Cheap protein ideas? Oh - and Hi!

Thanks, Liz...have you any good bean recipes to share with a couple of bean-a-phobes?

Lisa, let me throw in a reminder to NOT skimp on your vitamins! You can get these at Walmart, or watch for BOGO sales at CVS or Walgreens.

The complications that arise from deficiencies of calcium, B1, and B12 especially do not show up until they are pretty much untreatable. So you don't want to go THERE!!!

Hi Lisa -
One substitution we have made in my house is Quinoa for rice.
It is more expensive than rice, but I really feel like it is very filling which makes it stretch further.
Check this site for more info and a few basic recipes. You basically cook it exactly the same as rice. It's bland, so you can add whatever flavor you want to it. We usually have it as a pilaf, with some peppers, onions, and carrots. And I know some people like it sweet with Splenda, brown sugar etc.

www.quinoa-recipes.com

~ Cherish

Cheap cheap cheap protein:

FF cottage cheese
Tuna (limit to 3-4 cans a week though)
Wal-Mart Protein Powder
Lite Yogurt
FF hot dogs
Fake "Krab" bites
Skim Milk

You can literally live on this stuff for months at a time.

Lisa,

   I am sorry you are not 100% healthy but with this as Lynn said vitamins are something we need to take because the damage can not be reversed. Look for them on sale as mentioned plus I know Sundown and a few other brands often have coupons out there you can use to get good deals with the BOGO sales.

   Also with shopping check the ads to see what store is offering the best deals that week. Stores like Aldi and Food Basics often offer good price on meats when they have sales beating the "Big" stores prices. Also going for bone in meats are cheaper then boneless and chicken thighs and legs are cheaper then breast meat. All good proteins.

Also now is the time for Big Coupons you can save a lot with some leg work of clipping coupons and checking the ads for the best deals each week. It takes some work but you can save a bundle that way plus get good food not just cheap food.

Also the pouch test is not designed to lose weight but to reset the pouch to the smaller amounts of food. So don't feel bad for that one,

Lisa,

So good to see you here. . . sorry to read about your health and subsequently financial issues, being in chronic pain, having no ump can certainly cause us to backslide, but you're here and that is a good thing.

Lots of good suggestions already posted, not sure you guys have a BJs membership, but you can buy some protein shakes and bars at a good savings there, of course, you need to know your prices in order make out best at one of those places.  I have bought the EAS Light there, I think I paid like $19 for a case of it, which may work out to like ninety cents per container, has 17 grams of protein in each one and right now I don't have it in front of me, but low sugar, etc.

Try making a whole wheat pasta mac and cheese for protein source, you can use fat free or low fat cottage cheese and shoprite often has the 50% or 75% cabots cheddar on sale, that would be a filling and healthy way to get in protein, better than white rice. . .  I've heard the formula for losing to be 70 grams protein, 140 good carbs (veggies, fruit, whole grains) and I believe it is still the same as far as fat, not more than 10 grams per meal. . . maybe you can try some form of yoga, just to stretch and get things moving again.  And please don't skimp on your vitamins, they are essential since we had our innards rerouted.

I hope you get better and feel better soon. . . 

Laureen

P.S.  A good friend of mine came down with the same thing, it's rough, but tell yourself you can do it. . .

Thanks, Everyone!  I greatly appreciate the concern and your good suggestions!  And just in time, as tomorrow will be shopping day :-)

Lisa