We all have friends or family who are on a serious budget. And most of us know what an emotional/mental/physical roller-coaster the addiction to packaged foods can bring, which itself can perpetuate sad, depleted situations….
Here are some ideas I’ve come up with for those with minimal money and in living situations with minimal kitchen space/tools…even situations without refrigeration, such as living in a car.
There are many more ideas out there, and I look forward to hearing from anyone who would like to add any ideas to this list, to help humanity in establishing better health and happiness.
*carrot stix/celery/snap peas/jicama/red bell pepper w/nut butter/hummus/avocado
*cold salads at TJ’s: tabouli, chicken salad, egg salad, etc.
*make simple salad dressings to drizzle on raw or steamed veggies
*Ezekiel bread or real sourdough with olive oil/avocado/hummus/nut butter
*sunflower seeds (shelled & roasted from TJ’s just $2)
*raw almonds/walnuts/pecans/brazil nuts
*avocado w/sea salt
*banana & natural peanut butter/almond butter
BEST SNACK BARS:
17-20 grams sugars: Lara bar
13 grams sugars: Rx bar
11 grams sugars: Luna bar
5 grams sugars: Kind bar & Power Crunch bar
0 grams sugars: Think & Think Thin bar
OTHER HELPFUL TIPS:
Try not to eat out of containers…Put a serving in a bowl instead, so you don’t eat your way all the way to the bottom of a bag of chips, etc.
Dilute soda and juice with filtered water.
Sugar is hiding in many packaged foods: ketchup, coffee creamer, flavored yogurt, breads…
EASY HEALTHY RECIPES:
Overnight Oats are simple to make and ready to go when you are. To prep, soak old-fashioned oats in any kind of milk in the refrigerator. You can eat them hot or cold—and add your favorite toppings, like fruit or chopped nuts…A tasty and healthy way to have breakfast with just 5 minutes effort!
1 clean jar with lid
½ cup rolled oats
1 cup milk (oat milk/almond milk works great!)
2Tbsp nuts and/or seeds
1tsp cinnamon
1-2tsp your favorite sweetener (honey/maple syrup/sucanat/etc)
⅔Tbsp chia seeds
some diced fruit
berries (fresh or frozen)
Throw everything in a jar, screw the lid on top, shake, and put in the fridge. The next morning add a dash of milk and enjoy
Sweet Potato Toast is an easy afternoon bite. Just cut quarter-inch-thick slices of sweet potato, toast them flat in a toaster or toaster oven for five minutes (to get a browned base), and add a topping of your choice…avocado/egg/cheese/almond butter/etc.