Coconut milk: 400ml tin costs £0.99
Almond butter: 170g jar costs £2.39
Spinach: 260g pack costs £1.00, has a warning that it goes off after 2 days
Kale: 206g pack costs £1.00, has a warning that it goes off after 5 days
Frozen raspberries: 300g pack costs £1.39
Frozen strawberries: 500g pack costs £2.00
Frozen blueberries: 350g pack costs £2.00
Salmon: 200g pack of fresh smoked salmon slices costs £2.79, or 300g pack of frozen smoked salmon costs £3.50
Tilapia: 110g fillet costs £2.00, has a warning that it goes off after 2 days
Ground beef: 500g pack costs £3.50, has a warning that it goes off after 4 days
Scallops: 160g pack of raw scallops costs £3.00, has a warning that it goes off after 3 days, or 200g pack of frozen scallops costs £6.50
Shrimp: 200g tin costs £1.08
Chicken thighs: 900-1110g pack costs £3.89, or 566g pack of mixed thighs/drumsticks costs £1.49
Canned tuna: 185g tin costs £0.66
Canned salmon: 212g tin of pink salmon costs £1.09
Butter: 250g pack costs £1.19
Eggs: box of 10 costs £1.19
Bacon: 220g pack costs £1.59
Bell peppers: mixed pack of 3 costs £1.65, or red, orange, green or yellow peppers cost £0.78 each
Carrots: 640g pack of sliced carrots costs £0.96, has a warning that it goes off after 3 days, or 1.2kg pack of raw carrots costs £0.55
Ham: 400g pack of sliced ham costs £1.65, has a warning that it goes off after 8 days
Mushrooms: 250g pack of sliced mushrooms costs £1.00, has a warning that it goes off after 2 days, or 380g pack of closed cup mushrooms costs £1.00, has a warning that it goes off after 2 days, or 300g pack of large flat mushrooms costs £1.20, has a warning that it goes off after 3 days
Cheese: 250g pack of sliced cheddar costs £1.80, or 350g block of cheddar costs £1.99
Greek yogurt: 500g tub costs £1.00
Cottage cheese: 300g tub costs £0.60
Rice: 1kg pack of long grain rice costs £0.40
Potatoes: 850g pack of ready peeled potatoes costs £1.00, has a warning that it goes off after 3 days, or 2.5kg pack of raw potatoes costs £0.67, has a warning that it goes off after 3 days
Loads of those you can get much cheaper in the UK, you need to get smart. You're understandably worrying a lot about things going off; if thats the case your meat should live in the freezer. Get it out the day before you intend to use it, by which time it will have defrosted. Meat of any kind should last month/s in the freezer. Potatoes last longer in the fridge, however if you have a garage stick them in there in a light-proof bag and they will last over a week easily. And buy the big bags not 850g lol
In terms of meat, get the special offers. You can get like 3x600g of Minced Beef from Morisons for around a tenner. Freeze two packs, use one on the day. http://www.morrisons.co.uk/ Look at the front page, gammon £3.49 per Kg!
I dont know why you chose smoked salmon either. Morrisons have fresh salmon on offer for around £7/kg every few months for a week. Buy a few KG's and freeze it.
You need to start buying in bulk to save massive amounts of money and USE YOUR FREEZER!
How do you survive right now off 50 pounds a month without knowing how to cook? :/I don't have that much freezer space, at the moment I only have 2 drawers in a shared freezer, and I have to move house at the end of May so I have no idea what freezer space I'll have access to going forward. Also recall that I only have £50 available for food each month, if I bought 2 or 3 kgs of this salmon you speak of that would be 28-42% of that month's food budget. I have to be able to eat in the current month as well as future months!
I don't have that much freezer space, at the moment I only have 2 drawers in a shared freezer, and I have to move house at the end of May so I have no idea what freezer space I'll have access to going forward. Also recall that I only have £50 available for food each month, if I bought 2 or 3 kgs of this salmon you speak of that would be 28-42% of that month's food budget. I have to be able to eat in the current month as well as future months!
EDIT: Also, there is not a Morrisons store within range of my bus pass.
I don't have that much freezer space, at the moment I only have 2 drawers in a shared freezer, and I have to move house at the end of May so I have no idea what freezer space I'll have access to going forward. Also recall that I only have £50 available for food each month, if I bought 2 or 3 kgs of this salmon you speak of that would be 28-42% of that month's food budget. I have to be able to eat in the current month as well as future months!
How do you survive right now off 50 pounds a month without knowing how to cook? :/
Like seriously, list your current diet.
2 drawers is more than enough to store your meat, I am a student and I make do with one. Get rid of the ice cream thats been in there for 3 months and store essentials only. You need to do some maths and workout the best cost/nutrition for different types of food to fit in with your budget.
Baked beans
Tins of Heinz Big Soup
Boxes of cornflakes
Tins of tuna
Strangely enough I don't buy ice cream, so your comment missed the mark. But ok, so out of the foodstuffs that have been suggested, which represent this optimal cost to nutrition ratio that you speak of?
That's pretty much all I'd leave of your list. I can't really speak for your microwave meals, but I doubt they're particularly healthy. Cheese can be ok in small doses, but realistically you should be picking up the reduced fat stuff if you're picking it up at all.
Also, see my post above. Turkey. It's bland on its own, but you can use it in place of chicken in most recipes and there are a ton of spice rubs / sauces that you can cook very easily with it. (Rub in / pour over, throw in oven)
I do sympathise though. It's really easy to live on shit in the UK. Unhealthy food is so, so cheap here. I could live on £50 for a month, and my diet would consist of rice, pasta, bacon and some sauces. Maybe some chips here and there. Blech, I used to do that. =/
I wouldn't even go with cornflakes. 2 or 3 eggs for breakfast would be better - maybe with a banana, some yogurt, and spinach. Fat from dairy isn't bad for you. Just want to avoid too many carbs from stuff like pasta, fries, and bread. I don't know what it is like in the UK but bread here in the US contains a lot of high fructose corn syrup, which you obviously want to stay away from. Like suggested earlier, a meal consisting of meat, veggies, and small serving of something like sweet potatoes or rice is what you would want and won't be too expensive. To be honest, unless you're able to get some assistance for food, it's really hard on 50 pounds a month.
Also, do you buy your lunch at work? It might be cheaper to just bring a lunch instead.
On work days, yes I either buy my lunch at work or on the way to work. I guess if I got into the position of cooking stuff, I could use leftovers, but remember it has to be something that can be eaten cold if I'm going to bring it to work. One advantage of buying lunch at the canteen (when it's available) is that I can have hot lunches.
EDIT: also did you mean boiled eggs? I don't think I've had one of those for ages..
If you like. Or you can mix it with some sweetcorn, or a salad, or any number of things. There are also about a million and one different tuna flavourings available in supermarkets, usually by the tuna.Uh, you included tuna but didn't include anything to put with it? Am I just supposed to eat it right out of the tin?
Sure, but I left it mostly because it's isn't inherently unhealthy. Personally I'd replace it with rolled oats, but I love rolled oats.I wouldn't even go with cornflakes. 2 or 3 eggs for breakfast would be better
On work days, yes I either buy my lunch at work or on the way to work. I guess if I got into the position of cooking stuff, I could use leftovers, but remember it has to be something that can be eaten cold if I'm going to bring it to work. One advantage of buying lunch at the canteen (when it's available) is that I can have hot lunches.
EDIT: also did you mean boiled eggs? I don't think I've had one of those for ages..
Sure, but I left it mostly because it's isn't inherently unhealthy. Personally I'd replace it with rolled oats, but I love rolled oats.
How long is your commute? Do you not have a refrigerator/microwave at work?
Edit - @danj: Most people tend to eat their eggs in scramble or omelet form... though you could certainly eat them boiled or poached.
Whatever way you prefer. Remember it has to be something that you'll stick with. Consistency is the key although with your budget, you might have to deal with rather plain food for a while if you are intent on losing weight. Wraps are easy to make for lunch - whatever meat you have available, some lettuce and tomatoes, and maybe beans or cheese.
If you like. Or you can mix it with some sweetcorn, or a salad, or any number of things. There are also about a million and one different tuna flavourings available in supermarkets, usually by the tuna.
Also, funny enough, I just finished eating some tuna straight from the can - with some hotsauce and nothing else. Although I'm using it as a snack to get more protein instead as a meal replacement. I don't know if you're into sardines, but sardines from cans are another good way to get protein.
Eat all the tuna from all the cans. It is good for you.
I find this is more like a social work thread than a fitness thread now. What's unfortunate is there are a million other Danj's out there.
Well, see, this is why I suggested there ought to be a different thread for people like me. But the rest of GAF said I should post in here, so, sorry for shitting up your thread
Well, see, this is why I suggested there ought to be a different thread for people like me. But the rest of GAF said I should post in here, so, sorry for shitting up your thread
Stop buying lunches. You would more than double your food budget by doing so. How this isnt obvious to you is beyond my comprehension. Anyone complaining about money the way you are shouldnt be eating out at all.My monthly food purchase usually consists of things like:
Microwave meals for Sunday lunches
Burgers
Oven fries
Baked beans
Fish fingers
Tinned spaghetti
Packets of flavoured noodles
Tins of Heinz Big Soup
Boxes of cornflakes
Loaves of bread
Tins of tuna
Maybe some cheese slices or sliced cooked meat if I can afford it
EDIT: Oh, I see where the confusion is. The £50 a month only accounts for weekday breakfasts, weekday dinners, weekend/day off meals, and any snacks while at home. Meals at work are from a separate budget item and I either get those from the canteen (hot meal including at least 2 types of veg), or if the canteen isn't available I usually pick up a £3 meal deal from Sainsburys or similar.
Stop buying lunches. You would more than double your food budget by doing so. How this isnt obvious to you is beyond my comprehension. Anyone complaining about money the way you are shouldnt be eating out at all.
Stop buying lunches. You would more than double your food budget by doing so. How this isnt obvious to you is beyond my comprehension. Anyone complaining about money the way you are shouldnt be eating out at all.
I think he just doesn't want to cook anything so is purposely being dense about it. This is of course why it took so long for him to admit that his budget is bigger than he was letting on. Every thing I've seen out of him has been an excuse in this thread and in others when people try to help him in areas that he obviously does not want to change. He would rather jack off about how nothing can be done because he doesn't want to cook.
Yep. Im not gonna bother with him anymore.I think he just doesn't want to cook anything so is purposely being dense about it. This is of course why it took so long for him to admit that his budget is bigger than he was letting on. Every thing I've seen out of him has been an excuse in this thread and in others when people try to help him in areas that he obviously does not want to change. He would rather jack off about how nothing can be done because he doesn't want to cook.
Stop buying lunches. You would more than double your food budget by doing so. How this isnt obvious to you is beyond my comprehension. Anyone complaining about money the way you are shouldnt be eating out at all.
I think he just doesn't want to cook anything so is purposely being dense about it. This is of course why it took so long for him to admit that his budget is bigger than he was letting on. Every thing I've seen out of him has been an excuse in this thread and in others when people try to help him in areas that he obviously does not want to change. He would rather jack off about how nothing can be done because he doesn't want to cook.
It sounded to me like his work provides his lunch at the canteen as a benefit, although he sometimes pays for a "£3 meal deal from Sainsburys or similar". The question is how often he does the latter.
Unless you race it's unlikely. Of course it all depends if the pace, terrain and lenght. In my experience it's somewhere near 500 kcal/10 miles at 7-8 mph.Just came in from a ride, according to Endomondo I burned close to 2000 calories, that can't be right can it?
Wait wait wait. Stop buying lunches? So I'm supposed to go hungry at work now? And you're saying I don't want to cook, but I swear down that honestly I have never been taught how to use anything other than an oven and a microwave. So it's not that I don't want to, it's that I don't know how.
The problem is, because I've never done it before, there are going to be mistakes, and even if I expanded the food budget at the expense of the lunch budget, there is going to be money that goes straight down the drain because of that. What I am saying is that in my current financial situation, wasting ANY money is not an acceptable thing.
Unless you race it's unlikely. Of course it all depends if the pace, terrain and lenght. In my experience it's somewhere near 500 kcal/10 miles at 7-8 mph.
I don't have that much freezer space, at the moment I only have 2 drawers in a shared freezer, and I have to move house at the end of May so I have no idea what freezer space I'll have access to going forward. Also recall that I only have £50 available for food each month, if I bought 2 or 3 kgs of this salmon you speak of that would be 28-42% of that month's food budget. I have to be able to eat in the current month as well as future months!
EDIT: Also, there is not a Morrisons store within range of my bus pass.
What exactly are you cooking and what do you think will go wrong? The food isn't going to blow up. Just because you won't cook it perfectly doesn't mean it won't be edible.
Tesco is ok, Aldi Lidl are much better.If you can afford to regularly eat microwave meals and other fast food and sustain your current weight then you have enough money to eat healthy and lose weight.
Breakfast:
Porridge oats with some form of fruit
Lunch:
Two slices of wholegrain bread
Some cheap chicken or turkey or tuna (100g)
Cheap lettuce, grated carrots, other salad vegetables
Light covering of sauce/olive oil
Another fruit
Dinner:
Potatoes
Meat (150g ish)
Vegetables
If your used to eating in the canteen, get used to making a packed lunch the day before. Use the left over meat in your sandwiches for the next day. Plan your dinner meals around this if you want to save time/money.
We've done enough for now, you need to go find the cheapest way of buying the above foods on tesco.com and come back to us with what you found.
Oh, okay. But obviously I won't be buying those on tesco.com as it's not economical to make delivery orders that are less than about £40, so I'll be going to a Tesco store to buy it.
I noticed you just said "meat" for dinner but didn't say what sort of meat, is it possible that you can elaborate?
Whats is your favourite type of meat?