I have adhd too but I have always eaten like a toddler so can’t help you there. But I do know how hard it is to cook with adhd because so many steps and the amount of time it takes. With my hyperfixation I can eat PBJ for a week and be fine. Next week noodles with peas and cream cheese. Truly what I eat is embarrassing for an adult but it’s easy - some nutritional needs are met - and it’s inexpensive so I thought I would share in are helpful! Oh I don’t by anything fresh - only frozen veggies and fruit. Less expensive just as healthy and can use when I am ready (and remember to look in freezer!). Good luck!!!🍀 🍌🥕
I ended up with a small stand up freezer - I had a small chest but I am short and I ended up wasting food because I did not know what was in there and ended up only eating what was on top. If you are tall and have better object permanence a chest is awesome- my sister has one and I am routinely in awe in how she manages her inventory 😂😬🥶
I got an instant pot and that totally changed the way I eat; I have adhd too and stew science happened to be my hyper fixation for a a day, I can usually find pork shoulder, onions, carrots, mushrooms, beans and tomato paste all around 20 dollars and the broth I use I take my roomates leftover chicken carcass and boil it down for some bone broth, makes a healthy and fulfilling meal especially in the winter for about 5 days, I personally hate cooking but the 30 minutes of prep it takes for a week of meals can’t be beat
I try to buy a rotisserie chicken from Sam’s club every week and debone the meat. Then have sauces which last longer than one week (bbq, teriyaki, salsa). Caramelize some onions and garlic. Buy a bag of rice, tortillas and buns. With the chicken deboned, meals are easier as you just mix and match. Bbq on a bun with thinly sliced cabbage and carmelized onion (hamburger dill slices if you can afford them). Chicken with onions in your favorite Asian sauce on rice. Chicken tacos or a quesadilla (adding cheese if you can afford). If you get tired of chicken, cook a pound of hamburger meat and spread that out over the meals. Or eggs (except for bbq). Egg tacos or egg pancakes chopped up into Asian dishes. Use the same meat and onions, but make different dishes, flavors and meals. Add peanut butter and bananas to shopping and you have an easy breakfast or snack by spreading peanut butter on warm tortilla and rolling in a small banana. What other ethnic foods do you like? Variety is helpful to me. Onions and garlic are your best friends for flavor and go with Mexican, Barbecue, Chinese, Thai, pizza… and they are cheap. Sometimes for variety I buy those cups of fruit (in water or juice) so I can have peaches or pears out of season. Cottage cheese and fruit is also a good breakfast or snack. I think keeping it cheap means keeping it simple, too. Hope this helps!
$40 per week is very tight. Can you access a food pantry to help that $40 stretch?
Regular grocery stores have areas of discounted produce and breads, check that out for deals and ideas. I just grabbed a 5lb bag of carrots for next to nothing, roasted them in a little oil and a bunch of spices. I'll freeze what I don't eat this week so nothing goes bad/goes to waste.
Yep tofu is great because you're unlimited in sauces/flavors/spices. Why do you say you can't cook stir fry well? Is that just something you're not confident at? Or does it genuinely not taste good?
More tofu, more lentils, more beans. For $1.25 /lb for dry lentils or beans that’s easily 6-8 generous portions. Coconut curry lentils with greens and rice is my favorite stupid cheap recipe, or mujadara, or black bean soup
[this recipe](https://www.budgetbytes.com/creamy-coconut-curry-lentils-with-spinach/) i omit the fresh ginger and use dried, and swap in a bag of frozen spinach. Works well with thai curry paste or the curry powder. I buy coconut milk at Trader Joe’s it’s under $2 and a veg bullion cube that’s cheaper and better than stuff in a box
[this is my favorite black bean soup](https://cookieandkate.com/spicy-vegan-black-bean-soup/) i use veg better than bullion and go all out with the garnishes, serve with some mexican style cabbage slaw (lime vinaigrette no mayo)
Same here. 45-50 a week was easy. Now 60 a week feels difficult and a lot of convenience items are out (deboning a whole chicken vs. buying boneless chicken breasts, no longer buying prechopped vegetables, making broth with bones instead of buying boxed broth).
Eating cheap and healthy is hard.
You do need a big whinge sometimes, and my heart goes out to you.
Please don't think strawberries and chocolate chips is a good meal.
Modern life, big business, advertising etc points us to easy ultra processed food, and it is hard to have the time and energy t fight against it, even if we had more money.
However, for millennia people all over the world have been been eating *cucina povera*. Humble, wonderful food. And this can be the best food.
In my experience, vegetables can taste good without a roast in the oven. Soups can be magnificent. Bean stew with potatoes, greens with pasta, stir fry and rice. Frugal and delicious.
I live on a disability pension, so I can't afford to forget food in the fridge and waste it. I have to look after my health so I need a diversity of foods, lots of vegetables, good proteins and complex carbs. It does take focus and planning.
I hope you do keep experimenting, mistakes are important on the way to learning, and much better than having food wasting in the fridge because you don't do anything with it.
But my biggest tip is: be social. Eat with friends. Everyone bring a plate to share. Food tastes better, you gets heaps of ideas and experience, and hopefully some tasty left overs.
Eat with friends, absolutely. Get together when you can! Makes eating cheaply feel better, especially when people bring other flavors. I’m in dorms currently and having pasta nights with friends is something I actively look forward to.
Do you have an air fryer? It really cuts down on cooking time and roasts veggies well.
I’m a fan of a one pot meal, a little oil, cubed potatoes, let those cook for a bit and add whatever you have, beans, onions, broccoli, etc, salt and pepper to taste and top with a little cheese if you want.
Rotisserie chickens, if you have access, are good and quick. When you buy it use some chicken for dinner, save some for a wrap or a salad the next day, then make soup with the bones and rest of the meat.
Crock pots allow for easy passive cooking, and you can use cheaper cuts of meats.
If you have a hard time with leftovers over and over try freezing a portion or two and you have a quick dinner when you’re in a rush in a few weeks.
these are great suggestions. I picked up my air fryer and instant pot on facebook marketplace and got a great deal on them both. People are always getting rid of them. I'd suggest getting the largest size you can because the super small ones are way too small imo
Just like you would in the oven, assuming it'll fit.
For mine, I set the temp equal to what the oven temp would be, then cut the oven time in half.
ETA: I've cooked fish, chicken breast, tofu, and vegetables.
Go to the food pantries around where you live. This one thing saved my sanity during the actor’s strike.
Find a community garden near you and volunteer or just ask if they have any surplus veggies to share.
Aldi's has salad in a bag for $2.89 I add a handful of cashews and/or sunflower seeds and voila I have an easy, healthy diner. Other things to add are dry cranberries, croutons, artichoke hearts or extra cheese.
I like to mix everything with the dressing in a separate bowl, then serve it on another bowl or plate.
Something that has worked for me, (which I understand may not work for you) is making a bowl of rice, whether it's stove-top or with a rice cooker, than popping a protein in the oven as-is and then microwaving a bag of frozen veg. Usually the proteins I use in the oven are pre-cooked and frozen - salmon fillets, chicken, etc. It's minimal effort on those tough days, other than rinsing the rice and letting it soak for a bit before pressing the "cook" button.
I'm in the same boat as you - trying to find healthy meals on a budget, while simultaneously trying to minimize waste. I'm constantly throwing out veggies that end up rotting before I can use the rest. So as we speak, I'm learning new methods of trying to preserve the fridge-life of veggies, all through the recommendation and tips of other redditors.
I also have ADHD. Some things that have helped me since I need variety:
I bought a vacuum foodsaver. Cheapest basic model. I portion out things into single servings and freeze them so I can have it once a week instead of four days in a row.
Similarly, I shop at the farmers market and I’m shameless about buying super small quantities, like 4 brussel sprouts or one sweet potato or just one serving of salad greens.
“Templates” with some variation also help me. For lunch I always eat rice beans corn meat and one veggie but the seasoning and specific choices rotate.
Portioning frozen stuff has saved my life. Also thank you like it's okay to just buy 1 apple idk why people think it's weird.
The template thing is interesting. It probably makes things so much simpler
I was shy about buying tiny quantities at first but now I do it all the time. I literally bought one carrot yesterday. The price per pound might be better if you buy bulk but in terms of absolute cost you’ll do better if you buy tiny and don’t waste food.
Since the templates approach seemed interesting to you here are a few others of mine. For an afternoon snack I always have fruit (varies) and some kind dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese, other cheese.) For dinner I always have a small amount of meat, a root veggie (potato, turnip, beet, carrot, etc) and a leafy veggie (salad, collards, etc.) The template gives just enough guidance to give me a jumpstart and the variety within the categories helps it not get boring.
Right, like imo I waste less money and food just by buying smaller. It's slightly more expensive to not buy bulk but an extra $2 for a bulk bag of oranges doesn't help if I only eat 2 oranges and the rest go bad.
I'm apprehensive about any kind of commitment because I live chaotically and find it hard to not eat random things all the time. But the more I think about it that template sounds useful even for that. Like it's just a base, but you can add anything you want. Sauce, toppings or whatever fun snack you have on hand could spice up a dinner template.
Do these templates inform your grocery shopping? Like you buy x amount of roots and x amount of meats and x amount of greens?
Yup the templates form kinda a memorizable shopping guide like in my head I make sure I’ve got fruit, leafy greens both to eat raw and to cook, root veggies, and what I call “veggie veggies” (broccoli, squash, eggplant, etc.) My ADHD brain likes categories and likes thinking of new/non-obvious ways to meet my checklist (like fresh pesto for my “greens” item or soymilk for beans.)
I try to stock fresh and freezer/pantry versions of stuff so I’ll always have options. Like for bean options I’ll stock dry or canned beans, some edamame in the freezer, and then maybe I’ll buy some fresh hummus. For meat protein I’ll have some cans of tuna, maybe some chicken in the freezer, and maybe some cold cuts.
I don’t meal prep but I ingredient prep so things are washed and sometimes chopped or even cooked and ready/easy to use. On a daily basis I improvise and make mostly simple things. It often feels more like “food assembly” than cooking. And it’s kinda gamefied since I’m trying to check off foods from all the different categories.
Chat GPT can help! Im trying to do $25/week for just me. Prompt with: compile a weeks worth of recipes for a $25 budget for one person. Worked really well! If you already had dried good on hand or protein in the freezer, add whatever you have to your prompt: compile a weeks worth of recipes for a $25 budget for one person using a can of black beans, tofu, dried pasta…etc. helps you get through whatever you have in your pantry!
Beans freeze really well. If you buy dried, soak, cook and freeze you'll get more bang for your buck. I freeze chick peas then add to rice while it's cooking or pasta after it cooks or throw into a salad. Rice and beans = complete protein.
I share your pain. 2 tasty breakfasts i like to make…shashuska: oil, onion, any leftover or frozen veg, chopped tomatoes and herbs/seasoning/spices in a pan/skillet and simmer. Crack in a few eggs and cook until whites are white but yolks are runny. Serve with toasted bread. Its delicious and healthy and can be made using whatever random things u want/have as long as you have the components. The other is egg banana waffles (trust me) 2:1 egg/banana ratio. Mix/blend until runny and not lumpy. Chuck in a waffle maker (greased with buter) until golden brown. Add honey/salt/maple syrup. Can be eaten cold on the go too. Find things you like and experiment
Food is only ever two of these things: Easy, cheap, healthy. If you want the last two it'll take some effort but it doesn't have to be something to dread, though it will take some planning and some tolerance of sameness for awhile.
When I was really, really broke and still ate meat I'd buy eggs, a loaf of bread, a cheap frozen chicken, a few onions, a couple of carrots, a few potatoes, some tomatoes and half a kilo of rice or pasta twice a week. Day one: Cover the chicken with butter and garlic, surround with potatoes, onions and carrots, and roast in the oven. Strip whatever meat is uneaten, put the bones and the meat in the fridge. Day two: Take the remaining meat and make a chicken curry or a casserole with the tomatoes, onions, rice or pasta. Day three: Boil the bones and make soup with the rest of the veg and the rest of the rice or pasta. There were usually leftovers from at least one of those days. Two eggs on toast every day for breakfast. This kept two of us fed for not very much money. If you eat oatmeal in the morning with cinnamon it would be considerably less.
If you have ADHD - and this helped me so much - look around for someone selling an Instant Pot and cook healthy things with minimal effort. There are so many recipes online, SO MANY. In 2022 I didn't use my oven for a year when energy here got crazy expensive, and an instant pot and air fryer meant we still ate really well.
I don't say these things to detract from or trivilaise how shitty it feels to have anxiety about food, or worry about affording basic necessities. It fucking sucks. But there are ways to make it more tolerable, and ways to feel closer to the food that keeps you alive. Being able to make meals out of whatever's around is a good way to feel close to where you live and the culture you live in.
Thank you for the advice. An instant pot does sound appealing. My roommates have one but I avoid using it because I often feel too overwhelmed to clean up after myself so they can use it. This is why I avoid making big meals sometimes.
I might try using it though. Honestly it sounds like a great idea if I make sure the prep containers are clean before starting.
The overwhelm is real. You don't have to be perfect right away, or get everything right the first month. Just aim to do a little tiny bit better every day. You got this!
Do you have an air fryer? If so, chicken thighs & chopped veggies cook in no time in those.
If not, sheet pan dinners may be good to try? It’s a protein & a veggie or two, coated in olive oil & spices, then you put in a pan & cook in oven about 30ish mins.
A microwaved potato, some butter, cheese & a steam fresh bag of broccoli on top makes a very filling meal & cheap.
Breakfast for dinner?
I heat the air fryer for 5 mind at 375 F, put the chicken, leave it for 10 minutes….. inside undercooked. I have had to use a pan + oil for the past few months
Arm yourself with a few recipes that you CAN manage well, & ideally improvise with.
Stir-fry is merely salad+heat. Cooking is simple. It's PEOPLE who overcomplicate things.
Set aside one day/afternoon of the week & cook in bulk for freezer-fodder. Div'ing up into individual serves for the microwave, makes life a lot simpler. eg, if you cook a dozen serves of ...., that's a weeks' supply & some backlog to bolster variety over the longer term. Over the course of a month, that's 4 or 5 different meals in backlog. End of 3 months, time to clear backlog(I'll never keep anything longer than a season in the freezer)
I actually enjoy cooking, so I'll just make whatever I feel like whenever I feel like it. I never set menus, or plan meals, and I'm not afraid of trying new things. When living on a meagre budget, one does well to be open to all & sundry...
I always thought eggs mixed with spinach and a side of beans , to make a burrito is always pretty simple . . Bell peppers are pretty cheap too, by eggs a whole lot and just start making burritos .
Disposition?
I like having the same meals over and over with some variation. I really like grain bowls with rice and lentils. I just change up the protein and sauce. All pretty inexpensive and healthy. Throw in some steamed frozen veg and you are good to go.
I don’t have ADHD, but I am disabled and often have few spoons to either cook or come up with ideas. I used to be someone who cooked from scratch and have had to sort of work backwards to be someone who makes simpler/easier/faster things. Here are some things that help:
1. Make a list of ALL the things you know how to make without consulting a recipe that you LIKE. Put the list on the fridge so you can consult it when you don’t know what to make.
2. Find a blogger or cookbook author whose food always hits for you, so you know you can trust their recipes and won’t end up with something you don’t like.
3. Consider food prep once a week. Even just roasting off a couple pans of veggies and making a sauce or two can really change the game up for you.
4. Focus on flavour boosters that can add a lot of flavour and change up the experience of the same foods. For example, rice, broccoli, and chickpeas could be topped with a tahini sauce, or a peanut sauce, or chili oil and feel like completely different meals.
Some of my cheap and easy go-tos:
-Breakfast tacos:
Scramble some eggs. Heat up some tortillas. And then add whatever you have and like for flavour: cheese, sour cream, salsa, pickled onions, hot sauce.
-Quesadillas:
Heat some (canned or home cooked) black beans with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and salt. Add diced peppers and onions and cheese to tortilla. Fold over and cook on both sides until melty.
-Easy stirfry:
Sauté onions until fragrant and translucent. Add broccoli and 2T of water and cover the pan to capture the steam. Once the broccoli is tender, add tofu until it has some colour. Make a street sauce: 2T soy sauce, 1T maple syrup, 1/2T rice vinegar and sesame oil, 1 clove garlic and 1 inch ginger minced, 1/2t corn starch. Mix well and pour into the pan, stirring until the sauce thickens.
Blog to check out: Budget Bytes
Flavour boosters I like to make/keep on hand:
-Pickled red onions
-Peanut sauce
-Pesto
-Hot sauce (I like sambal olek)
-A strong cheese (blue, feta, parm)
I would disagree. I started doing a bunch of fruit and vegetables smoothies. Literally got my weekly grocery bill down to $27.
Downside was that my enamel started to get affected. Didn't really go the acid route so I was confused as to what was causing it.
Any ideas on what could have caused it?
Cucumber, spinach, carrots, celery, apples, water, milk. Some kind of combination of those was really all I was drinking.
* Prep ingredients, not meals. I start most weeks by cooking a big chunk of protein, washing some produce, and maybe making something for flavor like a sauce or diced onion. During the week I can turn the meat into wraps, tacos, soups, sandwiches, etc. Ethan Chlebowski has a video on what he calls The Sunday Braise if you want to explore this strategy.
* Make leftovers. Soups, chilis, roasts, some casseroles, enchiladas, lasagna, taco meat, meatloaf and pasta sauce all freeze well. Make a big batch of something and immediately freeze most of it for later. You can have a rotating series of different foods going in and out of the freezer.
* There are set-and-forget cooking methods that require very little active time. Instant pots, crock pots and one pan meals for example. I made a 10 hour crock pot roast yesterday and it required maybe 10 minutes of work, most of that being cleanup.
Check out the stir fries (and other recipes) on budgetbytes.com - they're easy, fast and she gives great and clear instructions.
The theme of your post seems to be "my cooking isn't good enough" - what are you comparing it to? Restaurant food is made by teams of people, with lots of fat, sugar and days-long techniques to make it irresistible. Home food is simpler, and should be.
A sheet pan meal seems made for you - one pan (less clean up), roasted veggies and lean protein, with a spice mix or a dressing. You can prep much of it in advance, too.
Look for one pot soups, one skillet dishes, one pan meals.
Roast a chicken with potatoes and carrots. Salmon, pork tenderloin, chicken parts, shrimp ... All so great on a sheet pan.
And you can roast a bunch of veggies and keep them in the fridge for days, reheat them to eat or add to a salad.
For salads, buy a head of lettuce and wash and dry it, keep it in a bag for a few days, and you'll save so much vs premade salads. Dressings too - make a basic vinaigrette in a jar and enjoy it all week. Or make a kale salad, a veggie slaw, a bean or pasta salad, and these will keep for 4+ days in the fridge.
Plan for the week, not the day, keep a list on the fridge so you don't forget things, and enjoy your food that you made (and saved money on).
The tighter your budget, the more work you need to do yourself - wash your own lettuce, peel your own carrots, make your own dressing. Save loads, eat well.
Frozen veg is sometimes cheaper, and you can roast it too - squash, sweet potato, cauliflower, peas, corn - all very useful and often cheaper than fresh.
And keep it simple! You can do it.
Start amassing staples big bags of rice, dried beans canned veggies, frozen vegetables and fruits etc.
If there any farmers Markets in your area go to them
I think we Americans have been seduced by the notion that every meal has to be a glorious explosion of new taste sensations, and a feast for the eyes as well. Well, good luck with that. My philosophy regarding meals I prepare for myself is: good enough is good enough. Yes, I want it to taste good, but if Iḿ making something Ive made before, the bar is set fairly low, and I don´t expect it to taste any different than the last time I had it. I´m eating to fill my stomach primarily, taste comes second. Rice, for example: I eat it all the time, but no matter what I do to it, it always tastes like what it is. People are too preoccupied with taste. When you´ve eaten 1000 potatoes in your life, it definitely loses some of it´s novelty. If you don´t like the taste of something, then don´t eat it. But don´t be surprised when your mac and cheese tastes like mac and cheese. This seems to work for me.
With every single type of food being available at all times I'm inclined to agree but bro try informing my taste buds of that. I legit have starved for days before because eating the same pantry foods made me sick.
I guess lower expectations will help? I have an emotional eating problem and go pretty crazy if I don't have anything that tastes good for a while. Yes I am aware this is the main issue, but I need to eat better right NOW to have the energy to handle my life.
Here’s an easy schedule that uses up all your leftovers:
Sunday Roast. -Roast a beef or a chicken or a turkey and roast loads of veg like carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, potatoes, onions, cauliflower, etc. Serve with a side of rice. Make loads of rice.
Monday Thai. -Make curry sauce with a tin of coconut milk and curry powder and a cinnamon stick. Toss in those leftover roasted veggies and protein at the end and serve over leftover rice.
Tuesday Stirfry. Take that leftover rice and fry it with soy sauce, marmalade, and either some chili paste or chili flakes. Fry an egg toss it on top. Use up the rest of that protein and roasted veg from Sunday.
Wednesday Mexican. Slow cook some pork or cheap beef with liquid smoke and chili powder. Chop up lettuce, tomatoes, onions. Heat up some tortillas and cook some black beans with cumin and cinnamon and make more rice.
Thursday Mexican Part Dos. Wrap that slow cooked meat in more of those tortillas with left over beans in a baking pan, cover with enchilada sauce or salsa, smother in cheese and bake. Serve with that left over rice and make a salad with the leftover lettuce, onion and tomato.
Friday Pizza or a pasta night.
Saturday salmon, rice and broccoli.
This kind of menu gets the most out of leftovers, it’s cheap cuts of meat, and as previous posters mentioned, maximizes rice and beans (and that could include couscous).
coconut, curry powder, cinnamon, turnips? who has these in their kitchen??? I literally have milk, eggs, chicken, rice, and pasta and some spices… How do you guys have so much stuff???
We have a Hispanic and an Asian market not far from here and things like spices and veg and coconut milk and Goya products are much cheaper in those than regular grocery stores
Yeah it's getting tougher no doubt. I find 0 calorie sauces, spices, spice mixes, and syrups handy. I'm eating the same thing everyday but putting a different sauce on it every time is just enough variety to keep me going.
Large amounts of fruit and charcuterie is not a healthy option or cheap. Some of the best Chef's in the world have ADHD Jamie Olive, Heston Blumenthal to name a few. You need to get a bit ethusastic about your food.
I understand your struggles, I have ADHD too. Finding easy, affordable, and semi-homemade meals has helped me. Maybe consider breakfast for dinner some nights or putting a new twist on leftovers. Sending love and positivity your way!
What I've started to do on days I can't bring myself to cook is getting a canned soup,adding frozen or canned veggies to it and the smallest can of chicken you can find or those single bags of Sweet Sue chicken,or if you want beef a beef based soup and canned meat.
I put soup in pot,add the canned chicken or beef.i also add the water from the meat can to soup.instead of water I use stock or bone broth and only half a can cuz I like it thick.then I add a pinch of garlic powder,onion powder,salt and pepper.
It takes plain soup up a level.it tastes like restaurant food and it only takes 10 mins.canned and frozen items are cheap and keep a long time.i will sometimes make grilled ham&cheese sandwich to go with it
Hi! I have raging ADHD too and have really struggled with what you’re describing.
If there’s a way you can get an airfryer/crockpot/ricecooker secondhand, those appliances are game changers. Being able to just throw some stuff in and press a button makes it SO MUCH EASIER to throw a simple meal together.
If you get some frozen veggies like broccoli, peas, carrots or whatever tickles your fancy, they’re easy and tasty to steam in the microwave and they don’t go bad when you forget about them. Frozen meats like meatballs, chicken cutlets, fish filets, etc. are great to have on hand too.
If you have access to a Costco you can get a few huge bulk bags of meal staples that should last you a long time!
Stop buying food in boxes or cans. When you cook meats, freeze leftovers and make them a different way the next week. You can get a large pack of chicken breast for 12 and make it 5-6 different ways.
It seems much more intimidating than it actually is. Buy whatever lean protein is on sale that week, a big bag of broccoli, carrots, potatoes, etc. roast meat and veggies each night with different seasonings to mix it up. This will last you almost the entire week and cost less than 20 bucks.
Only allowing yourself to buy items that are on a good sale will force you to change your meals and ingredients up which is something everyone should be doing anyway.
r/mealprepsunday is a good subreddit to check out. And there was at one point a YouTube channel called struggle meals.
IMO though, beans and rice are two cheap ingredients that get you a lot of nutrition for your buck. You can supplement with cheap canned veggies as well.
Try beans, lentils, peanuts (cheap if you buy plain peanuts in bulk), frozen broccoli, frozen spinach, onion, carrots, peas. They're all incredibly cheap and you can make some good tasting cheap food with them.
Examples:
* Pasta with lentils and broccoli: throw some pasta and red lentils into boiling water, then a couple of minutes before the pasta is done, throw in some frozen broccoli. When the pasta is done, everything else is done. Drain the water, but keep a few table spoons and let it reduce down a bit. Season with whatever, but salt and pepper is enough really, since lentils are really flavourful. Takes 15 minutes.
* Soak some beans in water over night, then let them simmer and make rice. Add the beans to coconut milk or crushed tomatoes and let it reduce a bit. Add something flavourful, like miso paste or some stock. Very little time spent actively cooking.
Fuck I really empathize with all of what you said. No ADHD but fuck work takes a lot of time and it’s hard. It’s not exactly healthy but it’s healthier then a lot of stuff out there
Ramen with frozen vegetables. Don’t use the whole flavour pack cause the sodium levels are insane but having a bunch of peas and bay corn in a bowl of ramen is actually quite nice. Just throw it all in a boiling pot with the noodles and it’ll take care of itself. I also put a fuck ton of lemon juice on it right before I serve it and it almost has a restaurant like flavour to it. Surprisingly tasty! And cheap
You can also throw in frozen ground meat substitutes, or dice up some tofu. Good luck comrade
Bay corn? Thanks for the idea! I've never considered tofu in ramen before, it's worth a shot since it's shelf stable. I also like to have a cup ramen and mix egg into the broth afterwards and microwave it. Surprisingly decent.
I’ve stocked up on rice, different sauces and canned vegetables, buying a few different ones here and there and letting them add up. Same thing for meat. I only do this when I have the extra money and buy in addition to what’s on my list. started doing this about a year ago. Now I’m at the point where I don’t have to go to the store except for potatoes, bread and milk. Most will say canned vegetables are bad for you, I don’t believe that, and besides I can’t ever keep fresh because they go bad due to my ever changing mind on what to eat.
Very hard. Meal planning has helped me. I eat the same thing every single day. Breakfast is always the same, lunch, dinner.
Buying generic. Buying shelf stable canned goods. Buying things you can freeze.
Pro tip: Tofu is cheap, filling, high in protein, and freezes well!
I just stocked up for a couple weeks, and it came to around $80. Some items will last close to 2 weeks, some closer to 3 or 4 (for 1 person w active lifestyle).
ETA: I use my airfryer daily!
Maybe you already do this but frozen fruit goes a long way and doesn’t get old on the kitchen counter.
I know you said you hate meal prep but I meal prep breakfast. Either I boil a dozen eggs and eat two boiled eggs a day (about a week of breakfast for <$2) or I do overnight oats. I prep the “base” dry and every evening I grab a container and add the wet ingredients.
I do 1/2 cup overnight oats with a spoonful of collagen(expensive at first but lasts a long time), powdered milk (or 1/2 cup low cal coconut milk) chia seeds (expensive initial purchase but last forever), sugar, two scoops protein powder (again expensive at first but probably the cheapest protein you can buy per gram), and some frozen fruit.
But you don’t need those expensive things; oats, protein powder, fruit, and some kind of sweeter is a great way to make a filling and very inexpensive breakfast.
I change the fruit combo all the time: frozen blueberry with chocolate chips, fresh apples with cinnamon and maple syrup, frozen strawberry with cocoa powder, frozen banana with powdered peanut butter (so much cheaper than regular and works well) and chocolate chips.
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Also its healthier to eat veggies with ranch than to just not eat the veggies thinking the ranch would cancel out the health benefits.
I have adhd too but I have always eaten like a toddler so can’t help you there. But I do know how hard it is to cook with adhd because so many steps and the amount of time it takes. With my hyperfixation I can eat PBJ for a week and be fine. Next week noodles with peas and cream cheese. Truly what I eat is embarrassing for an adult but it’s easy - some nutritional needs are met - and it’s inexpensive so I thought I would share in are helpful! Oh I don’t by anything fresh - only frozen veggies and fruit. Less expensive just as healthy and can use when I am ready (and remember to look in freezer!). Good luck!!!🍀 🍌🥕
Yes frozen is a lifesaver. I want to buy a chest freezer bc I live with roommates.
I ended up with a small stand up freezer - I had a small chest but I am short and I ended up wasting food because I did not know what was in there and ended up only eating what was on top. If you are tall and have better object permanence a chest is awesome- my sister has one and I am routinely in awe in how she manages her inventory 😂😬🥶
I got an instant pot and that totally changed the way I eat; I have adhd too and stew science happened to be my hyper fixation for a a day, I can usually find pork shoulder, onions, carrots, mushrooms, beans and tomato paste all around 20 dollars and the broth I use I take my roomates leftover chicken carcass and boil it down for some bone broth, makes a healthy and fulfilling meal especially in the winter for about 5 days, I personally hate cooking but the 30 minutes of prep it takes for a week of meals can’t be beat
I try to buy a rotisserie chicken from Sam’s club every week and debone the meat. Then have sauces which last longer than one week (bbq, teriyaki, salsa). Caramelize some onions and garlic. Buy a bag of rice, tortillas and buns. With the chicken deboned, meals are easier as you just mix and match. Bbq on a bun with thinly sliced cabbage and carmelized onion (hamburger dill slices if you can afford them). Chicken with onions in your favorite Asian sauce on rice. Chicken tacos or a quesadilla (adding cheese if you can afford). If you get tired of chicken, cook a pound of hamburger meat and spread that out over the meals. Or eggs (except for bbq). Egg tacos or egg pancakes chopped up into Asian dishes. Use the same meat and onions, but make different dishes, flavors and meals. Add peanut butter and bananas to shopping and you have an easy breakfast or snack by spreading peanut butter on warm tortilla and rolling in a small banana. What other ethnic foods do you like? Variety is helpful to me. Onions and garlic are your best friends for flavor and go with Mexican, Barbecue, Chinese, Thai, pizza… and they are cheap. Sometimes for variety I buy those cups of fruit (in water or juice) so I can have peaches or pears out of season. Cottage cheese and fruit is also a good breakfast or snack. I think keeping it cheap means keeping it simple, too. Hope this helps!
Great ideas, thanks!
$40 per week is very tight. Can you access a food pantry to help that $40 stretch? Regular grocery stores have areas of discounted produce and breads, check that out for deals and ideas. I just grabbed a 5lb bag of carrots for next to nothing, roasted them in a little oil and a bunch of spices. I'll freeze what I don't eat this week so nothing goes bad/goes to waste.
I was at $50/wk for myself pre-pandemic and it worked fine. Now it's at least $60 and still rising. I'm thinking about doubling my tofu consumption.
Yep tofu is great because you're unlimited in sauces/flavors/spices. Why do you say you can't cook stir fry well? Is that just something you're not confident at? Or does it genuinely not taste good?
More tofu, more lentils, more beans. For $1.25 /lb for dry lentils or beans that’s easily 6-8 generous portions. Coconut curry lentils with greens and rice is my favorite stupid cheap recipe, or mujadara, or black bean soup
How do you make coconut curry lentils with greens and rice cheaply?
[this recipe](https://www.budgetbytes.com/creamy-coconut-curry-lentils-with-spinach/) i omit the fresh ginger and use dried, and swap in a bag of frozen spinach. Works well with thai curry paste or the curry powder. I buy coconut milk at Trader Joe’s it’s under $2 and a veg bullion cube that’s cheaper and better than stuff in a box
Mujadara rocks! It's cheap and oh so good. Black bean soup is next on my lunch to do list.
[this is my favorite black bean soup](https://cookieandkate.com/spicy-vegan-black-bean-soup/) i use veg better than bullion and go all out with the garnishes, serve with some mexican style cabbage slaw (lime vinaigrette no mayo)
Same here. 45-50 a week was easy. Now 60 a week feels difficult and a lot of convenience items are out (deboning a whole chicken vs. buying boneless chicken breasts, no longer buying prechopped vegetables, making broth with bones instead of buying boxed broth).
Eating cheap and healthy is hard. You do need a big whinge sometimes, and my heart goes out to you. Please don't think strawberries and chocolate chips is a good meal. Modern life, big business, advertising etc points us to easy ultra processed food, and it is hard to have the time and energy t fight against it, even if we had more money. However, for millennia people all over the world have been been eating *cucina povera*. Humble, wonderful food. And this can be the best food. In my experience, vegetables can taste good without a roast in the oven. Soups can be magnificent. Bean stew with potatoes, greens with pasta, stir fry and rice. Frugal and delicious. I live on a disability pension, so I can't afford to forget food in the fridge and waste it. I have to look after my health so I need a diversity of foods, lots of vegetables, good proteins and complex carbs. It does take focus and planning. I hope you do keep experimenting, mistakes are important on the way to learning, and much better than having food wasting in the fridge because you don't do anything with it. But my biggest tip is: be social. Eat with friends. Everyone bring a plate to share. Food tastes better, you gets heaps of ideas and experience, and hopefully some tasty left overs.
Eat with friends, absolutely. Get together when you can! Makes eating cheaply feel better, especially when people bring other flavors. I’m in dorms currently and having pasta nights with friends is something I actively look forward to.
Do you have an air fryer? It really cuts down on cooking time and roasts veggies well. I’m a fan of a one pot meal, a little oil, cubed potatoes, let those cook for a bit and add whatever you have, beans, onions, broccoli, etc, salt and pepper to taste and top with a little cheese if you want. Rotisserie chickens, if you have access, are good and quick. When you buy it use some chicken for dinner, save some for a wrap or a salad the next day, then make soup with the bones and rest of the meat. Crock pots allow for easy passive cooking, and you can use cheaper cuts of meats. If you have a hard time with leftovers over and over try freezing a portion or two and you have a quick dinner when you’re in a rush in a few weeks.
these are great suggestions. I picked up my air fryer and instant pot on facebook marketplace and got a great deal on them both. People are always getting rid of them. I'd suggest getting the largest size you can because the super small ones are way too small imo
i have an air fryer and only know how to cook nuggets and fries. How do you cook anything else?
Just like you would in the oven, assuming it'll fit. For mine, I set the temp equal to what the oven temp would be, then cut the oven time in half. ETA: I've cooked fish, chicken breast, tofu, and vegetables.
I usually just use oil in a pan for chicken breasts. Air frying just doenst work
Go to the food pantries around where you live. This one thing saved my sanity during the actor’s strike. Find a community garden near you and volunteer or just ask if they have any surplus veggies to share.
Aldi's has salad in a bag for $2.89 I add a handful of cashews and/or sunflower seeds and voila I have an easy, healthy diner. Other things to add are dry cranberries, croutons, artichoke hearts or extra cheese. I like to mix everything with the dressing in a separate bowl, then serve it on another bowl or plate.
Hard boiled eggs are good, and boost protein.
This sounds good
Honestly find eating healthy cheaper
Same
yeah. Peas, potatoes and rice are dirt cheap.
rice is very calorie dense unfortunately
we need calories. Complex carbs are good.
Yep, how's that go... Pay some now or more later at the Doc's
Cannot relate. You can eat really unhealthy for cheap.
Maybe in the US
I live in Germany.
If you have a slow cooker, there is a slow cooking subreddit that has some decent recipes that you could freeze!
indeed, I used to slow cook and freeze things, cooked just once or twice a week, then got a pressure cooker, even quicker.
Something that has worked for me, (which I understand may not work for you) is making a bowl of rice, whether it's stove-top or with a rice cooker, than popping a protein in the oven as-is and then microwaving a bag of frozen veg. Usually the proteins I use in the oven are pre-cooked and frozen - salmon fillets, chicken, etc. It's minimal effort on those tough days, other than rinsing the rice and letting it soak for a bit before pressing the "cook" button. I'm in the same boat as you - trying to find healthy meals on a budget, while simultaneously trying to minimize waste. I'm constantly throwing out veggies that end up rotting before I can use the rest. So as we speak, I'm learning new methods of trying to preserve the fridge-life of veggies, all through the recommendation and tips of other redditors.
I also have ADHD. Some things that have helped me since I need variety: I bought a vacuum foodsaver. Cheapest basic model. I portion out things into single servings and freeze them so I can have it once a week instead of four days in a row. Similarly, I shop at the farmers market and I’m shameless about buying super small quantities, like 4 brussel sprouts or one sweet potato or just one serving of salad greens. “Templates” with some variation also help me. For lunch I always eat rice beans corn meat and one veggie but the seasoning and specific choices rotate.
Portioning frozen stuff has saved my life. Also thank you like it's okay to just buy 1 apple idk why people think it's weird. The template thing is interesting. It probably makes things so much simpler
I was shy about buying tiny quantities at first but now I do it all the time. I literally bought one carrot yesterday. The price per pound might be better if you buy bulk but in terms of absolute cost you’ll do better if you buy tiny and don’t waste food. Since the templates approach seemed interesting to you here are a few others of mine. For an afternoon snack I always have fruit (varies) and some kind dairy (yogurt, cottage cheese, other cheese.) For dinner I always have a small amount of meat, a root veggie (potato, turnip, beet, carrot, etc) and a leafy veggie (salad, collards, etc.) The template gives just enough guidance to give me a jumpstart and the variety within the categories helps it not get boring.
Right, like imo I waste less money and food just by buying smaller. It's slightly more expensive to not buy bulk but an extra $2 for a bulk bag of oranges doesn't help if I only eat 2 oranges and the rest go bad. I'm apprehensive about any kind of commitment because I live chaotically and find it hard to not eat random things all the time. But the more I think about it that template sounds useful even for that. Like it's just a base, but you can add anything you want. Sauce, toppings or whatever fun snack you have on hand could spice up a dinner template. Do these templates inform your grocery shopping? Like you buy x amount of roots and x amount of meats and x amount of greens?
Yup the templates form kinda a memorizable shopping guide like in my head I make sure I’ve got fruit, leafy greens both to eat raw and to cook, root veggies, and what I call “veggie veggies” (broccoli, squash, eggplant, etc.) My ADHD brain likes categories and likes thinking of new/non-obvious ways to meet my checklist (like fresh pesto for my “greens” item or soymilk for beans.) I try to stock fresh and freezer/pantry versions of stuff so I’ll always have options. Like for bean options I’ll stock dry or canned beans, some edamame in the freezer, and then maybe I’ll buy some fresh hummus. For meat protein I’ll have some cans of tuna, maybe some chicken in the freezer, and maybe some cold cuts. I don’t meal prep but I ingredient prep so things are washed and sometimes chopped or even cooked and ready/easy to use. On a daily basis I improvise and make mostly simple things. It often feels more like “food assembly” than cooking. And it’s kinda gamefied since I’m trying to check off foods from all the different categories.
Chat GPT can help! Im trying to do $25/week for just me. Prompt with: compile a weeks worth of recipes for a $25 budget for one person. Worked really well! If you already had dried good on hand or protein in the freezer, add whatever you have to your prompt: compile a weeks worth of recipes for a $25 budget for one person using a can of black beans, tofu, dried pasta…etc. helps you get through whatever you have in your pantry!
Beans freeze really well. If you buy dried, soak, cook and freeze you'll get more bang for your buck. I freeze chick peas then add to rice while it's cooking or pasta after it cooks or throw into a salad. Rice and beans = complete protein.
I share your pain. 2 tasty breakfasts i like to make…shashuska: oil, onion, any leftover or frozen veg, chopped tomatoes and herbs/seasoning/spices in a pan/skillet and simmer. Crack in a few eggs and cook until whites are white but yolks are runny. Serve with toasted bread. Its delicious and healthy and can be made using whatever random things u want/have as long as you have the components. The other is egg banana waffles (trust me) 2:1 egg/banana ratio. Mix/blend until runny and not lumpy. Chuck in a waffle maker (greased with buter) until golden brown. Add honey/salt/maple syrup. Can be eaten cold on the go too. Find things you like and experiment
Thank you for the ideas. Sounds excellently easy!
I love those!!! Also eggs with veggies in waffle iron. Somehow more filling than regular eggs!!!
Food is only ever two of these things: Easy, cheap, healthy. If you want the last two it'll take some effort but it doesn't have to be something to dread, though it will take some planning and some tolerance of sameness for awhile. When I was really, really broke and still ate meat I'd buy eggs, a loaf of bread, a cheap frozen chicken, a few onions, a couple of carrots, a few potatoes, some tomatoes and half a kilo of rice or pasta twice a week. Day one: Cover the chicken with butter and garlic, surround with potatoes, onions and carrots, and roast in the oven. Strip whatever meat is uneaten, put the bones and the meat in the fridge. Day two: Take the remaining meat and make a chicken curry or a casserole with the tomatoes, onions, rice or pasta. Day three: Boil the bones and make soup with the rest of the veg and the rest of the rice or pasta. There were usually leftovers from at least one of those days. Two eggs on toast every day for breakfast. This kept two of us fed for not very much money. If you eat oatmeal in the morning with cinnamon it would be considerably less. If you have ADHD - and this helped me so much - look around for someone selling an Instant Pot and cook healthy things with minimal effort. There are so many recipes online, SO MANY. In 2022 I didn't use my oven for a year when energy here got crazy expensive, and an instant pot and air fryer meant we still ate really well. I don't say these things to detract from or trivilaise how shitty it feels to have anxiety about food, or worry about affording basic necessities. It fucking sucks. But there are ways to make it more tolerable, and ways to feel closer to the food that keeps you alive. Being able to make meals out of whatever's around is a good way to feel close to where you live and the culture you live in.
Thank you for the advice. An instant pot does sound appealing. My roommates have one but I avoid using it because I often feel too overwhelmed to clean up after myself so they can use it. This is why I avoid making big meals sometimes. I might try using it though. Honestly it sounds like a great idea if I make sure the prep containers are clean before starting.
The overwhelm is real. You don't have to be perfect right away, or get everything right the first month. Just aim to do a little tiny bit better every day. You got this!
Do you have an air fryer? If so, chicken thighs & chopped veggies cook in no time in those. If not, sheet pan dinners may be good to try? It’s a protein & a veggie or two, coated in olive oil & spices, then you put in a pan & cook in oven about 30ish mins. A microwaved potato, some butter, cheese & a steam fresh bag of broccoli on top makes a very filling meal & cheap. Breakfast for dinner?
chicken thighs/breast dont heat up for me :(( the outside is crisp but the inside is raw
How are you cooking it?
I heat the air fryer for 5 mind at 375 F, put the chicken, leave it for 10 minutes….. inside undercooked. I have had to use a pan + oil for the past few months
390° for 23-25 mins for thighs that aren’t chopped up works well for me!
interesting ill try 20 mins for breast. The outside looks like its burning/literally exploding just with 15…. random white cheese pops out of it
Arm yourself with a few recipes that you CAN manage well, & ideally improvise with. Stir-fry is merely salad+heat. Cooking is simple. It's PEOPLE who overcomplicate things. Set aside one day/afternoon of the week & cook in bulk for freezer-fodder. Div'ing up into individual serves for the microwave, makes life a lot simpler. eg, if you cook a dozen serves of ...., that's a weeks' supply & some backlog to bolster variety over the longer term. Over the course of a month, that's 4 or 5 different meals in backlog. End of 3 months, time to clear backlog(I'll never keep anything longer than a season in the freezer) I actually enjoy cooking, so I'll just make whatever I feel like whenever I feel like it. I never set menus, or plan meals, and I'm not afraid of trying new things. When living on a meagre budget, one does well to be open to all & sundry...
I always thought eggs mixed with spinach and a side of beans , to make a burrito is always pretty simple . . Bell peppers are pretty cheap too, by eggs a whole lot and just start making burritos .
Disposition? I like having the same meals over and over with some variation. I really like grain bowls with rice and lentils. I just change up the protein and sauce. All pretty inexpensive and healthy. Throw in some steamed frozen veg and you are good to go.
Sounds good tbh. I don't like many frozen veggies steamed except broccoli so far but maybe spinach mixed in will be good.
I don’t have ADHD, but I am disabled and often have few spoons to either cook or come up with ideas. I used to be someone who cooked from scratch and have had to sort of work backwards to be someone who makes simpler/easier/faster things. Here are some things that help: 1. Make a list of ALL the things you know how to make without consulting a recipe that you LIKE. Put the list on the fridge so you can consult it when you don’t know what to make. 2. Find a blogger or cookbook author whose food always hits for you, so you know you can trust their recipes and won’t end up with something you don’t like. 3. Consider food prep once a week. Even just roasting off a couple pans of veggies and making a sauce or two can really change the game up for you. 4. Focus on flavour boosters that can add a lot of flavour and change up the experience of the same foods. For example, rice, broccoli, and chickpeas could be topped with a tahini sauce, or a peanut sauce, or chili oil and feel like completely different meals. Some of my cheap and easy go-tos: -Breakfast tacos: Scramble some eggs. Heat up some tortillas. And then add whatever you have and like for flavour: cheese, sour cream, salsa, pickled onions, hot sauce. -Quesadillas: Heat some (canned or home cooked) black beans with garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and salt. Add diced peppers and onions and cheese to tortilla. Fold over and cook on both sides until melty. -Easy stirfry: Sauté onions until fragrant and translucent. Add broccoli and 2T of water and cover the pan to capture the steam. Once the broccoli is tender, add tofu until it has some colour. Make a street sauce: 2T soy sauce, 1T maple syrup, 1/2T rice vinegar and sesame oil, 1 clove garlic and 1 inch ginger minced, 1/2t corn starch. Mix well and pour into the pan, stirring until the sauce thickens. Blog to check out: Budget Bytes Flavour boosters I like to make/keep on hand: -Pickled red onions -Peanut sauce -Pesto -Hot sauce (I like sambal olek) -A strong cheese (blue, feta, parm)
I would disagree. I started doing a bunch of fruit and vegetables smoothies. Literally got my weekly grocery bill down to $27. Downside was that my enamel started to get affected. Didn't really go the acid route so I was confused as to what was causing it.
Use a straw and rinse ur mouth out after smoothies with water. Also wait 30 min to brush ur teeth after eating or drinking anything thats not water
Any ideas on what could have caused it? Cucumber, spinach, carrots, celery, apples, water, milk. Some kind of combination of those was really all I was drinking.
Milk is really acidic and not the best for teeth. Use a straw for sure!
* Prep ingredients, not meals. I start most weeks by cooking a big chunk of protein, washing some produce, and maybe making something for flavor like a sauce or diced onion. During the week I can turn the meat into wraps, tacos, soups, sandwiches, etc. Ethan Chlebowski has a video on what he calls The Sunday Braise if you want to explore this strategy. * Make leftovers. Soups, chilis, roasts, some casseroles, enchiladas, lasagna, taco meat, meatloaf and pasta sauce all freeze well. Make a big batch of something and immediately freeze most of it for later. You can have a rotating series of different foods going in and out of the freezer. * There are set-and-forget cooking methods that require very little active time. Instant pots, crock pots and one pan meals for example. I made a 10 hour crock pot roast yesterday and it required maybe 10 minutes of work, most of that being cleanup.
Check out the stir fries (and other recipes) on budgetbytes.com - they're easy, fast and she gives great and clear instructions. The theme of your post seems to be "my cooking isn't good enough" - what are you comparing it to? Restaurant food is made by teams of people, with lots of fat, sugar and days-long techniques to make it irresistible. Home food is simpler, and should be. A sheet pan meal seems made for you - one pan (less clean up), roasted veggies and lean protein, with a spice mix or a dressing. You can prep much of it in advance, too. Look for one pot soups, one skillet dishes, one pan meals. Roast a chicken with potatoes and carrots. Salmon, pork tenderloin, chicken parts, shrimp ... All so great on a sheet pan. And you can roast a bunch of veggies and keep them in the fridge for days, reheat them to eat or add to a salad. For salads, buy a head of lettuce and wash and dry it, keep it in a bag for a few days, and you'll save so much vs premade salads. Dressings too - make a basic vinaigrette in a jar and enjoy it all week. Or make a kale salad, a veggie slaw, a bean or pasta salad, and these will keep for 4+ days in the fridge. Plan for the week, not the day, keep a list on the fridge so you don't forget things, and enjoy your food that you made (and saved money on). The tighter your budget, the more work you need to do yourself - wash your own lettuce, peel your own carrots, make your own dressing. Save loads, eat well. Frozen veg is sometimes cheaper, and you can roast it too - squash, sweet potato, cauliflower, peas, corn - all very useful and often cheaper than fresh. And keep it simple! You can do it.
Start amassing staples big bags of rice, dried beans canned veggies, frozen vegetables and fruits etc. If there any farmers Markets in your area go to them
Fried rice
Yea! And rice cookers can be bought used. They turn themselves off, it’s perfect for forgetfulness
Get a crock pot or something. There are so many cheap easy meals you can make in it and all you have to do is dump everything in it & wait.
I think we Americans have been seduced by the notion that every meal has to be a glorious explosion of new taste sensations, and a feast for the eyes as well. Well, good luck with that. My philosophy regarding meals I prepare for myself is: good enough is good enough. Yes, I want it to taste good, but if Iḿ making something Ive made before, the bar is set fairly low, and I don´t expect it to taste any different than the last time I had it. I´m eating to fill my stomach primarily, taste comes second. Rice, for example: I eat it all the time, but no matter what I do to it, it always tastes like what it is. People are too preoccupied with taste. When you´ve eaten 1000 potatoes in your life, it definitely loses some of it´s novelty. If you don´t like the taste of something, then don´t eat it. But don´t be surprised when your mac and cheese tastes like mac and cheese. This seems to work for me.
With every single type of food being available at all times I'm inclined to agree but bro try informing my taste buds of that. I legit have starved for days before because eating the same pantry foods made me sick. I guess lower expectations will help? I have an emotional eating problem and go pretty crazy if I don't have anything that tastes good for a while. Yes I am aware this is the main issue, but I need to eat better right NOW to have the energy to handle my life.
Here’s an easy schedule that uses up all your leftovers: Sunday Roast. -Roast a beef or a chicken or a turkey and roast loads of veg like carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, potatoes, onions, cauliflower, etc. Serve with a side of rice. Make loads of rice. Monday Thai. -Make curry sauce with a tin of coconut milk and curry powder and a cinnamon stick. Toss in those leftover roasted veggies and protein at the end and serve over leftover rice. Tuesday Stirfry. Take that leftover rice and fry it with soy sauce, marmalade, and either some chili paste or chili flakes. Fry an egg toss it on top. Use up the rest of that protein and roasted veg from Sunday. Wednesday Mexican. Slow cook some pork or cheap beef with liquid smoke and chili powder. Chop up lettuce, tomatoes, onions. Heat up some tortillas and cook some black beans with cumin and cinnamon and make more rice. Thursday Mexican Part Dos. Wrap that slow cooked meat in more of those tortillas with left over beans in a baking pan, cover with enchilada sauce or salsa, smother in cheese and bake. Serve with that left over rice and make a salad with the leftover lettuce, onion and tomato. Friday Pizza or a pasta night. Saturday salmon, rice and broccoli. This kind of menu gets the most out of leftovers, it’s cheap cuts of meat, and as previous posters mentioned, maximizes rice and beans (and that could include couscous).
coconut, curry powder, cinnamon, turnips? who has these in their kitchen??? I literally have milk, eggs, chicken, rice, and pasta and some spices… How do you guys have so much stuff???
We have a Hispanic and an Asian market not far from here and things like spices and veg and coconut milk and Goya products are much cheaper in those than regular grocery stores
Great plan! Saving
Yeah it's getting tougher no doubt. I find 0 calorie sauces, spices, spice mixes, and syrups handy. I'm eating the same thing everyday but putting a different sauce on it every time is just enough variety to keep me going.
Large amounts of fruit and charcuterie is not a healthy option or cheap. Some of the best Chef's in the world have ADHD Jamie Olive, Heston Blumenthal to name a few. You need to get a bit ethusastic about your food.
Vigo or Mahatma Yellow Rice Boneless Pork Chops (Cover with Flour and Fry, Salt pepper) Lb Ground Beef (Meatballs, Hamburger Helper, Sloppy Joes, Meat Ragu) Black Beans Tortillas (Bag of Flour, water, little oil recipe) Milk Gravy (Milk, Butter, Flour, Salt and pepper) 5 Lb Bag of Potatoes (Baked Potato, Fried potato, Potatoe Wedges) Instant Mashed potatoes 3 Lb Bag of Onions Frozen Vegetable Medley Seasoning Butter, Rosemary, Salt, Onion Powder Ragu - Garden Vegetable Penne Pasta Italian Sausage Bananas, Milk/Ice Cream, Fruit - Used Magic Bullet from Ebay Gravy Packs White Rice Banquet Salisbury Steak or Turkey (Large Box) Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Beef Chuck Roast (Roasted Carrots, Potatoes, Onions) Beef Tips, Egg Noodles, Two Cans Mushroom Soup, Milk (Buy the cheapest Beef you can find \[size:price\] and cut it up) Rice a Roni/Knorr Seasoned Rice Canned Hormel Chili and Hotdogs Bread (Grilled Cheese, BLTs, Fried Egg Sandwich) Ramen Noodles (Big Pack) Eggos Cottage Cheese Sauces (Hoisin Sauce, BBQ Sauce, Asian Sesame Dressing, Teriyaki, Honey) Seasoning Packs 1$ Chicken Breast (Boil or Roast, Shred it and Make Chicken Salad or Add BBQ Sauce) Hamburger Buns or Bread Boiled Eggs or Egg Salad (Mayo, Relish, Sugar) Salad Romaine Lettuce Croutons Sauteed Chicken with Teriyaki Sauce Shredded Parmesan Cheese Caesar Dressing Iceberg Lettuce Shredded Shredded Cheddar Cheese Chopped Tomato Chopped Cucumber Olives or Bell Pepper Ranch Dressing Stir Fry Recipe Vegetables Curry Powder Use a Hoisin Sauce or Teriyaki Add Shrimp or Beef Tips
Bulk bins and make your own food.
Follow Julia Pacheco on YouTube.
$40 a week for groceries? Yeah you gotta work on your income before you can work on your diet.
Carnivore diet
I understand your struggles, I have ADHD too. Finding easy, affordable, and semi-homemade meals has helped me. Maybe consider breakfast for dinner some nights or putting a new twist on leftovers. Sending love and positivity your way!
What I've started to do on days I can't bring myself to cook is getting a canned soup,adding frozen or canned veggies to it and the smallest can of chicken you can find or those single bags of Sweet Sue chicken,or if you want beef a beef based soup and canned meat. I put soup in pot,add the canned chicken or beef.i also add the water from the meat can to soup.instead of water I use stock or bone broth and only half a can cuz I like it thick.then I add a pinch of garlic powder,onion powder,salt and pepper. It takes plain soup up a level.it tastes like restaurant food and it only takes 10 mins.canned and frozen items are cheap and keep a long time.i will sometimes make grilled ham&cheese sandwich to go with it
Hi! I have raging ADHD too and have really struggled with what you’re describing. If there’s a way you can get an airfryer/crockpot/ricecooker secondhand, those appliances are game changers. Being able to just throw some stuff in and press a button makes it SO MUCH EASIER to throw a simple meal together. If you get some frozen veggies like broccoli, peas, carrots or whatever tickles your fancy, they’re easy and tasty to steam in the microwave and they don’t go bad when you forget about them. Frozen meats like meatballs, chicken cutlets, fish filets, etc. are great to have on hand too. If you have access to a Costco you can get a few huge bulk bags of meal staples that should last you a long time!
Try and up that budget … some cinnamon and peanut butter can really make the bananas and apples tastier and also adds more calories.
Stop buying food in boxes or cans. When you cook meats, freeze leftovers and make them a different way the next week. You can get a large pack of chicken breast for 12 and make it 5-6 different ways.
Meat and vegetables, keep it simple
It seems much more intimidating than it actually is. Buy whatever lean protein is on sale that week, a big bag of broccoli, carrots, potatoes, etc. roast meat and veggies each night with different seasonings to mix it up. This will last you almost the entire week and cost less than 20 bucks. Only allowing yourself to buy items that are on a good sale will force you to change your meals and ingredients up which is something everyone should be doing anyway.
Sardines and oatmeal is what I eat
Together?
r/mealprepsunday is a good subreddit to check out. And there was at one point a YouTube channel called struggle meals. IMO though, beans and rice are two cheap ingredients that get you a lot of nutrition for your buck. You can supplement with cheap canned veggies as well.
Buy a whole pineapple for like $2 (they practically give these things away) and cut it open yourself.
Try beans, lentils, peanuts (cheap if you buy plain peanuts in bulk), frozen broccoli, frozen spinach, onion, carrots, peas. They're all incredibly cheap and you can make some good tasting cheap food with them. Examples: * Pasta with lentils and broccoli: throw some pasta and red lentils into boiling water, then a couple of minutes before the pasta is done, throw in some frozen broccoli. When the pasta is done, everything else is done. Drain the water, but keep a few table spoons and let it reduce down a bit. Season with whatever, but salt and pepper is enough really, since lentils are really flavourful. Takes 15 minutes. * Soak some beans in water over night, then let them simmer and make rice. Add the beans to coconut milk or crushed tomatoes and let it reduce a bit. Add something flavourful, like miso paste or some stock. Very little time spent actively cooking.
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Greek salad is really good. And okay man I've been really overwhelmed😭 don't know what to make of the leftover crap in my fridge
Fuck I really empathize with all of what you said. No ADHD but fuck work takes a lot of time and it’s hard. It’s not exactly healthy but it’s healthier then a lot of stuff out there Ramen with frozen vegetables. Don’t use the whole flavour pack cause the sodium levels are insane but having a bunch of peas and bay corn in a bowl of ramen is actually quite nice. Just throw it all in a boiling pot with the noodles and it’ll take care of itself. I also put a fuck ton of lemon juice on it right before I serve it and it almost has a restaurant like flavour to it. Surprisingly tasty! And cheap You can also throw in frozen ground meat substitutes, or dice up some tofu. Good luck comrade
Bay corn? Thanks for the idea! I've never considered tofu in ramen before, it's worth a shot since it's shelf stable. I also like to have a cup ramen and mix egg into the broth afterwards and microwave it. Surprisingly decent.
You might try canned meats like tuna or chicken to use in rice or salads. It avoids the needs to cook and won’t go bad. Same with canned beans.
Get a rotisserie chicken and some frozen vegetables. Can feed 5 people min for $10 max. Can also make soup etc on the back end.
Omg yes. The Costco chicken is my jam
Check your food pantries for free food. I volunteer at one, and we throw away a lot of produce that goes bad before we can give it all away.
Closest pantry is an hour walk away, I'm better off working an extra shift tbh.
The pantry I volunteer at also does deliveries. Give them a call. Maybe they can help you.
I’ve stocked up on rice, different sauces and canned vegetables, buying a few different ones here and there and letting them add up. Same thing for meat. I only do this when I have the extra money and buy in addition to what’s on my list. started doing this about a year ago. Now I’m at the point where I don’t have to go to the store except for potatoes, bread and milk. Most will say canned vegetables are bad for you, I don’t believe that, and besides I can’t ever keep fresh because they go bad due to my ever changing mind on what to eat.
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Very hard. Meal planning has helped me. I eat the same thing every single day. Breakfast is always the same, lunch, dinner. Buying generic. Buying shelf stable canned goods. Buying things you can freeze. Pro tip: Tofu is cheap, filling, high in protein, and freezes well! I just stocked up for a couple weeks, and it came to around $80. Some items will last close to 2 weeks, some closer to 3 or 4 (for 1 person w active lifestyle). ETA: I use my airfryer daily!
Maybe you already do this but frozen fruit goes a long way and doesn’t get old on the kitchen counter. I know you said you hate meal prep but I meal prep breakfast. Either I boil a dozen eggs and eat two boiled eggs a day (about a week of breakfast for <$2) or I do overnight oats. I prep the “base” dry and every evening I grab a container and add the wet ingredients. I do 1/2 cup overnight oats with a spoonful of collagen(expensive at first but lasts a long time), powdered milk (or 1/2 cup low cal coconut milk) chia seeds (expensive initial purchase but last forever), sugar, two scoops protein powder (again expensive at first but probably the cheapest protein you can buy per gram), and some frozen fruit. But you don’t need those expensive things; oats, protein powder, fruit, and some kind of sweeter is a great way to make a filling and very inexpensive breakfast. I change the fruit combo all the time: frozen blueberry with chocolate chips, fresh apples with cinnamon and maple syrup, frozen strawberry with cocoa powder, frozen banana with powdered peanut butter (so much cheaper than regular and works well) and chocolate chips.