Healthy, low cost meal plans?

[NDH]

I don't know if this is the best forum for this, but here goes anyway.

My DH is 6'4 and weighs about 240 lbs. He knows he has to lose some weight, but he loves to eat. He's asked me to start cooking really healthy meals, but then complains that they don't taste very good.

I've been blessed with a really great metabolism, and I don't eat all that well myself because I can get away with eating pretty much anything right now. But I know that won't last forever, so I want to start eating healthy too. We don't eat out much and I do most of the cooking, but I do use a lot of convenience foods as well, and we tend to fill up on a lot of carbs.

SO I guess what I'm asking is if anyone knows of any good meal plans to follow that aren't going to cost an arm and a leg. I don't mind if there's a lot of prep work to do as I'm going through a career change and will be working from home so will have more time to cook.

Hopefully what I've said makes sense, and hopefully I'm not asking the impossible. Healthy eating just seems to be so expensive from what I've seen, but it shouldn't be.

 

[tallybee]

It doesn't have to be expensive Using in-season fresh ingredients helps a lot, as does making up a large batch on something (like soup, stew, sauces) and freezing portions for later use. I find using things like dried pulses very economical, and if I am making a bolognese or chilli for example I will replace some of the ground meat with grated carrot and lentils. This makes it both cheaper and less fattening

Also using the freezer, frozen ingredients can be just as good as fresh and cheaper - things like veg and chicken breast, just keep away from the convenience section lol.

There are some good tips on here
https://www.netmums.com/food/Cooking_on_a_Budget.266/

Good luck!

 

[NDH]

Thank you

 

[lu-is]

I've been trying to throw as many vegetables as possible in everything I cook for my hubby and me - I'm trying to help him eat healthier too.

Pasta with lots of vegetables, - actually a really simple "sauce" is some olive oil and veggies. I toss some garlic, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, asparagus, into some olive oil with some italian herbs and oregano you fry up the veggies a bit and coat the pasta with it. Olive oil is good for you, lots of healthy benefits.

 

[NDH]

What I'm struggling with is the fact that fresh fruit and veggies cost almost double what they did back in Canada, in a climate where they're locally grown almost year round *sigh*
Hoping when we move out of my parents place next month we'll be able to move into a place with a garden. But as we'll be renting, I'm not holding my breath.

Any breakfast ideas? DH is a bacon and eggs kind of guy, but I've limited them to twice a week. Lean bacon cooked in one of those stove top ovens, so not cooking in grease, and usually poached eggs, and homemade hashbrowns fried in a little olive oil. I do occasionally make wholewheat pancakes or french toast (again with wholemeal or wholegrain bread), but he's not a big pancake fan. I'm trying to get him to eat oatmeal once a week, but I know he doesn't enjoy it.
Homemade toasted muesli is something I want to make but haven't done yet, and I might also try making yoghurt.

Any other healthy breakfast ideas that would give a big man who does labour work enough enough energy would be appreciated lol.