broccoli
green onions (great for stir-fry)
green beans
onions (always have it on hand - very versatile)
garlic (ditto)
green or red peppers
carrots (buy baby carrots or pre-shredded ones in a bag (on sale, of course) if you're too lazy to cook them and would rather eat them raw)
potatoes (cheap but takes a while to cook unless you have a microwave to make a baked potato)
cabbage (will last you a long time)
cilantro as needed (cheap, but wilts quickly)
basil (this is an expensive herb hitting right at $2, though i like it for italian dishes)
yams, sweet potatoes in season can be had for under $2. asparagus is one vegetable where i was only able to afford twice, in may during peak season (using under $2 rule).
-fruits.
some cheap staples:
apples
oranges (can get a giant bag at costco)
bananas (19 cents each at trader joe's)
avocado (one or two - i never buy them unless they're $1 or less each)
strawberries, blackberries, mangoes, watermelon wedges and melon can be had for under $2 in season.
snag lemon and lime wedges from mexican fast-food places if you must, though they're pretty cheap (at least here in california)
-drinking water (tap water tastes horrible where i live, so i bought drinking water. $1 for a gallon container, $2.50 for 2 1/2 gallon - can split the cost with a roomie to save $. your strategy may vary)
-pasta sauce (plain ones are more versatile. can save even more money by buying tomato paste if you're a more ambitious cook than me and can make your own pasta sauce)
-frozen food (only if they're under $2 each. try budget gourmet, lean cuisine (look for coupons) or things at trader joe's)
-canned soups and chilis. (try to get lower-sodium or healthier ones. eat half the can per meal (which is one serving anyway) and fill up on rice or bread to stretch your budget)
-bagged salad mix if it was at or under $2. you can get around 1-3 servings for $2, which is perfect because as a single person, you can't finish more than that before lettuce starts to go bad. you actually don't need to eat too much salad to be healthy if you're eating cooked veggies all the time.
-canned tuna. supermarkets now sell pre-packed tuna + cracker + dill & mayo mixes + plastic mini-spatula + mint for under $2 (look for coupons). handy for making tuna sandwich with whole grain bread. keep the crackers as snacks.keep the mint when you need something to freshen your breath. keep the plastic mini-spatula to clean grout around faucets.
-canned fruits.
pineapple (in 100% juice - cheaper than buying fresh, and still good for you)
lychees (look for it in chinese markets. cheaper and tastes the same to me as fresh ones)
mandarine oranges (my guilty pleasure. yes, it's packed in sugar)
-dark chocolates (at trader joe's! yes, they are healthy for you...)
...think those are the basics. good luck on your healthy eating journey on a budget! - o1iveoy1, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0Sometimes I'm note sure if maintaining a fridge full of fresh fruits and vegetables is cheap, especially when it comes to chopping and preparing them for my family of four, but I will say waldbaums has the best deal on vegetable platters- a four and a half pound platter with veggie dip costs me $12.22 and keeps us pretty set for the week and I can just throw it on the table while I finish up preparing dinner and the kids and my husband fill up on veggies. We end up eating pasta a lot,, but switching to the whole grain pasta definitely isn't as cheap as at was before we made the switch, but it is still a pretty cheap dinner for the 4 of us. I eat veggies from the platter with a 95 cent yocrunch for lunch every day, and my daughter and i split a grapefruit for breakfast with our morning oatmeal- i buy the bag of six at stop and shop and it is half the price of buying one at a time.
Also, I buy the not from concentrate, unsweetened stop and shop brand apple juice and add 1 part water two parts juice- at $1.99 a bottle, thats pretty cheap and the kids like it, and its less sugar than most sweet drinks without scary artificial sweeteners.
but my biggest tip is KALE.
A leafy green- insanely cheap and keeps way longer than spinach or lettuce. Excellent on sandwiches and in salads in its on way, and crazy rich in nutrients. - numberneal, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0i add a palm-sized portion of lean protein - beef, turkey, fish, chicken - to my vegetable stir-fry topped with guacamole for a nutritionally balanced meal; i do the fruit and nut thing for dessert, when dieting: http://www.alobravo.com/2007/06/12/96-reasons-why-you-will-always-be-fat/
- donna1234, on 07/04/2008, -0/+1Eat more fruit and vegetables
http://www.recipesblog.net
http://www.foodencyclopedia.info
http://www.t30.info
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