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Old 01-28-2015, 11:46 PM   #1  
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I'm wondering if anybody has some good staples for healthy eating? Trying to make good choices that don't cost a million dollars haha.
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Old 01-29-2015, 03:41 AM   #2  
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Fresh veggies are really cheap. I buy pretty much everything, but make sure not to buy too much at a time or it will go bad before your eat it.

A few healthy staples are things like Coconut oil. Expensive, but don't over use it and it will last. Great for frying the affirmentioned vegetables and add spices (I like garlic). Get a good oil for roasting! I buy more yogurt.

Eggs are good too, I eat lots of those... Otherwise I just buy what I did before and limit my portions at the dinner table. I do buy less bacon and sausages weekly though, and buy more chicken and beef.
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Old 01-30-2015, 01:15 PM   #3  
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I'd recommend frozen veg over fresh unless you're lucky and have a great farmers market near by that's affordable. Frozen is way cheaper than fresh and for obvious reasons lasts longer. I always have frozen broc in my freezer for a quick side dish.

I usually go to Costco and buy enormous portions of all my fruit and veg. prep all of it when I get home and freeze half or more. Makes making smoothies in the morning a lot quicker. Costs more up front but then I don't have to shop for two weeks which is great. Plus your fridge looks awesome and organized and so pretty with all the fresh fruit and veg. Pretty much just makes you want to show it off to everyone haha.

As for meat, same thing. Buy in bulk and when I get home I season and freeze most of it. I find this is the easiest way to eat on a budget and eat healthy.

For grains like brown rice and quinoa I get them at bulk barn and I find it a lot cheaper. Same with all my spices and seasonings.

Avoid bread as much as you can.. use lettuce as your taco shells or for a sandwich or burger. Also limit anything processed. Just cause the crackers say reduced fat doesn't mean they're good. Focus on whole foods and read ingredient lists. If you don't know what it is then don't buy it.

Invest in a protein powder that you like. I always like to blend my chocolate protein powder with frozen banana. Makes a healthy "milkshake" and is suuuuuper tasty. Hope this helps
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Old 01-30-2015, 03:51 PM   #4  
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If I'm just going to a normal supermarket and not a wholesale place like Costco, I just write 'veggies' on my list and buy whatever's on sale. It helps me from being picky and saves me money at the same time! I do the same for protein too...although in general, grocery prices are going up!!
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Old 01-30-2015, 04:26 PM   #5  
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I do the same as Atarimae for my veggies! Usually it involves some sort of squash (always pretty cheap), whatever peppers are on sale, and some sort of greens. And I also buy a lot frozen veggies, especially frozen corn, broccoli, stir fry mixes, etc.

Frozen raw shrimp is also a staple for me. Though the cost can be high up front even when it's on sale, it lasts a while. I buy the 5 pound bag of brown rice and bags of dry beans (which I cook at home in my crock pot and then freeze). But I also keep canned beans on hand since they're quick.

From Costo, I buy the HUGE bag of spinach from and throw it in my freezer. That's also where I get frozen fruit really cheap. I buy the big box of individually wrapped chicken breasts. No trimming and re-packing and freezing, it's all done for you. Easy to defrost.

Really, you just need to plan ahead. Look through your grocery store's ad at the beginning of the week while you make your meal choices and shopping list. I also recommend coupons.com (though only use the coupons for items you actually want to have on hand, don't get tempted by the coupons for things like cookies and chocolate!).
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Old 01-30-2015, 04:50 PM   #6  
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So my staples: eggs, soyrizo, almond milk, some form of nut butter, canned beans (all types) dried beans, frozen veggies (buy them when they are on sale) whey protien powder, Frozen Quinoa packages that I buy from sprouts...I always have those foods on hand an can make several quick and easy and healthy meals. Then I get inspired to make something big and freeze it and I'll buy the ingredients just for that. I buy fruit based on what is on sale and in season.
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Old 01-30-2015, 05:01 PM   #7  
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My staples - honey (great for adding a little sweetness to plain greek yogurt or oatmeal!), chobani greek yogurt, persian cucumbers (I just really love these to snack on, especially the ones from TJ's!), peanut butter, bananas, avocados, egg whites, eggs, turkey bacon, quinoa, tofu or chicken breast, spinach, frozen veggies, some low calorie asian stir fry sauce....yep that's pretty much all of it haha.
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Old 01-30-2015, 06:33 PM   #8  
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This is my basic grocery list that I buy every week:

-Lettuce
-Spinach or kale
-Bell pepper
-tomatoes
-green onions or an onion
-apples
-berries(lots of berries, I don't care if they're expensive its worth it)
-almond coconut milk blend
-tofu
-eggs
-vegan cheese slices
-couple avocados
-broccoli or some other green veggie
-cauliflower
-sometimes carrots, sometimes not
-potato(sweet and regular)
-bananas

Every week I buy these and other things I don't have to buy as often include powdered peanut butter(1/4 of the calories as regular and really good), corn tortillas, various types of legumes, canned tomatoes, spices etc. On Sundays, I throw some berries and chopped up bananas in the freezer for my smoothies and make all my lunches(various salads) and store them in mason jars for the week. Also boil up some eggs for snacks. Eating healthy really shouldn't be expensive as long as you plan ahead and make everything yourself.
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Old 01-30-2015, 07:48 PM   #9  
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Every weekend I buy ingredients to make soup, portion it out into Tupperwares and stick it in the fridge for quick meals during the week. My favorite is vegetable chowder, so I usually get broccoli, potatoes, carrots, celery, etc.

I almost always have on hand: bell peppers, onion, garlic, bananas, low calorie bread for sandwiches and things, and eggs. Other than that, I usually buy my groceries on a day-to-day basis (I walk right past the grocery store on the way home from work, so this works for me and helps me not waste food). I don't usually eat meat, but every now and again I'll buy some chicken or shrimp. For snacks I always have peanuts and popcorn (plain, not the super over-buttered kind), and occasionally granola bars.
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Old 02-02-2015, 07:59 AM   #10  
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We eat a "real food" diet, so we eat a ton of homemade foods meaning my staples are the standard: flour, sugar, oats, butter, rice, beans, etc.

We mostly buy frozen veg in the winter for budget reasons. We always buy bananas because of the toddlers, and fresh fruit we alternate according to whats on sale, so we may eat a ton of grapes for a couple weeks or what's more common in winter is we eat a TON of clementines.

I alternate buying and making bread, again for budget reasons.

In an ideal world, I'd be eating a ton of fresh veg, some meat and never touch another grain or anything contains sugar again, but I can't afford it right now.
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Old 02-06-2015, 02:56 AM   #11  
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Salmon (always the fresh kind)
Chicken breasts
Broccoli
Oranges
Orange Juice
Loads of water bottles
Bananas
Bell peppers
Granola bars
Corn on the cob
Lettuce (sometimes)
2% milk
Some type of low fat cereal


Can't remember what else but these are the main items pretty much. I used to buy more foods but I'm very picky about certain things like vegetables, I will really only eat broccoli when it comes down to it.
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Old 02-06-2015, 01:55 PM   #12  
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A usual list looks like this, when I am truly staying on track:

Greek Yogurt - usually the Fage whole fat kind (it tastes better than 0%, I just eat less than a whole "serving")
Wyman's frozen mixed berries
* I eat Greek yogurt and berries for breakfast almost everyday during the work week

Fresh Fruits:
Grapefruit
Oranges
Bananas
Lemons - to add to water
Anything else that peaks my attention

Vegetables:
Onion
Bell peppers
Baby Spinach
Cherry Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Baby Carrots
Frozen Broccoli - Easier than fresh and I like the taste better
Frozen mixed veggies in steamer packages for convenience

Meats:
Boneless skinless chicken breast
Top Round Steak
Boneless Pork Loin Chops
Salmon
Cod
* I usually buy 2, maybe 3 of the above per week, but I usually don't venture too far away from these specific items.

Other Items:
Eggs
English Muffins
Olive oil
Brown Rice
Quinoa
12 packs of flavored Seltzer water - I found if I have these I am never tempted by soda.
Cheese - I can't live without a little bit
Outshine Fruit Popsicles
Peanut Butter
Ezekiel Bread - if I buy bread at all

Obviously we all give into temptation on occasion, but the above list is my ideal. I firmly believe you can make tons of interesting things with simple healthy ingredients. It shouldn't be expensive; to be honest, you may save money. Processed foods are expensive.
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Old 02-11-2015, 02:53 PM   #13  
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I've had a lot of recent dietary changes that has completely changed my shopping. I'm allergic to red meat and because I have a severe case of silent reflux I've had to cut out caffeine (sad), dairy (sadder), and chocolate (completely heartbroken!). Also citrus, alcohol, and spicy foods but they aren't a usual staple for me.

Baby Carrots and Sugar Snap Peas - I combine them in a snack baggie
Real Ranch (not light) - It may not be low calorie but I find it more satisfying and keeps me from munching on other things.
Hummus (whatever kind I feel like) - I have these little 2 oz cups (like what marinara comes in from a pizza delivery joint) that I pre-fill with hummus and ranch so they are always portion sized.
Popchips/Pretzel Thins/Pita Chips - Again I prepack them in portion controlled baggies to prevent eating too many.
Liquid Egg Whites - Great for omelettes in the morning.
Premade Pico de Gallo (or make your own) I add these to my omelet.
100-cal Packs of Wholly Guacamole Pre-portioned and satisfying.
Large Bag of Frozen Chicken Breasts I precook some of them and shred them to add to other recipes.
Bear Creek Soups Packs (dry) I love them. They make a great satisfying meal that isn't too unhealthy but watch out for some of the cream based ones. I usually add in extra things such as chicken for almost all of their soups. Lentils into their chili. Extra cooked wild rice into their wild rice soup. And extra broccoli into their cheddar broccoli. Once the soup has cooled I scoop 1 cup servings into baggies and I freeze them. They are great to pack for lunch and since they're hearty they keep full until my afternoon snack.

That's all I can think of right now.
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Old 02-15-2015, 02:29 AM   #14  
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I get all of my fresh foods and produce from a market. Everything else is entirely dependent on what has a sales price tag at the superstore. The two snacky foods at the bottom aren't things I eat every day, but they're things I couldn't live without either. (I still consider them really healthy snacks though!)
  • Cauliflower: I use it for everything. It's my rice, my Alfredo sauce, my pizza dough, my cornbread, cream in soups and sauces, as a chicken replacement... I could and would go on forever about my love for cauliflower. They're about 3$ where I am, but they roughly 5 cups grated, so it goes a considerable distance.
  • Chick Peas: On salads, in hummus, as a curry, out of the can, roasted. They're usually a dollar in the can, sometimes you can get them for 50 cents on a 2/1 day.
  • Almond Milk: They're always buy one get one, which makes them 2$ per carton.
  • Bananas: I get these at the market next door when they're super spotty only 99 cents. I use them daily in smoothies or freeze them for later.
  • Any frozen fruit: sometimes I can get them for cheap in the bags other time I snag them up fresh 2/1 and freeze them myself.
  • Quinoa: I try to eat this every day. Easily added to anything for a bit of extra body.
  • Popcorn: We have a popcorn maker, so I add the tiniest amount of oil I can get away with then add my own spice blend, making it pretty much fat free. You can do the same with brown lunch bags and it's cheaper than getting the popcorn in the box.
  • Corn Tortillas: I'm a snacky person, so I tend to make my own doritos/fritos by baking seasoned tortillas. Plus they're pretty much my bread replacement. If you're in Southern US they're probably easier to get. In canada, I had my mom buy me 2lbs and mail them lol

Last edited by BlackBoxed; 02-15-2015 at 02:30 AM.
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Old 02-15-2015, 09:31 AM   #15  
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I can't really give you prices because I'm not in the US. But, I can try to give you some tips.

If you have access to a farmer's market or farm, that's where you'll find the best produce and the best prices. In the farmer's market specifically, you can also get better prices if you go later. You won't get the best quality they have but it'll still be pretty good and they'd rather sell them cheap than not at all.

Also, always buy what's in season because those are cheaper and, usually, less laden with pesticides. You can look up what to get each month. If you can only shop in grocery stores, buy in bulk for anything that can be frozen or, if you're up for it, cooked and then frozen and look up the sales as often as you can.

I'm lucky in that I live in a small city and I have several smaller grocery stores in walking distance. I always make a list of what I need, I look up their websites and get the things I need from wherever they're on sale. And if there are things I use but I don't need at the time, I still buy them and keep a stock. I've now learned what comes on sale where and I know when to buy deodorant and how many bottles to get until they come back on sale. I always save plenty of money that way.
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