dieting = €€€

MilfordBud

flikflak wrote: »

We buy in bulk though - 10kgs of oats lasts us about 4 months. We also get 5kg bags of lentils and chickpeas which are handy for soups, stews and curries.
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Where do you get the 5kg bags of lentils and chickpeas? I'm assuming a healthstore? Haven't seen ones that size and I'd definitely be interested in getting them.

flikflak

Dublin food co-op. Become a member and then you can order large bags of all types of health foods. I think you have to be a member before you can make a special order but not sure. Sure pop down one Saturday morning and ask or drop them a mail. http://dublinfood.coop/drupal/

ETA - sorry just noticed your location! Might not be possible for you to `pop` in!

jaytuom

If you shop around you'll work out where the savings can be made. As others have pointed out here, buying in bulk is also a great idea. If you're in Dublin the fruit and veg markets on Mary's Abbey are great for getting staples like carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, fruit etc. and it's usually cheaper the more you buy. Butchers almost always offer deals once you're buying more than a few of anything, and Kish Fish up by smithfield do great weekly specials if you want good fresh fish.

What amazes me is that people will happily pay a fiver a go for a pint of standard-issue, mass produced beer but will give out about the price of good food. A weekly shop for two people usually sets me back about the same amount as a good night out in town, €50–€60.

wandatowell

1kg bag of baby spuds .39 cent

1kg bag of onion .39 cent

Both last for ages in the fridge drawer.

http://www.lidl.ie/cps/rde/SID-189A3C94-D10F4A1F/www_lidl_ie/hs.xsl/3247.htm

In moderation the spuds are part of a healthy diet.

CHEAP AS CHIPS!

Brian?

MilfordBud wrote: »

Where do you get the 5kg bags of lentils and chickpeas? I'm assuming a healthstore? Haven't seen ones that size and I'd definitely be interested in getting them.

If you're in Dublin check out Eurasia on the fonthill road. Massive bags of everything and cheap.

http://www.eurasia.ie/

MilfordBud

flikflak wrote: »

Dublin food co-op. Become a member and then you can order large bags of all types of health foods. I think you have to be a member before you can make a special order but not sure. Sure pop down one Saturday morning and ask or drop them a mail. http://dublinfood.coop/drupal/

ETA - sorry just noticed your location! Might not be possible for you to `pop` in!

Cheers for that. I'm up in Dublin quite often anyway so might pop in alright some day.

conzy

If you are prepared and organised its no bother, I used to spend a small fortune on food before I got my act together.

If for some reason I have nothing prepared then it is more expensive as I end up buying 300g of cooked chicken and a packet of ham and a salad bowl etc in Dunnes which costs considerably more than a chicken fillet roll and hunky dorys
which was my staple when I didn't know any better

Mick Murdock

Definitely not the case in my experience.

I rarely, if ever bought frozen food and only occasionally had something like a pizza or heavily processed food.

In my situation I was living terribly, drinking almost nightly and whilst I didn't eat terribly (I cooked from fresh most nights - I enjoyed cooking with a few cans ) I was most definitely over eating.

That all lead to me being 4 stone overweight and generally feeling sh*t!!! I was always relatively active, enjoyed walking and have a job that keeps me on the move so it actually could have been a lot worse!


Anyway, at the beginning of the year I cut out the alcohol for the most part (necessity rather than choice tbh), started eating healthily and got back to the gym. I've lost most of the weight at this point and really enjoy going to the gym - it's something to do as much as anything else.

There's literally no comparison between my finances between this year and last year. Granted, drinking can be an expensive hobby.

Most importantly, I look and feel much better, healthier and generally positive.

Essien

Apart from good quality meat which can be quite expensive to be fair, I find healthy eating to be very cheap in general. If you're smart you can make some right good meals on a small budget, I just made over a kilo of chicken fried rice for about €4! Not necessarily 'healthy' but I'm bulking so it's grand.

SRFC

Being healthy I think in general costs more if you include healthy food,gym memberships,supplements ect but the results are priceless imo.

Alf Veedersane

SRFC wrote: »

Being healthy I think in general costs more if you include healthy food,gym memberships,supplements ect but the results are priceless imo.

Factoring in gym membership and supplements aren't central to healthy eating.

SRFC

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Factoring in gym membership and supplements aren't central to healthy eating.

To a proper healthy lifestyle they are though,not essential to everyone for a healthy body but to me it is.

Alf Veedersane

Going to gym and healthy eating aren't tied together. And supplements don't mean you're eating healthier. Just that you're not getting the protein you need from your food.

simply simple

try making more yourself and it will definitely end up very cheap. instead of canned beans buy them raw in packs, soak them in water b4 you leave for work and then it takes about 15-20 mins max to boil them-even less if you have pressure cooker. same with brown rice. Instead of buying packs of salad buy iceberg, beetroot, carrots (things that last a bit longer easily and buy a pack of mixed rocket, spinach etc. try buying seeds, nuts Raisins (aldi is very good) mix them in a little bottle from packs- lasts amazingly longer and slowly gather cranberries, goji berries etc. Pack of small apples, bananas, kiwi- fairly cheap everywhere.buy big pack of porridge instead of mixed ones, soak them when you get up and after brushing your teeth cook it, takes 2-3 mins, mix some seeds and honey. Try making your own pizza with indian chappati flour (which is whole flour) and plain flour ends up very cheap with your own choice of vegs and meat. make them on you holidays (very easy to make except assembling and baking, make extra 2-3 pizzas wrap in cling film and freeze them. try using your cupboards more for stocking up rather than running everytime for every little thing.

Alf Veedersane

simply simple wrote: »

Try making your own pizza with indian chappati flour (which is whole flour) and plain flour ends up very cheap with your own choice of vegs and meat. make them on you holidays (very easy to make except assembling and baking, make extra 2-3 pizzas wrap in cling film and freeze them. try using your cupboards more for stocking up rather than running everytime for every little thing.

Make pizza base from turkey mince...problem solved. Taste and protein solved in one awesome answer.

cletus van damme

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Make pizza base from turkey mince...problem solved. Taste and protein solved in one awesome answer.

or sweet potato

http://www.jensinkler.com/sweet-potato-pizza/

Alf Veedersane

cletus van damme wrote: »

or sweet potato

http://www.jensinkler.com/sweet-potato-pizza/

Interesting. I like it!

Mellor

SRFC wrote: »

To a proper healthy lifestyle they are though,not essential to everyone for a healthy body but to me it is.

There's plenty of free ways to work out if somebody was that concerned about the cost of a healthy lifestyle.

If you are including including the cost of gym membership, you could cancel that out with something like cigerettes on the opposite side.