Does anyone know how I can do this meal prep thing cheaper? I'm trying to lose weight a bit and gain muscle on the side via weight training.I've bought 2 weeks worth of eggs, chicken breasts, tuna, protein yoghurts, protein powder, rice and frozen veg which I think is everything I need but even just 2 weeks is basically on my monthly budget.All this is from Supermarkets so I guess I'm looking for places I can buy bulk and freeze. Chicken I might be able to do that but not sure about the rest. Whey protein is magic but also very expensive for the bigger tubs.
Change your cut of chicken ? Thighs should be 3-4/lb in bulk. Drums should be less than that. You can also just whole chicken. Spending 600/mo on food is kinda normal now.
>>77177528>eggsPrices vary seemingly at random between stores.Q Have seen nearly 3$ price differences between stores on opposite sides of the same parking lot >chicken breasts,Bulk frozen chicken is cheaper than fresh with thighs usually being the least expensive >protein yoghurtsYou're in the realm of marketing and diminishing returns from plain greek >riceAsian market routine "weekend sale" gets you the big 15~20lb bag for cheap
>>77177528Get whatever meat is on sale. Chicken thighs are always cheap but it's nice to switch shit up. Protein yogurt is a meme just get plain Greek. Protein powder is also a meme.
>>77177528If you can get into a wholesale club like Costco, that might help, depending on how much you eat. You'll have to do some quick math to see if the yearly membership will pay off. You might also need to shop around - like the other anon said, sometimes prices for a given item can vary quite a bit between stores.Start with dropping the powders and "protein enriched" foods. It'll be cheaper and healthier to eat whole foods.Generally speaking, meat, eggs, and produce are the bigger cost, so mitigating that is your big lever. You can get protein from a variety of non-meat sources like beans/legumes, dairy, and tofu. Even mixing these in, like having beans with your chicken and rice or making a tofu omelette, can cut down on protein costs. As for produce, frozen veggies and berries are usually cheaper and at least as fresh (unless you go to a farm stand).If you're super broke, keep an eye on coupons, expiration discounts, etc etc at your supermarkets.Also, look into things like making your own yogurt and bread (depending on your digestive limitations, of course). I eat a lot of yogurt and save quite a bit by making my own. Some people who have a little land even go so far as to grow some of their own vegetables, and you can raise rabbits or chickens or something if you're always going to be home, but that's a bigger commitment.
>>77177528Start fishingSo much cheap protein that way. If you have a relative with some old gear they could donate then it would be free protein.
>>77177528My Wal Mart has old rotisserie chickens for $1 at like 7am on Saturday. Find whatever day the meat section and deli section at your local Wal Mart put out the yellow tags.
>>77177528Nope, the economy is in shambles so getting bodybuilding food will be expensive. Deal with it.In fact, be happy that you can make it work somewhat at all. In the near future, there may come a time when you will be happy to eat anything at all, Great Depression style.
Eggs are cheap, but some places are cheaper. If you have an Aldi or a Lidl, go there.Generally cartons of egg-white are actually cheaper than eggs by volume, and that is pure protein so you could also cut back the eggs a bit and use that alongside for more protein boost omlettes etc.Cans of Tuna are also cheap, and can be even cheaper in packs of 4 or 8. Markets might be even cheaper as they are closer to their sell by date but whatever it's canned they'll last years and you're going to go through them pretty quick anyway.Honestly it's probably best to get chicken online. Often they have payday offers and things that can get 30-40% off. Breasts are best due to lower fat, but in the end Thighs do the job, just eat less fat elsewhere.Ditch the protein yoghurt things. They are a luxury thing, and probably not that good for you anyway. Just get a big tub of Greek Yoghurt - but be careful it is real Greek Yoghurt. The "Greek Style" stuff is a bit cheaper but has less protein and isn't really good for your goals.Frozen veg is best, just get some broccoli, green beans and maybe spinach and interchange them. You have to cook them daily, but in the end it's cheaper than fresh wherever you get it.Just get a big sack of basic-ass rice from a market or something. It's literally filler. You don't need anything fancy. Get a bag of frozen peas and/or Sweetcorn to mix in with the tuna or chicken.I'd say in todays market, allow $150-200 a month food budget. You might get it a bit lower, but in the end it's about that much for a months worth of cheap protein rich stuff.
>>77179739This is a great post. Comprehensive with lots of good advice. Thank you, Anon.
>>77179739Thanks for the guide
The only thing with all of this regarding Protein powder... it's kind of a magic powder that keeps calories low but gives a protein boost without the need to eat. Great for if you need a calorie defecit.Surely that has its worth, as it's probably as cheap as chicken if you add it all up. I guess there are egg white cartons too but where the fuck do I find them?
>>77177763>Get whatever meat is on saleSort of go with this. Lamb is always cheap here. I buy a small leg roast and pop it in slow cooker and it does me for almost a week of different meals for a bout $20
>>77181817I keep a stash of powder. Not so much for shakes, but I add a scoop to my morning oats. Its still cheap for what it is.
>>77179739>Frozen veg is bestIve stopped buying fresh veg, and I used to eat a head of broccoli every night. I find it bloats me now so a handful of frozen peas and beans is about the extent of my veg intake these days.
>>77177759>thighs usually being the least expensivethey are weighed with the bones, so they are heavier pieces for less meat. youre not paying less youre just paying for less meat.
>>77179739How to store 10kg of rice?
Where you live matters for this question.But Costco or Sam’s Club can help for this. $5 rotisserie chicken, cheap eggs, frozen food, bulk tuna cans, and cheap dairy. Ethnic supermarkets are likely cheaper too for at least some items.
>>77181982Ethnic supermarkets are full of tarriffed goods.
>>77177528USDA publishes monthly food plans with costs, don't aim lower than that. 300$/month is baseline. You are what you eat, don’t skimp on food it will catch up with you in the form of medical bills. Cut other expenses if you have to. Also eat more dairy and eggs.
i shoplift a hell lot
>>77182068kill yourself
>>77182281doing the opposite actually, trying to survive
>>77181892I just put the entire bag int one of these.Works for dog food, works for me. Woof woof.
I dunno. Meat is the biggest cost, and unfortunately the most costly. That alone can set you back well over $100 a month.My advice is get a months worth of the cheap things first, Fruit (Apples, banana, maybe frozen berries), Tuna, eggs (don't worry too much about date, they keep fine in the fride over a month), frozen veg, rice and Greek Yoghurt, then use whatever is left of your budget to buy whatever chicken you can and portion it to uncooked weight in the freezer.If you face the same problem as me, it might be hard to get your goal weight in protein on a lower budget. I'm supposed to be hitting at least 160g (Goal is weight loss to 180lbs and build muscle on the side via protein and workouts), but hosestly I just can't get it there without a protein powder, which as said before in here is expensive. Eggs and tuna are decent, but don't give the same push and I can't have too much of those due to fat, cholestoral and Magnesium.With this, I just have to admit defeat, and go more for 120g-140g protein a day. In the end, I'm still losing weight consistantly, and muscle gain will still happen, just slower. Occasionally I will splash out for a big protein tub and go for the 190g for a week or two when I can.You just have to tweak it to what works for you.
I dunno. Meat is the biggest cost, and unfortunately the most expensive by far. That alone can set you back well over $100 a month.My advice is get a months worth of the cheap things first, Fruit (Apples, banana, maybe frozen berries), Tuna, eggs (don't worry too much about date, they keep fine in the fride for a month), frozen veg, rice and Greek Yoghurt, then use whatever is left of your budget to buy whatever chicken you can and portion it to uncooked weight in the freezer. Try to look online for that, as they sell in bulk and often have good offers.If you face the same problem as me, it might be hard to get your goal weight in protein on a lower budget. I'm supposed to be hitting at least 160g (Goal is weight loss to 180lbs and build muscle on the side via protein and workouts), but hosestly I just can't get it there without a protein powder, which as said before in here is expensive. Eggs and tuna are decent, but don't give the same push and I can't have too much of those due to fat, cholestoral and Magnesium.With this, I just have to admit defeat, and go more for 120g-140g protein a day. In the end, I'm still losing weight consistantly, and muscle gain will still happen, just slower. Occasionally I will splash out for a big protein tub and go for the 190g for a week or two when I can.You just have to tweak it to what works for you.
>>77181892It may seem like a big slab thats hard to find a place for but if you open it up its actually just lots of little grains of rice. This makes it much easier to store. Put some in a bowl and put it in the corner od your room. If youe car has a glovebox yoy can store quite a few in there. You be surprised how many will fit on a window ledge or a shoe box or even in a sink
>>77177528i cant afford much so i exclusively eat red kidney beans for protein. a 500mL can is $1.50 or so and i need 3-4 cans per day to hit my minmum protein goal... it works out. their texture is also really enjoyable and easy to eat day after day unlike chicken, eggs, protein shakes and steaks.
>>77182519Big dogs gotta eat
>>77182519>>77181892yeah I do this too except it's just a bucket that previously held oiltook it from the restaurant I worked
>>77183736Yeah I do have beans, the only thing that puts me off is them also being high carb, which right now I need to keep relatively low.I'll definately move onto them more to save $$$ if I bulk though.
Whey Protein is essentially a cheat code for protein. If you can afford it, it's worth having.Low calories, a big ratio of them is Protein, little of the other two. It just makes things so much easier, especially if you need higher protein goals.If you're poor then egg whites would also work, but I wouldn't rocky Balboa it and drink it raw. You have to cook it into something.
