Comments on: Healthy Foods on the Cheap http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/10/healthy-foods-on-the-cheap/ Simplify your home. Wed, 16 May 2012 23:17:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Laurie http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/10/healthy-foods-on-the-cheap/#comment-16608 Laurie Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:47:25 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=347#comment-16608 I have been buying wild-caught tuna (other wild-caught fish works very well, too) and broiling it with our meat for dinner, then making tuna salad from it the next day. I don't know if it has less contaminants, but I know it isn't farm-raised, and it isn't cooked to death to make it shelf-stable. I buy my fish on sale at Fresh and Easy, and the price is comparable to canned tuna, which is really quite expensive when you figure how many little cans it takes to feed a large family. LOVED this post (but I love most all of them). It really got me thinking about refocusing my purchases on what we really need. I have been buying wild-caught tuna (other wild-caught fish works very well, too) and broiling it with our meat for dinner, then making tuna salad from it the next day. I don’t know if it has less contaminants, but I know it isn’t farm-raised, and it isn’t cooked to death to make it shelf-stable. I buy my fish on sale at Fresh and Easy, and the price is comparable to canned tuna, which is really quite expensive when you figure how many little cans it takes to feed a large family. LOVED this post (but I love most all of them). It really got me thinking about refocusing my purchases on what we really need.

]]> By: Elise http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/10/healthy-foods-on-the-cheap/#comment-9403 Elise Sun, 20 Sep 2009 17:09:11 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=347#comment-9403 Just found your website this morning..I too, really like your list. Good to remember that eating whole and basic foods is affordable. Just found your website this morning..I too, really like your list. Good to remember that eating whole and basic foods is affordable.

]]> By: smallnotebook http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/10/healthy-foods-on-the-cheap/#comment-421 smallnotebook Sat, 02 Aug 2008 05:21:27 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=347#comment-421 Ashley, I know since you're living in the dorm that you don't have room to store a lot of food or buy in bulk. One idea is smoothies. I have a Cuisinart stick blender that I use to make them, and it doesn't take up as much room as a regular blender and it is much easier to clean. You could blend up a banana and milk or yogurt, and add whatever seasonal fruit you could find that week with some protein powder for a quick lunch. Making popcorn on the stove instead of the microwave is cheap and good for you. Eggs can be used a variety of ways. It's hard to look in magazines, because they rely on the flair of using recipes with a lot of ingredients. Here is a website where you type in the food you have on hand, and it pulls up recipes: <a href="http://www.supercook.com/" rel="nofollow">Supercook.com</a>. Ashley, I know since you’re living in the dorm that you don’t have room to store a lot of food or buy in bulk. One idea is smoothies. I have a Cuisinart stick blender that I use to make them, and it doesn’t take up as much room as a regular blender and it is much easier to clean. You could blend up a banana and milk or yogurt, and add whatever seasonal fruit you could find that week with some protein powder for a quick lunch.

Making popcorn on the stove instead of the microwave is cheap and good for you. Eggs can be used a variety of ways.

It’s hard to look in magazines, because they rely on the flair of using recipes with a lot of ingredients. Here is a website where you type in the food you have on hand, and it pulls up recipes: Supercook.com.

]]> By: smallnotebook http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/10/healthy-foods-on-the-cheap/#comment-420 smallnotebook Sat, 02 Aug 2008 05:20:22 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=347#comment-420 You know, sardines are something that I didn't grow up eating, but I keep hearing about them, so I think it's time for me to try them. Wow, Angie, you're really on the ball! Okgonow, those are really great points. I am all about making homemade bread, because I have to make it gluten-free, and it's crazy expensive to buy it. I didn't know that about tomatoes, but I'm glad to hear it! Thanks for the link, Gina. You know, sardines are something that I didn’t grow up eating, but I keep hearing about them, so I think it’s time for me to try them.

Wow, Angie, you’re really on the ball!

Okgonow, those are really great points. I am all about making homemade bread, because I have to make it gluten-free, and it’s crazy expensive to buy it. I didn’t know that about tomatoes, but I’m glad to hear it!

Thanks for the link, Gina.

]]> By: Gina http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/10/healthy-foods-on-the-cheap/#comment-419 Gina Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:32:51 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=347#comment-419 A good option for fresh fruits and veggies are pick-your-own farms. you can go to www.pickyourown.org to find info about the farms in your area. You can get pretty good deals, stock up, and then freeze them! A good option for fresh fruits and veggies are pick-your-own farms. you can go to http://www.pickyourown.org to find info about the farms in your area. You can get pretty good deals, stock up, and then freeze them!

]]> By: okgonow http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/10/healthy-foods-on-the-cheap/#comment-418 okgonow Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:43:06 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=347#comment-418 I like this list! Some things I would change: Try skipping buying the bread, and making it instead. Maybe some would think it's not work the effort, but at $5.00 a loaf for the decent quality stuff up here, it really is. Same goes for tomato sauce: Did you know canned tomatoes retain nearly all of their un-preserved nutrients, and some research suggests cooking may even make them BETTER? I love making my own tomato sauce--it's fast, easy, extra tasty and cheap--and enjoy the diversity of having the canned tomatoes for other things, too. I would also probably skip string cheese in favor of a bulk block of cheddar or colby jack. It fulfills the same function as a niche dairy, but is a lot more versatile, and cheaper, and has a lot less packaging. I think I'd also have to add some kind of wheat cracker (triscuits?) or something crunchy as my quick snack go-to. (Often in conjunction with cheese or fish.) I like this list!

Some things I would change: Try skipping buying the bread, and making it instead. Maybe some would think it’s not work the effort, but at $5.00 a loaf for the decent quality stuff up here, it really is.

Same goes for tomato sauce: Did you know canned tomatoes retain nearly all of their un-preserved nutrients, and some research suggests cooking may even make them BETTER? I love making my own tomato sauce–it’s fast, easy, extra tasty and cheap–and enjoy the diversity of having the canned tomatoes for other things, too.

I would also probably skip string cheese in favor of a bulk block of cheddar or colby jack. It fulfills the same function as a niche dairy, but is a lot more versatile, and cheaper, and has a lot less packaging.

I think I’d also have to add some kind of wheat cracker (triscuits?) or something crunchy as my quick snack go-to. (Often in conjunction with cheese or fish.)

]]> By: Ashley http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/10/healthy-foods-on-the-cheap/#comment-417 Ashley Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:33:09 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=347#comment-417 Wow, I JUST made a post on my own blog about trying to shop for healthy things on a small budget. I'm a college student trying to slim down, with a $20-$30/week budget, living in a dorm with limited supplies and refrigerator space (aka no food processor, no blender, very basic stuff). This is a great place to start(thanks!), but what do you do next? How do you turn those things into great meals--do you have some throwback recipes, or is there somewhere online you go for meal ideas? Wow, I JUST made a post on my own blog about trying to shop for healthy things on a small budget. I’m a college student trying to slim down, with a $20-$30/week budget, living in a dorm with limited supplies and refrigerator space (aka no food processor, no blender, very basic stuff).

This is a great place to start(thanks!), but what do you do next? How do you turn those things into great meals–do you have some throwback recipes, or is there somewhere online you go for meal ideas?

]]> By: Angie http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/10/healthy-foods-on-the-cheap/#comment-416 Angie Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:26:04 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=347#comment-416 I'm late as well. One of the things I do to help with costs is make a list from sale ads each week. I write down the costs, compare, and then since I work for a major retail store with a grocery section, I have them ad match to save gas running from store to store. I also keep a section in my notebook of regular priced things I've bought with their prices so I can compare. I recently bought gallons of milk for almost $1 less and, like everything else that's cheaper, I froze it. I bought enough that it was on sale again when we ran out. By doing this, buying reduced meats and AngelFoodMinistries, we have enough food that we're not buying any for the month of August. Beans twice a week help as well. We spend less than $250/month for a family of 3 and anyone who happens by at supper. I’m late as well. One of the things I do to help with costs is make a list from sale ads each week. I write down the costs, compare, and then since I work for a major retail store with a grocery section, I have them ad match to save gas running from store to store. I also keep a section in my notebook of regular priced things I’ve bought with their prices so I can compare. I recently bought gallons of milk for almost $1 less and, like everything else that’s cheaper, I froze it. I bought enough that it was on sale again when we ran out. By doing this, buying reduced meats and AngelFoodMinistries, we have enough food that we’re not buying any for the month of August. Beans twice a week help as well. We spend less than $250/month for a family of 3 and anyone who happens by at supper.

]]> By: carmie http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/10/healthy-foods-on-the-cheap/#comment-415 carmie Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:16:01 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=347#comment-415 Chiming in late to suggest canned sardines as a cheap, safer alternative to tuna. Because they're so far down the food chain, PCBs/heavy metals aren't as much of a concern, and they are high in omega-3 fats. I get the kind canned in water and find the taste similar to tuna, maybe a little less fishy. That would make sense, since tuna eat sardines ;) I mash them up and eat them with a little mustard & pickle relish on WW bread. Sometimes I find cans for a dime apiece at the dollar store. Chiming in late to suggest canned sardines as a cheap, safer alternative to tuna. Because they’re so far down the food chain, PCBs/heavy metals aren’t as much of a concern, and they are high in omega-3 fats. I get the kind canned in water and find the taste similar to tuna, maybe a little less fishy. That would make sense, since tuna eat sardines ;) I mash them up and eat them with a little mustard & pickle relish on WW bread.

Sometimes I find cans for a dime apiece at the dollar store.

]]> By: smallnotebook http://smallnotebook.org/2008/07/10/healthy-foods-on-the-cheap/#comment-414 smallnotebook Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:04:36 +0000 http://smallnotebook.wordpress.com/?p=347#comment-414 I love all the advice y'all are sharing! I love all the advice y’all are sharing!

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