On a budget
 

When I go to school this semester I am going to be a on very tight grocery budget. Does anyone here have suggestions on what type of foods I should buy that last?

Eggs go a long way. Also hamberger. Lettuce and tomatoes, and chicken. Have no other ideas, know someone will. I would like to read some answeres myself....LOL

Eggs are definetly a plus. They are great protien sources and a dozen is sometimes under $1. Try to shop sells if you can too. If you have a freezer, buy the family packs of meat, then wrap them to freeze. I took a family pack of pork chops, wrapped each one in foil, then threw all of them into a ziplock freezer bag. Also look for sells in produce. Grab lettuce heads when they are on sell. Don't go for precut or prebagged. I love the bagged salads, but generaly the more work they do fo ryou, the more they charge.

Going for whole foods that take time to prepare not only is cheaper, but will help keep cravings at bay, and help with your weight loss in the long run :)

Thanks for the replies! I will definitely have to start liking eggs more...

My grocery bill doubled this week as DH started Atkins today. It didn't change much when I was doing it myself, because I can get by on a piece of meat and some veggies. But he's a big guy and at least in the beginning, he'll need more than one or two pork chops to feel full!

All that meat has really put a dent in my budget. But I look at it as an investment in my new healthy lifestyle. How much is it worth to lose XX number of pounds?

As for your immediate needs, I find chicken is usually pretty cheap, as is hamburger meat. I don't know what kind of set up you have as far as a kitchen (I know in college my "kitchen" was a sink, a microwave, a fridge and a George Foreman grill!) but chicken can be prepared in so many ways. Canned tuna is also a fast and easy meal that's not expensive.

I am poor and young too!

I go to the grocery store before 5 on weekdays and buy the markdown meats (coupons on them for up to $3.00 off, unfortunately they expire within a day or two)...For example bulk chicken, sausage, etc etc..I cook it, put it into single size servings and then freeze......I also find eggs are cheap....Cheese ends from the deli counter....Always watch for sales and stock up ..

you could stock up on canned chicken and tuna. Add some mayo and in no time you have yummy chicken salad and tuna salad....these were a staple for me last year at my dorm..as well as sugar free jello mmmmmm

As everyone said eggs are really cheap, I find my budget goes pretty far if I buy meat in bulk packages and freeze in smaller amounts, buying whole chickens to roast or cheaper cuts of beef to cook at pot roast lets you get a lot of flavor for less money too. Do you or your friends belong to a warehouse store? My Costco membership has saved me a ton of money - I buy big packages of steak/chicken breast/hamburger and the veggies/cheese tend to be an excellent price too.

Again, thank for the replies. Buying large packages of meat and freezing them individually is a great idea! I will be in apt for the first time this year so thank goodness I don't have to rely on just a microwave and the campus food! (We have a lot of selection, but for someone on atkins, it can still be limited)

Sounds like you have the right attitude! I remember the dorm room hotplate microwave days (yuk) -- it's SO easy to start hating the cafeteria food, eating the wrong foods and ultimately gaining weight.

Best of luck!! Keep us posted. Study hard. :)

Jeannie

I have the same problem. I go back to school soon too. I plan on having a lota canned goods (tuna, chicken). I have a SAM'S membership so that will save me money on frozen chicken and other stuff that is usually costly in the grocery store. I also bought a water filter and a funnel to fill up bottles of water. I go through water too fast at home to buy bottled water every week. I also buy a lot of stuff at Walmart. They have cans of macadamia nuts for half the price of a grocery store. Hope this helps some!!