[srizookie]

I'm currently unemployed and sometimes I don't have food to eat.it seem that the foods that are fattening and not healthy is the cheapest.I started riding my bike to burn calories but the food options are carbs and garbage.sometimes all I can afford is oatmeal.what are some healthy options of food when you have no money?thanks to anyone who answers back in advance

[danielnoahsmommy]

Oatmeal Isa Good Star. You Need To Add Vegies & Fruit Or You Will Get Rickets. Check With Your Local Food Pantry

[linnealand]

I certainly hope things have taken a turn for the better! Contacting your local food pantry is an excellent idea.

most people don't realize it, but many of the healthiest foods are also the least expensive. Ready-made foods are the least cost-effective in the long run.

get the basics, and eat at home. Here are some important and less expensive staples:

beans
chickpeas
rice
potatoes
carrots

beans and chickpeas are an excellent source of protein. Combine them with rice for greater nutritional value. You can do whatever combination you wish. If you can manage it, a green vegetable would be a very good idea, as would milk. Oatmeal is extremely good for you.

one of the cheapest and best things to make is SOUP. Make a big enough batch and it can last you for days. Make a minestrone. Adding a new ingredient everyday will keep it interesting. I heard a food radio interview with a chef who did a successful experiment buying all of her food shopping at the dollar store that carried fresh produce.

I don't know what it's like where you are, but our butcher gives away bones for making stock for free. Boil an onion, a carrot and a celery stick with it and you have a very basic stock that you can use as a base for any soup. Good luck! Let us know how things go!

[jjwoodhull]

Yogurt - the grocery store usually has at least one brand on sale.
Eggs - recent studies show eggs are a lot better for us than we used to think.

[templelane]

Frozen food is often much cheaper than fresh. In fact frozen veggies are supposed to retain more vitamins as they are not degraded by sitting on the shelf for so long. Frozen meat is tons cheaper too.

Soup is the cheapest thing in my experience to eat. That and as you say oatmeal. I lived off that and apples when I was a student and ran out of money. Oh the other thing was bran flakes or wheatabix and milk.

Seasonal food is much cheaper too, but that will depend on where you live.

Another trick is getting the reduced foods at the end of the day in supermarkets- although this requires timing and sharp elbows.

Churches and communty centres sometimes do free food. Although that can vary a lot.

Good luck :)

[reem2612]

Well, I am now saving for my wedding and having an extension put onto my house I'm on a diet and this is my normal daily diet:
Breakfast:Oat so simple porridge.
Snack:Half a twirl
Lunch:Hienz tomato soup
Snack:Half a twirl
Dinner/tea:Soup
Hope you have luck with your low cal low money diet.

[JudyKayTee]

Please keep an eye on the dates when you post - this is from 2008 and the person asking has not returned.