Is it cheaper on average to buy things like tomatoes, garlic, onions, and bell peppers frozen/canned, or buy them fresh and chop them at home? I love vegetables but want don't want to spend a lot to get them.
I went to a food pantry for the first time today. I lost my job more than a year ago. I've been dipping into my savings for more than a year. For the first time, I went to my local food pantry. I'm feeling guilty about that, but I'm also really grateful for what's available.
I came home with enough food for a whole week, and I want to cry because I'm so relieved. But I can't stop feeling guilty because I feel like I'm not "poor enough".
Have any of you used food pantries?
Edit: Thank you, everyone, for your kind comments. You have really turned a difficult day into one where I feel so touched by the kindness and encouragement of strangers. It really warms my heart knowing that there's so much good will in the world. Thank you all for your kind words and good wishes, and thank you for supporting others. I feel so much better about accepting the support from my community, and I am determined to give back by volunteering my time now and donating items when I'm back on my feet.
I am used to putting hot sauce on my vegetables but want to lower my sodium intake. What would you recommend? Does t have to be spicy necessarily
I live in a cold climate and have a son in preschool, so I've basically been ill since the end of August. After making yet another soup that I can barely choke down, I have to accept the fact that I hate soup. I don't like blended soups or brothy soups with chunks of stuff in it. I just an aversion. I'm also not big on most casseroles (too mushy) or anything containing cream cheese or "cream of ____" in a can. Any ideas for warm, one pan/pot kind of comfort foods that won't break the bank? I have been dreaming of a lovely pot roast but we can't afford it with the price of beef in the US these days. Thanks for helping out a mom with ARFID!
Edited to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the wonderful ideas! I have been so burnt out lately and complete uncreative with meals. I've developed food aversions over the last year, my son has severe ARFID (feeding tube and all), and we are on a tight budget, and dinner always feels like an impossible puzzle. Your thoughtful responses have given me tons of ideas to keep us fed and warm through the illness and chilly weather season. I'm going to list some of my personal favorite ideas here for anyone reading through this in the future:
Hey all! I’m looking for a breakfast to have during the winter, especially on days I have to work. Currently, I have a smoothie with frozen fruit, orgain vanilla protein powder, chia seeds, and oat milk.
Unfortunately for me and my love of routine, those get unpleasant once it gets below 30°. I am looking for a winter replacement. Here are my desires:
-must be at least 350 calories
-should be neutral temperature or warm
-vegetarian
-takes no more than 5 minutes to prepare in the mornings (I’m fine doing meal prep weekly or the night before though)
-will keep me full from 8:30-12
-I should be able to eat it one handed/in the car
-bonus points for nutritionally balanced/well rounded, as well as bonus points if it’s cheap!
The current options I have are
-Huel Black: this is my favorite option but it’s a little pricey right now (I’m also a little scared I won’t like it)
-2 packets of instant oatmeal mixed with a quarter cup of chia seed pudding: this seems like a good option, but its carb heavy and I worry about it’s ability to keep me full
I’ve heard that no amount of fiber risks colorectal cancer .
How do you guys menage to take enough fiber trough a day. Lets say 20g of fiber. How do you combine them in your meals and do you actually do this? And how do you combine them on a cut to still leave space macros and not go over daily goal?
I guess when bulking its much easier and less “stressing” without thing abt “going over” macro goal. Thanks in advance!!!
My work place just bought an air fryer for staff to use, I have never used one so am wondering what sort of lunchtime things I might do with it. Any thoughts?
I just discovered a trove of expired/expiring pasta in my pantry, and I’m looking for ways to make it healthier and satisfying.
**vegan and vegetarian recipes highly preferred**
I feel guilty when I eat just pasta. Empty carbs with little nutrition. What can I make that will make me feel better about what I’m eating?
Edit to add: I LOVE soup and normally that would be my go to, but I’m in an area experiencing a hell of a heat wave right now, and it’s been 100* for a week and counting 🥲 so soup won’t be as popular right now.
i have AFRID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) and eating Nissin cup noodles are my favorite safe, comforting things to eat, but the salt in them scares me, i used to eat two of them until i found how much salt i was consuming, i stopped eating it all togather cuz fear of getting some sort of kidney disease/failure from eating it everyday like i used to.
i do not use/eat the noodles that are in the packet, but the ones in the styrofoam cups, i never liked the broth so i would drain them, but i dont know if thats enough to reduce the salt, i've thought about even squeezing every last drop out of the noodles unil they are dry, which i do not mind doing, but i dont know if thats even though to get rid of most of the salt thats in them
or is there any other alts that are safer / less sodiem and taste just like Nissin???? i love any suggestions, i love noodles and i miss my Nissin,
Im not vegetarian or vegan. I have no problem eating meat. I pretty much only eat chicken.
Im trying to eat healthier and was thinking to switch my main meals to grains/rice & beans with meat ( chicken broth mainly) as the flavor but not the main. For not only financial reasons, but health.
Things like rice, pinto & red beans, lentils, barley, cocucus ( I hate quinoa). And either add veggies to make a soup/stew or serve with steam veggies it the grains/ beans are not in liquid. Plus I occasional bake whole wheat bread. Add some cheese for topping & side of bread or tortilla. I plan to meal ppep & freeze everything.
Essentially no meat as a main. Ill use small bits of chicken or bacon for flavor. I just wonder if I will get bored of this quickly.
Has anyone changed their diet similar to this?
I work in a high activity environment and right now I start work at 6:30 with my first break at 10:00. Most mornings I get two egg McMuffins. They leave me feeling full for that four hour span of activity but I don’t want to keep buying them. Also they’re not very nutritious.
I’m looking for a recipe(s) that can leave me feeling full for that long stretch.
I don’t like to cook in the morning so if it can be made quick or made the night before that would be huge. Something with decent nutrition. I’ve meal prepped my own breakfast sandwiches but they don’t hit the same.
I got a gluten-free pumpkin spice cake mix. I’d like to make it more healthy by mixing in berries… How do you think that would taste?
Any tips on making it as a dump cake?
Not much of a tuna person but I do love shrimp and other types of fish. Looking for good recipes (I have a xl ninja foodi grill/airfryer) and looking for some healthy food ideas.
I was able to get about 4 lbs of drumsticks at $1.18/lb which is a pretty good deal when I’m broke as hell. However, I’m kind of bored of what I usually do with drumsticks. I usually do a BBQ sauce with some sides like potatoes and green beans. Or I do my usually seasoning mix but I’m generally bored with that. I was thinking of Peri Peri chicken or chicken Adobo but I was wondering if you guys had other suggestions? And what sides you’d recommend with them?
Hi everyone! I’m a new flight attendant and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for food that is cheap and healthy AND can survive multiple day pairings? This month I will be going away for four days at a time, and we unfortunately are not paid enough to be eating out all the time.
I tried making rice for one of my meal preps, but when I ate it at the end of a very long shift, I got paranoid that sitting in my cooler bag for 12 hours may have led to it developing that rice bacteria. I am definitely open to making rice again, but I don’t know if it will be feasible for multiple days.
Does anyone have any suggestions for food that would sit well for long days without refrigeration?
So I recently discovered that I can buy a large watermelon for $6.99,
Cut it into cubes, and just eat it whenever I’m thirsty,
and it lasts me 3-4 days by myself, without needing to drink from a single outside source.
having me spend about $1.75-$2.3 on hydration/drinks a day.
WITH NO RISK OF POLLUTANTS FROM PLASTIC OR METAL PACKAGING,
OR HAVING TO DRINK TAP WATER