healthy eating on a budget

HELP!  Okay well I'm sure all of you have noticed that eating right and healthy is way more expensive than eating crappy! I'm putting myself through college so the little income I do have I rarely ever see. I've got 160 bucks a month set aside for grocerys but this is for 2 people. Anyone have healthy ideas that arn't crazy expensive?? Thanks guys!

Wow, our economy must be way different because I couldn't do it on that much here.  It's pretty spendy there though.

Do you have a place that sells in bulk?  That might be your best bet for like your brown rice, eggs, tuna, even fruit and vegetables.  If the fruit and veggies won't last since the quantity is so much, you can always just buy like one bag of frozen fruit and vegetable each for a nice cheap change from fresh veggies/fruit.  That one bag would probably last you guys all month.

Also dried beans/legumes are very cheap in the store.   Make a pot of those at least once a week. 

In my house I make a "salad night" once a week.  It's cheaper than meat, and healthy.  If you want meat, just use a few slices of turkey/ham slices or whatever you have on hand to throw on them.

Use tuna or canned salmon if you can find it cheap like at walmart for a meal.  One can would probably be all you need for the two of you.  My family loves fish patties, think I'm making that tonight actually.

Theres a few ideas for you. 

 

Wow, that's tough. I went from spending 75-90/week to 115/week easy (that's not including my protein supplements).  (I eat an all-clean diet, so it's that much more expensive as I avoid processed foods.) I can't really buy in bulk because I live alone and freezing what I bought fresh doesn't always work well.  However, a thought--buy frozen or canned and you'll at least only use what you need and not have food go bad. FYI, with canned fruit buy only if it's in water (I get mandolin oranges in water and pineapple in its own juice) or unsweetened like applesauce.

Hi Stacy! Oranges are very good now in my area, and are on sale. I've been making fruit salad with oranges, bananas, maraschino cherries with a little of the juice (I bought a bottle in the Dollar Store), pecans, and sprinkle some French Vanilla Jello pudding (from the box...no milk) over the fruit.  Stir and refrigerate.  Before eating, stir again.  The pudding makes it thick.  If not sweet enough, put some Splenda on it. Yummmmmmmy!  It's a great substitute for dessert, or you can eat it as a meal.  And it's not expensive. Of course, you can add any fruit that you wish.  I like the above selection the best. I also make carrot salad with raisins, Splenda, pecans, a little diet mayo, and you can add pinapple and celery, if you wish.  That's good, too. Hope it helps! Bren

I have told you guys,..for we two here, we spend as much as when all four kids were home! we seriously spend like $700 bucks, this covers booze, eating out (which is pretty low), paper goods for the house. $160. a month...40 bucks a week?  Hun, that sucks, but trust me, i been there, i really have...with a family to boot.  the MOST thrifty approach I used, now my girls do this, too...is write out an actual menu for the week, and design your shopping list to that.  This helps keep down trips to the store, and make the best use of each penny. Shop the canned food store - do most towns have those?  You have to know your prices, sometimes the prices are not a big bargain. Stick to frozen veggies, fruits (no sugar or salt added). I don't know how you can truly afford much fresh produce. Buy ground meat in big packs and break down into 2-people meals. Cereals can be way cheaper there. Bin stores are also good: beans, soup mixes that only need ground turkey or turkey sausage added. They also have whole grains, like barley, oats, quinoa.  Look for recipes.  I love to use barley in place of rice in cabbage rolls. That is a cheap easy recips - freezes well, too. Look for coupons.  One store around here, Safeway, many times gives two for one sales...we go then and buy stuff for the freezer. Eggs, two 18 packs for one price.  Boy, you will have to stick with beans, eggs, ground meats as a staple. Hard...way hard to buy ready to eat food that is easily packed at a budget that low.  Girl, I have been there...not easy...I know it did contribute to my weight issues.  Most importantly, stay in school...you will beat this!!!!!!

The only bulk store we have is a sams club and I don't have a membership b/c you have to have one! I'm trying to find a better job other than making my candles but no luck so far! I'm hoping things get better b/c at 320 pounds I can't neglect my body anymore...even if it means eating beans and cheaper items until I kick this broke thing. We've just dug ourselfs in debt....BEFORE the wedding...good luck to us having a dream wedding! Thanks you guys so much I love the menu planning I think I'll just go once a week and buy exactly what my menu says to!