Good morning, I've been thinking about your post for a few days and just wanted to add a few things that I hope can help you. Some you may already be doing or other may not be possible but maybe something can help a little :D

First I noticed you said the dr is concerned and is running tests on your daughter so she may not have any medical conditions at this time. Only the tests will be able to determine that, at her height and weight she becomes it risk for many things but that still doesn't mean she has any of them. She is young so she has that going for her! Either way the if they find anything or not the weight needs to be a major focus and it looks like you already know that.

Before I give some of my food ideas, I wanted to mention exercise! And the great thing about exercise is it can be FREE and could incorporate the entire family or just you two. Walking, playing ball (sounds like you have a big enough family to have a mini basketball team lol) you can find workout DVDs at thrift stores or garage sales cheep, swimming at a public beach in the summer, bike rides if you all have a bike available, cans of food can be light weights and so on.... If your daughter is diabetic exercise is something that the dr will defiantly recommend for her to help control her sugars anyway.

On to food, many times it depends on what is available to you in your area so it is hard to say just do this and you'll be fine. Dollar stores can be a great resource when money is tight, you will be surprised what you can find there, I have even heard some dollar stores carry fresh produce and if you can't find the healthy stuff there it may be a resource for some of the fattier foods for your other children. There are even a few dollar stores here that take coupons and food stamps. In my county people who are on food stamps may also be eligible for farmers market checks, where the county gives you a voucher to use at farm stands to get fresh healthy foods maybe where you live offers something similar (doesn't hurt to check). Have you considered growing any of your own veggies? Again not sure if it possible for you and will not be an instant source of food but maybe something for next season... It already sounds like you coupon and shop sales but most stores have varied fruits and veggies or fresh lean meats on sale from week to week, buy what you can when you can find good deals. Since you are not a master chef I have found my George Forman grill is a great fast and easy way to make many meats chicken breast, turkey burgers etc, and healthier since they are not sitting in the fat that is being cooked off the meat. Again another item to keep an eye out for at a thrift store, garage sale or maybe even ebay.

Best of luck, and positive energy to you and your family, change is never easy but sometimes just plain necessary! :hug:

We started doing freezer meals last year and our food budget dropped by hundreds. Look up freezer meals on pinterest -- there are so many results. We buy bulk at the beginning of each month. This seems expensive, but if you stagger purchases, it is actually cheaper in the long run and eventually you will have versatility built up. For example, one month buy chicken, the next ground turkey, etc. Then bag up meals -- enchiladas, stir fry, etc. If you look up dump recipes for the crock pot -- they are so EASY!!!!! You literally just put some chicken in with a few ingredients. If you don't have a crock pot yet, try a thrift store. They make cooking so easy.

The greatest part about this, is although you spend pretty much an entire day cooking and preparing everything -- from then on dinner is just pull out and heat. Makes daily dinner time fast and hassle free!

Of course, this would only work with a family of 6 if you have a separate freezer... Another great freezer option to make sure you get your fruit is premade smoothie packs. Just buy fruit in bulk and then assemble it all (again great smoothie recipes on pinterest), and pull a baggie out each day to make your smoothie. If you want to get really healthy, I have one each day with yogurt, oatmeal and spinach. But if you are a newbie, plain fruit smoothies taste just like a desert!

I know how hard it is to fall into life patterns, but seeing what is happening to your daughter must be great motivation. At 15, you've only got a few years to help her change engrained bad habits. It can be a journey for both of you together -- a bonding experience! (Especially if she helps you on preparation of food together). And you won't have something to feel guilty about in the long run.

Other options are often local farming groups will offer produce baskets for low income. Good luck!

We make spaghetti with meat sauce and a lot of chicken meals. Sometimes, if on sale, I will buy 2-3 steaks and cut each in half. Sometimes tacos. Potatoes, corn, rice a roni or pasta roni. There are times I come home from work and don't feel like cooking so we do frozen pizzas or chicken nuggets and fries.

I plan on exchanging ground beef for ground turkey and incorporating more veggies. I think the key is to follow recipes better so these veggies taste better for the kids. I have a couple kids that like corn, and others that don't. One that will only eat corn and cauliflower. But nothing else. He is my pickiest. Doesn't even like rice or tacos, unless chicken.

I've been surfing the web for healthy recipes and trying to create a grocery list based on that. Usually when I shop, I am in a hurry so I grab what I can. I need to plan a menu for the week, get my coupons out and stick to it.

I am slowly getting my head where it needs to be.

^ This. As someone who lived in NY for over 30 years, I can tell you first hand that the amount of fruits and vegetables that are low-cost is NON-EXISTENT (where we lived). $4 for a head of wilted lettuce was the norm.

Thank you to those who understand that what is available in some places is not available all places. OP- best of luck to you.

The book by Jessica Seinfeld was a bit of a godsend to me as I have a picky eater as well, he is not diagnosed with ADHD (yet- he is 3 and we are currently under evaluation) so focusing on diet is really important as you are already aware, certain foods increase the behaviours associated.

I'm not in the same financial boat (I don't live in the US so I don't know your prices) but using baby food (yes baby food!) and other cheap fresh vegetables that keep well (cabbage - winter squashes) can be mixed into things like plain tomato sauce without them even realizing.

I found the book for $4 at a used bookstore, I'm sure there are cheap versions on Amazon. The books are based on typical "kid" food. Also great is the book Clean Eating for Kids by Tosca Reno. Again, stuff like spaghetti or muffins but healthier options without them knowing.

My oldest is only 3 so I can't pretend to understand, just want to give you a hug.

And I don't know how you feel about this, but my mom also practiced what is now known as 'freegan' lifestyle. Basically, on the mornings the grocery stores used to put out their veggies when they were 'past perfect' and still very edible, she used to go to the back of the store and ask to take them home. I know some stores won't do this, but some might. Just a thought. I know some find it 'wrong', but that is how we ate fresh foods with a dirt poor budget.

Another book recommendation (sorry- although I'm sure these are all available free at a library, there are no English libraries where I live so I don't know) is "How to Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman which is basically a giant thick red book on - well, what the title says! It teaches you right from scratch, down to butchering your own chicken (huge price difference- for me, $1-2/kilo whole chicken is $12-17/kilo chicken breast!!!!!), how to make something like cauliflower rice, and how to select vegetables in proper season but last a very long time.

emid78 I just wanted to pipe in. I know when I was a teenager and overweight it wasn't really from what my Mom was putting on the table. A lot of the time it has to do with learning about proper portions, and like another poster says, limiting the amount of sugary drinks and starchy snacks. So maybe while you are working towards offering your children healthier meals you can work with your daughter about understanding healthier portion sizes at the same time?

Also I wanted to add; learning to cook isn't easy, especially if you have no background in it. I am a cook by trade and have graduated from culinary school and I love telling people that I was the worst cook most of my life. I tried to hard boil eggs in a microwave once. Learning to cook is just a matter of practice and figuring out what works for you and your family. Stick with it and before long you'll be amazed at how far you've come.

Conflicted Mom update
 

My daughters test results came back, for the most part, normal. Her vitamin D levels are low and hemoglobin A1C1 is slightly elevated but hopefully will a little diet and exercise, that will subside. I had planned to let her walk in the morning with my son, while I am at work but I just got a letter in the mail that a level 3 sex offender moved in across the street. Just another obstacle that we need to come up with a solution to. The whole neighbor thing is another story. That makes me so MAD and there is nothing I can do. I know, I tried. My community used to rank in the top 10 safest in the country. What happened??????

I did some grocery shopping yesterday. Bought more fruits and veggies then I normally would and less junk. Spent more than I wanted to and the grapes are gone already. See nothing lasts here. But I do want to say that I found a couple of healthy recipes on www.allrecipes.com. Last night I made chicken & garlic, with cilantro and lime juice. Although some of the chicken was a little thicker than I would have liked, it actually tasted good. You mean I cooked something right?? No one ended scraping any in the garbage. I also made roasted red potatoes, another recipe I found, and they came out really good too. And lastly a bag of frozen mixed veggies that were steamed. I have to say that I am proud of that meal. I guess if I put my mind to it and take my time, I can actually prepare a decent meal.

Thanks for all the support.

Is there a way you can get a Sam's Club membership? We couldn't afford one, either, but my father-in-law joined and he was allowed an extra card for a family member, so he gave it to us; no charge. Evidently a membership comes with an extra card. Perhaps someone you know well has one you could have? Or do you have a church or group that might chip in for you? We get a lot of bulk items there that cost waaay cheaper than anywhere else. Things like eggs, milk, cheese, meat, peanut butter, etc, etc. A quart of olive oil is something like six bucks! I don't know if they sell fruit there (my wife does the shopping), but if they did, so much the better.

I'll add that some of the things we buy - like string cheese - get gobbled up fast by my kids. Too fast. They don't understand that it has to last all week, and they're too young to know how to ration it for the week. Perhaps doing this yourself may spread it out longer?

Emid, I feel for you. It's hard to cook on a budget, let alone a household of different tastes. I'm a single mom and definitely cut corners wherever I can. Freezer meals help me save money so I'm not wasting time/energy (cooking once for many, many servings), not wasting food (cooking it before it goes bad), and I feel good knowing I'm serving healthy food that I made with my own hands. Incorporating the veggies is great because it stretches your meat, which is often the most expensive part of a meal!

With my daughter, I usually cook things that would be considered "kid-friendly," but I incorporate vegetables. I've done it since she was born, but I serve the same food to any other kids (and adults!) that happen to be around, and it always is well-received.

For example, I make cauliflower cheese sauce for her mac and cheese, (something like this but I don't add the extra florets of cauliflower) and sometimes do half macaroni/half small chopped broccoli.

I make squash chicken nuggets: Mix 1lb ground chicken, 2 grated yellow squash (squeeze water out) and 1 egg. I season with a bit of adobo, but you can use salt, pepper, whatever you want. Form into chicken nugget shapes, bread in whole wheat panko, and bake at 425 on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet for about 15 mins, turning over once during cooking.

Or zucchini turkey meatballs: mix 1lb ground turkey, 2 grated zucchini (squeeze water out), 1 egg, grated Parmesan and Italian breadcrumbs, I use adobo seasoning too, form into meatballs and bake at 425 for about 15 mins.

For freezing: Let cool and use a spatula to make sure the nuggets/meatballs are not stuck to the cookie sheet. Freeze on the cookie sheet for about four hours or until solid. Transfer the food into labeled freezer bags. This way you can take out as many as you want at a time and they're not stuck together. You can microwave them, use a pan, or even the oven before serving.

Tacos are healthy! Can you add beans into your turkey taco meat or chopped chicken? If you're using flour tortillas, you may want to just check for a lower calorie option like La Tortilla Factory smart and delicious line or Ole Wellness High Fiber.

My daughter also loves corn tortilla quesadillas, but only cheese/black bean, which I gladly give her with a simple side of tomato salad (chopped tomato, olive oil, fresh cracked salt and pepper), and corn. I find that burrito/enchiladas are a great way to chop up any and all veggies and add in. You can even freeze them ahead of time by cooking the filling, rolling it up, freezing on a cookie sheet, then putting them into a large freezer bag when frozen.

If your kids like anything with ground beef, something I like to do is pulse mushrooms (1lb meat with 1 package of mushroom - 10oz?) and cook them together. Even my father who falsely claims allergy to mushrooms never knows they're there. You can use this trick for burgers, tacos, sloppy joes, shepherds pie, etc. I saw this sloppy joe recipe which I haven't tried, but it may be an option.

Burgers are another great option. Just finely shred or pulse any vegetable you want into it. You will be surprised at how nobody notices them, especially if the colors are the same.

You can make "fries" out of almost any vegetable and kids will eat them up, but oven fries are really not that unhealthy if you're not overloading them with oil. How about loaded baked potatoes with center cut or turkey bacon, cauliflower/cheese sauce, broccoli, and light sour cream or plain greek yogurt?

My daughter also loves pizzas on flatbread, flour tortillas or pitas. Kids love to put their own sauce (I cook large batches of tomato sauce and put one jar in the fridge and the rest in the freezer), cheese, and toppings onto them. I just look for the breads that have more fiber and protein and fewer calories and carbs. The tortillas I linked above, Flatout light, Trader Joe's wholegrain pitas are some of the brands we use.

http://www.skinnytaste.com/ is one of the best blogs for healthy eating if you're looking for ideas. Every single recipe I've made from there has been delicious, and I'm sure I've made at least 30 different ones over the past few years.

Snacks we have at home are baby carrots, chopped cucumbers, grape tomatoes (all can be dipped in a lower cal ranch or hummus), popcorn, any and all fruits, nuts, jerky, yogurt or banana ice cream.

You can do this! It will take a little transition time, but it's better late than never.

Try food banks. Also if you have a produce only store... the one near me is called Produce Junction. Today I got tons of Vegs for $20. 5lbs potatoes were 1.50, 5lbs bananas $2

Glad to hear your daughters tests came back good. Low Vit D is common for most of us and is easy to supplement. I so understand your struggle. I feed 8 people in my house and everyone has different likes and dislikes. The price of fresh fruit and vegetables is expensive when compared to ramen noodle packs and mac n cheese. Like at your house, fruit doesn't last long, but that is good. I know my kids like fresh fruit and canned also. Vegetables are trickier and a meal doesn't go by without someone complaining that they don't like something I've included. Over the years, I've become a pretty good cook, but my kids would still prefer a frozen pizza or ramen noodles than most of my meals. We don't have soda in the house and only one or two times a month have juice. They mostly drink water and few drink milk. Carrots are inexpensive and can be used in cooking and as a raw snack. If you have a blender, smoothies are usually well liked by kids and you can add a small amount of fresh spinach. They will complain about the color, but the fruit really hides the taste and all but the most stubborn will drink it. Before my family got so big, I rarely cooked. Out of necessity, I've had to make cooking my main hobby. When we had TV, I watched cooking shows and I also use the internet for recipes, food blogs and videos. Although it takes time and energy, which I know you are always short on with as many people as you are responsible for, you and your daughter can take up cooking as a hobby together. There will be meals that most people like and meals that no one likes. I know you and your daughter want to lose weight, but a little butter on your steamed vegetables isn't that bad and the fat actually helps the body absorb more of the vitamins. When the weather is cooler, many vegetable like cauliflower and broccoli are really tasty roasted in the oven. Cooking can be enjoyable and affordable when you cut back on snacks and microwave foods. Just remind yourself, it's because you love your kids even though they will think you are trying to torture them. Savor the times they say they like what you cooked. It's hard to compete with big food manufactures. They have billions of dollars to make their foods irresistible.

Many great ideas here!
OP, I feel for you. Feeding a family healthy food on a budget is so hard. One idea that I didn't already see offered is testing out more vegetarian dishes, meals without meat are often less expensive to prepare. A few ideas...
Aloo Gobi (Indian cauliflower & potatoes)...my favorite. :)
Vegetarian curry w/ rice
Spagetti squash with mushrooms, basil, and tomato sauce
Black bean burgers
Eggplant Parm
Yaki Soba noodles with veggies
Vegetarian lasagna

For those nights when you're too tired to cook (what mama hasn't had a few *hundred* of those! lol) maybe you could keep a stock of whole wheat pizza crusts on hand and have the kiddos deck it out with their choice of veggies, cheese and sauce and throw it in the oven for 10 minutes.

Good luck! :D

See you can cook! Good for you. As someone suggested if you can afford it, invest in a crock pot. Not hard to cook at all with them and you can make quite large healthy meals with them.
Your daughter is at an ideal age to learn about healthy food choices and could look for healthy recipes online that she could try herself.