Fat, skint and disabled

[Thighs Be Gone]

I would definitely go for beans and eggs before doing the processed meats. Rice and Beans will take you far. You can make hummus or even hummus burgers. Seasonal produce is usually cheaper but you have to be flexible on what you are willing to eat. Also, how much do you dine out or allow your family to lunch out? Packing things ahead really saves.

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

We are also on a tight budget, so this is what we do:

1) buy whatever meat is on special each week and freeze it; every store has 1-2 cuts on really cheap each week; stock up.
2) buy BONELESS meat on sale whenever you can; you save half the cost simple becuz you aren't paying for the bone weight.
3) buy cheaper cuts like blade or crossrib steak/roast instead of rump; chicken legs instead of breasts (except when they are in sale); or a whole chicken and make soup out of the carcass; pork roast or picnic hams; turkey when it comes on sale and freeze the leftovers for sandwiches or more meals.
4) add lentils (dried split peas of many colors) in your chicken or beef stews or soups; this adds cheap protein and stretches the chicken. I often grab chicken legs on sale and make a stew or soup with dumplings & veggies.
5) buy a ham, or a beef, or pork roast on sale; use leftovers to make casseroles and soups or cottage pie to freeze.
6) make pasta or rice casseroles; add dried beans and/or lentils and cheaper veggies like carrots, peas, etc to stretch them.
7) cabbages, carrots, onions, celery, and turnips are often cheaper than other veggies and go a long way to flavor soups and stews too; some veggies are on sale each week; stick to the seasonal stuff, especially in the fall when fresh farmer's produce is send to the stores in baskets and bags (we clean'em and bag'em and freeze'em or store'em for the winter).
8) buy frozen veggies when fresh are too expensive; watch for sales.
9) go to farmer's markets where meat and veggies can be bought for less; and don't forget department stores sometimes have many foods for less.
10) make your own EZ biscuits, scones, flatbreads, no-knead breads/buns, pancakes, and muffins, which are cheaper than buying bread for a family. (use baking soda instead of baking powder; it's much cheaper).
11) I grow green and yellow beans, carrots, onion sets, and summer turnips in dryer drums and large pails or bins; you don't have to have a garden -- even a box or pail will do; try it and you'll see. YOu can grow radishes, spinach, leaf & romaine lettuce, parsley and chives in them too. Start and make just one small garden the size of a box; and add one each year.
12) buy from local farmers; at the end of season, we have farmers that will give away veggies for FREE -- you just have to go pick them; so we clean them and pack in baggies and freeze them for winter.
13) add in a few vegetarian meals each week; you'll save on those, so you'll have more $$$ for better meat cuts and veggies.
14) The Hillbilly Housewife has menus for very low cost recipes on her site -- www.hillbillyhousewife.com/40dollarmenu.htm


We have a thread here for Physical Challenges in the Dieting with Obstacles forum. We have people there recovering and living with challenges and limited incomes (myself included). I do chair aerobics; use stretchie bands (or just use a stretchie piece of material like terry); hand weights (you can use cans); do toning exercises lying down on my bed or couch: tummy tucks, leg lifts, etc); lite yoga, tai chai, or pilates; dancing; swimming; walking, etc. Where there's a will -- there's a way ...

[TheTigz]

I'd love to find a good butcher, unfortunately, most of them have gone out of business as they have lost customers to the supermarkets. I also live in a rural area, so we have a bit of a trek to the nearest one and he's too pricey for us.

As far as eating out is concerned, what's that? LOL We don't eat out at all. Feeding us at McDonald's (which is about the cheapest I can think of) costs about £16 (4 of us) and I can't justify spending that on one meal.

[sonickel77]

If exercise isn't a possibility, then all success will come from a low calorie diet, probably 1200-1400 cals a day. That's hard to swing on a low budget, because healthy food tends to be more expensive. Maybe smaller portions of your normal meals? Doing 5 minute mini walks may also help.

At one stage I had to brace my back and knees, and could only walk for 15 minutes at a time. I'm glad those days are over.
Best of luck

[Esofia]

Do you happen to have any Asian shops nearby? They're good for big cheap bags of rice, pulses, that sort of thing. Can't remember how much the tinned stuff there tends to be, think it varies, but I do like ful medames and such. If you don't have one nearby, there may be online places selling them cheap with free delivery. I used Spices of India a while back, for instance, I think that was decent.

You may be doing this already, but how about soups? I'm trying to eat soup and/or salad for lunch every day as a weight-loss thing, but it's also pretty economical.

I'm disabled and in Scotland too, by the way, though I'm in a city.

[IsabellaOlivia]

Tesco Value range has a lot of healthy stuff and its ridiculously cheap.
The key point in cooking healthy is making a weekly menu and sticking to it.
Only go to the grocery shop once a week and only buy what's on the list.
And your kids aren't going to die if you stop spending money on candy and soda for them to consume on weekdays.

[marie81]

hi everyone, great tips for cheap food

I was on a very tight budget a while back (total benifit only) and with out sounding rude i found the best thing to do was to go back to basic's for you and the family, veg and meat no eating proceeded food, you will lose weight and the family will be healthy at no huge cost, we go to sainsbury last thing before closing and they do some great deals on fresh food that is on the date but can be frozen.

I have problems with my joints I have a condition where my bones break not though brittle bones but due to to much Cologne in my tendons so if i have an impacts my bones break as the tendons and mussels don't support the bones im on crutches or laided up a good 6 months of the year in plaster, this year has been good so far only a small fracture in my ankle so keeping my fingers crossed. i dont exercise as the risk of injury is to great. i walk and that works for me.
a friend of mine is paralyzed from the waist down, he was a fat man then one day his out looked changed he went from fat to unrecognizable in a few months he said is was nothing more then portition control he can exercise so it was completely down to diet.
it just goes to prove we can all lose weight, if we want to dispite ablilty.

I know i am hypicritacal as i am still fat, i am a comfort eater if i could stick to it i would be slim. dont let money and and disability become a factor in your weight loss when i was skint i was slim as i had no money to eat my 2 kids came 1st.
Also there is lots of upper body exercise you could do, try going to your local gym (you can get that free if your doc has you down as obese) and talk to the guys there they can help.

Sorry if i sound off key and rude, i just believe that being over weight is down to excuses, and i have a far few of my own! there is always a way around things its just a case of finding the good ways.

Good luck on your journey

Take care xx

[marie81]

Originally Posted by Justwant2Bhealthy

We are also on a tight budget, so this is what we do:

1) buy whatever meat is on special each week and freeze it; every store has 1-2 cuts on really cheap each week; stock up.
2) buy BONELESS meat on sale whenever you can; you save half the cost simple becuz you aren't paying for the bone weight.
3) buy cheaper cuts like blade or crossrib steak/roast instead of rump; chicken legs instead of breasts (except when they are in sale); or a whole chicken and make soup out of the carcass; pork roast or picnic hams; turkey when it comes on sale and freeze the leftovers for sandwiches or more meals.
4) add lentils (dried split peas of many colors) in your chicken or beef stews or soups; this adds cheap protein and stretches the chicken. I often grab chicken legs on sale and make a stew or soup with dumplings & veggies.
5) buy a ham, or a beef, or pork roast on sale; use leftovers to make casseroles and soups or cottage pie to freeze.
6) make pasta or rice casseroles; add dried beans and/or lentils and cheaper veggies like carrots, peas, etc to stretch them.
7) cabbages, carrots, onions, celery, and turnips are often cheaper than other veggies and go a long way to flavor soups and stews too; some veggies are on sale each week; stick to the seasonal stuff, especially in the fall when fresh farmer's produce is send to the stores in baskets and bags (we clean'em and bag'em and freeze'em or store'em for the winter).
8) buy frozen veggies when fresh are too expensive; watch for sales.
9) go to farmer's markets where meat and veggies can be bought for less; and don't forget department stores sometimes have many foods for less.
10) make your own EZ biscuits, scones, flatbreads, no-knead breads/buns, pancakes, and muffins, which are cheaper than buying bread for a family. (use baking soda instead of baking powder; it's much cheaper).
11) I grow green and yellow beans, carrots, onion sets, and summer turnips in dryer drums and large pails or bins; you don't have to have a garden -- even a box or pail will do; try it and you'll see. YOu can grow radishes, spinach, leaf & romaine lettuce, parsley and chives in them too. Start and make just one small garden the size of a box; and add one each year.
12) buy from local farmers; at the end of season, we have farmers that will give away veggies for FREE -- you just have to go pick them; so we clean them and pack in baggies and freeze them for winter.
13) add in a few vegetarian meals each week; you'll save on those, so you'll have more $$$ for better meat cuts and veggies.
14) The Hillbilly Housewife has menus for very low cost recipes on her site -- www.hillbillyhousewife.com/40dollarmenu.htm

Fantastic ideas esp grown your own, we only do tomatos and strawberrys but still a cheap way of doing things!! thanks for sharing

[Rocco]

My step brother and his family are on a tight budget. His wife goes to either tesco or asda late at night and asks if she can buy the things that are near or on their BBE. Most things will last a couple of days so you don't have to eat them straight away. She has come away with whats left from the butchers counter too. Justt the stuff thats pre cut and not been sold.

Just a thought