Cheapest Healthy, Non-processed Dinner Ideas?

[LuluLovesDisney]

Hi, everyone. I am seeing a nutritionist for help losing weight and my dinner "prescription" is-

1 serving carbs (1 potato, 3/4 c. brown or plain long grain rice, 1 c. whole grain pasta, 1.c corn or peas etc.)
1 serving (3-4 oz.) lean meat, poultry, fish etc.
unlimited veggies (not corn or peas)
2 tsp. oil/fat if needed

Low cal condiments like low sodium soy, hot sauce, wasabi, lemon juice, seasonings, salsa etc. are fine, but not sugary ones like teriyaki sauce, ketchup, etc.

I'm not allowed minute rice, instant potatoes, anything processed.

I have been making dinners like
1 baked sweet potato, seared kale and grilled scallops with lemon
whole grain couscous, asparagus and grilled shrimp
taco salad with ground turkey and brown rice/beans

However, I find it is getting really expensive. Does anyone have any good ideas for dinners that might be cheaper options?? It is just me and my husband, so no kids to plan for and we are not picky eaters, just food lovers trying to get healthy. I'm not used to not being able to cook with wine, butter, sauces, etc. If you have an idea or two, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks!!

 

[SplashMo]

We use Frozen Chicken Breasts cooked in olive oil and frozen Brocolli or Spinach...

 

[Justsyd2]

We do:

Chicken Breasts
NY Strip Steak - we share one fillet
Salmon
Tuna Steaks
Butterfly Pork Chops

For potatoes we do baked sweet or mashed, brown rice, and pasta with olive oil and garlic.

Our veggies - Share one fresh steamed Artichoke, sauté fresh brussel sprouts, steam sliced yellow squash and/or zucchini, spaghetti squash, acorn squash, fresh spinach, etc

 

[NMAmy]

Now is a great time to find frozen turkey breast on sale. I cook one up on the weekend and I use it during the week for different meals. You can also find bags of plain, frozen salmon on sale occasionally--I buy a few to stock up the freezer.

Can you have low-fat, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth? I like to saute sliced mushrroms, onions, and other veggies in a little bit of olive oil and then brown chicken breasts. I then add about half of a can of chicken broth, cover it with a lid, and let them simmer in the broth. It makes them very moist and is a welcome change from baked and broiled meats. I serve it with whole wheat pasta or brown rice and spoon the mushroom/veggie mixture over that.

 

[HeatherC]

How about spaghetti squash imstead of pasta. Roast is with a little olive oil and seasonings. Serve with pasta sauce made with ground turkey.

You can doctor up the sauce with lots of veggies and let simmer in the crockpot all day.

I also love roasted veggies. I cut up a bunch like asparagus, butternut squash, carrots, onions, red pepper and corn. Roast at 400 for an hour with olive oil and seasonings. I then use them for everything. I can usually get several meals out of one pan which makes them pretty inexpensive.

I mix them in the blender with chicken stock for soup. My favorite. I also eat them in a low carb high fiber tortillas with meleted cheese.

Can also make a chili with them. Put them with some kidney beans, add chili seasoning and simmer.

Eggs are also cheap and you can use them so many ways....hard boiled, scrambled with veggies, omelets, fritattas.

Soups are also inexpensive and go a long way.

Roast a chicken and you can have several meals out of it. Use the leftovers for soup, chicken salad, shred it with barbecuse sauce for sandwiches.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

 

[mjkacmom]

Stirfry is a great way to use a lot of veggies, and small amounts of protein (chicken, shrimp, beef, tofu). Use whatever veggies you like, and serve with rice.

 

[tinkarooni]

You should try and think more "local" food and more "in season". Scallops and shrimp (although two of my favorites) are pricey. So is asparagus, I know because I just splurged on some at $5.99 a lb.

I would focus more on chicken and turkey and probably fish, not shellfish. Most times I can get tilapia or cod for reasonable, salmon too.

Unfortunately unless you are in California what is in season right now is a lot of root veggies, try a mix of sweet potato, and white potato, skins, on, cubed with a diced onion, two cloves of garlic, toss with olive oil in 400 degree oven until crispy, about 35 minutes. The onion adds a whole different flavor to it. You don't even need salt.

Also spaghetti squashes, broccoli, butternut squashs, carrots. Even at Sams I can get big tubs of organic spinach for about $4.00 and it would last you all week as a salad topped with some shredded carrots (again super cheap and in season).

Good Luck!

 

[Nayan]

Ok, I'll admit it...I buy frozen fish at Wal-Mart! Tilapia, Pollock, Salmon and Perch are all under $5 (at my local store) and it has been a huge budget saver.

 

[mykidsand_i]

Be careful with some of the frozen meats, my best friend is a nutritionist and tells me ALL THE TIME to stay away from certain frozen meats- chicken, beef, pork- because although it's not 'processed' it is injected with/has added hormones/fillers and things that make it not as healthy as it should be.

Many frozen chicken breasts, steaks- and even NON FROZEN come from animals that are injected with and fed things that add to their 'meat' and when people eat it, they EAT MORE, because that filler that is in the meat is MADE so people eat more of it and feel less full.

The key is to watch the serving size. She tells me to drink two glasses of water before a meal & eat natural foods (as opposed to processed, steroid injected, flavor added).

Yes, natural grass fed beef, organic chicken, turkey, pork, beef- they all cost more- but it takes LESS of it to make you feel full.

 

[ceecee]

Hormones are injected into a lot of the meat, chicken, turkey and it's even in the milk! Doesn't have to be frozen either.

 

[GinnyEmma]

Yes, natural grass fed beef, organic chicken, turkey, pork, beef- they all cost more- but it takes LESS of it to make you feel full.

Pardon? Why would that be? I have a freezer full of organic meat. It is in no way more filling than non organic meat.

 

[mykidsand_i]

No, it's ANY MEAT or dairy too...but they make 'groups of frozen meats' and if they know it's going to be frozen, they add even more extra stuff to it so it stays juicy and looks good after it gets cooked.

and, yes- eating grass fed/natural meats fill you up quicker. Animals that are injected with hormones, medicines and 'unnatural' things make you EAT MORE. There is a certain 'injection' that animals who are raised in large quantities get that makes people want to eat MORE of it than a serving size. Companies who mass market meats want people to eat MORE of the meat, making more money for the company...it's on Food inc. movie AND, my BIL worked for a meat processing plant as one of their 'animal inpection/health' people, there were things that he saw there and now he will ONLY eat grass fed, natural fed meats. The injections, fillers and other stuff that is added to mass quantity meats is PART of the problem in the USA today. He was one of 5 people who quit at his company, because of the things that was getting injected into their meat.

He went into great detail with us about this injection an animal gets months before slauter at a mass-produced meat place. It is made 100% to make people eat more of it. That meat is even approved by the FDA, because to them nothing is 'harmful' or bad in it.

Natural meats and dairy do not have those injections.

 

[CuteAndFluffy]

What a simple plan that will have big pay off! Good for you

I was on a diet like that for a while and it did get a little monotonous. My plate was well organized, but a little boring. For really filling dinners, soups and stews are a great way to go in winter time (ditto for salads in summer). The water contained in the food will help you feel full (per Barbara Rolls "Volumetrics"). Since it's just the two of you, you could either make big batches and freeze what you don't need or make smaller batches in a little crock pot. Make your own broth to control sodium and additives better if you like, but the boxed stuff is just fine most of the time. Some on the list would need to have the protein or veggies on the side. Add a salad with some lemon or soy sauce if you need something to chew and you'll be set!

Some examples:
Chicken soup with Carrot, onion and celery and lots of herbs (with noodles or rice or potato or a roll)
Chicken soup with tomato, zucchini, green beans, spinach and oregano and basil (again with pasta or whatever if you like...)
Avgolemono (Lemony chicken broth with egg drops stirred in)
Beef stew with Carrots and onions and a little potato
Beef and Barley soup with mushrooms
Vegetable heavy chili (lots of peppers, onions, carrots, zucchini diced very fine)
Mulligatawny
Stuffed pepper soup
Cauliflower leek soup (with cauliflower doing some potato duty)
Sausage, white bean (again, could sub cauliflower) and kale (use ground meat with sausage seasonings to avoid the processed stuff)
Cabbage, potato and caraway (saw in "How to Cook Everything)
Butternut squash soup with crab (yeah, the crab can be spendy, but you're only using a little)
Miso soup (with a salad and some cucumber maki)
Hot and sour soup

 

[crisi]

just sub what you are doing with what is on sale. For instance, chicken instead of the scallops, broccoli instead of the asparagus.

Don't forget to use spices.

How about fajitas - peppers, onions and chicken in a corn tortilla. (if the corn tortilla is too processed, they are easy to make - mesa and water. Salsa is easy too. Tomatos and whatever you want in your salsa - onions, jalapenos).

Stir frys with brown rice.

Tandoori chicken or an Indian spinach sauce with chicken.

 

[Sadie22]

Cookbooks from the American Diabetes Association such as Month of Meals will be helpful to you. Check your local library or Amazon.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I think you are making some good choices and just need to find a cheaper way to do it. We do avoid most frozen meats as we do find them high in sodium. The key is to load up when you find a good sale. My freezer is full of boneless chicken breast and bone in chicken breast that I will de-skin before cooking and 93% lean ground beef all found on a great sale. Steam in the bag veggies often go on sale for a 1.00/bag. Enough for two. Look for fresh herbs or whatever you are allowed to season it.

Brown Rice or Whole grain pasta is a low cost healthy choice. If sweet potatoes are on sale, buy a bunch and bake and freeze them.

FYI-Ground turkey, unless it's ground turkey breast, has more fat that low fat ground beef.

 

[SplashMo]

If you have a Trader Joes the frozen meat there is often better than most places...

And very good prices... Just avoid the 100s of chocolate items

 

[millerpjm]

Here's a recipe you may like, if you can cook w/ chicken broth....

Super Easy Chicken (crockpot recipe)

4-5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 packet dry italian dressing mix (the kind you'd use to make your own italian dressing)
1 c water or chicken broth (I use broth)

Put it all in the crockpot and cook on low 8 or more hours. This makes a nice, flavorful chicken breast and it is very easy. I have put the chicken in frozen or thawed, I have come home to it after 12 hours, and it's still good, not overcooked. I will sometimes make up to 3 pounds of chicken (increase broth to 2 c) and have leftovers to pack in my lunch and eat w/ brown rice or couscous.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

 

[GinnyEmma]

I think you are making some good choices and just need to find a cheaper way to do it. We do avoid most frozen meats as we do find them high in sodium. The key is to load up when you find a good sale. My freezer is full of boneless chicken breast and bone in chicken breast that I will de-skin before cooking and 93% lean ground beef all found on a great sale. Steam in the bag veggies often go on sale for a 1.00/bag. Enough for two. Look for fresh herbs or whatever you are allowed to season it.

Brown Rice or Whole grain pasta is a low cost healthy choice. If sweet potatoes are on sale, buy a bunch and bake and freeze them.

FYI-Ground turkey, unless it's ground turkey breast, has more fat that low fat ground beef.

No kidding about the turkey! I buy turkey breasts and grind them. Some stores sell the pork and chicken with extra liquid, and walmarts beef is...ick. But we have several stores that just sell regular meat, and that go on sale. Right now krogers has split chicken breast, no sodium, for $.99 a lb. Ten packages went into my cart.