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Is it actually possible to eat healthily on 50 euros a week?

2456

Comments

  • #32
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 6,691 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I don't know why one person would need to spend more than €50 per week. :confused:

    If I didn't get most of my food for feck all at work, I'd spend about €30 per week I'd say. At the very most. I am vegetarian though!


  • #33
    Mrs Garth Brooks
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,865 ✭✭✭Mrs Garth Brooks


    I can manage ok on about €30 a week, buying porridge, eggs, tuna, beans, I steam my dinner which is great, cheap frozen veg and meat. Its doable when shopping in aldi.

    One good thing living cheaply, you learn to make your own food. Those pre packed, microwavable dinners are a rip off. I also love making soup from scratch.

    This thread is making me hungry.


  • #34
    RDM_83 again
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,116 ✭✭✭RDM_83 again


    Lia_lia wrote: »
    I don't know why one person would need to spend more than €50 per week. :confused:

    If I didn't get most of my food for feck all at work, I'd spend about €30 per week I'd say. At the very most. I am vegetarian though!

    There is a fairly big difference between how much you actually have to spend depending on Gender and activity level, at the minute I would be happy enough at if I am getting 3000 calories a day (I could probably cut it but my BMI is 21.5 at the minute so I am not too worried), herself if she'd dieting will be on 1500 cal, thats literally half the food I'l be going through each day.
    That said I agree that 50 is more than "needs" to be spent.

    My money saving method is to buy whole chickens rather than chicken breasts, its far cheaper, you can debreast it and stick those in the freezer (you will normally get an equivalent weight of breast from a chicken as you would buying them seperate), the rest of the chicken can be roasted for sandwich or stir fry meat, the bones used for soup using something like red lentils.


  • #35
    Chunners
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 424 ✭✭Chunners


    I can feed 2 people very healthy for less, get all your fruit and veg on moore street on Friday afternoon, they don't want anything laying over the weekend in whatever shed they store their cart in so after 2pm start selling things off in bulk for €1, you could get like 8 apples, 8 oranges, 8 tomatoes, 8 onions, 5 or 6 peppers, bunch of bananas, bag of spuds, a cabbage (or caulliflower or sprouts), head of lettuce, lb of mushrooms all for €10, 10 chicken breasts €10 which I use to make salads to store for snacking on, my butchers does 5 massive chicken thighs for €3.50 that can be roasted then used for curry, stir fry, chicken soup. Round steak is pretty much dirt cheap too or even better ask your butcher for brisket, it's the cheek muscles of a cow and looks and tastes exactly like steak it's just a bit tougher and a lot leaner so you have to cook it slower to make it tender but it is so cheap they practically give it away (it surprises me more Irish people don't use it or even know of it), 2lb of mince is like €4 and you can make anything with that really, 6 pepper steaks €5 and thats meat and veg for 2 people for a week for under €25, the other €25 would easily cover the basics (milk, bread, tuna, eggs, cheese, butter etc) and still leave enough left over for treats, I'd even have enough left for cat food for my 2 cats too. Honestly if you are spending more than €50 euro a week for 2 people let alone 1 person then you are doing it wrong lol


  • #36
    Clockwork Owl
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 165 ✭✭Clockwork Owl


    RDM_83 again wrote: »
    My money saving method is to buy whole chickens rather than chicken breasts, its far cheaper
    Good tip, although I'd usually roast the chicken whole for a couple of hours. One Aldi 1.9kg chicken gets the fella and I two generous meals each, and he'll get a chicken sandwich or two from the leftovers. Meals could be several different curries (onion, garlic, ginger, a couple of spices), several different pies, jambalaya or chicken with different flavourings, like garlic breadcrumbs or honey mustard.

    Add to that maybe a meal with stewing beef - a curry, a pie or a casserole - or minced lamb for kofta, or minced beef for lasagne, or a slab of bacon offcuts for seriously cheap spaghetti carbonara or pasta in a homemade tomato sauce. Bit of money for potatoes, carrots, kidney beans, some salad, cereal, milk and extras. That's our usual weekly menu, and we'd spend about €70 a week for the two of us.


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  • #37
    PizzamanIRL
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,147 ✭✭✭PizzamanIRL


    No. Think of all those germs on that €50.

    Seriously though, for one person, it is very achievable to eat healthily on that.


  • #38
    Chunners
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 424 ✭✭Chunners


    Seriously OP if you don't know how to already then learn to cook, it would be the best thing you could ever do for yourself. People who spend a fortune on food usually haven't got a clue how to cook so go for the convenient option like take away's or pre cooked meals which, even if they say "healthy" on the packet, are usually loaded with sugar and salt because they would taste like cardboard without it. Spaghetti bolognese is surprisingly easy to cook as is a chicken stir fry or a curry. You don't have to be Gordon Ramsey or anything but there are lots of simple meals out there that take little or no effort to make and would be a lot healthier (and tastier) than any pre cooked version you'd find in a supermarket freezer with the added bonus that it will save you a fortune


  • #39
    Bubbaclaus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,460 ✭✭✭Bubbaclaus


    I don't think I've ever spent €50 in a week on food (except when on holidays when you'd be eating out).


  • #40
    Mint Aero
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,570 ✭✭✭Mint Aero


    Wanderer2010 wrote: »
    Is 50euros a week enough to stay healthy and still slip in the odd treat?

    If you're looking for a delicious & healthy cost effective treat, I found this thread from a very sexy poster with a big penis. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=92763203


  • #41
    DoYouEvenLift
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,188 ✭✭✭DoYouEvenLift


    mengele wrote: »
    milk for the protein anyway


    You'd want to be drinking quite a lot of milk to get enough protein from it each day.


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  • #42
    Vandango
    Closed Accounts Posts: 604 ✭✭✭Vandango


    Eating well/healthy on €50 a week is easily achievable.


  • #43
    corkgsxr
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,388 ✭✭✭corkgsxr


    For 45 Euro tonight I made

    6 portions of cottage pie
    4 of lasagne
    6 of pasta bake. (2 prawn 4 ham)

    And 4 litres of chicken and veg thick soup.


  • #44
    bismuth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11 ✭bismuth


    For two of us it's <300/month and the only thing we do to save on food, I think, is price comparison (when we moved to Ireland I've done some research :D ) and going to Aldi/Lidl to get most of the stuff. We could cut it down quite a bit while still keeping it healty if we had to, hell, we could cut it if we just stopped buying biscuits and icecreams and... :D


  • #45
    challengemaster
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,925 ✭✭✭✭challengemaster


    I think people focus far too much on fruit intake, buy loads then that always ends up being chucked in the bin anyway. Most fruit is loaded with (natural) sugars, you'd be better off drinking a bottle of coke.

    And actually the potted herb plants are €1.49 each


  • #46
    ShadowHearth
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,911 ✭✭✭✭ShadowHearth


    50eu is very easy to live with for a week. If you are living alone, you could push chemicals in that bill too.
    I spend about 30eu on food per week right now, but I do get a benefit of having a dinner at work depending on shift. One of the perks of being chef.


  • #47
    --LOS--
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,028 ✭✭✭✭--LOS--


    yep easy peasy, not eating meat saves me a lot of money though. Tins of chickpeas/kidney beans/mixed beans are for nothing in lidl/aldi. It's really not hard to get cheap fruit and veg. Packets of lentils/quinoa/rice etc all fairly inexpensive in any supermarket.


  • #48
    ted1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,680 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    RDM_83 again wrote: »
    In before a poster says they feed 2 people a week for 30 and then gives a detailed breakdown, the only problem being is it works out at about 1000 calories per day and no protein.

    50 Euro for one person is well possible though, I'd say lowest for healthy would be about 35 ish and thats with effort.

    You can buy a whole chicken for 5 euro. Butchers wil do good deals for 20 euros andVeg isn't to much more, so it's very doable


  • #49
    catallus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,106 ✭✭✭catallus


    5 loaves of white bread, butter, marmalade. 14 litres of milk.

    All sorted.


  • #50
    Chunners
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 424 ✭✭Chunners


    ted1 wrote: »
    You can buy a whole chicken for 5 euro. Butchers wil do good deals for 20 euros andVeg isn't to much more, so it's very doable

    Actually there is a butchers on the junction between North Circular Road and Phibsboro road that does a special of 3 chicken breasts, 3 pork chops, 3 peppered steaks and 1lb mince for €10, thats meat for a week for a single person


  • #51
    Iwasfrozen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,250 ✭✭✭✭Iwasfrozen


    Wanderer2010 wrote: »
    There is so much information out there on what is good for our bodies and what foods we should and shouldn't eat but taking a single male adult who has a budget of 50 a week for food can all your nutritional requirements be met? There is so much advice on supplements, fancy and healthy foods which are expensive and sometimes hard to get. I have no problem with Aldi or Lidl, in fact thats where I purchase most of my foods.

    Is 50euros a week enough to stay healthy and still slip in the odd treat?
    Probably not healthy but I used to live on 20 euro a week so 50 is definitely do-able.


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  • #52
    Sam Kade
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,297 ✭✭✭✭Sam Kade


    Wanderer2010 wrote: »
    There is so much information out there on what is good for our bodies and what foods we should and shouldn't eat but taking a single male adult who has a budget of 50 a week for food can all your nutritional requirements be met? There is so much advice on supplements, fancy and healthy foods which are expensive and sometimes hard to get. I have no problem with Aldi or Lidl, in fact thats where I purchase most of my foods.

    Is 50euros a week enough to stay healthy and still slip in the odd treat?
    One person eating €50 worth of food/week could get fat.


  • #53
    Starscream25
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,100 ✭✭✭Starscream25


    I'm back in college and cutting corners, how does an apple, a banana and 2 ham and cheese sandwiches sound for lunch each day and for dinner pasta with chicken, the odd chilli con carne, black pudding with chick peas, tin of sardines, 2 litres of milk through the week, that brings me from Monday to Friday anyway. A bit of wetabix too.Under 40 squid


  • #54
    Remmy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,921 ✭✭✭Remmy


    Starscream25 wrote: »
    I'm back in college and cutting corners, how does an apple, a banana and 2 ham and cheese sandwiches sound for lunch each day and for dinner pasta with chicken, the odd chilli con carne, black pudding with chick peas, tin of sardines, 2 litres of milk through the week, that brings me from Monday to Friday anyway. A bit of wetabix too.Under 40 squid

    That sounds more nutritious that what most people eat tbh


  • #55
    ted1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,680 ✭✭✭✭ted1


    Starscream25 wrote: »
    I'm back in college and cutting corners, how does an apple, a banana and 2 ham and cheese sandwiches sound for lunch each day and for dinner pasta with chicken, the odd chilli con carne, black pudding with chick peas, tin of sardines, 2 litres of milk through the week, that brings me from Monday to Friday anyway. A bit of wetabix too.Under 40 squid

    Change the wetabix for porridge and you'll do even better


  • #56
    Starscream25
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,100 ✭✭✭Starscream25


    A nice healty bit of grub to nibble on would be a packet of peanuts, full of healthy fats and protein I believe,one of those big packets from aldi would keep you going for a week,must start getting them.


  • #57
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,685 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    A lot of it is deciding to cook tbh

    Do that and you'll save a fortune


  • #58
    Tar.Aldarion
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 60,119 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tar.Aldarion


    It's very easy, not simply "possible". Just cook your meals, the ingredients themselves are fairly cheap.


  • #59
    Duiske
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,086 ✭✭✭Duiske


    Sweet Rose wrote: »
    Planning ahead is key. Don't go shopping unprepared as you'll just buy a lot of nothing.

    And never go shopping while you're hungry, or you'll end up blowing a fair portion of your budget on crap just because it looks good.


  • #60
    Captain Chaos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 11,178 ✭✭✭✭Captain Chaos


    Deleted User wrote: »
    If it's a person on their own 50 quid is easily enough for food for a week.

    4 litres of milk can be got for under €3.
    4 chicken fillets €5
    Stock up on Aldi meat offers, say €10
    Few tins of kidney beans/chickpeas €3
    Spend a fiver between Aldi and Lidl's weekly specials for fruit/veg. €5
    Spend another fiver on fruit and veg. €5
    Dozen eggs for €2.
    Few spices/herbs work out at a euro a week or less. €1

    There's €34 at fairly high prices for some items. :P Add in rice/pasta if you're into them, or some spuds, still under €40. Spend the rest on nice cheese, cured meats and the like.

    Bam, healthy eating for €50 quid a week.

    There is feck all food there in fairness. I'd have 2 chicken breasts per meal. Have you seen the size of the average chicken breast in a butchers lately, they are tiny and supermarkets even worse.

    For breakfest, lunch, dinner and tea for a week would be €80 minimum alone getting about 3,000 cals per day.

    Got a pack of chicken tika for €4:50 last week and there was just enough in that for lunch for 1 day for me. It's cheaper to grab a chickfil roll in Spar.


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  • #61
    The Strawman Argument
    Closed Accounts Posts: 477 ✭✭The Strawman Argument


    I've been somewhat unintentionally following a vegetarian diet the last while without realising but it seems to be saving me a fortune so I might keep with it! As --LOS-- says up above, tins of beans cost absolutely nothing, so I wind up eating a heap of them whereas before I may have stretched some meat one portion more than I really should have done. The fact I've been largely eating things that are relatively new to me over the last while has made it easier for me to shift from additional bits and pieces that were either costing a lot or not adding much. There's also been a lot of improvising meals/soups/etc from which items are ridiculously cheap that week in Aldi/Lidl/Tesco and I'm pretty sure it's led to me eating more healthily than I ever have (w/e of one absolutely rotten improvised soup).


    So, yeah, I guess it's very easy to eat healthily for well under 50 once you're willing to cook yourself and aren't sticking to some kind of extremely rigid routine with what you eat.


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