We need a nutrition intervention. Can you all help? - Page 2

[maciascl]

Something like this would be great since it is such a multi-tasker. I have something similar & love it!

[WindyCityMom]

Originally Posted by maciascl

Something like this would be great since it is such a multi-tasker. I have something similar & love it!

I might just get one of those- sounds neat!

[mama k nj]

I saw the post on FB!

Ok, I only skimmed the other posts, but the first thing that came to my mind as well is, yes, CROCKPOT!
You can cook everything in there. You can even put oatmeal in there the night before and have it ready for a busy morning!
This site has tons of recipes: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

As others have mentioned, I've cooked whole potatoes and scrambled eggs in the micro. You can also get those steamer bags of frozen veggies. They seem to go on sale a lot at my local grocery store.

Brown rice and dried beans is my go-to when we need to cut back. There are lots of recipes and I always do them a little different. I get canned tomatoes at Big Lots. They often have organic ones even. The key to making them tasty is spices. I put a little oregano, parsley, garlic, onions and definitely cumin! Sometimes chili powder or some red pepper flakes if I feel like spicy. Black beans are our favorite, but we eat all kinds.
Sometimes sour cream or avacado or shredded cheese or plain yogurt on top... you get the idea.

Is there a angelfoodministries.com location near you? I've ordered from them before. There is no income requirement or anything. It's discounted first quality food. You just order and pick up. They even have fresh fruits and veggies boxes. It's not always healthy food in the main boxes, but you can see what is available before you order.

My final suggestion would be to eat lots of fresh fruits and veggies. Raw is healthy and takes minimal prep work. Look for a local produce outlet. Produce Junction is a chain near us, but there are also privately owned ones. You can get a big bag of whatever for a few bucks. Bananas are cheap and easy!

You can do it mama! It does take some creativity to eat well on a tight budget, but it can be done.

[mama k nj]

Oh and I forgot HillbillyHousewife.com! Tons of recipes for cooking from scratch on the cheap.

[sunflowergrrl]

Someone already mentioned it but I thought of http://www.angelfoodministries.com/ as well. You get $65 worth of groceries for $30.

[canadaap]

Look for recipes that use more raw foods. Buy lettuce and a cucumber or whatever other veggies you like and make a salad that day. Put in the fridge, and then when you're hungry go to that instead of other foods. Splurge on a salad dressing that you really like (it's creamy poppyseed for me), and you are more likely to eat the salad.

Also, make sure you are getting out of the house every day. I think about food way more when I am sitting at home. Go for a walk, play in the snow, find a mom's group, do something so that you are out of your house, and have a chance to think clearly, and not be bored and eat (or want to eat)

Hope that helps!

April

[eks]

selecting organic

If you're feeling bad about not having organic, I've attached the list of the "dirty dozen" (foods you should try to buy organic when you can) and it has a link of 12 foods you don't need to worry about buying organic. It also has some good health info about some of the foods (like how good sweet potatoes are for you!). Even when I can't afford to buy any organic foods, this makes me feel better and I try to stock up on the ones that are not so bad. http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy...ty-Dozen-Foods

Another money saver is to ask your deli person for cheese or meat ends, these are usually much cheaper than sliced deli stuff but are fine quality just the uneven ends.

One of our favorite budget meals is a little garlic with vegetable oil sauteed with a few canned diced or crushed (which ever is cheaper) tomatoes and a bit of frozen spinach if you can mixed with pasta (bought in the supersize package for a good price). What's nice about it too is that you if you okay with repeats, you can make this a couple nights in a row to use up a whole can of tomatoes so you can buy the big can, which is cheaper in the long run.

[feminist~mama]

subbing

[fyrebloom]

Maybe it's easier to get them in my state but typically WIC is just your immediate family and Food stamps is only for people who share grocery bills. If you are renting you are a seperate household. I have NEVER heard of home inspections for either wic or foodstamps and I've been on both.

I totally understand not wanting to use your MIL's kitchen. It's tough enough living in the basement, i'm sure you both need bounderies for your sanity. Check craigslist for small appliances. Maybe a rice steamer, hot plate, bread machine. Who knows what you might find. The salvation army is another good source for cheap. I got a pressure cooker and it's cut my cooking time down to almost nothing including cooking beans, rice and pot roasts. Check your state's food stamp website or get in touch with your town or city for private food assistance programs. In my state most of them don't check income or housing status.

Hillbilly housewife is awesome as is fun with food storage. Stock up on apples, pears, oranges and bananas (no refrigeration needed) and snack on those. Rice and pasta are great cheap staples. I've learned to make some awesome dishes with rice, ranging from risotto and pilaf to main dishes like cowgirl beans and rice. Tuna and canned salmon are cheap and can be put in macaroni salad or made into patties for dinners. You can get canned chicken too.

It's not ideal but you can make due with less then ideal and still provide nourishing food for your family.

[earthmothergypsy]

We have had to live like you with no kitchen to use and it is so hard, but with an electric skillet, microwave, toaster oven, hotplate, waffle maker/griddle and crockpot, we managed quite well. (this was before we knew how icky the non-stick and microwave were!--however you use what you have to in situations like this)
We didn't have a fridge, but did have a freezer, so we kept a lot in the freezer. We used a shelf in my mom's fridge for some items. (We also didn't have runny water or a bathroom in our apartment! So we carried what we needed from my mom's place.) We did have WIC and food stamps at the time (yes times were hard!). I told them simply that we rented an apartment from my mother. We had separate cooking space and I kept my food separate from all the other food in the house. This was all that was required. Being able to keep *your* food separate. So that is something to keep in mind. Heck, maybe you can find a small fridge on Freecycle and put it in your apartment! Don't be afraid to ask for items on freecycle.org too! You would be surprised what you can come up with. Craigslist is good too, but there is usually a cost. Freecycle is free.

As for cooking. Get the best ingredients you can get. You will save money by avoiding soda pop and all other junk--processed foods anyway! Make each meal the best you can nutritionally. Most bang for your buck so to speak. Eggs are such a perfect food and can be eaten in so many ways. Get as many of them in as you can. Buy organic foods in places where they are most dangerous eating them non-organic. Use oatmeal and other hot cereals for breakfast--cold cereals cost too much money and nutritionally void. Whole grain pancakes and waffles, biscuits, etc are always a good hit. Make puddings, make your own flat breads like tortillas--add some good cheese and you have a nice lunch with a healthy soup and it is even better. There are a lot of ways to make simple easy meals using what you have cooking wise. You just have to be creative. Taking some time to really research things and make a plan will go a long way. You have made the first step by asking for help and ideas here.
Making a weekly meal plan is a good idea too, so you shop all at once and of course don't go when you are hungry. Avoid convenience foods. Think cooking from scratch. It is a bit of work with your situation, but worth it.

We live on a tight budget here now. DH is disabled and a house full of youngins. I can totally relate to doing it on a tight budget. Once we gave up all convenience foods and make it all from scratch, we need less and it takes less money. We raise our own foods, eat all organic cooking like they used to eat before all the "convenience" came to be. I know this isn't possible where you are right now, but it is something to think about for the future.

Good luck!

I also wonder if there is any way some mamas here could help by sharing with you items we don't use anymore? Just a thought. Especially with anyone that might live near you.

[WindyCityMom]

Thank you everyone, again. I am going shopping today so am trying to formulate a "meal plan".