Friday, April 23, 2010

eating healthy on a low budget

So here's the deal. I haven't had a paycheck since January and have reverted back to what I call a "graduate student diet"...which means eating instant noodles with the cheapest meat I can find and forgoing fruits and vegetables. Yes, I was back in that old mindset...the one that spirals down. I felt like a failure for working so hard but not seeing any financial gain...so I cut my budget to the core and ended up eating crappy food that temporarily filled me up but left me craving all the foods that were really not good for me...and feeling worse when I gave in...got angry with myself and cut back to one meal a day...only to grab the worse food when I did have a couple of dollars...and gaining weight...and feeling crappy about gaining weight...so would really give up and just go for the highest carb alternative. My health has deteriorated. I have heartburn all the time; no energy; all my joints ache; I have difficulty walking even one block; I am not sleeping well; and my mind has been foggy.

I ended up fighting a severe depression.

But then a couple of friends dropped into town. They don't know each other but each of them helped in different ways. One friend has been battling depression for years and actually understood how difficult it was for me to do anything. Just having someone who understood helped. He insisted we go out for coffee and just chat. The other friend is a kinesiologist, Karen, who always has a bright attitude and eats very healthy (and is also a vegetarian).

I complained to this friend that I had to eat poorly because of my low budget.

Her response surprised me. Instead of agreeing with me, or chastising me, all she did was invite me along on a shopping trip. She temporarily lent me some money for food shopping and guided me through an amazing experience (yes, I can pay her back next month...I just signed contracts to teach 4 university courses over the summer).

We visited two health food stores, an Italian supermarket, a Chinese supermarket, and the Bulk Barn. I know what you are thinking...health food stores are expensive! Well, some items are...others aren't.

I have a very hard time digesting cow's milk but she showed me goat milk yogurt and goat milk cheese. I want to cut back on meat (since good quality meat is expensive) so she has shown me some protein alternatives. I had become so used to the "North American diet" that I couldn't see my way out of it and really don't know how to cook with these different foods. So she talked about how to use the foods...really simple ideas since the last thing I want to do is spend all my time cooking. I also learned that a dozen eggs from free range chickens are healthier and really not any more expensive than other eggs...and are also a good source of protein while being very versatile.

She helped me discover quinoa...an ancient whole grain that has a mild nutty flavor instead of using instant noodles. Very high in protein and easy to digest. A small bag of it cost me $7.99 at a health food store. I was dubious...it didn't look like much for that kind of money. But I cooked some up tonight and it really expands in volume! I cooked one cup of quinoa in two cups of water...and have enough to last two huge meals. At this rate, I will get at least 10 meals out of it if not more.

I learned that sardines are one of the healthiest meats...if you don't get them smothered in tomato sauce or oil (but you can just drain and rinse them if need be). I love sardines...and they are cheap ($1.39 per tin)! I also learned that canned mackerel is very good for you and it is also cheap ($1.99 for a large can). That is a relief...I don't have to become completely vegetarian!

I bought tons of vegetables...root vegetables such as beets, carrots, and white radishes; lots of green vegetables such as broccoli, lettuce, celery, cucumber, green beans; and other vegetables such as portabelo mushrooms, onions, asparagus. I also bought some nice apples and black grapes...these were on sale for $0.99/lb. I learned how I can put almond butter or sunflower seed butter on the celery instead of peanut butter or that dreaded artificial cheese spread.

I bought dry roasted almonds at the Bulk Barn as well as unsalted, hulled sunflower seeds. Karen explained how I can sprinkle these on top of salads and almost any food, including the yogurt. I bought healthy pomegranate juice instead of "orange drink".

I used to eat lots of puffed rice cakes when they were on sale..but now I bought spelt puffed cakes and they actual have a taste to them (they don't taste like Styrofoam).

So...my fridge is bursting with all this food. I have opened the fridge four or five times tonight just to reassure myself that I do have food. So for under $100 I have enough food to very comfortably eat three proper meals plus three snacks a day that should last me for about 2 weeks...and hopefully feel healthier and happier than I have felt in a long time.

And guess what I made for dinner tonight?

It was the strangest combination of foods...but it actually worked! I had made up the quinoa already so I also steamed a huge bunch of broccoli. I opened, rinsed, and drained a tin of sardines (these ones were in lemon sauce), and tossed in some sage (yes, sage...of all things). When I mixed it all together, the sardines broke up into very small bits and it looked a lot like a casserole (and didn't taste like sardines anymore). So I put a bit of goat's milk cheese on the top (not too much...have to make it last), and let the cheese melt. I wasn't sure if I would feel at all full from it so I had a large serving. It was amazing! I only ate 3/4 of it before I was actually full.

This may not sound like much to you, but usually when I am eating empty calories, I don't ever feel full...just end up running out of food and/or feeling really dopey; and unsatisfied. But after this meal, I felt great...and it actually tasted great. I had two glasses of watered down pomegranate juice (1/2 cup juice in a tall glass) to go with my food and it was wonderful.

So, my first experiment with the new foods worked well. For the meal tonight, this is what I estimate I spent: quinoa, $0.50; broccoli, $1.29; sardines, $1.39; 4 slices of goat's milk mozzarella cheese, $0.70; pomegranate juice, $0.10. For a total of $3.98. Under $4 for an entire meal...and I have enough quinoa cooked up for tomorrow. It took me 20 minutes to make and I feel full and satisfied. No heartburn and no grogginess.

Wow. I wonder what I will have for breakfast tomorrow? This is one meal I have been skipping 'to save money'. Now I can eat again.

One concern...I didn't buy any diet coke. I have known for quite some time that it is extremely unhealthy...but haven't had the nerve to not drink it...to the point of almost feeling addicted to it. I thought it was a cheap alternative to other beverages...but I have now found out it is actually more expensive than healthy juices. Let's see how long I last without it.

Do you have any experience with cheap, healthy meals?

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