Bored and annoyed
 

I just don't feel like eating. I know I should, and I'm starting to get hungry, but I'm getting so tired of eating these same things. I try my best to mix it up, and to try out new recipes, but it's getting hard. Rangling up all the ingredients isn't cheap and I can't afford to go to the grocery store every other day.

It's funny. It was so easy and I had NO problems up until today. Now all I want to do is munch on my sugar free desserts and candies and totally forgo all veggies (except for the leafy green kind, but alas I'm out of those). I'm bored of chicken, but I'll still eat it.

I know the solution is to add more variety, but variety is pricey and I don't pay for my own grocieries, so I try REALLY hard to lower my budget for my provider so I'm not such a mooch. I feel guilty asking again and again if I can hit the market, but I don't know what else to do. I look through the recipies, but it's so hard. And having little to no cooking experience makes it even harder.

I don't know what to do :( I'm so frustrated.

:( Sorry you're having a lousy day. What's the weather like down there today? A brisk walk usually helps me clear my head and improves my disposition.

Have you tried this recipe?
Broccoli Cheese Soup Cheap, easy to make and very yummy.

Annother quick and easy one (and not too pricey) is steamed broccoli slaw with NSA tomato sauce from a jar. I add ground beef to it for my DH, but I don't care for ground beef myself so I add some precooked chicken or a can of beans. I know it doesn't sound like much but it's really yummy. The lady who introduced me to this called it "confetti spaghetti" :lol:

Hope you feel better soon! :)

Hi, I understand how you feel about being bored with food choices and being low on money. Buying ingredients cost a lot! ALso Sometimes I don't want to eat because I know when I start I will want to keep eating HAHA, I know thats not the same situation that you are talking about though hehe. Have you tired LEAN CUISINE? Walmart sells them for fairly cheap and they are some of the tastier and healthier frozen meals. Hope this helps!!! :)

Hi there! Yes, the beach can get pricey but it's really doable - choosing frozen veggies is a-ok. Especially when they are on sale. Stock up. Beans are cheap too and keep you filled longer. Proteins are pricey but you can buy in bulk and stretch it out. Cheese is almost always on sale and if you buy things like yogurt in bigger containers versus individual portions, you can save a lot by portioning it out yourself.

There are quite a few threads here on the subject:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/sout...egetables.html
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/sout...ur-dollar.html

Hope you can hang in there! I can't empathize with the bordom since I like the routine but I also experiment a lot. Maybe we can help point you into other recipe options? What kinds of things would be easy for you?

I'm sorry you're feeling so frustrated, Wild Vulpix, but I hope you'll try some of the suggestions our Beach chicks have given. We all have a bad day once in a while, and hopefully if you just hang in, it will pass and you'll feel much better about yourself for sticking it out.

Most Lean Cuisine frozen dinners are not SBD-friendly, so if you want to try them, check the ingredients first to make sure they are compliant with the plan. Some of the Kashi frozen meals are fine, but they are a little pricier.

Good luck!

If you're on phase 2, you can have 3 cups of air-popped popcorn (or popped on top of the stove) Ask for a bag of unpopped popcorn and pop it on top of the stove in canola oil.

My old favorite popcorn "recipe" had butter, grated cheese and pepper. On phase 2, you can substitute the butter with olive oil or SB friendly spread and add a decent amount of grated cheese and pepper. Its cheap, flavorful, different and filling. Might help you get past the boredom hump.

I have a few south beach guilt-free "comfort foods"...the no bake cookies, crispy turkey pepperoni and the hot chocolate. I have one of those just about every evening...they trigger no cravings and really feel like an indulgence. Keep at it and search for something that really makes you go "ahh" when you eat/drink it and then have it when you feel discouraged.

Hang in there...tomorrow is a brand new day! *hugs* You're not alone! :)

I am hooked on variety and without my lean cuisines, different simple salad recipes, and diet deserts... I wouldn't have lost a pound. I don't know how much of a budget you're on but, for me, lean cuisines have worked wonderssss. I have a lean cuisine with a different salad every day (maybe only the dressing changes but, it makes for something different every time) ...
Here's the problem... ridiculous sodium in those things! After I lose the weight or get close to my goal, I plan on cleaning up my eating. For now, I try to find cheap ways to cut calories and portion sizes... Good luck!

The key for me is spice the heck out of your chicken and experiment with sauces and make it hot!!!!!

I remembered another easy, yummy SBD recipe - the easy Salsa chicken.
Have you tried this one yet? It's easy and tasty and you'll get some tomatoes in too. :)

Do you have a Target near you? The ones with food?
If so, they have a bunch of frozen veggies and seafood that I stock up on that are reasonable. They have asian variety packs etc. I usually saute some onions/peppers and creole seasoning and add to them.

I've been on this almost 2 years, and I admit, I am sometimes at a loss as well. I guess it's engrained in me though, because I just cant get myself to eat some of the cr@p I used to. Some of it though ;). My tastes have really changed, and this website, as well as kalyn's kitchen, have been fabulous for keeping me happy.

I realized I don't spend nearly what I did at the beginning. Maybe in part, because I often by cabbage, carrots, celery, non-prepackaged lettuce, and dry beans (and oh-how I love beans now!!). These are a huge part of my diet. I was actually reluctant to buy spaghetti squash recently, b/c at 1.49-1.99/lb, that stinker costs $5+! I found it cheaper elsewhere, and finally got it.

That reminds me. With it getting warmer, I was going to make myself 3 bean salad (and I skip the wax beans b/c they cost more and aren't much different) for the week. I need to go do that!!

good luck!!

Dried beans really save our budget too. This weekend I prepped white (for cakes!), pintos for refried, black for burgers and chick peas for hummus and crunchies. I'm able to shop a place that sells overstocks and near date stuff so I'd guess all those beans cost less than $4 (those stores are all over the place in NH). As others have said I also use a lot of frozen veggies this time of year.

There are lots of SBD friendly recipes out there. Kalyns is probably my favorite go to website. At one point we started a thread for recipe links, http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/sout...ipe-links.html

Ohh....and another good one....

Pork tenderloin. Our local "fancy" grocer (wegman's) actually has the best price...$2.97/lb for the the value pack. That's 4-6 tenderloins, and they freeze well. Great taste, low fat.

Watch out though, a lot of places have normal prices of $5-6/lb. Too much!!