I'm having a very difficult time trying to diet. I've been doing weight watchers, but it's hard to eat healthier when I don't have much money and two young boys to feed. Let's face it, I buy healthier foods for them, but for as a single mother and student without much of an income, I buy things that are quick to fix like oven baked pizzas, hot dogs, and microwavable chicken strips. When I try to buy all healthy food, my grocery looks very empty. I try not to eat as much, so they can have enough food, but I end up starving and end up eating the fattening things as we run out of the healthy stuff so fast. It's so hard and I just want to cry. Anyone have a suggestion on foods I should buy that are healthy that will stretch long enough to last until I have money again to buy groceries? I only have enough money to buy $61.00 worth of groceries a week. I am feeding myself, a teenager, and a 10 y/o. They are very active, skinny, and are eating like every hour. HELP!!

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Okay Im good at this Go to the deli part of the grocery store. buy some sliced turkey from the butcher. Buy some bread of your choice. Then buy some baby carrots in the packs. Dont buy beverages. Drink water. Its free.

Besides they just have sugar that is not heathly. Buy your fruit in season. That way you get more fruit with less money. Thats it. I spend 20 dollars a week and eat sandwhiches for breakfast, lunch,and dinner. Turkey is good for you also, not any fat.

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You actually aren't alone in your dilema about feeding a family on a tight budget and keeping it healthy! The key to losing weight is really simple: eat fewer calories, burn more of them up, and make sure that your nutritional needs are getting met. I suspect that you are over eating due to stress and anxiety. Emotional eating is tough because its easy to get to the point of " I don't care!" and stuff in the cookies and other sugary, high fat foods. Sugar and fat and salt are addictive substances and overindulgence in them creates a rush of endorphins, which numbs out the bad stuff and making us feel good.....for a short while. Here are some ideas that might help you:

1. Create a weekly meal plan, or even a monthly menu. Let your kids help you plan the menu and do the shopping so that they will feel more a part of the "healthy experience" and less deprived.
2. Check out your local food resources to see if you can purchase fresh produce etc. at lower costs. There are some aid programs that help folks out by providing them with several boxes of government supplies and fresh produce once a week.
3. Make items that take some time and will provide leftovers, such as roasted chicken, vegetable lasagne, soup, etc.
4. Organic products are great, but are priced higher than other products in the supermarket. If you can't afford to eat organic, then pick and choose which foods you can!
5. Take advantage of the summer months and visit the farmer's markets weekly for fresh fruits and veges.
6. Purchase meats in bulk, and then cut down on the amount you serve. Other countries that have healthier lifestyles actually don't eat much meat. Have great side dishes and make meat a secondary ingrediant rather than a primary one.
7. Limit processed sweets and goodies. Get your teenager into baking cookies and homemade goodies from scratch. Limit the amount each can have each day and let them choose apples, oranges, peaches, raisins etc. instead.
8. Make a decision that you are going to make a lifestyle change in order to keep your family healthy! This will help you cut down on purchasing un-necessary items.
9. Limit fast food excursions! Those "budget" menu items are loaded with fat and sodium!
10. Kids like cereal. Purchase it in bulk and mix it with items such as peanuts, m&m's, coconut, raisins etc. and put in small baggies for snacks. Cereal is also a great snack as long as it has lower sugar and more nutrients.
11. Don't be afraid of ramen. Add veges and left over meats to ramen for a quick and satisfying meal. Although higher in sodium, you can cut the seasoning packet in half and add other herbs.
12. Hot dogs are good and make a quick and fast meal or snack. Try to purchase turkey or chicken hot dogs when they are on sale and freeze. Cut them up for an addition to mac and cheese, add them to beans for chili, serve them grilled with mustard and ketchup.
13. Keep fruit handy
14. Watch your portion sizes. Don't eat from the kids plates when they are finished. Drink lots of water and try to get a walk in daily. Take a warm bath and create a gratitude list when times are tough.
15. Depending on the age of your teen, he/she might be able to get a part time job to earn some extra money for other things that will help you increase your food budget.
16. Are you getting child support? If not, visit your local DA and sign up to get your ex's wages garnished. Widowed? Perhaps you can get death benefits for each child that will help you.
17. Garage sale time! What do you need, what can you donate, and what can you sell? Use the proceeds for a dinner out with the kids.

Good luck to you and yours!

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Buy fruit and veg from the market rather than the supermarket you'll save loads, use up veg to make pasta sauces, Fruit snacks, Generally make fresh food rather than buying ready meals, You'll get more healthy stuff into the kids rather than fat and junk, Finally invest in a good basics cookbook.

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I'm in the same situation darling, but don't give up you can do it AND set a great example for your boys. Try your hardest to look at the sale flyers, I often find the value packs of chicken w/ 7-10 chicken breasts on sale for $7 or yogurts 20 for $10 type deal. If anything perishable is on sale, see if you can freeze it for later use like the chicken. Rice, egg noodles, beans, peanut butter, soup; these are all pretty healthy and filling and REALLY cheap. For fresh fruits and vegetables...GO TO your Farmers Market, they have deals and may also be able to tip you off on other places. Most supermarkets have a bargain rack of fruit about to go bad, while it may not be what you want visually, it's always marked down drastically, try to eat it that day or the next though. LOL

Also I hope not to insult you, but maybe you should apply for Food Stamps, even if you work, they could still help and a little help is better than none. You can also contact your local WIC office to find out local food pantries or ask your local church. They can often give you staples such as cereal, canned goods, toiletries and an occasional few goodies. Good luck!

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Like the first person said, always buy fruit that is in season...It's much cheaper. Also, does your family like vegetables? You can usually get a big bag of frozen veggies for a few dollars. I like to buy the kind that you just put in the microwave and they steam themselves, very quick and easy.

When I don't have a lot of money to spend (which is almost always) I buy a lot of cereal, too. I try to buy cereals that are made with whole grains. They're usually very low on fat and if you eat it with skim milk, its a decently healthy meal along with a piece of fruit.

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You need to make a shopping list each week and stick to it. Perhaps if you buy your shopping online you can check the budget as you go along, and alter it to get the most for your money (or you could just check prices online).

Dont buy junk foods - no crisps, biscuits, cakes, ice cream etc. if its not in the house, you wont be snacking on it. but make sure there are lots of healthy snacks (i.e. fruit).

Pick out a recipe to make each evening of the week - cooking from scratch doesn't always have to take longer than cooking a pizza in the oven. I make all my own meals, and mostly it takes less than half an hour. i.e. try a simple tomato and vegetable sauce for pasta - that would not take longer than 30 mins, or grilled chicken with a cous cous salad.

Once you have picked the recipes, write the shopping list and buy only what you need (plus some healthy snack foods). When you go shopping, try to leave the kids at home so they don't end up persuading you to buy crisps or whatever.

This way you will be able to keep track of exactly what you are buying and eating, and also it should reduce wasted food which happens quite commonly to people who are trying to start a healthy diet (i.e. they buy loads of fresh veggies, but dont really know what they want to do with them and then half of them go off before they are used!).

Good luck, and stick in there!

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My best tip is to check out your local green grocer. I can buy loads of stuff from my local green grocer for under £3 whilst I would pay a fortune for the same things at the supermarket! :-)

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ok buy a large chicken and roast it with potatoes and cook
seasonal vegetables with it - if you have a freezer cook enough
for another meal and freeze on seperate plates.
with left over chicken cut into cubes for next day - fry up
some onion - make a cheese sauce - add chicken onion and cheese sauce and top with mashed potatoes and more veg.
there is nothing wrong with frozen and u don't waste any.
use the carcass to make stock or soup - boil with onion and
a carrot - strain the scum and simmer - and drain into a bowl.
to make soup again add chopped veg cook and whizz on a processor.
you now have at least 3 meals.
buy some mince(think usa call chopped) make meatballs
with fine chop onion and season - roll in flour - lightly fry-
remove - make a tomato sauce - 2 tins tomato some tomato puree onion and any flavour you like ie garlic herbs. add meatballs to it and cook for about and hour - serve with mashed potato and veg - u can double this up or use more mince and make a bolognese, by just cooking it all together.
i the uk lots of shops reduce produce - most of it is fine.
buy seasonal fruit
but whatever you buy make sure its something they will eat.
as for sandwiches - tinned tuna is good for them and cheap
in uk - try and give them some other fish once a week.
tuna fishcakes - 2 tins tuna - chop spring onions(scallions)
flavour with something they like - maybe chinese style ie
ginger - cook mash potatoes. shape into to patties - dust lightly in flour - cook in oven for 30 mins again more veg.
buy nothing ready made its cheap and nasty.
you can make your own pizzas - again either make the base
or buy them - make the tomato sauce for meatballs but
thicker - add toppings they like - a small amount ham -
onion - etc top with grated cheese - do not buy grated cheese- get a block its cheaper. and serve with salad
if you have a freezer you will find it easier to cook in batches-
ie mince and mash potato will freeze
google cheap healthy meals on net
good luck
good luck

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Here are some things I've found useful. I buy the storebrand instead of the name brand products...usually they are very similar and save you a few dollars. Some of the quick foods have healthy equivalents, like a pizza with whole wheat crust (my family doesn't notice the difference). Try chicken or turkey hot dogs instead of pork. I buy the healthy bake chicken strips. There's even a multigrain coated healthy bake fish sticks pack that we all like.
We really worked at planning meals to fit our budget and do not go over. We also don't allow ourselves to go back to the store before the next shop. It's tough I know. My sister in law had a genius idea that worked with her teenage son. She put aside a part of the pantry that was just his snacks for the week. Once they were gone, they were gone. He learned to ration.
Planning in advance of the shop really helps. I even tally my total as I go so I don't go over, I'm less tempted to sneak other food in the cart that way.
I do plan one big meal a week that I stretch for 2 days. Sunday is the first meal and Wednesday or Thursday is the leftovers. Something like a lasagna works well for that. I know it's hard and I wish you well!

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