If you could only afford

[NewStartNow]

one supplement (while pregnant) which would you buy?

If you had to live with
3 meals (around 25-30g carbs per meal) per day for the week at $30 (for the whole week), what would your menu look like? Is it even doable?

If you had to reduce your grocery budget by half which things would definitely be removed from the list?

What does $50 worth of meat/proteins for 2 people look like for one week? Is that a lot of money for meat/proteins?

[HerBoudoir]

Lots of chicken parts (always on sale here), lots of eggs, a little ground beef. A couple bags of frozen veg, salad stuff, a bottle of salad dressing, a lb of butter.

[fawnmarie]

Eggs are the most complete protein and very affordable, so I would recommend anyone on a budget get at least one of their protein servings per day from eggs.

Not sure I understand the rest of the question, though?

If I could only afford one "supplement" while pregnant, it would be a good prenatal multivitamin.

I'm not sure I could live on $30 of food per week, pregnant or not. If you're broke and pregnant and if you live in the US, look into the WIC program immediately.

[Lillianna]

Ground beef, chicken, eggs, butter, salad dressing and iceberg lettuce (I think it's cheaper than spinach). It would be very hard...but is maybe doable...

As for the supplement, I'd choose fish oil...but only Carlson's, which is very expensive : (

[NewStartNow]

Originally Posted by fawnmarie

I'm not sure I could live on $30 of food per week, pregnant or not. If you're broke and pregnant and if you live in the US, look into the WIC program immediately.

I don't actually have to live off of $30 a week I was wondering if that were possible.

I do, however, need to find ways to save money.

[HerBoudoir]

Originally Posted by Lillianna

Ground beef, chicken, eggs, butter, salad dressing and iceberg lettuce (I think it's cheaper than spinach). It would be very hard...but is maybe doable...
(

Unfortunately, iceberg lettuce has about zero nutritional value ~ go for darker greens like romaine and leaf lettuce. They're more expensive, but they're definately better value nutritionally.

[HerBoudoir]

Originally Posted by NewStartNow

I don't actually have to live off of $30 a week I was wondering if that were possible.

I do, however, need to find ways to save money.

It can definately be done, but it's all about careful planning. I find that simpler is better (both for diet and budget), and plan meals around sale meats (which as a low carber, is typically your biggest grocery expense).

Chicken parts are always on sale, and have the extra fat and skin that boneless breasts don't have. Ground beef, chuck roasts, london broils, etc. are frequently on sale for 1.99 a lb and are tasty, versatile cuts of beef - again, with a lot of fat. Eggs are high quality, cheap protein ~ scramble some for breakfast, and have omelettes as dinner once or twice a week.

Stock up on things like blocks of cheese, butter, olive oil, canned tuna, frozen plain veggies when they are on sale. Buy fresh veggies that are nutritionally dense ~ even though they're a bit more expensive, you'll get bang for your buck.

Plan meals for the week so that you don't waste food. I find it helpful to cook extra so there's always something quick on-plan around to eat to keep me from eating out more than necessary ~ but make sure to eat those leftovers. You can also utilize leftovers in quiches/omelettes or as soup.

For someone that is pregnant, being really nutritionally aware is crucial ~ you definately need extra calcium as well as other nutrients.

[curly_bun]

If I only had $30.00 for the week, this is what I would buy:

3 dozen eggs, mayo,
1 head iceberg lettuce, 1 head romaine lettuce,
1 head of cabbage (green)
1 celery, 2 onions, (a tomato, carrots-optional, use small amounts for color)
small jar pickles
half n half, herbal tea
fresh ground pork, turkey legs or thighs, fresh chicken, hamburger
1-2 cans of tuna

from this you can make boiled or deviled eggs, sausage patties(mix the fresh ground pork with thyme, salt& papper, garlic and onion powder)

lettuce wrap tuna or meat sans with onion & pickle&mayo&tomato

Meat & salad or coleslaw or cooked cabbage for supper, a hot drink with cream in morning & night.

Of course, for YOU, you will have favorite comfort items you will want to add onto your list. My comfort item is tea & cream, and the vegies that require a lot of chewing. From the mayo I could make a dip or sauce, and the fresh pork is a treat, mixed with simple spices, it makes a delicious inexpensive sausage patty.
Best wishes for you to come up with your own ideas!

[clutterbug]

Not sure if you are including a prenatal vitamin as a one supplement, but I would definitely take that....I really like the Rainbow Light Complete Prenatal. It's a whole foods vitamin and it has green foods, ginger, red raspberry leaf, and probiotics included in it. Expensive, but worth it. And if you get one more supplement besides that, I'd definitely choose cod liver oil. I bought some from i herb that is the NOW brand capsules (double strength) and it was very affordable. I took more than one a day.

I'll leave the food suggestions to the others, but agree that you should buy a deep leafy green....kale is relatively cheap.

[Minerva]

Very tough questions! Especially as I live in the UK and have no idea what pricees are like in the US.

I've lived on a shoe-string most of my life, so here goes!

Supplement for pregnancy: multi-vitamin and minerals 1 a day tablet, including Folic Acid.

The $30 budget is very difficult. It equals approx GB£18; I spend about £20-25 pw myself.

If you are pregnant, I would not cut out carbs, but I would try to avoid filling up on them. I would buy/make wholemeal bread and eat a little potato or occasionally pasta. I would eat normal, modest 'non-pregnant' portions.

I would buy as much fresh, unprocessed food as possible, including mince (ground beef), possibly chicken, bacon, sausages, eggs, vegetables including some potatoes, any cheap fresh meat, cheese (cheddar or similar), whole milk. I'd drink tea if I could not afford coffee. I'd buy cheap fruit whenever I could.

Look for cheap offers and try to stock up, when you can.

Surf the web for economical recipes, and this site for lower carb recipes. Keep a small stock of basic growing or dried herbs, and spices. Do not waste money on sauces and pickles etc - knock up a sauce from your own ingredients. Borrow, or buy second-hand, a 1940s/50's cookery book!

If you are over-weight and pregnant, I would not 'eat for two', I would eat normally and be strict about my portion control.

I found that breast-feeding was a superb way of losing weight after the birth. By eating normal portions of healthy fresh foods and drinking 'gallons' of water, my body fat was used up in milk production! Even after the 6th birth!

My current food budget is tight, but if I had to cut down further, I could stop buying coffee (always good instant), buy cheaper butter, buy more frozen less fresh veg, cut out fruit and cream, and buy less bacon. I am LC. I would do more shopping around, and spend more time rooting out bargains and offers - plenty of exercise there then! I would check the Internet for vouchers too.

$50/£30 for meat and protein for 2 adults is OK, if you have the income to support it! If you are as hard up as it seems from your earlier questions, then it is far too much. I could easily provide sufficient (cheap) protein (meat, fish, eggs, cheese,) for two adults for £12.50/$20.

2.2lb mince (ground beef) £3/$5
2.2lb frozen diced chicken breast £2/$3.30
1lb bacon £2/$3.30
1lb cheese £2/$3.30
1lb fresh fish £2/$3.30
15 eggs £1.50/$2.50

You may be able to get some things for less in the US?

Best wishes.

[momof9]

i would eat the meat that is on sale...sometimes chicken sometimes pork look for sales...a prenatal vit that my doc suggests...buy a head of lettus instead of bags...dressing on sale....cheese in block form....spinich in the bag that is the grocery store brand is usually cheap....nuts and butter on sale only (buy extra if you can for when its not on sale) don't eat out that is huge money waster and fast food on low carb is not filling for what you spend. roast your own whole chicken instead of deli but check out the deals on lunch meat that the deli has...they can be good. special low carb treats should be special not everyday. look for atkins shakes and bars on sale. a health food store had them on sale for 4.25 a box. that is a good snack for a pregnant person. it can be done

[momof9]

ask your doctor free samples of prenatal vit. drug co. also offer free stuff or discount . ask your doctor he or she will be glad to hook you up but you must ask. somthimes they suggest a vit but when you say money is tight they have another brand that is cheaper and just as good.

[two2getready]

I agree with Fawn. Nutrition during pregnancy isn't something to mess around with. Your health and the baby's health are at risk. You can experience major pregnancy complications from poor nutrition. It would be extremely hard to eat on $30 a week. The WIC program is there for a reason....take advantage of it!!! Also, talk to your OB Dr about your diet and make sure 70-90 carbs are enough for your stage of pregnancy. Also, a good pregnancy diet reference is blueribbonbaby.org.( Dr. Brewer's pregnancy diet) I hope you have a very healthy pregnancy!

[fawnmarie]

Oh DEFINITELY check into the WIC program! You don't need to be dirt poor to qualify. I've known middle class folks who use it; it's great. Supplies cheese and peanut butter and milk, three things you can manage.

Take advantage of pregnancy to use up some fat stores, but don't skimp. Lots and lots of carbs aren't necessary, in fact 30-40 grams per meal sounds doable, but make them GOOD carbs with lots of nutrition. Fruits and veggies of all of the colors.

But again, eggs are a perfect protein and you should have 2 every day. There are other inexpensive proteins, chicken leg quarters, cheese, ground beef (you can wash the fat off after cooking), pork is pretty inexpensive.

I don't think there's anything worse than being food-nervous during pregnancy. If you have to cut your budget, take advantage of WIC, find low-cost groceries and meat markets, even the Food Share program. None of them require you to be poverty level to utilize and they really make a difference, especially WIC and even moreso after the baby is born than before.

Consider breast feeding, too. Women use up more stored fat when breast feeding than they do during pregnancy, and require more calories. In fact, it's the one time that the lipoprotein lipase production is targeting in the lower body, which means its the one time when your body goes out of it's way to use up fat on your hips and thighs, instead of protecting it. Take advantage of it, and load up on fresh veggies, fruits and proteins. Fat isn't an issue. Use good quality fats, you're building a baby that has to last.

[sistertzu]

You want a healthy baby and mother so you need prenatal care first of all, find a low cost clinic and you may qualify for free care including prenatal vitamins. The doctors office will refer you to other agencies for help with your needs.

Sis

[LeenaS]

no supliments for me.....

[clutterbug]

I forgot to mention, but it's been said (haven't confirmed this) that the Japanese think that eggs are very important during pregnancy and a pregnant woman there will eat up to 10 eggs a day if she can afford to. This may be a traditional foods thing and not so common anymore, but I think traditional diet wisdom is pretty important.

[clutterbug]

Originally Posted by LeenaS

no supliments for me.....

It would be helpful if you would share your reasoning....

[fawn]

Originally Posted by clutterbug

Not sure if you are including a prenatal vitamin as a one supplement, but I would definitely take that....I really like the Rainbow Light Complete Prenatal. It's a whole foods vitamin and it has green foods, ginger, red raspberry leaf, and probiotics included in it. Expensive, but worth it. And if you get one more supplement besides that, I'd definitely choose cod liver oil. I bought some from i herb that is the NOW brand capsules (double strength) and it was very affordable. I took more than one a day.

I'll leave the food suggestions to the others, but agree that you should buy a deep leafy green....kale is relatively cheap.

Yes..

Someone else mentioned folic acid which is crucial and is in fact in higher doses in a prenatal. The least expensive form of folic acid and all B vitamins is nutritonal yeast. It contains a good amount of chromium which is also impertive for blood sugar control.

[pocahontas]

Originally Posted by clutterbug

Not sure if you are including a prenatal vitamin as a one supplement, but I would definitely take that....I really like the Rainbow Light Complete Prenatal. It's a whole foods vitamin and it has green foods, ginger, red raspberry leaf, and probiotics included in it. Expensive, but worth it. And if you get one more supplement besides that, I'd definitely choose cod liver oil. I bought some from i herb that is the NOW brand capsules (double strength) and it was very affordable. I took more than one a day.

I'll leave the food suggestions to the others, but agree that you should buy a deep leafy green....kale is relatively cheap.

You have had some great suggestions for food.

[sugarless4life]

CoQ10, without question.

I would invest in lots of eggs and spinach.

Betty

[Houston Heather]

You're literally "making" a baby - the last place I would cut corners is my diet and supplements.

What if, God forbid, your child was learning disabled because you tried to be "cheap"?

I would walk and take the bus before cutting corners on diet.

The only thing I wouldn't have in the diet is alcohol but "everyone" knows that = or you'll end up raising me.

[NewStartNow]

Originally Posted by Houston Heather

. What if, God forbid, your child was learning disabled because you tried to be "cheap"?

Didn't say I was trying to be "cheap"

Only trying to get ideas to be more careful with spending.

[fawnmarie]

Originally Posted by NewStartNow

Didn't say I was trying to be "cheap"

Only trying to get ideas to be more careful with spending.

Yeah, we're all in rough place right now. Hope you're getting some good ideas.

[Minerva]

NewStartNow: Don't worry, even a mother feeding herself on a really tight budget, in the developed world, wouldn't produce a child who 'was learning disabled because you tried to be "cheap"' That was an insensitive comment and not evidenced based.

Best wishes to you. Your baby will be the best in the world!

[DEEDLYNN]

Originally Posted by NewStartNow

I don't actually have to live off of $30 a week I was wondering if that were possible.

I do, however, need to find ways to save money.

There is a Penny Pinchers thread in the playground that is a lot of fun and good ideas. I think it is October Penny Pinchers right now.

[anipomoni]

To save money I would really hunt around for the best prices, check all the moneysaver flyers in the newspapers, and go to multiple places if I had to. Sometimes you can find things for such a steal, from places you wouldn't expect. My grandfather goes to an amish farm and buys eggs from grass roaming, non-soy fed chickens for $1 a dozen. He buys veggies by the truckload from there too. Cheap. You just have to really make a point of searching everywhere!

[robnjames]

I think $50 is a very lot of money to spend on meats/proteins for 2 people. I feed a family of seven and don't spend more than $25 a week on meat. I only buy meats that are on sale for $1.99/lb and I buy 1 1/2 pounds for each meal. If you add in cheese and eggs, that might be another $5, but no way would I spend $50.

[peanutte]

I agree with those who said nutrition should be a top priority.

You are looking for ways to save money, right? In addition to the grocery shopping advice that's been given, buy your maternity clothes secondhand...get rid of cable TV if you have it...look for lightly used baby clothes and supplies. Most of us have things we could cut down on in our budgets if we really take a good look at our spending.

[fawn]

You know, interestingly enough you can produce probably the healthiest baby on the least expensive meats. Those with the highest fats!

Dark meat poultry, eggs, yogurts, cottage cheeses have the highest concentration of vitamins and most of the dairies even the big ones are going Rbgh free.