Eat Cheap and Healthy

$25 per week or about $3.50 a day… For 3 meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)… That’s pretty tough. Canned food and fresh fruit and veggies are gonna be super important… Baking your own bread would help.

da_weebstar

It’s getting less realistic every day.

Leary_Calliope

Do you have lots of different spices and spice blends? That’ll help avoid palate fatigue, because at your target you’ll end up eating essentially the same stuff every day.

bhambrewer

Peanut butter is going to be clutch, especially for getting calories in. Beans too.

Mimolette_

It may be a little low. I ate on a budget close to this when I was in college.

A lot of rice and dry beans, eggs, cheep vegetables, cheap fruit, only bought meat on sale when it was less than a dollar per pound.

RallyPotato

Breakfast burritos

RideThatBridge

Muffins! You can make your own and make them as big or small as you want. You can pack them full of shredded veggies like zucchini and carrots (even if they’re sweet), or you can make them with fruit or even add chocolate chips. You can make them with butter or oil or even Greek yogurt. You can make them as sweet or savoury as you like.

They’ll of course be healthiest if you avoid adding a bunch of refined sugar, add some vegetables or fruit, and use things like yogurt instead of just vegetable oil. But they are very versatile.

ordinary_kittens

You don’t have to eat breakfast foods for breakfast if you don’t like them. Soups meal prep well. You can freeze extra portions if you want. You can just eat some leftovers from dinner.

Fire-rose

Make a quiche or breakfast casserole. I mix 12 eggs, I pack of sausage (cook before mixing in), cheese, various veggies/peppers and bake in the oven. Makes 4 decent sized portions for myself and keeps without freezing.

criley107

I like breakfast sandwiches. Can do English muffins, biscuits (the frozen Pillsbury ones are much better than canned), or toast. I like plant based sausage patties, Kraft single, and I fry an egg while my bread is toasting and I prep my sandwich. I like adding avocado when I have it, and I love sprinkling some Tajin seasoning, cumin, paprika, or everything bagel seasoning along with salt & pepper. Versatile, and can keep the components in separate containers in the fridge for easy assembly. Same goes for breakfast burritos like others have mentioned!

I also really like baked potatoes with a fried egg on top and whatever seasonings or condiments you like. For whatever reason, I find a squeeze of ranch and a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce to be delicious, but if you’re able to eat dairy some sour cream/Greek yogurt would add some nutrition. Baking potatoes can be as simple as setting them directly on the rack in your oven for 45-60 minutes (depends on size of potato) at 350 F. Store in a container in the fridge and they microwave quickly when you want them. I also love using leftover baked potatoes to make a quick fried potato. Cut into cubes cold, toss in a pan with some butter, sprinkle some seasonings and let fry til golden brown. Love putting a fried egg on top of this as well. Can have a side of veggies, fruit, or meat to round out the meal.

dukesofhordor

3 eggs scrambled with cheese and onions. 1 bagel, dry. That gets me through every day.

rustbelthiker

All the other comments seem really helpful, I was just curious why you can’t have breakfast and also take a snack with you?

EnOhVeHey

Oatmeal is filling.

jj051962

If you want to stay full longer, focus on fiber and protein. For example, whole grains and complex carbs. Flax seeds are great in smoothies and provide fat and Omegas. Eggs are a great option. I would bulk it up with some veggies and a good, hard cheese. You could even try seafood, like shrimp or salmon. Lox bagels with a side of fruit or a smoothie to drink would be good. Also, if you’re super worried about eating enough, but you’re not a big eater in the morning, bring some snacks with you. Nuts, granola, meal bars, even air popped popcorn.

RavenNymph90

Costco rotisserie chicken.

SUPRVLLAN

Muito bom 👍

MWisecarver

Oooh its so pretty

Hurtmeii

Food photography is on point! 👏🏽

pokingoking

Never thought of substituting the cod with hearts of palm but this is genius! I gotta make this for my mum.

Thank you so much for the idea 😀

KindohneEigenschaftn

hearts of palm…very interesting idea.

Affectionate-Grand92

THANK YOU.
If I see one more post/comment by a carbphobe I’m going to lose it. Just because bodies can burn fat doesn’t mean we all should start making ours do solely that. Carbs don’t make you fat- caloric excess does. Carbs aren’t unhealthy- unless you’re eating too many of the processed/refined kind for your body.

irremarkable

Conversely, people requesting “healthy” recipes with no other context generates the same kind of stupid pissing contest.

Without context, “healthy” has as many definitions as there are people posting. It’s useless on its own.

builtinthekitchen

All things in moderation.

Reptilian_Brain_420

Rule 7 especially. Treating yourself adds value to the treat and the whole process. Deprivation can cause relapse binging.

NiceComfortable3

I appreciate these sentiments. I get a little sad when people diminish food into calories/quantities/macronutrients etc. Food is also cultural, historic and comforting and these aspects aren’t always considered when doling out “one size fits all” advice.

Food should nourish your body and your being.

foolkus

Hello, I want to share this pork stew/soup recipe. I would prefer to make this with oxtail, but due to the rising cost of beef, I’ve been using pork. Its a simple and hearty dish cooked low and slow. It serves 6-8 and around $1.70-$2.00 a serving (Midwest).

***Ingredients***
*Base*
(I used a food processor to save time cutting)
– 2 med onion, diced
– 2 bulbs garlic (I like a lot of garlic, adjust to preference)
– 1 green Bell pepper, diced
– 2 carrots, diced

*Spices/Seasoning*
– 1 tsp paprika
– 1 tbsp pepper flakes
– 1 tbsp Kashmiri chili powder (can substitute with cayenne)
– 1 tbsp tomato paste
– Salt and pepper

*Misc*
– 2.5 lbs country style pork ribs bone-in (this is a pork shoulder cut, or pork butt)
– 28 oz can whole tomatoes
– 2 cups chicken broth
– 1 tbsp fish sauce
– 1 tbsp sherry vinegar (I substituted with rice wine vinegar)
– 1 15 oz can beans

***INSTRUCTIONS***

1a. Heat oven safe pot (6-8 quart) over medium-low heat.
1b. In a separate pot/pan, heat to med-high heat.
2. (veggie pot) Add 1 tbsp neutral oil, wait to get to temp. Add diced carrots, onions, and bell peppers. Let sweat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. (Meat Pan) Brown pork in 2nd pot, 3-5 minutes per side.
4. (Veggie pot) Add garlic. Allow garlic to get aromatic and stir pot. Cook another 5 minutes or until vegetables are translucent.
5. (Veggie Pot) Add more oil into the pan as required (about 1 tbsp). Add and mix all the spices into the pot. Allow spices and tomato paste to bloom in the oil, stirring occasionally for about 1 minute.
6. Add canned tomatoes, chicken broth, fish sauce, and vinegar. Stir pot.
7. Add pork to pot. Add chicken broth to pan, scrape brown bits and add to pot.
8. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place rack on bottom slot.
9. Place pot in oven with lid on. Cook for 2-3 hours or until pork is tender.
10. 30 minutes before finish, remove pot, add can of beans and stir pot.
11. Remove from pot, salt/pepper to taste.

The long cooking time is required to break down the pork bones/collagen. You can cook on stovetop instead of oven for around the same cooking time, I prefer oven because it distributes the heat more evenly. Can also add potatoes to the recipe, add 30 minutes prior to finish with the beans to avoid overcooking. Thanks for reading.

Bvanbc

I believe it’s called ‘stewp’

aalxyahhh

Unsure of why you are using two pots. You’d have a bit of depth of flavor using one pot, plus only one pot to wash lol.

Some might add the veg on top of the browned pork, but I’d brown the pork, then take it out, then add the veg and cook them, then add liquid to get up all the browned bits, including the pork bits, then add pork back in to finish cooking.

dragonfliesloveme

i love the way you wrote your recipe, especially the part specifying which pot is doing what. 👍

mad-clicker

Looks absolutely delicious. Thank you for the recipe.

thatsweetmachine

My triggers are:

* Hunching over while eating, like eating on the couch.

* Eating too fast and not chewing well enough.

* Deep fried foods.

* Alcohol.

* Chocolate.

toe_bean_z

This is long and may get buried at this point but this is what helped me! I had pretty bad acid reflux from stress when COVID hit. I ended up finding a handful of meals that helped overhaul my diet as it cleared up with only bit of pepto bismol here and there. Ymmv.

To start off with, you have to commit to overhauling your diet for a few weeks. If you eat any trigger foods while feeling sick or even a week or two after feeling better, it will get worse. Give your stomach time to heal whatever it’s going through. My doctor explained that many people will take OTC acid reflux meds and would feel better, eat junky food again, and it would come right back.

**Foods that helped me:**

Baby carrots, raw broccoli, sweet potatoes, potatoes, cucumber, spinach, cabbage, red/yellow apples, oats, brown rice, black beans, avocados, egg whites, chicken breast, shrimp

**Foods that made it worse:**

Anything remotely spicy (even black pepper), processed snacks, chocolate, coffee, tea, bananas, tuna, bread, fast food, fried food, pizza, fatty meats (bacon, sausage, red meat, chicken thigh), deli meats, egg yolks, soft cheese, anything high in fat/oil (mayo etc.) tomatoes, citrus, mint, milk, butter, sodas, pecans, peanuts, peanut butter, alcohol

**Food tricks:**

1. Chew slowly and deliberately all the time. The more work your teeth do, the less work your stomach has to do.

2. I always, ALWAYS ate an apple or cucumber slices as soon as i woke up. You want your stomach acid to “chew” on things throughout the day that isn’t your actual stomach. Fiberous fruit and veg is very helpful.

3. Breakfast was usually instant oats cooked with water and honey. Not appetizing but made me feel way better.

4. Eat a salad with a small amount of low cal (not acidic) dressing before eating lunch/dinner. This helps “prep” your stomach before eating a big meal.

5. Snack on raw veg in between meals if you feel it starting to flare up. Baby carrots are great.

6. Sip water throughout the day. I’ve heard gulping water or drinking during a meal can introduce air to your stomach which can irritate it. I can’t confirm if that’s true but I followed it anyway.

7. Chew a non minty, non acidic flavored gum (I found watermelon). Saliva naturally calms your stomach.

8. Don’t eat anything 2 hours before bed.

**Non food tricks:**

1. Sleep sitting upright. This sucks but it really helps.

2. Find a way to legitimately destress for a few moments. Stress absolutely can make acid reflux worse. I would use deep breathing and meditation after meals. Journaling helped too. Even if you don’t use these tactics when you’re better, it’s worth a shot now.

3. Light exercise is helpful. Nothing too strenuous or where you have to bend over. I took a lot of walks and found yoga youtube videos for acid reflux.

**Meals:**

You can make a stir fry with a relatively small amount of oil. Add cabbage, broccoli, carrots, peas, any veggie you want. Add in some frozen shrimp, chicken breast, or egg whites. Light splash of soy sauce and salt.

I would also make “poke” bowls. Brown rice, shrimp, avocado, cucumber, chopped up imitation crab, and a drizzle of soy/lightly spicy mayo/katsu sauce.

Baked sweet potatoes with a very light coating of olive oil and salt was my savior for awhile. I also cut up broccoli, carrots, and sweet potato, tossed them in light olive oil with seasonings, and roasted at 400 on a sheet pan until they were soft.

My boyfriend would make huge batches chicken noodle soup as well. It was mostly celery, carrots, chicken broth, and I believe he cooked the chicken breast right in the soup. Added cooked rotini pasta when everything was done. I’m sure you can find a good recipe online.

I also ate a lot of chicken breast on top of brown rice and black beans. Tiny squeeze of lime juice. Black beans are super cheap and have fiber and protein.

Turkey burgers with avocado, spinach, shredded cabbage and a little mayo.

For snacks, I would often eat tortillas with honey. Graham crackers and homemade sugar cookies helped too. And a ton of raw veg and fruit.

MelonBubbleTea

My reflux went away on a low carb diet.

StellaEtoile1

My biggest trigger was alcohol and spicy food. Discovered if i drop alcohol, i could keep the spicy food in moderation.

As for calming down your stomach, eat alkaline based foods for several days. You can do some googling and get a nice diet plan going. Generally i eat vegetables, a plant protein like whey or plain nuts, and some basic fruits(berries, watermelon). I also aim for more fiber.

Avoid tomato, animal proteins, and overly sweet, salty, or savory foods.

codemise

I have a glass with a little bicarbonate of soda aftwr a meal or when Im having bad reflux. I even have a small tub of it in my handbad. It taste revolting but it works like an absolute bomb and is waaaaay cheaper than pills.

Status_Button

I can guarantee you, lemon makes this taste 1000x better, and it is already the best çorba (soup) I know.

Guarnerre1995

I’ve made this before, it really is amazing! I was so surprised by how rich it tasted

asinizators007

I would eat that.

Actually, I have decided that I am going to eat all the food in the world. So blame me when you have none

Food-at-Last

I saw this and immediately made it for lunch. Sooo tasty. 10/10 recipe. Thank you!

tequilafille

Thanks for tomorrow’s dinner idea!

alreadytakennew

I hate how people slap the word “healthy” on to any old thing. “HealthIER”, maybe, but I dislike this in the same way I dislike watermelon pizza.

Just call it what it is, not what you want it to be.

No-Conversation-942

Them teeth, lol

Cha0ticNurse

Everything is healthy. Even lard. The key: moderation

Gregoriany

These sound delicious. Are they just as good frozen? (favorite way to eat snickers) or is this one of those eat em while they’re fresh?

Grei_Goo

perfect for bulking season

rip_yams_

Hi, sympathies. If you are as tired and busy as I was with a 10 month old, start off by giving yourself a medal that you have survived so far, and remember that getting into new good habits when you are tired and short on time, takes persistence. Small steps!

First, put vegetables on your shopping list! They should make up about half of what we eat, so they should take up at least half of your shopping trolley. But small steps: get your favourite veggies in there even just a few, and promise them you will cook them before they get too old.

An easy veggie dish is to fill a tray with chopped up veggies: cut the harder veggies into smaller pieces as they take longer to cook. Add your favourite herbs, salt and a good drizzle of oil, and mix them up so they are coated. Nestle in some oiled and salted chicken pieces or sausages if you want to make a one meal dish. (You will find lots of recipes for tray baked veggies if you google). Then stick them in a hot oven until they are cooked through and caramelising on their edges. Turn the meat over half way through.

Leftovers in a container to eat tomorrow and/or the next day.

That is my tip for this shopping trip.

In the future, start planning days before your shopping trips. I do it by working out three recipes that are delicious, quick and easy to make. Look for ones that make 4 – 8 serves. Maybe a stew (curry, tagine etc), a pasta bake with layers of vegetables, and an easy savoury pie. Write your shopping list to suit these recipes and then make them over the next few days and then freeze and refrigerate them in portions so you have delicious healthy food prepared for the next week or so. Then all you have to do is thaw when needed and heat them up safely for your meals.

Any bits of veggie, meat, grains etc left over after making the recipe batches goes to a soup or stirfry.

As you go you will work out what things suit your tastes and your life style. Don’t give up. The more healthy, home made food you can prepare, the better your health will be. You will probably have more energy too. You will be a great model for your 10 month old and be giving them the best start in life. All power to you.

Astro_nauts_mum

If you don’t have the energy for chopping, a bag of frozen broccoli, some baby potatoes and chicken thighs in an instant pot + spices of your choice will do the trick. Less than 5 minutes of prep and about half an hour in the instant pot (8 minutes cook time + heat up and pressure release time). Pretty sure that’s quicker than door dash!

CincySnwLvr

I’m a snacker and my go to’s are apples with PB, dried fruit, nuts, grapes, hard-boiled eggs, bagged salad and any small size fruit. I frequently don’t eat meals at all, i just eat fresh fruits and veggies or dried fruits and nuts. It’s easy, lazy and healthy. When my kids were small I’d just cut up trays of fruits and veggies and set small plates of them out and they’d just eat it. Don’t think that you have to have a cooked meal everyday.

frisbeesloth

Some of this will require a little bit of prep on Sunday but, it should be pretty quick the rest of the week.

Breakfast:
Quick oats with maple syrup and frozen blue berries. So many topics choices ( just as quick as cereal)
Greek yogurt and granola
No bake oatmeal bars (10 min to measure and mix then press into a pan and cut off squares as needed)
Hard boiled eggs and toast
Rice cake with PB or hummus
Pb and Banana sandwich
Pre measure out smoothie ingredients then just chuck i. The blender. Also, for cleaning your blender just put water and soap in it and blend then rinse out

For the week ahead of time precook your meat and freez it. This works for ground beef , chicken, really well

With your precooked meat, make some pasta and throw sauce on it.
Make tacos
1 min rice and frozen Asia veggies with a stir fry sauce.
Rotisserie chicken from the store, instant mashed potatoes. (Make gravy in glass measuring cup in the microwave) and thaw some corn or green beans with a bit of butter and garlic salt.

No-Independence-1579

I’m a snacker too.
I make up “adult” lunchables with different options
Cheeses~cubes, slices, pimento cheese, beer cheese, etc

Meats~ Salami, pepperoni, ham, turkey, shrimp salad, cold shrimp, etc

Cracker, bread,etc

Olives, pickled veggies, pickles, raw veggies,etc

Thousands of different possibilities

Theslipperymermaid