Cheap, easily accessible food?

[V M]

Sorry for the double post, but another idea just hit me...Military MRE's. If bought from the right place they will run you about $2-$4 a meal. They have a little over 2,000 calories which is perfect if your living an active life, are packed full of protein and vitamins, and all you need to cook them is a pot and water....some of them just water because of having a heating packet that reacts to water.

I survived on MRE packets for a good while and actually they were not too bad and the heat packs were great (Fusion in action) But that was several years ago

Of course these days I just have to be a smart shopper and make the best of of what my limited budget will allow, sometimes you have to be creative to get the most nutrition out of what little is available

[Missy~rmdlm]

High quality canned chicken is just fine actually. It should taste just like a boiled chicken breast would(boring and like chicken), if it doesn't try a different brand. I use canned chicken for various dips and casserole purposes.

[innainka]

Stop all bread, no cakes, no fried, NO BREAD!!!
Sardines!
Tuna!
buy Extra Virgin Olive Oil, you can drink that stuff!
Fresh vine Tomatoes, apples,

Fresh Spinach for salads.

All these products are easily accessible, they are quite cheap, and they deliver most nutritional value for the buck!

Portion control is a must!
Good Luck!

[Carrie Liz]

Eggs are nice and cheap. That used to basically be my default lunch back when I was a ramen-noodle-surviving college student, was to drop an egg or two into my ramen. That way I'd at least be getting some protein.

Or, like my ex-girlfriend always does, make egg-and-spinach omelets. Those are like maybe $1 each, and 100% healthy, healthy, healthy! (and delicious)

You might also consider, if you're looking for some cheap meat, getting a few frozen rolls of ground turkey from Aldi. Those are only like $1.50 /lb, and you can use it for anything that you'd use ground beef for, for half the price.

[stephaniec]

beef or chicken liver very cheap. If you don't like the taste bury it in onions and home made gravy

[nether]

Nuts, fruits, and veggies. Meat occasionally. Nuts have good fats, veggies such as legumes, cilantro, and other grebes can help estrogen levels and give fiber, fruits give you a ton of good stuff especially bananas. Very good at fighting depression. Meat is there for treats really. I love meat and it's hard to not eat every day! But these are really all you need to survive healthily while having excess energy

[nether]

Grebes is greens lol

[stephaniec]

a very cheap meal that's quite nutritious is a vegetable chop suey or stir fry. Home made of course.  Buy any sale vegetable or individual carrot sticks celery stick etc, yummy

[petunia]

I don't know if you are on hrt with spiro or not. If you are taking spiro, then be cautious of how much potassium you get from things like bananas, some other fruits, nuts and vegetables. Some of them contain quite a bit.

[V M]

I get some of my recipes from Better Homes and Gardens, I just print up what looks good to me and give it a shot - Here's a list of tasty treats to try 

[Christine Eryn]

There's some days I eat nothing but peanuts or almonds. Either that or nothing but cold cuts, cheese, sliced ham or chicken. A pack can last a long time.

[Joanna Dark]

If you have very little income, head to your county assistance office tomorrow, not wednesday, and apply for food stamps. Ask for emergency benefits and you will have food stamps that day (well the next day) to get you through the month while they process your app. Forget your pride and do it. There is nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it. So ask. Also, find food banks in your area and go to them. Get a free hot meal and a take home bag. Sometimes you need a voucher. But DO IT! BTW, after you get your EBT card, cancel your phone plan and get a Lifeline. yeah it's sucky but you'll save a $1,000 a year. If not more. Sometimes, you can get that and another phone and if you go to budget mobile with a Android phone, they will hook it up for you.

[Brooke777]

If you have very little income, head to your county assistance office tomorrow, not wednesday, and apply for food stamps. Ask for emergency benefits and you will have food stamps that day (well the next day) to get you through the month while they process your app. Forget your pride and do it. There is nothing wrong with asking for help when you need it. So ask. Also, find food banks in your area and go to them. Get a free hot meal and a take home bag. Sometimes you need a voucher. But DO IT! BTW, after you get your EBT card, cancel your phone plan and get a Lifeline. yeah it's sucky but you'll save a $1,000 a year. If not more. Sometimes, you can get that and another phone and if you go to budget mobile with a Android phone, they will hook it up for you.

I think it is great to apply for this. But I would like to add that not everybody gets it. I was denied because of my ex wife. She claimed me on her benefits, so I can't collect. They refuse to review her file, and won't assist me at all. Just be aware that there are some instances that they will refuse to give you assistance.

[muffinpants]

Deer nuts....they are under a buck.


But seriously, my views on it are if i can't hunt it, or grow it, i don't need it. The only really exceptions are dairy products, coffee, sugar and flour. In a year ill probably spend about $500-$600 on food. Yes it does help i own and live on 16.5 acres.

That is amazing. I spend at least that much every month, if not more! Do you just do gardening and stuff in the summer and then jar it?

[ath]

.... canned chicken.... really that is a thing.    I am unsure whether I could eat it or not. Is it yuck?

They have canned haggis. You can find pretty much anything an a can these days lol.

[Hikari]

Buying big dry bags of beans and rice is nice when you have little money. Eggs as have already been mentioned are also great. Take some red beans rice and maybe some country ham makes a dish that can cost less than $0.25 a serving.

Also spehgetti is pretty cheap to make with the cheap cans of Sauce and sausage instead of beef. This might be more applicable to those that live in or near the south east where pork is generally the cheapest meat (pork chops are like $2 a lb here).

Banquet dinners the $1 TV dinner type taste terrible and have lots of salt but are atrifiy enriched with tons of vitamins. I used to eat these for lunch everyday and I got so sick of them but it is easy to take to work versus making food in advance.

It used to be that me and my wife would never spend more than $25 a week on groceries and we were fairly healthy despite eating tons of rice, which may be tons of carbs but it worked for us and the Japanese.

[ath]

That is amazing. I spend at least that much every month, if not more! Do you just do gardening and stuff in the summer and then jar it?

I myself try to gather as much as I can in the summer months.

I usually work the fishing industry up here in that time, plus my family and I do lots of hunting. My freezer is stocked with frozen halibut, salmon, trout, cod, moose, deer, and bear. I also have 4 big mason jars full of canned salmon, canned with jalapenos. That's what's left after what I've already eaten, and it's all gathered by me or family members who gave me some.

The bear meat I have takes a bit of work to make it be really good, since it's from a larger brown bear, and anything that eats a lot of meat and fish, and is big in size, tends not to be so scrumptious, or have the best texture. But it can be worked with, just takes a lot of TLC in the kitchen.

The fish is outright delicious, and nutritious. I try to save it for rare meals when I really want to treat myself, but I'm trying to get rid of all of my meat in the freezer by spring.

The canned salmon, I always use to make salmon dip, and it's sooo so good. Mix canned salmon with sour cream or mayo, and various spices to your liking. I always use ranch mix, garlic, lots of pepper, sriracha (or some form of hot sauce), and various other things depending on my mood and what is available to me. It's so good. I spread it on toast or crackers, or make a sandwich with it between bread.

What I like is that people pay a lot of money for all the stuff I have in my freezer, especially the fish, and to me it was free. Just a benefit of having a fun, profitable summer.

It's very liberating not working some grid-like shift, same thing every week, in a big city. I much prefer working when and where the work is needed, and most profitable - living and working by the tides. It's so freeing - and it's a much more relaxed atmosphere in which to work.

Last summer I was stuck working on a boat for 3 weeks, docked in Whittier harbor - a town where you literally cannot leave after 11:00 PM - the only way out is a tunnel, and it is closed at night because then only trains can go through. I've seen a few locals there with shirts or hoodies that said "Prisoner of Whittier, Alaska." Only other way out is via the sea, or climbing mountains and hiking a -VERY- long hike. Even though we were stuck there, I really liked it. Most of that time it was just me and my girlfriend, listening to audiobooks, fishing off the dock/boat (surprisingly fruitful), playing music, just relaxing, and complaining about the constant rain and frequent 60mph winds rocking the boat, making us have to retie it multiple times a night.

[stephaniec]

I myself try to gather as much as I can in the summer months.

I usually work the fishing industry up here in that time, plus my family and I do lots of hunting. My freezer is stocked with frozen halibut, salmon, trout, cod, moose, deer, and bear. I also have 4 big mason jars full of canned salmon, canned with jalapenos. That's what's left after what I've already eaten, and it's all gathered by me or family members who gave me some.

The bear meat I have takes a bit of work to make it be really good, since it's from a larger brown bear, and anything that eats a lot of meat and fish, and is big in size, tends not to be so scrumptious, or have the best texture. But it can be worked with, just takes a lot of TLC in the kitchen.

The fish is outright delicious, and nutritious. I try to save it for rare meals when I really want to treat myself, but I'm trying to get rid of all of my meat in the freezer by spring.

The canned salmon, I always use to make salmon dip, and it's sooo so good. Mix canned salmon with sour cream or mayo, and various spices to your liking. I always use ranch mix, garlic, lots of pepper, sriracha (or some form of hot sauce), and various other things depending on my mood and what is available to me. It's so good. I spread it on toast or crackers, or make a sandwich with it between bread.

What I like is that people pay a lot of money for all the stuff I have in my freezer, especially the fish, and to me it was free. Just a benefit of having a fun, profitable summer.

It's very liberating not working some grid-like shift, same thing every week, in a big city. I much prefer working when and where the work is needed, and most profitable - living and working by the tides. It's so freeing - and it's a much more relaxed atmosphere in which to work.

Last summer I was stuck working on a boat for 3 weeks, docked in Whittier harbor - a town where you literally cannot leave after 11:00 PM - the only way out is a tunnel, and it is closed at night because then only trains can go through. I've seen a few locals there with shirts or hoodies that said "Prisoner of Whittier, Alaska." Only other way out is via the sea, or climbing mountains and hiking a -VERY- long hike. Even though we were stuck there, I really liked it. Most of that time it was just me and my girlfriend, listening to audiobooks, fishing off the dock/boat (surprisingly fruitful), playing music, just relaxing, and complaining about the constant rain and frequent 60mph winds rocking the boat, making us have to retie it multiple times a night.

sounds like nature

[kariann330]

That is amazing. I spend at least that much every month, if not more! Do you just do gardening and stuff in the summer and then jar it?

Nope, no jars needed. I have what can best be called a greenhouse so im able to grow all year long. For meat i hunt deer mostly. The county limit for all seasons is 1 buck and 4 does with a one tag a day limit. During bow season alone i can take 5deer giving me about 130+ lbs of meat each. Some gets ground, some stays steaks, and some becomes jerky after a nice long smoke. Ill then use my new pond to attract ducks and geese and there is wild turkey in Ohio. For pork....wild hog tastes way better then the processed crap you get in stores and is preservative free. For fish, my father in law lets me fish in his pond but once my bass and cats get big enough, ill be able to start pulling them out.

Its really nice basically living off the land. I'm healthier then i was before and even tho i eat meat daily since it's super lean my cholesterol is perfect.

All the more reason i say yall city folk need to slow down, leave the asphalt and get back to the dirt roads.