Remind me what I can eat

[Junegoddess]

Oh, yeah, hi everyone! I've been MIA for about 7 months now. My not-so-new-anymore son just flat won't let me spend time on the computer, and so the moments I do grab are devoted to email and bill-paying.

I am seriously feeling sorry for myself at the moment, and keep getting stuck in swirling over-thinking/martyristic crankydom. Blah. Great helpful thoughts that range between "It's so unfair" to "I know there are others with even more diet restrictions." But somehow I never manage to come up with anything constructive. So, while I admit that I know this has come up here before, and that there really are plenty of foods left that I can eat... I'm asking to pretty please be beat over the head with the obvious. Because right now, I ain't seein' the obvious. Probably because I'm always hungry.

I need reminded what on earth I can eat. I am gluten, dairy, and soy free for my own purposes, and the baby won't let me eat citrus, tomatoes, or strawberries. Other berries seem to be fine, but I don't eat them much because organic is expensive and regular is all pesticidey. And my daughter usually eats them first anyway. I seem to have either become allergic to eggs, or else my egg guy switched feeds without telling me and the hens are getting soy. Or maybe my tummy trouble was unrelated, as it seems to have persisted. And I'm kinda sorta sensitive to coconut. Coconut yogurt doesn't seem to bother me, but plain coconut milk does. Coconut oil does not. Butter probably isn't a problem, but I confess to never going off of it long enough to know. I've been suspecting it lately, though. I've been saving my stash of ghee for "after the move" but we haven't managed to move yet (and that's a HUGE SOURCE OF STRESS.)

Anyway... I also need to eat reasonably low-carb, because I'm insulin-resistant, and as frugal as humanly possible, because holy crap our $800 food budget disappears in a blink of an eye.

I read frugal food sites and it's all beans and grains, and I read traditional food sites and it's all cream and kefir and meat, and I need to find some middle ground. Oh, and my kids are super picky, which is a big reason why our food bill is so high.

I need quick-grab snacks and eggless, low-grain, gluten-free, dairy-free breakfasts. I have been eating my own weight in crispy nuts and dried fruit, because it's quick, but it adds up to about $60 per month. That's ridiculous. And too many nuts aren't supposed to be good for those of us who need to lose weight. And I think about that every single time I grab some... but I have no idea what else to grab.

The last couple of days, since going egg-free again, I've had leftover sliced beef on toast for breakfast (Udi's bread... best GF bread ever, but not really made out of real food, and expensive.) That really hit the spot and I felt good after eating it, but... not frugal. Nor low-carb.

I just feel stuck. As this post shows, I think myself into circles and never come out of it with anything. Every choice seems to have something wrong with it- too expensive, not really healthy, makes me feel icky afterward, something. I've got plenty of stress and confusion and self-disappointment in other areas of my life right now, I really want food to be easy again.

[kl5]

Originally Posted by Junegoddess

I need reminded what on earth I can eat. I am gluten, dairy, and soy free for my own purposes, and the baby won't let me eat citrus, tomatoes, or strawberries. Other berries seem to be fine, but I don't eat them much because organic is expensive and regular is all pesticidey. And my daughter usually eats them first anyway. I seem to have either become allergic to eggs, or else my egg guy switched feeds without telling me and the hens are getting soy. Or maybe my tummy trouble was unrelated, as it seems to have persisted. And I'm kinda sorta sensitive to coconut. Coconut yogurt doesn't seem to bother me, but plain coconut milk does. Coconut oil does not. Butter probably isn't a problem, but I confess to never going off of it long enough to know. I've been suspecting it lately, though. I've been saving my stash of ghee for "after the move" but we haven't managed to move yet (and that's a HUGE SOURCE OF STRESS.)

Drive by posting to say hang in there and to suggest you consider X-posting to the allergies forum. Great ideas abound over there.

[kallyn]

I don't have time for a long reply right now, but...

I need quick-grab snacks and eggless, low-grain, gluten-free, dairy-free breakfasts.

My DH is big on bacon or sausage + low sugar fruit for breakfast. You could also try smoothies if you're into those (I've never been a fan personally, but most people seem to like them). Soup can also work surprisingly well for breakfast. And if you google around a bit I seem to remember a "hot cereal" kind of thing made out of almond flour that made the rounds on lowcarb messageboards. For snacks, jerky is always good! Or make up some dips and use various veggies for them.

I have an old paleo recipe blog you can go through too that I haven't updated in ages and almost all the recipes will fit your criteria. http://cavemanfood.blogspot.com

[basje]

$800!!! Holy crap!

That's a huge food budget! You said your kids are picky, which had me wondering what you've been feeding them. A box of cereal is 4.50 easy, a organic bag of frozen blueberries is 2.99 at Whole Foods. If I were you I might be taking a closer look at what ends up in your cart. Yes nuts are expensive, but it takes about two brazil nuts to get your daily selenium, there isn't much reason to have more than a handful a day.

My roommates are gluten free vegans who also don't eat nightshades, garlic or onions. I eat mostly the same as they do. This time of year is great from fresh produce; boiled corn, mashed caulifower, roasted eggplant, stir-fried bok choy, steamed broccoli and raw carrots. Figure, you have rotating three breakfasts, fruit smoothies with morning potatod, boiled barley with cinnamon and apples, and buckwheat pancakes with yogurt. Then five rotating lunches hummus with raw veggis, apples with nutbutter and sweet potato fries, Lettuce wrap sandwiches and fruit, red bean-filled mochi and salad, cornmeal cakes and black bean dip. Dinners Sushi, rice and dal, soups!, grilled veggis and meat, baked potato and kale. Snack on unlimited amounts of bananas, apples, green salad, watermelon, cucumber, grapes, cherries, dates, figs, olives, peaches, plums, pears, avocados, cantaloupe, carrots, celery, mango and snap peas.

Okay. Now I'm hungry.

[tanyalynn]

For our budget, I am compromising a lot, but I feel okay with it. So for us, it's mostly conventional meats, but I buy good quality beef and pig fat to render. At first it was stressful to compromise, but we do better with more animal products, and finances are a reality.

In terms of quick-to-grab foods, I make meatballs ahead of time, I bake them (similar to a meatloaf recipe, I find it works fine without eggs and grain), and I bake up drumsticks that I've marinaded (salt, brown sugar, tarragon, soak overnight in the frig or even the freezer). They're portable, so I can take them to the kids' activities, and filling.

For a quick dinner: meat in the slow cooker (I throw on an herbs de provence mix, somehow it changes bland into interesting) plus roasted sweet potatoes and something green--asparagus and broccoli are easy.

How do you do with lentils? They're less carby than most legumes and grains and they have lots of folate. A soup with some meat, some stock and lentils and veggies can be flavored in lots of ways. I had a recipe that worked well for winter (bacon, herbs de provence), haven't figured out one that's flavored right for summer, but I know one exists out there.

[dakotablue]

Spanish foods, Mexican foods and oriental foods. seriously...its not horrible. I mean its any combination of meats, rice and veggies. Which is a lot. I lived on chicken sausage (we don't eat pork) and potatoes until I watched Racheal Ray and was inspired to try more.

It took a lot of reeducating and making new go to meals...but if you have time check out those ethinics (mainly Mexican and oriental) they don't use a lot of gulten or dairy. If you don't have time PM me and when I get a chance I'll give you a couple of quickish recipes.

it'll be ok! I lived.

gulten, dairy, soy, corn Free. (although just got a little corn and dairy back in!!!)

[Junegoddess]

Originally Posted by basje

That's a huge food budget! You said your kids are picky, which had me wondering what you've been feeding them. A box of cereal is 4.50 easy, a organic bag of frozen blueberries is 2.99 at Whole Foods. If I were you I might be taking a closer look at what ends up in your cart. Yes nuts are expensive, but it takes about two brazil nuts to get your daily selenium, there isn't much reason to have more than a handful a day.

Well, that's for 3 adults, one berry-addicted tween, a heavily carnivorous 5-yo, and a baby that isn't on solids yet, but makes me eat like a horse. There is no way on earth I could eat vegan or even vegetarian. I am insulin-resistant and can't handle that many carbs.
We don't eat cereal at all. And I'm eating two to three handfuls of pecans/almonds per day, not brazil nuts.

We do spend a fair amount on junk, because my husband has decided that since it looks cheap on the shelf, he should just grab it. Never mind if it makes you HUNGRIER after eating it. I'm doing my best to stop him from doing that, but it requires me finding time to bake/make snacks at home, which is really hard with a baby who wants me all the time.

Originally Posted by tanyalynn

How do you do with lentils? They're less carby than most legumes and grains and they have lots of folate. A soup with some meat, some stock and lentils and veggies can be flavored in lots of ways. I had a recipe that worked well for winter (bacon, herbs de provence), haven't figured out one that's flavored right for summer, but I know one exists out there.

I haven't had lentils in years, because I always felt bad after eating them. It's been long enough that I could try again. I do like ideas for stretching meat. Hubby will eat an insane amount of meat if it's presented as just meat, starch, and veg. I love my meat, but I have learned meto eat less of it than I used to.

Baby boy won't let me type anything more!

[Koalamom]

800 isn't alot at all especially when dealing with special diets. We are a family of 2 adults, and 2 kids and we spend easily 500 monthly.

I know about nuts. I could eat cashews all day! I have been getting then from bulk bins, and mix them with sunflower seeds and it stretches them and sunnies are so good for you anyway. You still get the cashew taste and it cost less.

[alireb]

Check out some of the recipes on marksdailyapple.com. He's primal but there are tons of recipes on there and will be definitely be gluten, soy and dairy free although some have eggs.