Like many of my posts, this post could probably go in "Personal Growth" but I figure I'll get more specific answers to my issues here.
We have horrible eating habits. DD1 (she's 2) included.
When DD was a baby (pre 1yo), we fed her wonderfully, compared to now. Organic everything, nutritious foods, she was a great eater. Now, both her and us are eating things that I couldn't picture us eating before. Probably 5% of what's in our house is organic. She has high fructose corn syrup in her diet. Food additives. Coloring. And I know it's effecting her moods etc. adversely. We rarely eat fresh fruit/veggies. Heck, DD won't touch any vegetable that isn't corn on the cob or mashed potatoes. We eat alot of convenience foods/processed foods. Juice. DH & I have a bad soda addiction.
We're very tight on money. Very very very.
We are living in a basement apartment which is not considered legal, and it is all we can afford. MIL rents to us, she lives upstairs. Her mother lives above her. Since our apartment is illegal, we don't have a stove or kitchen sink. I rely 100% on a microwave (I know.. like I said we need an intervention), toaster oven, and electric skillet.
We are not eligible for food stamps because of our living situation, they will not give them to us. Ditto WIC. I once went to a food pantry to see what we could get and the selection was horrible.. almost as bad as what we were eating in the first place, if not worse. It was also in an upscale neighborhood and considered one of the better ones.
Cooking is VERY VERY difficult with our situation- the electric skillet is awesome, and it's really my main cooking source. It's very wide and shallow so anything that would need to be done in a deeper pot needs to be done in the microwave (i.e. instant mashed potatoes, and yes, like I said, we need an intervention). The electric skillet has a nonstick finish so I hate boiling in there.. I try to only pan-fry things in it (chicken, when I make it, eggs, potatoes). I know how harmful the nonstick coating is.. but it's really all we have-working around that is another thing I need help with.
Right now we have next to nothing in our fridge. I am planning on going to the store tomorrow. I have to walk with two kids in the stroller (which is huge and I use it often when I shop because it can fit alot in it). I've got $60max to spend on food that will last at least a week. Hopefully two, but I think that's pushing it.
Could you all please, pretty please, help me out? I don't know what to do for meals. DD doesn't care whats in front of her, if she's hungry she eats. Dh doesn't care either, as long as there is food.
Right now, when I don't cook, we eat upstairs in MILs house.. which is tremendously unhealthy. Today we ate stuffed chili peppers (not spicy), with tons of cheese in them, fried in a batter of who knows what and slathered in some orange sauce, rice (fake coloring and seasoning), and beans (with heaps of lard in there).
Please, MDC, I'm not going to be picky, but I need some ideas!!! I need to buy good nutritious food for my family to eat. I can cook, that's not an issue.. it's my resources.
Thanks in advance, I really love you all.
We have horrible eating habits. DD1 (she's 2) included.
When DD was a baby (pre 1yo), we fed her wonderfully, compared to now. Organic everything, nutritious foods, she was a great eater. Now, both her and us are eating things that I couldn't picture us eating before. Probably 5% of what's in our house is organic. She has high fructose corn syrup in her diet. Food additives. Coloring. And I know it's effecting her moods etc. adversely. We rarely eat fresh fruit/veggies. Heck, DD won't touch any vegetable that isn't corn on the cob or mashed potatoes. We eat alot of convenience foods/processed foods. Juice. DH & I have a bad soda addiction.
We're very tight on money. Very very very.
We are living in a basement apartment which is not considered legal, and it is all we can afford. MIL rents to us, she lives upstairs. Her mother lives above her. Since our apartment is illegal, we don't have a stove or kitchen sink. I rely 100% on a microwave (I know.. like I said we need an intervention), toaster oven, and electric skillet.
We are not eligible for food stamps because of our living situation, they will not give them to us. Ditto WIC. I once went to a food pantry to see what we could get and the selection was horrible.. almost as bad as what we were eating in the first place, if not worse. It was also in an upscale neighborhood and considered one of the better ones.
Cooking is VERY VERY difficult with our situation- the electric skillet is awesome, and it's really my main cooking source. It's very wide and shallow so anything that would need to be done in a deeper pot needs to be done in the microwave (i.e. instant mashed potatoes, and yes, like I said, we need an intervention). The electric skillet has a nonstick finish so I hate boiling in there.. I try to only pan-fry things in it (chicken, when I make it, eggs, potatoes). I know how harmful the nonstick coating is.. but it's really all we have-working around that is another thing I need help with.
Right now we have next to nothing in our fridge. I am planning on going to the store tomorrow. I have to walk with two kids in the stroller (which is huge and I use it often when I shop because it can fit alot in it). I've got $60max to spend on food that will last at least a week. Hopefully two, but I think that's pushing it.
Could you all please, pretty please, help me out? I don't know what to do for meals. DD doesn't care whats in front of her, if she's hungry she eats. Dh doesn't care either, as long as there is food.
Right now, when I don't cook, we eat upstairs in MILs house.. which is tremendously unhealthy. Today we ate stuffed chili peppers (not spicy), with tons of cheese in them, fried in a batter of who knows what and slathered in some orange sauce, rice (fake coloring and seasoning), and beans (with heaps of lard in there).
Please, MDC, I'm not going to be picky, but I need some ideas!!! I need to buy good nutritious food for my family to eat. I can cook, that's not an issue.. it's my resources.
Thanks in advance, I really love you all.