I'm attempting to eat as cheaply as possible

Birdseed

Most canned soups are loaded with sodium.

Kidney beans, chicken breast, tuna pouches, ramen (gross), baked potatoes, applesauce

Are you a Talking Heads song?

Eggs, sardines.

Soups are easy to make and more heath y than canned.

Me too OP. Go easy on the rice, what with the arsenic and all...

Just make sure you read the ingredients of the peanut butter since most add vegetable oils in but you can find some which are only peanut and salt. Canned fish especially small types of fish are cheap. Eggs are cheap if you think about how many meals you can get out of one carton.

R7 I don't care too much about the added ingredients in the peanut butter. It's still relatively inexpensive and something that I can slap on my toast every morning for some time.

My biggest sources of protein right now are carrots, yogurt and peanut butter!

Rice is extremely fattening.

Oats, oats, oats. Cheapest and healthiest breakfast. I literally just pour a bunch in a bowl, put the kettle on, and add the boiling water.

If I have frozen berries or bananas or something i'll add them, sometimes peanut butter and honey too.

And they're SUPER filling.

As for lunch/dinner options, you're on the right track with the canned diced tomatoes. I love canned chickpeas as well, they're super cheap, packed with protein and fibre, and very filling. Have a good texture too (less... 'chewy' than beans).

White rice is not healthy. It's pure carbs. Quinoa, a whole protein, is a healthy grain.

Since when do carrots provide protein? I mean, they are healthy but don't eat them to provide protein. They don't.

... boxes and boxes of wine.

Buy onions, carrots and celery and learn to make mirepoix, a flavor base for soups and stews. Add bouillon cubes, water, meat and vegetables. I make soup every week, fall through spring. Baking a whole chicken once a month goes a long way, too. If you don’t want to bake, buy a rotisserie chicken. I generally get several meals, a soup base and freeze the rest.

White rice is perfectly fine. It also has less of an arsenic problem than whole grain.

Why don't you sell the ostrich coat, Mrs. Manafort?

Do you have a Winco Foods near you? Great prices in the bulk foods section.

Dried beans, esp chick peas. Less convenient than canned, but you can control the salt.

Don’t get the peanut butter with partially hydrogenated oil in it (Jif, Skippy etc.) Read the label-only peanuts and salt allowed. It’s more expensive and separates so you have to stir it to blend it but it’s worth the extra hassle. That partially hydrogenated crap will kill you.

R18 LOL. I'm not very worried.

[quote]As few preservatives as possible. I think it can be a pretty healthy and clean diet if done well...

[quote]diced tomatoes that I get from can. I'm stocking up on things like canned soup, peanut butter, bags of baby carrots and crackers.

"Americans getting shorter and fatter" - as if there is any mystery to this.

Not to mention thinking "bags of baby carrots" are a cheap alternative. They should add "poorer" to "shorter and fatter."

Buy a variety of dried beans and keep in the house. You can soak them overnight, drain them , then boil them for about an hour and put in salads and or make a bean soup with them.

R20 has exceptionally high standards for diet and doesn't seem to know what moderation is.

R19 Too different posters have mentioned it and the reason you don't care is because you don't know what we're talking about right? Well honestly I understand having to buy frugally but if you stick to bad foods or foods without enough nutritional content you're going to end up costing yourself more in the long run. Do you avoid animal products too?

Lentils, dry beans,

Oatmeal is not just for breakfast. Healthy, easy, inexpensive and always tasty (and filling). Toss in some blueberries too!

OP is your reason that your income is very low? You might qualify for food stamps. Seriously. Live frugally but take advantage of help that might be available.

R23 And again, I'm telling you that I'm not worried. The issues you're referring to stem from poor eating habits not food itself. I'm trying to get rid of as much unnatural stuff as possible but I know it's not possible and not something I want to do.

Yes I eat meat. Just like most of the human population also eats peanut butter and doesn't drop dead.

*American population

Roast or microwave sweet potatoes. Bananas and green cabbages are super cheap. Boneless salmon in cans or pouches. Bags of frozen vegetables are cheaper than fresh and at around $1 or so in some stores (the broccoli, cauliflower, carrots mix or others - roast in oven with a little olive oil). Add apples or banana to plain/vanilla yogurt or to oatmeal, flavor with honey. Good luck, OP.

R27 No they don't drop dead they die slowly of diabetes, heart disease and cancer that has rocketed since the introduction of highly oxidative oils. It is the foods containing these oils that is part of the problem and removing unnatural stuff is possible. I am in favour of animal products. We both mentioned a simple solution so okay you don't want to listen or worry about it.

Here’s a site that has cheap recipes.

Buy no sodium black beans. Goya sells them, also Walmart has house brand low sodium canned black beans. There’s a big difference between low sodium and no sodium. You can add them to eggs, make tacos or add them to soup to stretch it and add protein.

To make basic soup stock, 1 yellow onion, garlic cloves, chopped carrots (about 3-4 large, or a small bag of baby carrots), a bunch of celery, about 1 tsp salt and pepper. If you don’t want to use salt, you can skip it. If you’re using the extra large stock pot, it’s about a half gallon of water. You can also add dried parsley to taste. Once you have your basic stock, you can do different things with it.

Want to make chicken soup, put a whole chicken or chicken pieces in, including guts, and some turmeric. You can put egg noodles in at the end.

Want to make Mexican soup, instead of noodles, add black beans and chili powder or cumin and top with chips and salsa.

Want vegetable soup, add the onions, garlic and diced potatoes first. Then as it’s cooking, add the other basic stock ingredients. As you’re cooking, add fresh or frozen green beans, or black beans or garbanzo beans. Put frozen peas and fresh or frozen corn in the last five or ten minutes when it’s boiling. Don’t overcook them.

If you want a tomato stock, use the basic stock recipe and add three small cans of tomato paste and two cans no salt stewed tomatoes. That’s a good stock for vegetable soup. Add Italian seasoning.

If you’re sick or you want a mild soup, mushrooms are good for adding to chicken soup stock. Add finely diced fresh ginger.

If you want a hearty potato soup, basic stock plus diced potatoes. Chop and mash some of them up pretty small after they’ve been cooking for a while, you get a nice creamy broth.

Lentil soup: basic stock plus dry lentils. I’ve added sweet potatoes to that sometimes. You can use a tomato base for lentil soup. Or try some mild curry powder if you like it.

Spices: go to the Mexican section of the market where they’re a lot cheaper. But put them in something airtight. Glass is better. Not above the stove or in the bright light, keep them in the dark. You can buy very small canning jars to hold spices at Walmart or other stores. If you put them all together in their cellophane packets they will smell really strongly like each other.

If you have a Costco or Sam’s Club card, they are drastically cheaper there if you don’t mind getting a lot. For spices you don’t use much, get a small size. Big Lots or Tuesday Morning have them at a good price.

If you are diabetic or on a low salt diet, don’t add salt while cooking. Add it at the very end from a shaker at the table. Cooking makes salt seem to disappear. Adding it at the end makes you taste it.

R30 And I will say to you, everything in moderation.

It's no big deal to make soup. I make it maybe 4 or 5 days a week during the winter. I make it espresso : saute onion, celery and carrots in some olive oil. Sauteing them gives the soup more flavor than just boiling. Then you add another vegetable (or 2) that you have on hand and some beans ( or rice or pasta ). A touch of tomato paste for richer color if you want. You can make soup while you're doing other things around the kitchen. 45 minutes to an hour later you've got soup. I like soup as a first course. I made cabbage soup this evening. Then I had a chicken thigh and a sweet potato.

OP Just have all your dates pick up the check, silly? Because you are a 20 yr old female fashion model are you not? You sure type like one.

[quote][R20] has exceptionally high standards for diet and doesn't seem to know what moderation is.

Or you have exceptionally low standards for diets.

Canned foods are laden with chemical preservatives, fat, and sodium - contrary to both OP's statement of eating clean and with as few preservatives as possible. And unless OP is buying very expensive baby carrots, the bags you see in most grocery stores are just big carrots that have been cut down - and are more expensive than just buying the regular sized carrots, so decidedly not a cheap alternative.

I'm all for moderation. As a practical matter, "diets" don't work because at some point the majority of people go off their diets. The only proven plan for improved health is a sensible eating plan that includes a balance of different types of foods and includes fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean sources of protein. Of course, one should also include foods one enjoys - eating should not be tedious or a drudgery - purely for enjoyment sake with little to no nutritional value. But, it shouldn't constitute a significant portion of one's daily calorie intake.

Cottage cheese is fabulous. It has lots of good protein, it's super filling and cheap.

R35 You must be privy to my the labels on my cans or something.

I can tell you my celery soup has 4 grams of fat in it and 150mg of sodium. Lol. Hardly ladden. I won't eating soup for my lunch, breakfast and dinner.

Whoever said white rice is fine, it is definitely not. Wreaks havoc on the body, same with white bread, white potatoes, and white sugar.

[quote][R35] You must be privy to my the labels on my cans or something.

[quote]I can tell you my celery soup has 4 grams of fat in it and 150mg of sodium. Lol. Hardly ladden. I won't eating soup for my lunch, breakfast and dinner.

r37 - you are free to identify where I've made errors and make whatever choices you want. YOU came here to whine or over-share about your life and ask for advice.

If you feel that your choices are sound - then by all means go ahead. Or, were you merely here to get a pat on the head and applause - this is DL. Or are you new here.

R38 Japan and Italy are at the top as far as longevity goes. Japan lots of white rice. Italy pasta. White rice does not wreak havoc on the body. That's just weird American diet trend rules.

How destitute do you have to be to think carrots are expensive, r35?

R41 These nutrition freaks are no different from conspiracy theorists. They don't use logic.

[quote]How destitute do you have to be to think carrots are expensive, [R35]?

Apparently, you can't read the headline of this thread: "I'm attempting to eat as cheaply as possible."

What part of "as cheaply as possible" is eluding your grasp?

One would presume that the headline would mean that the goal is to spend as little money as possible - though I'm open to hearing another logical explanation for it from you or r42.

Here's eggs and tomato cooked Chinese style, OP. Tasty, healthy, and cheap.

r43 is just a sad troll, too broke to afford carrots

Eggs are 48 cents a dozen at the Aldi near me. I make crustless quiches. 8 eggs, a pint of cream, 8 ounces of shredded cheese, whatever sauteed veg you want. My favorite is leeks with swiss cheese. A little salt, pour in buttered pan or tin. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes - until knife comes out clean.

LOL, "rice is extremely fattening". Have you seen Asians? They eat rice for every meal but remain very thin.

[quote][R43] is just a sad troll, too broke to afford carrots

r45 is just an illiterate troll too stupid to read.

R43, I can buy a bag of baby carrots for $2.

I am Asian and eat rice frequently. Rice is not fattening. Only fatties would claim that.

as cheaply as possible ... cut out meat or use very little.

shop the sales for fresh fruit and veg.

you get more for your money if you don't use convenience foods.

the egg idea is a good one, also oats.

beans and rice, rice and beans.

i make a mix of veggies with a little meat either roasted in the oven or in an electric skillet. cheap easy and good for you.

The "rice is fattening" claim is coming from the "Carbs are the devil!" types

And they are not cut up carrots. I can see their roots.

You need to eat very little carrot to obtain optimum nurtrional levels.

[quote][R43], I can buy a bag of baby carrots for $2.

r45, I'm sticking with your relative illiteracy since you continue to insist on the relevance of the cost of a bag of baby carrots vs. the overarching point of "trying to eat as cheaply as possible."

You just don't seem to be able to grasp the point.

OP, you need to go to www.nutritionvalue.com and analyze what your food is actually giving you. You mentioned up-thread that you get your protein from carrots--not very much at all. 100 grams of carrot yields .9 gram (less than one percent) protein, or 2% of your daily need. Just an example...

make that www.nutritionvalue.org

R54 wouldn't dare speak like this to people in real life. Lol.

A bag of baby carrots is cheaper than a bag of fullsized carrots, and as I said, you need to eat very little as they are high in nutrients. Even if I am getting less in the long, this works better for me.

Move along now.

"Baby cut carrots are made from longer carrots. The skin is taken off and then longer carrots are cut into smaller "baby" carrots. The skin (as in humans!) is there for a reason, a protective layer. These baby carrots are then washed in a chlorine solution before a final wash in potable water."

Oh, FFS, just buy a small bunch carrots!

[quote][R54] wouldn't dare speak like this to people in real life. Lol.

As a matter of fact, I would.

You're clearly more interested in being validated than anything else since none of the stated criteria actually appear to matter and you have a justification for doing whatever you want.

But, I've had sufficient.

Guys, you've given me some great pointers-- and, frankly, been very patient with my snippiness. Guess I was feeling a little intimidated by the topic and when that happens I get a bit scorpionish. Sorry! Now to make some soup!

I don't have to buy a whole bag of carrots if I want carrots, so I just buy two at a time and cut them or shred them.

I only buy whole peeled tomatoes in the can. I pulse them in the food processor or my stick blender. Diced tomatoes use some chemical to maintain the hard "diced" edge, which I find unpalatable. the 28 oz. can is almost always a better deal than buying two 14 oz. cans. I use them in lots of things, chili, sauces, soups, so when possible, I adjust recipes to acommodate the extra tomato.

You've been a complete and total cunt, r61. Don't blame it on when you were born. It's who you are. The only reason I finished is because I had already started, and someone else could possibly use the information.

OP, do you live near any stores that sell stuff in bulk? For example, beans, steel-cut oats, and even spices (chili powders, etc.).

You can make a delicious lentil stew with inexpensive ingredients and adjust it to your tastes. Look up "Chunky Lentil Stew" and you'll find the recipe I started with. It makes a lot and is good for you without being boring or breaking the bank.

Learn to make a simple apple cake and you can enjoy it as breakfast or dessert and it's nice to have an inexpensive treat around so you don't feel deprived.

What I put in lentils (stew or soup):

1# lentils (1.29-2.99 depending on type, origin) 1 large onion 2 carrots (I only buy two carrots, not a whole pound) 2 celery sticks (I use the rest for crudites) a squeeze of tomato paste (I buy it in tubes, not cans; I always end up wasting the rest in cans) 1 bay leaf (optional) 1 rind from Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional, but you can buy just the rind; OTOH, P-R can last a long time if you only use it as a grating cheese) S&P water

“Only fatties say white rice is not okay.” *eye roll*

What I use to cook lentils:

1# lentils (1.29-2.99 depending on type, origin)

1 large onion

2 carrots (I only buy two carrots, not a whole pound)

2 celery sticks (I use the rest for crudites, dip made from sour cream, dill, salt)

a squeeze of tomato paste (I buy it in tubes, not cans; I always end up wasting the rest in cans)

1 bay leaf (optional)

1 rind from Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional, but you can buy just the rind; OTOH, P-R can last a long time if you only use it as a grating cheese)

S&P

water

Do they eat white rice in Asia mostly, or brown? Do they eat minute rice? I think the minute rice is the one that is nutritionally vacant.

I like Basmati rice.

They eat Rice-a-Roni, Rose.

R13 uttered the dreaded phrase "bouillon cubes."

I'm surprised DL hasn't organized a lynch mob already

Make a big pot of soup, portion it out into individual servings, then freeze them. There are lots of cheap and easy soups you can make. Vegetable beef is one of my favorites.

As far as cheap food to have on hand in the pantry: potatoes, rice, beans, pasta & sauce are staples.

We were so impressed someone spelled "bouillon" correctly, r71, we let it slide.

If I buy more than a couple of potatoes at a time, some go bad.

Beans and rice are good mixed with salsa and topped with a little cheese.

Grilled cheese and tomato bread is pretty cheap, or just baked tomatoes (cut the top off, add breadcrumbs and spices and a little olive oil, shredded cheese if you want, then bake).

I like putting cooked rinsed red beans in about everything, even have them with eggs.

I'm not R61.

Also r60... Just die omg.

FYI. When I do buy larger carrots they're hardly ever finished and I end up throwing away half a bag. Hardly a saving when I'm wasting money.

What a 'tude.

Don't buy a whole bag of carrots. Just buy one or two.

R77 I don't like the taste of large carrots. Period.

I thought they were the same as small carrots.

[quote]Whoever said white rice is fine, it is definitely not. Wreaks havoc on the body...

Which is why 3 BILLION people on earth eat it twice a day.... for life!

God

You know what, guys? I'm sick of your patronizing attitude. So I don't know about complementary proteins or cruciferous vegetables. BIG FUCKING DEAL. Just fuck you and the horse you rode in on.

I am not R82

R31, thank you for all that. That was great and genuinely helpful (not the OP).

Canned lentils. Mix them with flavoured canned tomatoes and they're pretty good.

"I'm attempting to eat ass as cheaply as possible" The best things in life are FREE.

omg, you are so fucking stupid. it's cheaper to buy a bag of carrots. it's like one fucking dollar. and you can freeze the bag of unused carrots. or make carrot juice.

Are baby carrots the new drained pasta?

East asians eat very little rice compared to South Asians. South Asia is where you see the problems that rice causes because they are genetically more prone to getting diabetes as well. It's no coincidence that it's one of the first places where Diabetes was discovered.

R55 I couldn't tell if OP was being genuine or if this whole thread was a weird trolling attempt because the carrots as protein thing was so weird.

Oats.

Whole chicken. Then you can portion it into many pieces, for many different dishes and use the carcass to make a stock for homemade soups.

Fresh vegetables. Onion, celery and carrots are the holy trinity of the kitchen. The humble potato. Think fresh greens too.

Salad and roast beans in the oven to put on the salad.

Purchase a box of Tic Tacs then eat a couple for every meal and wash down with water. If you're invited to Edina's for dinner, eat what you want then just it puke it out later. I've been doing this for decades and haven't gained an ounce. Hope this helps.

Preserve fresh vegetables and fruits for the winter by pickling, brining and salting.

Cabbage soup is loaded with nutrition and can freeze well. Make a huge batch and use what you have in it.

ᶜᵒⁿᵍᵉᵉ

R90, R55 is a genuine troll.

[quote]roast beans in the oven to put on the salad.

I've never heard of not cooking beans in water. Or do you mean green beans, which I suppose you could roast, though most people don't.

OP asks for suggestions then replies to each one with a smartass remark about what a dumb suggestion it is. I hereby nominate OP for the DL Cunt of the Week award.

Of the Year, r99. So far, anyway.

Skip all the canned goods they are loaded with salt and preservatives. Cook from scratch, dried beans which should be soaked then cooked are a good source of protein.

"clean" food.

Oh, brother. Ignoramus. Or talented cunting troll?

Eggs, lentils, frozen vegetables, whole chickens.

When I was a broke-ass student, the cheapest food I ever found was bulk polenta. The dry coarse cornmeal cost like fifty cents a pound, and a dinner portion was a few tablespoons out of that pound. So if you were willing to live on nothing but potenta flavored with salt, you could probably eat for a week on one dollar.

However, that would be as unhealthy as it would be boring. Polenta has to be flavored with butter and/or cheese, or topped with some sort of sauce (marinara is good), or used as a bland side to something more interesting, and it's pure carbs. Still, it's the cheapest of cheap food.

Rice is not good for you OP, its all carbs and filler with no nutritional value to speak of. Yeah its cheap thats why its so popular in poor countries but you might as well eat cardboard.

The carb discussion aside, carrots are one of the best-lasting vegetables if refrigerated. I cook with them all the time and often grate them raw into salads, etc. Honestly, they last a good month or two if left in the fridge and cost very little if you are shopping at a reasonable store. What is the big deal?

[quote]Which is why 3 BILLION people on earth eat it twice a day.... for life!

And most of those are developing countries where the average lifespan is 5 to 10 years less than first world countries that eat more protein.

Bleach bath. Cut fruit. CLEAN!

These are baby carrots.

Also: why does no one eat anything with chlorophyll in it anymore?

Make your own bread. It's cheaper and taste so much better than store bought. Google "no knead bread" for easy recipes. Sourdough bread is really easy to make too. One homemade bun and a fried egg is a great breakfast, cheap and filling.

Home Made Bread is better tasting and quality, but its not cheaper to make R110. You need bread flour to do it right, that's a little more expensive. Plus all that baking is going to kick up the electric bill. Shitty store bough bread is so cheap, especially when its day old or marked down.

OP wanted to have cheap food that is "clean". I don't think the cheapest bread in the store qualifies as clean eating.

Buy uncooked peanuts, toss them in a little oil and salt and roast them in the oven for a few minutes then grind them into a paste for your own peanut butter. Works with other nuts as well.

OP must be a troll, because no one can be simultaneously so stupid and so obnoxious. He claims to want to eat cheap and clean, then mocks every admonition that his canned goods are not, saying things like:

[quote]The issues you're referring to stem from poor eating habits not food itself.

He wants to eat cheap, but insists on his allegedly protein-rich "baby carrots" (not R109's baby carrots, btw). Is this classic by OP or an equally dimwitted supporter?

[quote]And they are not cut up carrots. I can see their roots.

Carrots have very little protein. But it's hard to say nowadays on Datalounge because IQ has plummeted and threads about food are among the worst displays of ignorance and fetishism. I am going with: this an idiot and a troll. OP doesn't set a purpose for the thread, nor ask for advice.

Honestly, I don't know if OP is a troll, I think he just doubled down on the baby carrot thing when people got all riled up about it. Happens a lot.

"The True Story of Baby Carrots."

I haven't read the story yet, but when someone says "baby carrots," I think of the things on the left.

baby carrots

Whelp, OP just started an anti-smoking thread, and has also been trolling the trans threads, so that answers my question about whether he's a troll or not. He is.

So glad this fuckface is branching out to new topics.

Chana masala is inexpensive and tasty and filling!

Noted elsewhere, most grocery stores allow you to buy spices in bulk so you only purchase the small amount you need for a recipe.

A delicious lentil dish is mujadara, from Lebanon. There are a lot of recipe variations you can browse online, but the basic idea is to combine caramelized onions, lentils and rice. Use brown rice and you will be getting complete protein. Serve with a dollop of yogurt on the side. It's inexpensive. very hearty and nutritionally sound.

Aldi is your friend.

OP, maybe instead of eating you can go out and watch angry mobs beat the shit out of trans people since according to your posts that's something you approve of.

r123 = Wutta Kunt

R123 is right, OP is literally posting that it's good that mobs try to beat trans people to death.

[quote]White rice is not healthy. It's pure carbs. Quinoa, a whole protein, is a healthy grain.

But you have to ignore the fact that Quinoa tastes like eating dirt.

[quote]Buy onions, carrots and celery and learn to make mirepoix, a flavor base for soups and stews.

We the unpretentious call this vegetable stock.

If you need proof that the rise in health consciousness has turned people into preachy, illogical bigots, here it is.

The title says "as cheaply as possible", so I assume. to OP, health concerns come second to cost, and the goal is to spend as little as possible while also eating as few processed foods as possible, not to eliminate processed ingredients all together.

A jar of "organic" peanut butter is priced at $7-10 where I live, with the "processed" kind usually being around $3-5, so people's suggestion that OP should make the switch is not a very economical one. Also, if we're considering substitution of other foods which people put on toast like ham, bacon, mayo, etc, it is a relatively healthier option.

Health is different things to different people. To generalize and say any one food is detrimental to your health is ignorant, so no need to warn people about what they're doing to themselves unless you're a doctor and they're your patient.

R127 OP also said 'As few preservatives as possible.'

R128 Preservative = processed.

R129 I meant that since OP stated that they wanted as few perservatives as possible is why the vegetable oils in peanut butter came up since there is a peservative free version of peanut butter. Also you're assuming that OP actually has financial issues and from all their responses in this thread they probably don't. They're just a moron who doubled down on it more than once in this thread alone.

R130 People can have multiple reasons for doing one thing.

If you're near Atlanta hit Food Depot. Seriously - a 12 pack of bone in skin on chicken thighs is less than $5. For $60 you can get enough high quality protein, vegetable and fruit for a week or more on that. It's why you see Jaguars, Mercedes, etc. all shopping at Food Depot.

It's really hard to eat well and eat cheaply. Good luck, OP.

[quote]Buy onions, carrots and celery and learn to make mirepoix, a flavor base for soups and stews.

[quote]We the unpretentious call this vegetable stock.

Unpretend all you like, mirepoix is not the same as stock.

I have little to add, but DL threads on healthy yet inexpensive eating have been helpful to me in the past. Thanks to everyone who contributes to this knowledge base, and consider searching for similar threads on the subject for further reading.

[quote] The "rice is fattening" claim is coming from the "Carbs are the devil!" types

In the winter I eat a lot of black japonica rice (instead of bread). I make enough for two meals. I keep the leftover rice in the fridge and toss it over a salad the next day. Eating it does not affect my weight.

Avoid rice grown in the US it's the rice with high levels of pesticides.

[quote]Quinoa tastes like eating dirt

??? Quinoa has a slightly nutty flavor; tastes nothing like dirt.

Rice has arsenic in it, too.

Ask Cher.

I like quinoa, that's what they eat in space, lots of nutrients.

R118 - those are MANUFACTURED baby carrots. Same as standard mature carrots but you pay more per lb.

[quote]But you have to ignore the fact that Quinoa tastes like eating dirt.

True, but white rice has no flavor. And not much in terms of nutrition. I don't get the appeal other than cheap filler for impoverished nations.

[quote]Avoid rice grown in the US it's the rice with high levels of pesticides.

Except that China is the most polluted nation in the WORLD! They dont even bother testing that rice.

r142. Yes, I KNOW. That was my POINT. That they are real, regular carrots that have been sculpted to that ridiculous shape. Yet that is what most people think "baby carrots" are.

Aldi has lots of organic products/produce now.

Beans/brown rice Apples natural peanut butter Eggs Wheat bread Canned Tuna/ fresh chicken Spinach/onions/garlic/cilantro /grape tomatoes/zucchini Pasta Oatmeal /brown sugar About $50 will buy a cart of this stuff

OP if you want to eat "cheaply" and healthy make some investments: Brown rice, never white rice. No canned shit. Soups, tomatoes, etc. No. Get some dried lentils and some dry navy beans. Get Vegetable, beef and chicken stock. bullion cubes or the Better Than Bullion paste that comes in a jar. Large jug of olive oil from Costco. ($14) or something less large and not that expensive from Trader Joe's. In fact TJ's ought to be one of your "go to" stores because you can get fresh produce less expensive. Of course we are coming into the time when Farmer's MArkets will have an abundance of fresh produce. So make your soups, chilis, and other dishes and freeze some of them. Stir fry your fresh veggies with rice. Use fresh garlic and fresh ginger with abandon. USe herbs like fresh basil, thyme, Dill, Sage, etc. Get the large containers of Greek yogurt, plain, and get a couple jars of preserves to top it with. Eat chicken not beef. It's healthier. lentils and yogurt are high protein. And don't forget eggs.Eggs with veggies are your friend. Splurge on some high quality sprouted wheat or high fiber whole grain bread. TJ's own brand is $3.50.

Google "TGI Friday's Black Bean Soup Recipe" - it's super easy to make. I used to work there back in the 90's and can verify most of the recipes shared online of it are legit. In addition, most grocery stores sell a frozen diced carrot/celery/onion blend, as well as frozen diced green peppers. As for the garlic, I actually really like the refrigerated garlic paste in a tube - typically in the salad section of your grocery store near the herbs. It's important to let it simmer for an hour to thicken up properly. In particular, the recipe calls for some cider vinegar and hickory liquid smoke, which I almost never see in other recipes for black bean soup.

Honestly, most of the time, my go to cheap meals are often Nature's Own Whole Grain Bread with Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter, and some OJ (full pulp) or some black coffee - no sugar. Or bowl of Quaker Oat Squares with unsweetened/unflavored almond milk.

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are super cheap and very versatile. I like to marinate them with a can of chipotle in adobo, then grill them and dice them up and make soft tacos with some shredded lettuce, monterey jack cheese, and fresh salsa. They're also great in stir fry's.

No salt lemon pepper is great for chicken, fish or vegetables.

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are cheap and very versatile

TMI

[quote]No canned shit. Soups, tomatoes, etc. No.

While I mostly agree with r147, I find canned tomatoes preferable most of the year where I live. I certainly wouldn't use fresh winter tomatoes for making sauces.

You people rely too much on canned and processed foods for recipes. Buy mostly plant based foods, maybe also milk and yogurt which is cheap. Look up indian cuisine. It's all about making the most out of cheap ingredients from scratch.

[quote]Look up indian cuisine.

I've "looked it up." I don't like the smell the next day.

Most canned foods don't rely on preservatives as they are hermetically sealed.

Congee made from inexpensive vegetables bought in Chinatown.

The fewer preservatives that the OP ingests, the better.

Cans of beans (aka legumes). Get black beans and saute' with olive oil and spices to upgrade the can beans. Get corn tortillas and avocado. This is my favorite snack, and it is cheap too.

Lentils can be used to make a very good chili (Look for the Whole Foods recipe--you'll need to amp up the spice/herb palata and double the onion, pepper and garlic.

Lentils also make a good base for picadillo, which can be used as a main dish or a filling for tortilla

Marinara (basically broken up whole tomatoes, garlic, oregano and dried red pepper) is an excellent sauce to have around

Thanks to OP for starting what has turned out to be a very informative thread!

Toast-and-Water

Cut a slice from a stale loaf (a piece of hard crust is better than anything else for the purpose), toast it of a nice brown on every side, but do not allow it to burn or blacken. Put it into a jug, pour the boiling water over it, cover it closely, and let it remain until cold. When strained, it will be ready for use.

Toast-and-water should always be made a short time before it is required, to enable it to get cold: if drunk in a tepid or lukewarm state, it is an exceedingly disagreeable beverage. If, as is sometimes the case, this drink is wanted in a hurry, put the toasted bread into a jug, and only just cover it with the boiling water; when this is cool, cold water may be added in the proportion required,—the toast-and-water strained; it will then be ready for use, and is more expeditiously prepared than by the above method.

R148 any time you buy pre cut veggies you are wasting money. Period. Buying already diced carrots and celery is a waste. And garlic paste in a tube? Really? Ugh.

Fresh veggies. You want to chop them up and freeze them yourself, fine. It's always good to have the ingredients for mirepoix so you can start your soup or stew or chili.

The only thing I give in to is cheese. That I will buy the shaved or shredded version,but good quality.

Save your vegetable scraps for stock--you don't have to do anything fancy, just make sure that one taste doesn't overwhelm the other.

Take advantage of seasonal produce---an easy way to vary your diet.

I had to go to the store for milk and eggs today and I almost bought some fresh beets. I was going to roast them with goat cheese and serve them on a bed of arugula like I was a gourmet. But then I didn't. My ambition fled.

This is a great thread. I'm broke and have about $20 a week to spend on food.

R164, there are certain things you can buy cheaply. eggs and milk, and even bread. (I always go to the day old discount shelves at the supermarket to see what I can find. I bought a great loaf of cinnamon raisin bread for $1.30 and popped it in the freezer. Dried beans and brown rice, too. Get them just about any store. So go for cheap. But then you go to TJ's for your veggies and a good store for your meats. There are some people who go to the supermarket every two or three days. They spend hundreds of dollars a month on food. For one or two people. Try to limit the number of times you shop. Avoid going to the supermarket more than four times a month if you can. And never walk into a store unless you know exactly what you're buying.

Thanks, R165. I get day old bread too. For breakfast I have a piece of whole wheat toast and peanut butter and an apple, sometimes a yogurt if it's on sale. Usually I skip lunch, then have something pretty similar for supper. If I have a snack it's usually something like a granola bar or some crackers. It's all pretty bland I guess but I'm trying to budget and I hate all those cheap noodles. I try not to eat them too often.

Wow, OP is the anti-smoking troll.

Look at what the TROLL wrote about the Notre Dame fire.

[quote]- I can't be sad about Notre Dame

[quote]It's just ironic that they cry over this seeing as 25% of the population risks burning down their place of living on a daily basis.

Creepy.

^ This thread is useful in my opinion since I'm not always flush with cash. I am willing to ignore past trolling behavior.

Regardless of who started it, this is a useful thread for many others.

[quote]Most canned foods don't rely on preservatives as they are hermetically sealed.

Most canned foods, even vegetables and fruit are loaded with salt or sugar. Those were used for hundreds of years as preservatives before the other ones came along. Neither salt or sugar in high volume is good for you though.

If I want to eat cheaply these are the things I buy: 5-pound bag brown rice, canned tuna, popcorn kernels, canned & frozen vegetables, oatmeal, and a large bag of peanuts.

R170 I think there are far too many brands of canned food to generalize like this. Most canned vegetables I see are in the 150-280mg of sodium range. This doesn't seem high to, but I'm not fat. Daily sodium intake should be no higher than 2.5 grams.

I buy my canned tomatoes without salt or BPA in the lining.

Now Walmart has house brand no salt canned tomatoes, beans and several other vegetables.

Also, if you want lower but still salted vegetables, check out the Mexican brands. They’re almost always lower salt. Most are canned in the U.S.

R164, you need to get some protein. You're not eating enough. Get a bag of dried lentils and a dozen eggs, and some kind of green vegetable. I get broccoli because it lasts. I hate it when veggies go bad and I have to toss them.

If I had very limited funds, I’d get eggs, bread, a bag of apples and oranges, or a bunch of bananas, and a bag of frozen string beans or spinach. Maybe a small container of peanut butter for sandwiches. Eat fruit or vegetables with every meal, they will fill you up. Eggs and string beans and toast are not bad.

I'll get some lentils next time I go shopping, R175, thanks for the idea.

Oh, and R177, get two or three yellow onions and some garlic. You'll need canned tomatoes. I've seen how expensive fresh can be, so canned it is to use with your lentils, onions, & garlic.

So, $20: Milk $1.29, Bread, 3.50, peanut butter, 3.50, bag of dried lentils, 2.99, 2 cans tomatoes, $3, eggs, $2.50, 2 yellow onions, 1 crown broccoli & a garlic bulb_ $3. It's tight but it can be done. These are estimates but you may get certain things cheaper.

Just go to starbucks during closing time and beg the manager for food, they will give you free.

Get a part time job somewhere food is served and eat a couple of meals free.

Have a look on youtube for cheap nutritious food, people post recipes from around the world, just simple traditional things.

r180 is not a bad idea.

I tried vanilla Huel ("nutritionally complete powdered meal replacement"), with no "flavor boosts," thinking it was going to taste horrible, but I actually like it, and have been hooked on it for the past 6 months or so. I'm pretty sure it's helped me lose weight or at least not gain. I've offered it to 4 or 5 friends - with no pressure or sales pitch - and they all thought it tasted fine as well. Upfront cost is high because you're obliged to buy in bulk, it works out to $2 and change per meal, which is pretty fucken cheap., especially for something that's healthy and fast.

Caveats: 1. It has a slightly chalky texture, so I always use a blender to make the texture as smooth as possible. 2. Instead of ice cubes, I like to use a handful of frozen fruit, which improves the flavor (though I think it's fine as is). 3. I never use it for more than 1 or 2 meals a day. You need some variety at least 1 "real" meal, IMHO.

*but it works out to ... [Say, I just joined this site and is there really no way to edit a post? I have to suffer neurotically knowing I made a typo and can't fix it???]

Canned tomatoes are fine.

I wouldn’t buy anything else canned. You get more in bags of frozen vegetables anyway.

[quote]is there really no way to edit a post?

No, there is no way to edit a post.

[quote]I have to suffer neurotically knowing I made a typo and can't fix it???

Yes. Suffer. We type carefully and hope for the best.

Oh Christ, it’s this asshole again. The cheap eater/ I only shop at the dollar store/ I’m a poor fuckwit. BLOCKED.

Thanks, R178! I don't eat a lot a lot if lentils but maybe I'll start, especially if they help you feel full.

You are still going to need to get your essential amino acids daily. If you are too restrictive on your diet or don't get the right combination it will cause problems. Might be cheap today, but could cause you problems down the road.

If you can afford it, I would get a Costco card. If the person gets a card, they can add a friend or family member on the card. They don’t really ask who it is. The other person gets their own card they can use without you. That brings the price down to about $30 each and it lasts a year. You can get discount gas. Eggs and bread are both less than $3 each. Bananas are less than $3. They have a lot of organic food.

Some things are not a good deal, you may be able to do better at a regular supermarket. But certain things are really cheap. You can save money by buying large quantities of things that don’t spoil. For example they have led light bulbs for 6 for $10. A box of plastic trash bags probably lasts a year. They have a lot of frozen food so there’s no spoilage. When I’ve been really short on money, frozen food means no spoilage, which is what kills you if you don’t have money to spare. They have big bags of vegetables like green beans, mixed blends of cauliflower, carrots and broccoli, or stir fry mix. A lot of frozen fruit too. I don’t drink milk but that’s probably really cheap too, all their basics are cheap. Their house brands are good quality.

A lot of their packaging is around $8-10, which can include eight pounds of plain oatmeal, which you can put in ziplock bags and freeze. Or two large jars of of Jif peanut butter, which will last for months.

Their eyeglasses are also really cheap and their prescription medications are really cheap too.

Also, if you’re REALLY broke before payday, they have a hotdog and soft drink deal for $1.50, slices of pizza really cheap and a whole pizza for $10. And $5 rotisserie chicken.

I’m not going to say Costco’s Food Court is the healthiest food, but if you are very short on money like some of the posters on here, this can hold you over until payday.

Kirkland Signature 1/4 pound plus all-beef or Polish hot dog served with 20 oz. refillable soda - $1.50

· Chicken bake - chicken breast, cheese, bacon, Caesar dressing - $2.99

· Hot turkey and provolone sandwich - oven roasted turkey, provolone, red onions, tomatoes, basil, and garlic mayonnaise on a toasted torta roll - $3.99

· BBQ beef brisket sandwich - USDA choice beef brisket, BBQ sauce, coleslaw - $4.99

· Chicken Caesar salad - $3.99

Pizza

· Slice of pizza - combo, cheese, or pepperoni slice - $1.99

· Whole pizza - 16” whole combo, cheese, or pepperoni - $9.95

Drinks

· 20 oz. drink with refill - $0.59

· Berry smoothie - $1.45

· Latte/mocha freeze - $1.45

Fresh Made Gelato

· 3 scoops gelato of choice served in a waffle cone - flavors include chocolate, pistachio, and stracciatella, a type of vanilla gelato garnished with irregular shavings of chocolate - $1.50

· Hand packed quart to go - pistachio, chocolate, or stracciatella (vanilla with chocolate shavings) - $4.99

Sweets

· Very Berry sundae with strawberries - $1.65

· Nonfat yogurt - chocolate, vanilla, or swirl - $1.35

· Hand-dipped ice cream bar with roasted almonds - $1.50

· Twisted churro with cinnamon and sugar - $1.00

R184, yeah, it's like life that weigh.

Though not totally fresh, some other things I like to make when tight on money...

Wal-Mart sells 2lb boxes of butterflied, panko breaded shrimp for like $10. But per serving (6 pieces), that comes out to $1 per serving. I typically pair it with some baked waffles fries, steamed mixed veggies and some cocktail sauce. I bake the shrimp and fries in my toaster oven, then microwave the veggies.

I've also seen frozen stuffed manicotti as low as like $2.75, and it's a pack of 8 (Gia Russa brand). Depending on your portion sizes, like two manicotti topped with some sauce, and a side salad, it's relatively inexpensive too.

I'm also a big fan of French's brand "Chili-O" seasoning packets. Just one of those, some canned kidney beans (low sodium if you prefer), some canned diced tomatoes (low/no sodium if you prefer), and a 1lb of lean ground beef can make several meals. You can serve it as is with some cheese, sour cream and green onion, over a baked potato with some sour cream and cheese, or even over some thin spaghetti pasta.

Gee, only 20 bucks for a week? how old are you? go ask your mommy or daddy for more pocket money! Time to get another job.

A simple dish of pork chops either grilled or pan fried in olive oil, along with a simple side salad of tomato & cucumber tossed in red wine vinegar, olive oil, s&p and maybe some dried basil or Italian blend is nice too.

TJ's produce isn't great. Buy what's in season--it can even be affordable at Whole Foods.

I'm 22 and I'm poor, R194. $20 is around all I can afford right now.

Ground chicken, sour cream, taco seasoning, salsa, lettuce, tomato, shredded cheese, and wraps if preferred. Will last several days for under $15.

Ditch the carbs

Shop at very low priced establishments such as Price Rite or dollar stores for beans, canned foods, and crackers/chips etc.

Just let Jim Baker feed you for a whole month on just 79.00.

The Fiesta Food bucket looks quite yummy!

Look into getting a 2nd job, walking dogs, pet sitting, baby sitting, to increase your income.

99 cent menu at McDonalds! What? It can be delicious. All these food snobs with their under utilized Vitamix blenders and Therma-pens can kiss my grits!

R203 have you ever seen Supersize Me?

R291, I don’t know about that particular brand, but I saw some reviews of similar products and they are very high in salt, sugar and carbs and low in calories. One company claimed it was thirty days of food, but a lot of the food was soup for about 300 calories and they were assuming you were eating something else too. The portions were small too. They said if you ate normal calories, it was half or less of the days they claimed.

Sorry, that’s for R201^^

R205, I'm not surprised. I'm sure there are tons of preservatives too...to preserve all of that crap when the zombie apocalypse comes.

The joke I always hear about people who stock up food for some "end of the world" bullshit is that unless you're some "Rambo" type, you're probably going to have your food stolen from someone bigger than you, so there's no point in stocking up.

R206, there are preservatives, but that stuff is freeze dried and vacuum packed. It’s stored with silica gel to vacuum out all the air, which makes it last longer. But they claim it lasts twenty years and it doesn’t. The fine print says you have to keep it at a cool temperature, like a cold basement, year round, or it expires a lot sooner. Most people can’t do that.

[quote]99 cent menu at McDonalds! What? It can be delicious.

There was a time when that was true. It may not have been good for you, but the 2 cheeseburger, small fries, and small Coke meal was tasty. It isn't anymore. McDonald's has given up tasting good, as of about ten years ago.

R197 I buy a rotisserie chicken at the beginning of the week and cut it up. I can get 6-8 meals meals by adding other ingredients. I make a chicken salad using 1/4 ripe avocado and part of the chicken breast, on toasted bread.

For years we've been dealing with the effects of poor nutrition among lower income people. Avoiding processed, high sodium, chemically infused "food" is a must. It takes some effort, you have to pay attention, you have to use your imagination, but you can do better.

OTOH, I do make good use of rotisserie chicken. I get about 4-5 meals out of a Costco Rotisserie chicken that costs be $4.99. I like them because they're larger and fresher than the chickens at the supermarket. It's one of the best deals and most versatile items you can buy. Trader Joe's produce is not a bad option for certain things. Getting a bag of small sweet potatoes from TJ's is a good buy.

OP, I initially read your headline as: I'm attempting to eat ass cheaply as possible

There are tons of Mommy blogs out there, but here's one you may find useful for weekly meal planning on a budget:

Lentils. They're super cheap, healthy and versatile.

[quote]Gee, only 20 bucks for a week? how old are you? go ask your mommy or daddy for more pocket money! Time to get another job.

How very Republican of you.

OP and others: If you're looking for free food, check out the fast food places at closing time. Years ago, when I was in college, our local (college town)bagel place was always giving away free stuff at the end of a shift. And I had a friend who worked at McDonalds and he brought home free salads and other stuff because it didn't seel and they can't keep it.

R203 really? A dollar cheeseburger is going to kill me?

I don't understand, is Freeganism no longer around?

Can you still eat free at Hare Krishna ?

$20 a week for food isn't enough, R216.

Go to your local food bank. That is what they are there for.

Or get a better job, R222.

You're all a bunch of cheapskates!

I've been thinking. I might save money on food if I joined one of those services that delivers meals to you. Or maybe even Nutri-system. Then there are the liquid nutrition drinks like Boost or Ensure. They might work for one meal a day. Of course those things require an investment and if you're limited to $20 a week it would be impossible. To all of you telling the guy to "get a better job"I want to say STFU. You have no idea who you're talking to. This person may be disabled.They may be in some situation where that isn't possible. I think it would shock a lot of us to discover how many people suffer from food insecurity. Especially elderly people, or people who have to try to keep a roof over their head or deal with medical issues. Obama isn't President anymore. My sister is a public school teacher and she said it was just terrible to discover how many kids come to school to get a meal. They have hardly anything to eat at home.

I actually have two jobs, one full time and one part-time one weekends and I'm still poor (for everyone saying get a job).

r225, if you switch meal delivery services every week you can eat very well for a month or two on $30 a week using all of the introductory offers.

I went to Costco and here’s an idea for the future if you can manage it: 10 pounds of Quaker Oats for $9.

When I buy those, I put the part I’m not going to use pretty soon in gallon zip lock bags and put it in the freezer. It will last at least a year that way with no spoilage. Grains don’t last as long as beans, so flour or any grains should be in the fridge in a glass jar or ziplock bag or in the freezer in a bag if you’re not going to use them pretty fast. They can expire as soon as six months in some cases. Look at the expiration dates.

Another thing to consider is buying bulk beans and lentils which are cheap and last about a year without getting hard. Put them in the freezer and it’s even longer.

The proper way to store grains or beans without worrying about weevils is to put them in a zip lock freezer bag, write the date on it and leave it in the freezer at least 3 weeks. If there are any insect eggs (which there probably are, sorry), this will kill them. Then if you don’t have room, take them out and put them in a glass jar. They’ll last at least a year that way. I’ve stored white rice that way two years with no spoilage.

Brown rice should be stored in the fridge or freezer. Any food with natural oils in it can go rancid with heat, so that includes peanut butter, brown rice, flour, nuts, etc. White rice has the outside covering shucked off, so it stores better at room temperature than brown rice.

Store grains and beans out of the light, which strips the vitamins out. Put them in a bottom shelf where it’s cool and dark, and write the expiration date on the container you store them in.

Glass jars are good for bean and grain storage. Canning jars are at Walmart, garage sales or thrift shops for not very much. You can get new canning jar lids in small and large sizes at Walmart or other supermarkets, so don’t worry if you find the jar part cheap somewhere with no lids. Canning jar glass is a lot thicker than other jars. A lot of jars you get today with jelly or fruit in them are very thin glass.

Eating cheaply doesn't have to mean unhealthy. Make sure you get protein, grains, and veggies. Stay away from processed foods as much as possible. Plan you menu, do more cooking, and be prepared to eat leftovers.

OP, Just stick to the Dollar Menus at McDonalds, KFC & Taco Bell: there's not a god damned carrot in sight, so you won't have to do the math to figure out that buying loose carrots is cheaper by volume than a bag of baby ones, which are almost always cut down from regular size. And you won't even run into anyone who will tell you that hydrogenated oils - like those in that Skippy & Jif shit - are horrible for you.

OP (with comments like those @ R82 ) you seem more interested in getting into a cunt fight than eating right. The people who are giving you nutritional advice are doing exactly what you asked for. And most of them know what they're talking about. So either thank them or shut your fucking (probably fat) mouth.

Potatos, onions, leek, parsnips, celery and carrots are usually really inexpensive and make great bases for soups and stews or you can roast them in the oven. Add lentils or a little bit of whatever protein you have and you have a full meal. I ate tons of them when I was a poor student. It was cheap, filling and nutricious.

OP, you sound like a perfect candidate for the potato diet.

My grocery list consists of chicken breasts that I make a few different seasonings and save for the week, rice, bananas, apples, berries, broccoli, carrots, Greek yogurt. I bring stuff for salad to work and have yogurt and fruit there for snacks. Honestly I used to eat like trash a year or so ago. Greasy take out every night. Not only does buying and cooking only fresh groceries save me a lot of money, my body feels a lot better when I just eat that. Processed foods kinda kill me now

My grocery list:

Chicken breasts

Bag of potatoes

Cheap vegetables

Cheap fruit

Coffee