#budget healthy eating

[indischwindisch]

Pasta-Apple Salad (€1.64 pp cost)

This delicious and filling pasta salad checks all the boxes for a quick yet healthy meal. All you need is 20 minutes and a handful of ingredients.

This delicious and filling pasta salad checks all the boxes for a quick yet healthy meal. All you need is 20 minutes and a handful of ingredients. Eating Healthy On a Budget This is the second recipe of the series “Eating Healthy On a Budget”, where I am highlighting that cost under 2€ per person. This series is especially designed for students and busy people who do not want to spend too much…

[dress-this-way]

Arugula Salad With Pepitas, Parmesan In A Lemon Vinaigrette - StoneGable

[rainyfestivalsweets]

Grocery shopping/Food

Inflation is a huge thing right now and people keep asking how to lower your grocery budget. I grew up poor. Here are some tips I learned over the years. Just my opinions/tips:

There are alot of things a person can do to build food stability- IF you have the space and resources.

First one is gardening. An herb garden, a patio pot garden or a yard garden. I also did little stints of guerilla gardening, which is basically planting veggies in weird places. You can Google victory gardens to see how they used to do it back in the 40's.

Also, if you have a house with a yard, consider planting a fruit tree and some fruit bushes.

But as far as grocery shopping goes, if you have a limited budget & are on a weight loss journey, the first thing you should do is stop (or severely limit) shopping from the inside grocery aisles.

Why?

Because these foods might seem inexpensive, but it is really common to overeat those foods. They are designed to be hyperpalatable.

I recently saw an episode of Heavy where the person was cooking 3 boxes of some meal.... and eating them all.

If you buy these foods at all, you need to practice portion control with them. Check the box for the serving size and then divide it into individual servings before you start eating it.

It is really important that you don't beat yourself up for wanting this food. It is designed that way. Your body is a biological machine of sorts and it has evolved to *want* foods that have certain levels of fat, salt & carbs. It is because these are the foods that helped us survive.

When shopping the perimeter, I normally take a walk around to see what foods have volume so a low price. Some suggestions are potatoes, collard greens, radishes. But really, I will try anything that is low cost. Give it a shot and see if you like it.

That is how I starting eating collard greens. Walmart had huge bags of them for like $2. I bought a bag and threw in some greens with every meal. Why not?

You don't need designer greens that are $10 a pound.

So yesterday, the thing I would have bought for cheap and tried was fresh bunches of turnips greens for $1.29, and mustard greens for about the same (I am traveling tomorrow so I won't have time so cook it).

Be curious and explore. You may be able to find ways to stretch your budget using unpopular foods. Unfortunately, the internet has popularized some previously staple foods - eggs, cottage cheese, cauliflower etc. But do what you can with what you have, and use portion control so that you are making things last.

Sometimes you can find frozen foods for good prices- I found pags of peas at Walmart for $.84. Peas! Hell yeah! I added Pease to everything. Peas have some protein and a good nutrient profile.

In contrast, a box of weight watchers protein candy bars were $5 for 4 bars. ON SALE. Ugg. That is a treat option... but those food products are so freaking expensive per serving I am trying to limit those.

Other things I did was watch videos on how people got by in the depression...and try some of those meals. Read older books and see what they were eating.

Our food acquisition has changed dramatically in the last 100 years. People used to do alot more foraging, hunting, & fishing. We don't have access to some of those things anymore. And if you do have access, definitely try those things as well. If you have access to buy food from a farmer/rancher, do it.

Now we have food deserts. But that is a post for a different time.

[klapollo]

started using my calorie tracker app again to make sure i don't eat too much OR too little, lose some of the excess weight i put on SLOWLY and make sure i'm getting enough fat/protein/carbs.....................pray i dont relapse

[a-place-for-growth]

The local farmers just started selling the first kohlrabi of the year, and I am always surprised seeing people throwing away the leaves of this underrated vegetable. So I would like to share a recipe from my grandma - a wonderful cook, and also a very frugal person. 

For this budget-friendly kohlrabi soup, you focus on the leaves. My grandma often got them for free at the farmers market, even some supermarkets have "waste bins" for unwanted vegetable parts and will give you some because, as I said, most people use the bulbous stem only. 

This serves two (hungry!) people, and you can improvise a lot. You will need half of the kohlrabi stem. Put the rest aside for a snack, you can even eat it raw, cut in thin slices and salted, like healthy crisps, or in a salad. Make the most of it! You will also need all of the leaves, an onion, and three small or medium sized potatoes. You could also use instant mashed potatoes instead, or add other vegetables of your choice. Go with whatever you have. Peel the kohlrabi stem, onion, and potatoes, remove the hardest parts of the leaves as depicted, and chop the vegs. (Frugal option: Put the peels in the freezer and use them later to make your own broth.) 

Now add a tablespoon of vegetable oil (I used olive oil, but this is a "use what you have at hand" recipe.), and one teaspoon of sugar, and roast it gently until the onions start to brown. Add water until the vegs are just covered. Give this mixture some salt and pepper. Season to your taste. I highly recommend a pinch or two of ground nutmeg, rosemary and parsley for the fancy version of this. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes. Use a blender to make this smooth and creamy. 

For a fancy version, serve it topped with some almonds, nuts, or fresh herbs. 

The taste of kohlrabi leaves reminds of a mixture of broccoli and turnip. You can just wash and chop them and put them in the freezer, ready to be made into soup later. Don't throw them away - and if others do, get them for free! 🙂

[soldier-poet-king]

I'm both intensely nervous and also very excited. I'm competent. I know what I'm doing. I take pride in my work and my skills and I learn quickly and for all my personal emotional turmoil, I'm quick witted in the workplace and very good at what I do. I can show off a bit! I'm not even THAT bad at the social aspects, I forced myself thru SOOOO many extra curricular volunteer gigs to become, if not comfortable, at least good at chameleon masking in those situations

Also the weather is yucky and I don't really want what I packed for lunch and it'll keep in the work fridge for another day or two til I can eat it

[nikhil313]

INTRDUCTION

As students navigating the challenges of academic life, we understand the importance of both physical and mental health in our overall development. Our diet plays a crucial role in shaping not only our well-being but also our ability to reach our maximum potential. Instead of succumbing to the temptation of quick-fix meals like instant noodles, chips, and soft drinks, it's time to prioritize nutritious foods that offer high-quality nourishment at affordable prices.

In this blog, we'll explore how making simple yet impactful changes to our dietary habits can optimize our health and empower us to excel academically and personally. By shifting our focus towards wholesome, budget-friendly alternatives, we can fuel our bodies and minds to thrive amidst the demands of student life

1)Plan Your Meals: Planning your meals ahead of time can save you both money and time. Start by creating a weekly meal plan, taking into account your schedule and budget. Make a shopping list based on your meal plan to avoid impulse buys at the grocery store.

2)Buy in Bulk: Purchasing staple items in bulk can significantly reduce your grocery expenses. Items like soyabean , black gram , pulses, millets , lentils, and beans are not only affordable but also versatile ingredients that can form the basis of many nutritious meals.

3)Focus on Whole Foods: Whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins offer excellent nutritional value at an affordable price. Avoid processed and convenience foods like soft drinks , chips or packed snacks, pizza ,junk food, which tend to be more expensive and less nutritious . Incorporate these wholesome ingredients into your meals to nourish your body without exceeding your budget

4)Limit Convenience Foods: Convenience foods like pre-packaged snacks, frozen dinners, and instant meals may seem convenient, but they're often loaded with unhealthy ingredients and come with a hefty price tag. Instead, opt for homemade snacks like trail mix, yogurt with fruit, or veggie sticks with hummus. Not only are these options healthier, but they're also more economical in the long run.

[taconafide2]

i have this urge to get into cooking & eating healthy & working out at my own pace . . ...

[thespicedpalate]

These black bean burritos are filled with aromatic black beans, vibrant Mexican rice, sharp cheddar cheese, and a melty nacho cheese sauce served inside a chewy and crispy flour tortilla. This is a great way to fill your freezer with food for cheap.

But the best part?

They only cost about $.53 cents each, and you can fill your freezer with them.

[striving-artist]

I'm...not sure food-based punishment IS okay? (I don't mean "you need to eat this because it's (supposed to be) healthy for you even if you don't like it", I mean "I am specifically making you eat a food you don't like because you did a Bad Thing"). Idk i think food as a punishment (and even reward) system could foster a lot of unhealthy eating habits or attitudes towards food.

But i've also never had kids and don't plan on doing so, so my opinions on that are all theoretical

Got a whole whole bunch of answers in various forms. Hallsy, I’m using yours to post because a bunch of comments went beyond the scope of that post so I don’t wanna clog it up.

(Crap this is long because I was working through my own thoughts and I don’t feel like editing)

— TLDR: parenting is hard, long as it’s not malicious, I’m probably not grabbing my pitchfork. —

One: didn’t know he told his kid they were normal apples. That’s nine new layers of wtf.

General Consensus seems to be that any tying of food to punishment (or reward) is shaky ground. And a lot of general statements on kids and food, all fascinating. Couple of comments for intuitive eating, which I think is a mostly great thing… but feels a little disconnected. It isn’t always applicable if you’re broke. Same thing with offering kids a different option if they don’t like that food. If you can only afford the single vegetable on sale and covered by Snap(they’ve improved the system but it’s still imperfect) that week, or if you’re eating whatever the food bank had, disliking a food isn’t enough reason to not eat it. I’m an adult, still hate veg, and still make myself eat some.

If they truly hate it, sure, you’ll avoid it and won’t make them eat it. But when the choice is Kid eats Zero Produce or Kid eats French Cut Green Beans, most parents are gonna insist they eat the beans. Kids are not logical or consistent. Yesterday they adored beans, today, they’re having a tantrum. Planning for their moods is hard, and I often side with the parents.

I also got a lot of general vibes of “the parents should never make a mistake in child rearing” that made me uncomfy. I wish that was a option. Really. But its not gonna happen. Ever. Not only does advice and recommendation change over the years, parents are humans. If you get home after two eight hour shifts in a row and need to make dinner, I can’t blame you for only making one meal choice or being a little snippy when they decide corn is the devil. Heck, less than that.

Legumes make my stomach real unhappy. I didn’t understand why but I knew I didn’t want to eat them. As in, they once said I couldn’t leave the table til I ate the dinner (chili) so I stayed there til midnight. (this was when dad realized this wasn’t just me being a brat and he’d make sure there was a spare stack crackers and extra cheese) But there were three kids, and it took til I was out of the house before it mostly stuck in my moms head that I hated legumes. (It’s cool. I never remember her birthday, she still sends me legume recipes) I know it made her batty that I fought every vegetable. My family loved veg and fruit. I had to be bribed to eat other than my four acceptable ones. I would also have found me very frustrating and probably said “eat it or not, but I’m not making you your own meal” pretty often. Parenting is exhausting y’all.

There’s also the factor of multiple kids. My siblings faves were meals I despised. (See above, chili, which the whole family loved) And vice versa. I’d i was happy, they were suffering. Cooking full alternate meals wasn’t an option(god we were poor) and yeah, they’d give me more of the part I hated least, and I never went to bed hungry, and it wasn’t done as punishment, but my child brain sure as heck thought it was.

The most damaging food based childhood thing wasn’t punishment, it was how hard they tried to avoid wasting food. Again, I get it. They bought the food that was on the cusp of going bad, it couldn’t sit in the fridge for five days. But that meant my dad pushed this No Leftovers thing. And, if you put it on your plate, you had to eat it. All three of us, to this day, have trouble leaving food on the plate even if we’re full. Again, not great, good intentions, he didn’t want us to starve, caused some issues, but not punishment because it wasn’t intended or treated that way.

Specifically on the punishment via food thing, I still find a weird grey zone here.

Say you have four meals planned for the week. One is your middle child’s top five foods. Middle child fights a kid at school. You decide to change plans and not cook that one tonight. (It’s me, I am middle child) that’s definitely in the Punishment category, because you’re withdrawing a promised Good Thing. But I’m totally cool with it now. I took that kid down hard, no, I don’t get to have my fave that night. Or the next.

That’s in the pile of ‘until you X to make up for it, you can’t have Y’ which is a solid thing to me? “Until you apologize for stealing all the crayons from your brother, you can’t keep coloring.” That’s instructive and reinforces better behavior. It being food makes it shaky. I get that. It’s why I asked for opinions in the first place.

I think I’m drawing my line between foods you dislike vs hate. You’re not starving, you’re just not happy about dinner.

And seriously, fuck that guy for the sneak attack spicy apples. If you and your kid show mutual affection via pranks, I’m probably okay with it, cause it’s one bite, they spit it out, and begin plotting revenge. Also, if they’re old enough to pull pranks, they’re old enough to understand that it’s not malicious. But dude. Wtaf

[wellness-university]

Meal Prepping 101

Taking maximum credit loads, commuting, and working a part-time job can make eating a balanced diet seem impossible.

I mean, how many more responsibilities do you need?

But that’s the thing - eating a nutritious diet is the foundation to your success. It can give you the energy to study for exams and stay awake during three-hour seminars. And it may even grant you better grades.

Also, eating a balanced diet may improve your immune system, which results in fewer absences.

Yes, you’re not the only one snoozing in three-hour seminars. 

One way to guarantee that you’re eating nutrient-dense and filling meals is to practice meal prepping. Meal prepping is cooking multiple servings of a meal in a single day. For instance, you can make your lunches for Monday through Friday by cooking in bulk on Sunday. All you have to do is pop it in Tupperware and grab it before you go out the door.

Click here to see some examples of lunches that are easy to meal prep.

For most college students, this can seem like a daunting task.

“Where will I find the time to grocery shop?”

“What should I cook?”

“HOW do I cook?”

I’m here to reassure you that meal prepping is not as hard as it seems. Throughout my college career, I've been a commuter student who has taken maximum credit loads for every semester.

Meal prepping was the secret to staying organized and making the little time I had count.

There’s nothing like the reassurance of having your lunch ready and prepped next to you at all times. And- you’re in full control of what you are eating because we all know how easy stress eating is. Not to mention how hard it is to stop grabbing for the nearest salty snack.

If you’re unsure of how to begin meal prepping, let’s dive into how you can take care of your body by preparing your meals for the week! 

Basic Nutrition

The first step to meal prepping is deciding what you want to eat. I’m not a certified nutritionist, but I do have experience in eating for body function and performance since I am an athlete. These meal plans tend to be nutrient-dense and focused on eating whole foods.

What do I mean by whole foods? These are foods that usually don’t have a gigantic ingredient list listed on their packages. These include fruits, veggies, meat, beans, grains, and eggs.  

For example, I made sure to eat foods that would give me sustainable energy for my last Jiu-Jitsu tournament. My breakfast for the day was a sautee of quinoa, scrambled egg whites, and black beans. The combination of protein and carbohydrates kept me fueled through each of my fights.

Here’s the number #1 tip you should follow when grocery shopping: stick to the perimeter of the store. While following the perimeter of the store, you’ll find your veggies and fruits, the deli section and dairy.

But this is not to say that you won’t go down any aisles. There are a few “whole foods” scattered throughout the middle of the store such as beans and rice. 

The most important part of your meal plan and diet is BALANCE. Sure, you want to stick to whole foods mainly, but there’s nothing wrong with having Cheez-It’s as a snack every once in a while. Here’s a helpful grocery list you can follow if you want to meal prep your lunches:

- 2 types of fruits you enjoy 

- 2 vegetables you enjoy

- Chicken (or tofu if you don’t eat meat)

- Brown rice

- Black beans

- Yogurt (dairy or non-dairy, try to pick one with less added sugars)

- Almonds (omit if you’re allergic to nuts)

- Honey (substitute maple syrup)

- Dark chocolate

- 1 type of cracker/treat that you enjoy such as Doritos

Make sure to multiply this list based on how many days you’ll want lunch. Your meal prep can last however many days you want it to, but I usually cap it at five days. Here’s the meal you’re going to make:

- Brown rice bowl with chicken/tofu, beans, and veggies

- Side of yogurt parfait (yogurt, fruit, almonds, honey)

- Side of dark chocolate

- 1 treat *alternate every other day*

This list is just for lunches, but you can prep any meal of your choice. If you want to meal prep your breakfast, add these items to your list:

- Large eggs (white or brown)

- Egg whites

- Loaf of bread (whichever kind you prefer)

- Any spread you put on toast

There’s your breakfast! You can make 2 eggs + extra egg whites for added protein with toast.

And if you’re interested in meal prepping your whole day, all you have to do is choose a different dish than your lunch for dinner. Since every student has a different living situation, I’ll leave this up to you to decide. 

It’s important that when you go grocery shopping for your meal prep, you pick up any other items that you need such as laundry detergent or bottled water. This will save you time and stress throughout the week since your time is limited between classes to run to the store.

Budget

It’s easy to say what you need to get at the grocery store, but I know that not every student has adequate funds to purchase my entire grocery list. This doesn’t mean that you can't meal prep.

You can easily modify any grocery list to fit your needs. For instance, instead of getting two types of vegetables and fruit, you can only get one type of each. Or if raw chicken is too expensive, scour the frozen aisles for pre-cooked chicken tenders. They may not be the healthiest option, but they might be your only option at the moment. 

If you’re a student that works a part-time job, meal prepping will save you more money than you’d expect. Instead of picking up random fast food meals throughout the week or spending $20 for a coffee and a treat at Starbucks, your only large purchase for the week should be your groceries. 

For each paycheck, set aside $30-70 for your meal prepping. The more days you meal prep, the more you will spend. It’ll seem like a large amount at first glance, but $70 spread out over 5 days is $14 for multiple meal and snacks. 

How to Meal Prep

After following your budget and gathering your groceries, it’s time to start meal prepping. Let’s grab our Tupperware and get to work!

The whole concept of meal prepping is cooking your meals in one session. Most people like to meal prep on Sunday since that’s when they have the least amount of plans. Choose a day where you know you’ll have at least 2 hours free to cook. 

Here are a few tips to follow when preparing your meals:

- Empty the dishwasher and sink before you start

- Have multiple foods cooking at once (chicken on the stove, veggies in the oven, etc.)

- Always start with the food that takes the longest to cook (rice can take up to 45 minutes)

- Make sure to eat and get yourself in a good mood before cooking

- Clean as you go

With these tips, your meal-prepping session should go smoothly. Meal prepping is something that takes time to truly perform well. The more you do it, the better it gets.

It also may help to try meal prepping with a friend or roommate so that you can delegate and split tasks.

Don’t be discouraged if your first meals are poorly seasoned or cooked through. The only way to improve is to practice and stay consistent. 

[indischwindisch]

Chickpea, Spinach and Potato Curry with Quinoa (Vegan)

This meal is a perfect example of how a delicious and wholesome meal can be budget friendly. It's easy to make and requires only ingredients from any the basic grocery store.

This meal is a perfect example of how a delicious and wholesome meal can be budget friendly. It’s easy to make and requires only ingredients from any the basic grocery store. Eating Healthy On a Budget Today I am starting a series “Eating Healthy On a Budget” sharing meals that you can make with ingredients costing under 2€. This series is especially designed for students and busy people who do…

[dangerliesbeforeyou]

complaining in tags ignore me

[rainyfestivalsweets]

6/20/23 Leg 3

More food pics

[hecckyeah]

someone please remind me that gaining weight is okay sometimes

[youngestdaughtersyndrome]

they dont know about the mirepoix.....