Cook with dried beans! They're high protein, low calorie, and VERY high in fiber. When I had very little money to spare, I made a lot of beans and rice - cook soaked pinto beans all day in a slowcooker with some water or chicken broth, plus a ton of chili powder, spices, etc. Then serve over cooked brown rice. I am making a bean soup for dinner that is costing about 60-70 cents a serving, and it has 15 g of fiber and 21 grams of protein, plus tons of vitamins, for about 223 calories per giant serving.
For 4 servings:
-2 cups dried small white beans (some beans are higher cal than others. My package says 1/4 c dry is 70 calories...I use two servings here).
-1 large onion, sliced
-3 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-6 cups chicken broth or stock (homemade from a roasted chicken is super inexpensive).
-4 sprigs rosemary (look around your area! Its used a LOT for landscaping. Or, you can grow your own (costs 2.00 or so for a pot, and 1.50 or so for a plant, and you have rosemary for all of your cooking needs).
-3 bay leaves
Soak beans overnight in water to cover, drain.
In a stockpot, heat olive oil. Add sliced onions and garlic, cook over medium heat until onions soften (5 minutes or so). Stir fairly constantly so the garlic doesn't burn.
Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add drained beans, rosemary, and bay leaves. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until beans are tender, about 2 hours. Remove rosemary stems and bay leaves.
Remove about half of the bean mixture and puree in a food processor or blender, or just mash well with a fork. Return to the pot with remaining beans.
Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve. I usually serve with a salad, or if I am really low on protein that day, a salad with some chicken breast on top.
Also, if you're looking for farmers markets or other cheaper produce options (such as Community Supported Agriculture programs), check out
www.localharvest.org. Prices in these places always seem to be less than at the grocery store, and it tastes better.
One more hint - boneless, skinless chicken breasts are very important in lots of diet plans. If you want to eat them but not pay for them, buy a family pack of bone-in breasts, then remove the skin and bones before you put them away. Save in freezer bags with a single dinner's worth of chicken - you can get these for 99 cents a pound, rather than the 4-5 for already boned chicken breasts, and boning them is easy once you learn how.
So New I Can't Navigate the Site!
Speaking from personal experience as a single mom on a budget, Weight Watchers included a very affordable grocery bill, and the foods were just normal foods that my son could eat as well. WW does charge a fee, though, so if you attend the meetings, you'll have to pay approx $13 per week (may not be current rate). I've been following the Fat Smash diet lately and it includes a lot of brown rice and fresh vegetables. It's probably the most affordable diet I've ever been on. I buy my fruits and veggies at the farmers market, which is always cheaper. I've noticed a huge drop in my grocery bill since starting the Fat Smash diet.
