How to Eat Healthy on a Low Budget
Live Forever 04 Jun 2006
http://www.getrichsl...healthy-budget/
"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."
Anyone else have any other resources/suggestions for eating right on a low budget?
RighteousReason 04 Jun 2006
I'm doing the cereal + fruits + random_snacks + chickenORbeefORfish + riceORpotatoesORnoodles + salad + multivitamin thing.
Oh yeah can't forget the good old PBJ.
Live Forever 04 Jun 2006
Good question, I just moved into my new apartment [lol]
I'm doing the cereal + fruits + random_snacks + chickenORbeefORfish + riceORpotatoesORnoodles + salad + multivitamin thing.
Oh yeah can't forget the good old PBJ.
I love a good PB&J. In fact, I am craving one right now, I might just go take care of that.
Any preference as to chunky or smooth? I like either, but generally go for smooth.
ajnast4r 04 Jun 2006
i can usually get trhe same amount of veggies for 25$ in a farmers market, that i would pay 50-60$ for in a grocery store... same thing with bulk from healthfood stores.
DukeNukem 04 Jun 2006
The key is that all meals should be zoned, meaning they need sufficient protein vs. carbs vs. healthy fats/oils. The problem is that it is often very, very hard to find something to eat that has sufficient protein (30% of total calories min.), and especially high quality protein. Proteins that are low quality are gluten, casein, and soy. Yet, you see this trash proteins used in most protein bars and processed foods.
Brainbox 04 Jun 2006
ajnast4r 04 Jun 2006
Make one of your meals oatmeal with whey protein powder added. I eat this every morning, and sometimes as a quick snack later in the day.
The key is that all meals should be zoned, meaning they need sufficient protein vs. carbs vs. healthy fats/oils. The problem is that it is often very, very hard to find something to eat that has sufficient protein (30% of total calories min.), and especially high quality protein. Proteins that are low quality are gluten, casein, and soy. Yet, you see this trash proteins used in most protein bars and processed foods.
my 1st meal of the day is always :
3/4 cup oats
1 scoop whey
1TBSP flax oil
1 piece fruit
and a spice mixture of [fennel, corriender, cumin & black pepper] to aid digestion.
i wouldnt exactly say a micellar cassein protein is trash... although i wouldnt want to consume large amounts of it isolated.
spins 04 Jun 2006
From a bodybuilding point of view soy is considered low quality when compared to whey because its essential amino acid profile isn't as good.Why is soy being considered low quality? Digestive issues? It could be cost benificial compared to whey protein....
http://www.afpafitne...proteinBest.pdf
AdamDavis 05 Jun 2006
Oh yeah can't forget the good old PBJ.
I love a good PB&J. In fact, I am craving one right now, I might just go take care of that.
Hehe. Sugar-free jam and brown, wholemeal bread I assume? [tung]
FunkOdyssey 05 Jun 2006
Here you go:
http://www.getrichsl...healthy-budget/
"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."
Anyone else have any other resources/suggestions for eating right on a low budget?
I have to disagree with this. Fruits and vegetables are not economical at all. They are pretty much the most expensive foods around if you look at cost per calorie. Eggs are healthy and economical... so is oatmeal, nut butters (peanut butter trumps all for economy), nuts, and whole grains. If you want quality meats, fruits, and vegetables, it is going to cost you.
RighteousReason 05 Jun 2006
The problem is that it is often very, very hard to find something to eat that has sufficient protein (30% of total calories min.), and especially high quality protein.
What about chicken?
FunkOdyssey 05 Jun 2006
Brainbox 05 Jun 2006
Very interesting reading.From a bodybuilding point of view soy is considered low quality when compared to whey because its essential amino acid profile isn't as good.Why is soy being considered low quality? Digestive issues? It could be cost benificial compared to whey protein....
http://www.afpafitne...proteinBest.pdf
I wouldn't call soy protein low quality, but rather sub-optimal compared to whey.
In a low-cost high-yield diet soy (isolate) could have a pretty good role I think. Provided it is digested correctly.
xanadu 05 Jun 2006
" If you are scraping to get by, caloric content of food per $ means alot more than carotenoids or anthocyanins, trust me."
Normally I agree with you but I think you are off base here. Americans, and most of the western world consume far more calories than they need. People would do much better looking for nutrition at a low cost than calories at a low cost. Mcdonalds can give you all the calories you want and are cheap but I sure will not eat there. If you are talking about someone starving, a homeless person perhaps, then you might have a point. Might.
Veggies are the cheapest high nutrition food you can get, IMHO.
FunkOdyssey 05 Jun 2006
I agree with you 100%.Normally I agree with you but I think you are off base here. Americans, and most of the western world consume far more calories than they need. People would do much better looking for nutrition at a low cost than calories at a low cost.
I wasn't talking about eating at McDonalds. I'm talking about low cost, healthy foods (whole grains, nuts, eggs, beans, etc).Mcdonalds can give you all the calories you want and are cheap but I sure will not eat there. If you are talking about someone starving, a homeless person perhaps, then you might have a point. Might.
Two red peppers cost me $5 at the grocery store. You could buy two dozen eggs for that price, two jars of natural peanut butter, ten servings of quinoa, etc. See why I have trouble reconciling the purchase of vegetables with any kind of "low budget" talk? I've integrated more and more fruits and vegetables into my diet over the last couple of years, and my rising grocery bills don't lie.
Edited by FunkOdyssey, 05 June 2006 - 08:12 PM.
xanadu 05 Jun 2006
Mind 05 Jun 2006
Eggs are a good cheap source of full spectrum protein. I can buy 18 eggs in the store for 1.00 and 2 dozen from local farmers for the same price. If you can stand it, and don't mind the small chance of food poisoning, raw egss are the most nutritious. I boil mine on Monday's and then enjoy them all week long.
Otherwise the cheapest carbs in my area are potatoes and rice. During harvest time I can sometimes buy 10 pounds of potatoes for less than 2.00.
maestro949 05 Jun 2006
Athanasios 05 Jun 2006
Shepard 06 Jun 2006
Live Forever 06 Jun 2006
Athanasios 06 Jun 2006
brizzadizza 06 Jun 2006
I've lived on my own for five years and its only been this year that I've been able to consistently afford fruits and vegetables. (Moving on up!) I did the regular ramen/maccaroni for the first year. Branched in to some real cooking with various pastas and sausage (1.89/lb) and eggs the second year. Kept it on the cheap all the way until some months ago when I finally bought a fruit bowl. By the way, for cheap meat, learn to broil a whole chicken, and then move up to turkey. At anywhere from .50cents/lb to 1.25cents/lb you can't go wrong and it feels good to have a meal. Now keeping that bowl filled is my obsession, but I know based on the cost of it I wouldn't have been able to do it in my economic situation over the last four years.
Brandon
FunkOdyssey 06 Jun 2006
the big b 06 Jun 2006
*My Foods:
Oats
Broccoli
Yam
Green Beans
Brown Rice
Carrot
Apple
Chicken Breast
Salad w/ Dressing
Of course now, I'm looking to try and branch out the foods I eat, get a little more variety. I am afraid of developing food allergies from to much of the same thing. (Don't think I added much to this thread, but meh)
Athanasios 06 Jun 2006
Yams here are like $3 a pound...i need to find a good source here, i love em. One reason I like them is because i can cook for others easier with it. They complain less about it not being all potatoes and cheese.
FunkOdyssey 06 Jun 2006
I second the quinoa suggestion... and don't forget nuts and eggs, my fellow bargain hunters. Can't beat them with a stick.*My Foods:
Oats
Broccoli
Yam
Green Beans
Brown Rice
Carrot
Apple
Chicken Breast
Salad w/ Dressing