Limit Food Budget
Well, I just got back from the store and realize that I don’t have enough money to feed three people healthy food. It is eazier to feed three with mac and cheese other than a salad. Why does it seem that the worst food for you is the cheapest food. Does anyone have any suggestion how to eat heathier on a very limit budget.
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I feel for you completely. My family is pretty poor and it is hard to feed us all healthy food. I try to go to the farmers market for fruit and veggies, and sometimes I dont feed us all that way and get my family the mac and cheese and stuff because they like it. There is no cheap way to do it, I just sacrafice money from somewhere else like our “fun” money. You just have to experiment to find what works for you.
-Large flake rolled oats
-buy meat of choice in large amounts and portion them and then freeze. It seems like a lot but then you do not have to buy for a long time
-beans - high energy and filling (fiber)
-save/freeze little portions of various items or little bits of vegetables that would otherwise go bad and then make one giant soup
-watch for sales which I am sure you do
-I know I need to do this more, know what is in season and buy that
-buy locally if you can. I must research more and do this. Thanks for making me think more on this
Great suggestions from Jennifer. I am very thrifty - it was the way I was raised. I make large meals and freeze them individually using freezer bags. (I double bag to prevent freezer burn) You can save money doing this because it costs less to buy in large quantities and you can shop around for the best deals. Plus, you save on trips to the store (gas), energy doing dishes, prep time, etc. I use a cookbook called Dream Dinners - available in the library - specifically for low fat freezer meals.
I cook with beans (cheap) and brown rice. I buy meat in large quantities, on sale, and freeze it individually. There is always something in the freezer to pull out, which prevents us from eating out. Onions and unpeeled carrots are very cheap in large quantites. Old fashioned oats, bulgar, barley are cheap, too.
I plan out our meals every week, make a list and grocery shop once a week - sometimes hitting two grocery stores to get better deals. I only buy off the list, it prevents impulse buying. I take ads with me because some stores will match prices.
My biggest tip is to never EVER return to the store during the week. If you run out of something then just live without out it until the next weekly grocery tip. It prevents you from impulse buying. Don’t shop when your hungry, either.
Hope it help. By the way, my freinds consider me anal but I feed up to six kids five days a week - breakfast, lunch and snacks. I also make dinner every night for my family with enough leftovers for my hubby’s lunch.