Hi guys.

I often find it's very difficult for me to stick to eating right because I am often too poor to keep up with buying so many fresh vegetables, fruits, etc. Can I still lose weight and be considerably healthy without having tons of money to buy the right foods at the grocery store? Any tips?

Thanks so much,

Eryn

Hi Eryn,
I'm in college, too. I find it easiest to watch sales... it can be a pain but you save a lot of money, and coupons help, too.

Banana's are almost always cheap, so I always have some around. Chicken is relatively in expensive, too, when it's on sale. Canned vegetables are cheap as a frozen ones.

It's hard to use money as an excuse, believe me I've tried Just look around and find the best options.

PS; Oakland as in Pittsburgh?

I sort-of have this problem too. If you spend the $$ on fresh fruits, like $3-5 for a tub of strawberries, they sometimes go bad before you can even eat them all. That's the problem I've had. I usually buy bananas that aren't completely ripe yet; that way they're sure to last longer. Also canned fruit and veggies are a little cheaper and last longer. If you try to diet by eating Lean Cuisines and such, yeah, it tends to get really expensive. But fresh or frozen fruits and veggies aren't really outrageously priced. And it's ALWAYS cheaper than eating out or grabbing fast food. In the spring and summer, definitely check out the farmer's market, if you have one in your area. You can usually get really good prices on super fresh stuff, and at the same time you're supporting local people.

Yes! Oakland as in Pittsburgh! I go to school at Pitt!! Why do you ask?

Ahh and thanks so much for the tips! I will remember that

Originally Posted by 18745

Yes! Oakland as in Pittsburgh! I go to school at Pitt!! Why do you ask?

Ahh and thanks so much for the tips! I will remember that

I'm from Butler County and have a lot of friends at Pitt.

If you have fruit that is going to go bad, putting them in the freezer and using them for a smoothie or similar works well!

Having a rough budget and planning meals according to your set amount will help you from over spending. Like others said, looking for things that are on sale is best.

m also a student and i share same problem with you. good that you asked.. thanks every1

I find eating fresh to actually be cheaper than eating out. My money saving tips are:

Cheap proteins:

Tofu, beans, peas and lentils. Bought in bulk, and in case of beans - boiled and frozen. Saves a bundle on more expensive meats.
Meats - bought on sale in Safeway; good butcher shop, and always offer 30-50% off on various cuts of meat
Stewing beef - cheap cut, just need to know how to cook it
Frozen meat and chicken - no explanation required, just thaw it in the fridge for a day, and you are ready to go
Skin your chicken. Honestly, skinning a whole chicken and trimming it is not such a tough thing to do. Saves loads of money, and I usually do a week worth of chicken stock from a whole bird.
Turkeys on post-Xmas and Post Thanksgiving sale. Look for non-busted ones, and load a big cheapo bird after cutting it up. serves like 8 to 10 meals for one.

Produce:
buy in season, buy on sale
buy what Chinese are buying (I am not kidding, these guys have a nose for good deals and always go for fresh vegetables)
learn to love and cook cabbage, potatoes, carrots and other fresh and inexpensive vegetables in a healthful way. Yes, I mean soups and stews!
The evergreen fresh tomatoes are a pointless waste of money in the North, they suck no matter what - get them canned. Go for red bell peppers instead, radishes, or that chinese radish.
Grow berries if you have land with your house - strawberries and rasperries cost a fortune but can be grown for pennies. I am also growing apples (last from Oct to February) and sour cherries. Will be trying blueberries as soon as I move.
grow your own herbs. even if you don't have land.

Cheap Cereals
Forget the stupid cold cereals. They are so overpriced, it's not funny! Buy the good old oats, barley, buckwheat and stuff in bulk sections. Cheap as dirt, and MORE, so much MORE nutritional!

Thank you so much everyone! I'm definitely going to be taking your advice and watching out at the grocery stores.