Budget vegan

[iwillact]

If all I can afford to eat as my staples is canned veggies (too much salt!), brown rice and a variety of beans am I setting myself up to gain weight. Although the calories and fat is pretty low Im concerned anyway. I think its all the garbage I believed about low carb eating. Fresh veggies, salad, and fruit are scarce. I nice gentlemen down the street brings me veggies, usually when I am rice and beaned out, and I cut up the veggies and freeze them. Still the majority is starchy carbs and not veggies.

[twinkle]

I don't think you'll be gaining weight, but I don't think you'll be getting enough vitamins either, if you're only eating canned veggies :(

[iwillact]

Thanks, I have a nice multi-vitamin. Its not as good as getting it from food. I am very overweight and I really really dont want to gain anymore weight. I am still afraid of food. Veganism has given me more peace about food but I get really hungry and I usually go back for a second big bowl of beans and meal time.

[absentmindedfan]

If you eat a wholegrain, high fibre, high GI diet (that's complex carbs so no refined sugar or flour) you can eat as much as you like and lose weight.

There's some info from the PCRM (Physicians Commitee for Responsible Medicine - an all-vegan group of doctor's researching into veganism and health) about their diet plan here (http://www.pcrm.org/magazine/gm06autumn/diabetes.html) their new 4 food groups here (http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/vsk/food_groups.html) and recipes here (http://www.pcrm.org/health/recipes/index.html)

Rice, grains and fruit and veg will not cause you to gain weight. Carbs are not the enemy, excess fat, refined sugar/carbs, animal protein and a low fibre diet are the enemy. Try and incorporate exercise too, even just 30mins walking 5 times a week will make a difference, and exercise helps regulate your appetite too.

[Pob]

It should be possible to get canned veggies with no added salt, too. I only buy the ones in water (chickpeas, kidney beans, mixed beans, lentils, sweetcorn, etc). Cheap frozen veg would be better in most cases though.

[absentmindedfan]

Also it might be worth adapting your shopping habits, rice, dried beans etc. are cheap and try to buy them if they have BOGOF offers etc. Keep an eye out for reduced fruit and veg in the evenings when they are running out of date, you'll need to cook them quickly (or freeze some at a push) but it means you're getting fresh fruit and veg.

Man cannot live by can alone

[iwillact]

Thank you! Ill be looking at those links right now. :)

[DancingWillow]

Man cannot live by can alone

off topic, but AMF, i can't believe that you of all people would write this.

back on topic, AMF and Pob's suggestions are good and hopefully you'll find them helpful.

also, i don't know if this is feasible in your situation, but do you have some space (a yard or a sun filled balcony) where you can maybe grow your own veggies? my mom grows lots of her own veggies to save money (plus that there are no pesticides).

[iwillact]

We have tomato plants growing in the backyard but they are still little. My soil is very hard and has alot of clay so when we can get some sand to mix into it (after some researching) we are going to plant corn, okra, peppers, beans, and squash. That is if its not to late in the growing season. I have the seeds. I also have a yard full of dogs that want to pee and dig up everything so that is a concern too. After we deal with that hopefully we will be able to produce a great deal to freeze and can enough for the whole year. My 13 year old planted a garlic bulb and its sprouting nicely in the window sill. The price of dry foods and produce is getting higher and higher and I imagine this will just continue. Any links to gardening for beginers would be awesome.

[harpy]

Are canned things really cheaper than dried? Any time I've investigated, dried beans etc work out cheaper by the time you've rehydrated them. Dry certainly looks more expensive according to the weight on the bag/can but you usually get more for your money if you see what I mean, especially if you can buy dried stuff in bulk.

If you can get affordable dried beans and seeds then another way to get fresh stuff is to sprout some of them on your windowsill, which is quite easy to do. There are a few threads about sprouting here. e.g. http://www.veganforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1201&highlight=sprouting

DW, don't worry, it's a quotation, sort of: http://www.gracecathedral.org/enrichment/brush_excerpts/brush_20040929.shtml

[philfox]

dried is definately cheaper. im in the UK so dont know much about US prices etc, but m partner and i are low income (im not working) students. we gave up buying ready made food a while back, he is veggie tho so has some cheese and quiche for his packed lunch (tho we did have some junk last night...) but its saving us so much money, eating fresh veg and fruit. the tinned stuff we do get is tinned tomatoes and chickpeas (mainly for the rats) the rest is all dried. the only inconvenience is leaving to soak over night, but you dont have to do that with a lot of lentils, and i never soak mung beans either. we are trying to grow some veg on our sun trap windowsill, so fingers crossed.
we are just starting to try sprouting beans and things too...

[horselesspaul]

If you eat a wholegrain, high fibre, high GI diet (that's complex carbs so no refined sugar or flour) you can eat as much as you like and lose weight.

I just ditched sugar and wheat flour for that very reason and am playing football twice/thrice a week, not once, now.
It better bleedin' work..

iwillact,
Is this a temporary thing or a permanent one?
If it's permanent then the advice here should really help.

All the best,

Paul.

[harpy]

the only inconvenience is leaving to soak over night, but you dont have to do that with a lot of lentils, and i never soak mung beans either. we are trying to grow some veg on our sun trap windowsill, so fingers crossed.
we are just starting to try sprouting beans and things too...

I'm terrible at remembering to soak things so an extra reason to sprout stuff like chickpeas is that it means you have some ready-soaked :D

[absentmindedfan]

off topic, but AMF, i can't believe that you of all people would write this.



DW, don't worry, it's a quotation, sort of: http://www.gracecathedral.org/enrich...20040929.shtml (http://www.gracecathedral.org/enrichment/brush_excerpts/brush_20040929.shtml)

Bingo. No inequality intended

[iwillact]

Oh, dried foods are definately cheaper still and I get both dried and canned. I can get 2 or 3 canned beans for about a $. Dry beans that used to be 59 cents to a $ a pound are now sometimes twice that! I know that doesnt sound like a lot but the rising costs of food are scary! Example: The cheap cornflakes that where under a $ ten years ago are now over $3.00. and if you wanted the branded name its sometimes almost $5.00. We are on a very tight budget.I dont know what prices are like in other parts of the world and I know Im still very blessed to have food its just a strain.
Thank you everyone for your responses.
This is hopefully a temporary situation. I have 4 kids and I go to university full time. DH is an omnivore, heavy on the meat, and my kids eat everything! Im working on them ;) My DH works very hard and has applied for a different job with better health benefits and this will help a great deal as my kids have some mild health issues that require medication.
Im studying for the PCAT and hope to have a part time casheir job soon. Kids school gets out today! and Im just so glad to be able to spend time with them.
Its all good, $ is just a thing, but not having enough can sure be a stressor.
I alway stock up the deep freeze and the pantry when I get a student loan.
:)
Speaking of soaking beans...Im off to get some soaking!

[herbwormwood]

Frozen veg are usually cheaper than canned or fresh ones. They are high in vitamins too.
Basing your diet on frozen veg, beans (dried are definitely cheaper but tinned baked beans are often cheap too) and rice should not cause weight gain, possibly the reverse.

[cobweb]

Yes, I buy most of my veg and some fruit, frozen. I get organic if I can but if not I worry less about frozen veg carrying so much in the way of residue. It does work out a lot cheaper, especially as there is much less wastage :) .

[Corum]

We have tomato plants growing in the backyard but they are still little. My soil is very hard and has alot of clay so when we can get some sand to mix into it (after some researching) we are going to plant corn, okra, peppers, beans, and squash.
If you're already growing tomatoes, are you using growbags? You might be able to use them for more stuff - also, make sure you're doing something organic about slugs and snails. They like nothing better than tomatoes!

[Ginger]

Tell me about it!

[Corum]

I must get some started soon - we've got peas growing wild in the back garden. Sad thing is, we were given a greenhouse a couple of years ago, by Hemlock's parents... only thing is, we haven't anywhere flat enough to keep it.

[iwillact]

I dont know what a grow bag is. We jsut have them planted with the wire cage around them to supoort them. We wont be useing any chemicals but not sure what to use yet.
Thanks for the responses!

[DancingWillow]

Bingo. No inequality intended

i knew that it was a variation of another saying, but i was just surpirsed that you would use it...anyway, i was just commenting that i was surprised, not reprimanding you for your choice of language:) hope you didn't take offense, as i inteded none.

[VanillaBean]

Nutrition is just so important and I think that a vitamin pill just doesn't at all balance an inadequate diet. I wouldn't be at all concerned about gaining weight on what you are eating - I would focus on getting your veg anf fruit intake. There HAS to be a way for you to get this - can you redirect money from something less important? At least you know it will be OK when you finish studying - just make sure you stay well so you can enjoy it! I am very passionate about nutrition in case you hadn't noticed.

[iwillact]

:)
Thanks
Todays shopping day and I will be getting at least $10.00 in frozen veggies. That should be plenty for two weeks if I buy carefully and plan my meals wisely. I do get anxious but last night we went to the a local market to get a few things for dinner and they have bean bins in the produce section. There are some beans Ive never had before. I just need to buckle down and soak them and cook them. Dried beans sure hurt my gut though and I dont have that problem with canned beans. Ill do a search, Im sure there are threads on bean problems.
I am so grateful for this site and I dont doubt at all that Vegan is the life for me. Hopefully my children will follow my example.
Peace to you all today.

[Tigerlily]

What about frozen veggies instead of canned? They aren't much more expensive and you can get more variety. I get the Chinese/stir fry style and it's usually filled with baby corn, red pepper, carrots, water chestnuts, broccoli, and other healthy veggies.