7 Foods to Buy When You're Broke (ingredients, freezer, breakfast, tomatoes)

[Naturen]

Originally Posted by gentlearts

I get everything except the $2. protein bars. The folks in the survey ate a protein bar every three hours? I smell a protein bar commercial. You've already got the protein covered with the cheap beans.

I agree. The other food items make sense. A protein bar way over the top as a processed food in comparison; not to mention the price comparison.

[Adi from the Brunswicks]

For me, its bread and something vegetarian to spread or stuff .

[Minervah]

Great advice but I also agree about the protein bars. I was just reading an article about them in a health magazine that said they weren't worth the money for the amount of protein you get. I like the kind of peanut butter that has no added oil.

[jlawrence01]

I find two things interesting.

The potatoes shown are all listed at $2.50/lb. That is what most people pay for a 5# bag.

Also, the Glory prewashed, pre-chopped greens are usually $2.99/lb. If you buy normal greens in bulk form, they are generally $0.99/lb.

If money is tight, you look at those things.

[MJ7]

I require animal protein this would never work for me.

[mbradleyc]

Canned tuna.

I'd rather have trail mix than protein bars.

[StuffedCabbage]

When you are broke, fancy rice, peanut butter, protein bars, and some frozen vegetables are luxuries you can't afford. Potatoes and encore or banquet brand frozen Salisbury steaks are what ya buy (the latter are often $2.49 for 6; $3.49 for 8 at WalMart - yummie). BarS bologna is usually a buck and is just fine. Fry it with onions (yum!).

[CSD610]

Originally Posted by StuffedCabbage

When you are broke, fancy rice, peanut butter, protein bars, and some frozen vegetables are luxuries you can't afford. Potatoes and encore or banquet brand frozen Salisbury steaks are what ya buy (the latter are often $2.49 for 6; $3.49 for 8 at WalMart - yummie). BarS bologna is usually a buck and is just fine. Fry it with onions (yum!).

When I was broke I did not purchase anything that was frozen, that stuff is disgusting.
I purchase everything on sale, beans, rice, pasta, eggs, generic rice a roni, canned vegetables, fresh vegetables when they were at a very good price, canned fruit unless the fresh fruit was at a very good price.
I haven't eaten much if anything frozen besides vegetables when I could afford them in years.

[Minervah]

I live on Social Security so I am in a perpetual state of broke. I do buy peanut butter it goes a long way. But there are all kinds. I buy the store brands on sale that don't have sugar or added oils. Rice doesn't have to be expensive, there are all different kinds and it goes really far. I have no problem with frozen veggies which, when on sale, are often less expensive than fresh and keep longer. It's just me, so it's hard to buy some fresh vegetables in amounts small enough so they don't go bad. So if I buy perishable veggies, I have to use them up quickly which means buying them more frequently so even though the cost may be low, the frequency in buying them may be high. In that case, buying frozen is more economical.

Everything I have read has said that frozen vegetables are just as nutritious as fresh, you just have to know how to cook them for them to taste good. I use a steamer.


But everything else is fine except for the protein bar. Those are too expensive and I never really found one that tasted good to me.

[Amelorn]

Protein bars are an odd inclusion, but could make sense if you are pressed for time or meat is expensive in your area. In my area of NY, there is no $.99/lb chicken breast.

Method of purchase is important. I see people grab a 16oz box of Carolina Rice for $2.99 in my local grocery store. A 5# bag of basmati (ie "fancy" rice) is $8. If you really shop, it can be had for $1/lb. Of course, I love rice, even when plain, so I could economise by only buying one kind of starch/carb (not a fan of potato).