The other day I asked for some HEALTHY and BUDGET Friendly Lunch Ideas and what a response I got from everyone! I want to thank you ALL for your help getting me thinking on the right track!
Yesterday I went shopping and tried to put those ideas to use. Here's what I came back with:
3 Chicken breasts (boneless/skinless) Buns and Pineapple rings - This will make me some grilled chicken sandwiches with a pineapple ring on the top for flavor and so it's not so dry. Total cost: $7.05 - this will make me SIX sandwiches, and if I sliced the chicken lengthwise I could even get more out of it.
Two 14.5oz cans of Diced tomatoes, 15oz can of Kidney beans and 1 bag of frozen corn. Mix this with a FREE salsa mix from the mail and I'll have veggie chili. Total cost: $2.43 this should make several servings that I can freeze for later.
Chicken Broth, onion, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and green beans will make Chicken Rice Soup. Cost: $4.72, HOWEVER, the carrots, rice and chicken thighs were not factored in as we have those here for other dinners. Also, the mushrooms and the broth will also cover some sauce and soup I will be making... so that amount isn't 100% for this soup.
Broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, onion, chicken broth Will make me a Cheese Veggie soup. Cost: $8.92, but again this isn't completely accurate. The broth price is the price of the can that makes 2 different soups, the potatoes is a 5 pound bag (only need 4 cups) and the carrots were not factored in as we had those home. This will also have extra portions that will be frozen to be eaten later.
Mushrooms, 16oz diced tomatoes, 6oz tomato paste, onion Will make me spaghetti sauce. Cost: $3.21. This isn't completely accurate for this since the mushrooms at $1.50 are used in the soup AND salads as well but that's what it all cost. I'm fussy on sauces. There's these leaves and things in them all that I won't eat. After a few bites I lose all appetite and don't want the stuff anymore. So, I'm trying to make my own and see what happens. :-)
We DID spend more, but I'm not sure how much of that was my fault this week as Gideon got a lot more snacks than normal and Clint also got some stuff we normally don't get. There's no denying these freshly prepared foods are better than what I was eating which was a mixture of: Canned condensed soups, grilled cheese and bunless hamburgers with rice mixes.
Let's hope it aids me on the healthy and weight loss journey. Right now, I'm happy to report I've lost 10 pounds. It's enough to motivate me to work harder to lose the rest, if the budget allows, that is for the food aspect of things and to cut out that sugary soda that I should have cut out long ago. We hike weekly (weather permitting) anywhere from a mile to 2.5 miles. The trails have to be fairly flat, though since Gideon goes in the stroller (he can't walk that far) and of course we have the added resistance of pushing the stroller for further calorie burning. :P
Aside from the scale results, I can fit into a pair of jeans that I purposely bought sized a bit small, I feel stronger and less winded and overall better. I still have another 20-30 pounds to go to get where I was, but I'm happy with my progress this far.
Here's my lunch that I ate just a little while ago.
A closer look at the sandwich. I could by rights reduce the thickness here and stretch the meat further. Chicken was grilled on the George Foreman grill so that reduces the grease and fat in it too. :)
Anyway, I thought it was time to update the journey now that I've steadily seen the same weight for nearly a week I know it's real, and now I can celebrate.
Cheers! *tips bottle of Crystal Light*
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Comments: 20
That looks good. I love pineapple and like grilled chicken too, so I certainly can not go wrong with this.
It was delicious. About two weeks ago I had something similar while eating out but theirs had BBQ sauce which was good but it was uneeded extra calories.
The only thing is that the chicken was by rights too thick of a cut, but I'm not sure how easy it'd be to slice it down the middle thinning the thickness out and making the chicken half the size it is now.
I'm not sure how easy that would be either, Jennifer. If you try it, let me know. By the way, I was reading recipes last week on chicken. There was one that mentioned soaking the chicken in a "brine" (I added the seasonings I like...you could do your own) prior to cooking and it will help with the dryness. Plus you have to be careful not to OVERCOOK the chicken. Anyway, it was very juicy when I took it off the grill ( I had soaked it overnight in my "homemade brine").
That's something I was thinking too. It could easily end up with a chicken mess LOL... or a cut finger. Hahaha.
The brine sounds like an interesting solution and I might try that sometime. Im used to dry sandwiches (I don't do mayo ever) so the pineapple was perfect to add a bit extra to mine, but it'd be fine without, too. I just wanted the sweet flavor, really.
Looks like you're doing pretty well.
It seems I'm on the right track. Time will tell. I do know I can fit into pants that were too small before, so that's some wonderful evidence.
That looks good.
It was super good. The pineapple kept it moist and sweet and did away with dressings and mayos. :P
Congratulations on your weight loss. It looks like you are on the path to achieving your goal.
Thank you so much. I tell you I kept wanting to celebrate, but waited quite a few days to make sure it wasn't water weight. You see I haven't weighed myself in a month, so it was an amazing surprise. I was prompted to weigh myself after I fit into those jeans that I bought too-small hoping to fit into.. then I started thinking I should check the scale. :-)
Looks yummy. I'd definitely make that chicken cutlet thinner. Just can't eat such a thick sandwich. And I'd go for a whole grain bun too. Or those new buns that are whole grain and very very thin for sandwiches. Good luck!
Yeah it was very difficut to eat. I didn't think of thinning it out until after. That's okay. I can do it next time, though. Then I can get 2x the sandwiches out of the meat.
The buns I agree on I was trying to budget and save money so I went with the cheapest buns I found. Maybe next time I can splurge a bit more on them.
That looks really good. I think I will have to make it for a dinner one night next week.
It was delish. I bet you'll like it!
you go girl, but you need to cut back on bread too...it's been showen to increase the risk of diabetee's.....make everything you eat instead of buying prepackaged and eat eggs, cheese, butter not the fake stuff. water water water, woo hoo!!!
Actually, as a rule I don't eat much bread. I was for a while with the grilled cheese, but I've cut that out. And now with the buns... but that's the only bread I eat, so it's not that bad.
I've seen that making is the way to go. I was looking at prepackaged stuff that was healthy and I can't swing that, so cook it is. :) I spose I'll learn something I should have done anyway - cook things like soups LOL
And the water, yes, I'm working on that slowly. I got in 3 glasses yesterday so we are getting there.
it is hard isn't it....I am not a big fan of cooking but have learned more and more lately. It's not that I can't cook but I don't generally enjoy it all that much, specially the dishes that come after....LOL
good luck
It's hard adjusting more than anything else. But I assume that it will get easier as time goes on.
The dishes stink, that's for sure. Lucky for me my husband does dish duty and I do house cleaning duty. :P I think I got the better deal despite my allergies to dust.
Thank you for all of your suggestions, Debby!
Great food choices, Those lunch ideas are really going to stretch too. Espeically if you freeze a serving or two...so you don't get too bored having the same soup 4 days in a row or something like that.