poor rider

A light bike doesn't replace good fitness.

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spokey1.0
Posts: 326
Joined: Sun Apr 03, 2005 8:25 am
Location: Washington, DC

by spokey1.0

Hi all. I just got a new job in publishing, and I'm in that "sweet spot" in a job where I've moved halfway across the country, come with my life in suitcases, and have not a ton of money. I haven't recieved my first paycheck yet, but I have had to pay for my first month's rent (which means very little cash available), so I've been wondering what foods give the best ratio of cost/nutrients provided. Most carbs, like bread, pasta, etc are super cheap, so I've found myself buying lots of that, while not as much meat, fish, and veggies as I'd like to be eating. To make matters worse, I don't have either of my bikes up here since I just moved (by plane), but I'm trying to keep my body in good shape for when they do arrive. Even when I don't exercise, I tend to not gain any weight as long as I don't pig out. What foods should I be trying to get on a tight budget?

keithster
Posts: 282
Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2004 4:19 pm
Location: Toronto, Ontario Canada

by keithster

eggs, cold cuts, canned fish, beans.
Jack of all trades, master of none.

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520 Dan
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by 520 Dan

actually, ramen isn't that bad for you, and its pretty tasty as well.

Also, and this depends on how nuts you are, but well to do food stores throw away food the day it expires, you can always get some free produce that way.

Good luck!

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Bruiser
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by Bruiser

Eggs and milk are the cheapest source of protein though cheap fish isn't far behind. Not sure about their iron content.

I live on bread, pasta and wheat biscuits and occassionally canned fruit for nuitrients.

Green leafed vegtables such as broccoli are a good source of magnesium while bannana is a good source of potassium.

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Tippster
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Location: Frederica (Denmark)

by Tippster

I remember living as a student.

I'd buy a large bag of pasta and add a third of a can of condensed soup for taste. Really cheap way to feed yourself
"Ride it like you've just stolen it!"

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Skyleth
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Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2005 10:59 pm
Location: Boston, MA, USA

by Skyleth

Going against what others have posted so far, I find that pound for pound meats and dairy are very expensive, and although it may seem cheap stay away from excessive amounts of super processed cheap foods (canned soups, ramen, etc...). you'll want to find the foods with high amounts of fiber (will keep you feeling full longer, and you won't eat as much, and it usually means a good amount of carbs) and protein. Why spend all that money on 3rd rate stew meat for the sake of eating meat? and nutrition wise, for protein, your money would be better spent of things like broccoli and beans, and you save yourself the fat and saturated fat (which is most likely why the meat was so cheap to begin with).

For the best inexpensive high-fiber and high-protein, gotta go with Beans and Lentils (they're like under a dollar a can, and the high fiber content will keep you feeling full longer). Pinto beans offer pretty much a 1g:1g ratio of Protein to Fiber, 1 cup of pinto beans features 11g Fiber and 11g Protein. 1 cup of black beans is about 15g and 15g. and Lentils are 16g Fiber with 18g protein! In contrast, for roughly the same amount of calories, Ramen brings 1g of Fiber (you'll be hungry again soon) and 4g of protein.

Get whatever fruits and veggies are on sale and dry pasta. at $.50 or less a pound, you can't go wrong. A good and easy fresh veggie is Spinnach, if you buy it raw, you can eat it like a salad or cook it down (watch out, Spinnach looses a suprising amount of volume when you cook it down), a good quick tastey recipie is heat a little oil w/ garlic (don't burn the garlic) and toss in a bunch of raw spinich and a pinch of salt, stir occasionally. Spinnach brings tons of Vitamin A, C, Calcium, and Iron. And aslong as you don't boil it, it tastes good. Broccoli is also up there in high fiber, vitamin C, and protein. Good quick way to cook it is boil some water, drop the broccoli in for about 30 seconds and get it out. This way it's cooked enough to get rid of the raw taste, but not so cooked that you loose all flavour. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Then use that already boiling water and cook your pasta.

Bananas, especially when in season, even when not, are always inexpensive. They also contain a good amount of fiber.

Don't really bother w/ a tomato sauce (unless the tomatos and onions are on sale, then make your own) and go w/ a splash of olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and tiny amount of lemon juice (you may have to buy the lemons and squeeze it yourself, but for this use, you don't really need much).

As cheap as ramen is, it's typically high in Fat and Saturated Fat, and brings nothing in terms of Fiber, Vitamins, and Minerals. Essentailly empty calories, you'd probably be better off drinking beer for dinner... :wink: canned soups are good in moderation, but dollar for dollar, you get a lot of sodium, but not a lot of nutrients... and after a while, it all starts to taste the same.

for bread, find a local bakery and try to get the day+ old stuff. For cereal, commercial cereal is uber expensive, if you can stand it, get rolled oats and make your own oatmeal in the morning, add stuff like brown sugar to sweeten it up. Peanut butter is a good source of protein, and "good fat" as well. It's moderately priced, will be on the expensive side of stuff I've listed so far.

Pretty much, it's possible to not be hungry, eat well, and eat for very little money, but you will have to sacrifice time. You can find this stuff at any supermarket for not a lot of money and calorie for calorie/pound for pound it's better for you anyway. Stick with these and your body will still be fit for when your bikes show up! Good luck, it takes balls to simply pack up and move away from what you've become so accostomed to!

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Skyleth
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Joined: Mon Sep 12, 2005 10:59 pm
Location: Boston, MA, USA

by Skyleth

520 Dan wrote:actually, ramen isn't that bad for you, and its pretty tasty as well.

Also, and this depends on how nuts you are, but well to do food stores throw away food the day it expires, you can always get some free produce that way.

Good luck!


Dan, you're braver than I am :) but you're right expired produce is probably still "good" for a day or so.

not trying to start an argument, but by "ramen isn't that bad for you" I hope you mean compared to a Big Mac... one container of Nissin's Cup O' Noodle contains 296 Calories, 14g of Fat, 6g of Sat Fat, 1433mg of Sodium, 0 fiber, 6g of Protien, neg amounts of Vitamins and Minerals (some iron). So you'll be hungry again in about 30 minutes, and if you eat this stuff for lunch and dinner and everything inbetween, you'll have taken in an unhealthy amount of sodium and fat, that he'll definetly be out of shape for when his bike shows up.

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Bruiser
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by Bruiser

It's suprising how conservative those Expiry Dates are. Soy Milk can keep for up to a month but it still sells cheap just before the Expiry Date

RTW
in the industry
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Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2005 2:32 pm

by RTW

If you know about food, expiry dates mean nothing. They are a guide for people who don't know enough about food to spot when something is off by its colour, smell or feel. It is a way of avoiding litigation (I didn't realise that this fish that was caught 10 days ago and hasn't been refridgerated would give me food poisoning, and am therefore going to sue). Best tip is to find one of these people (I used to live with one) who wont eat anything that is on its expiry date (because we all know food turns to poison at the stroke of midnight that day) and eat all of their rejected food. Its free, and its good. Yum.

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Tippster
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Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2003 3:11 pm
Location: Frederica (Denmark)

by Tippster

richardtoddywoddy wrote:If you know about food, expiry dates mean nothing. They are a guide for people who don't know enough about food to spot when something is off by its colour, smell or feel. It is a way of avoiding litigation (I didn't realise that this fish that was caught 10 days ago and hasn't been refridgerated would give me food poisoning, and am therefore going to sue). Best tip is to find one of these people (I used to live with one) who wont eat anything that is on its expiry date (because we all know food turns to poison at the stroke of midnight that day) and eat all of their rejected food. Its free, and its good. Yum.


one millions tramps searching through Tesco's waste skips cant be all wrong?
"Ride it like you've just stolen it!"

520 Dan
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by 520 Dan

The problem too though is Anti-vagrancy measures in a lot of places in the States mean that certain stores feel the need to pour bleach into their dumpsters to keep people out.

Another solution is to go to running races after training rides. If you watch the race, and stick around, there is almost ALWAYS food left over. Most of the time they just don't want to take it home and you can get 2-5 lbs of bannanas or bagels, energy bars etc.

Oswald
Posts: 794
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 10:11 pm

by Oswald

Definately canned fish. Tuna has about 25% protein and where I live 150 grams of canned Tuna cost about 0.5 euro... Also drink milk.

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Karbon
Posts: 473
Joined: Thu May 26, 2005 6:42 pm
Location: SoCal

by Karbon

Most stores here have a section for damaged goods. Cans with dents, packets with torn outer boxes, that kind of thing. You can get some good prices on stuff there, I always check it for razor blades for my legs, my wife checks it every time she is in there. I'm constantly surprised at what she finds, it's our little joke.

Racing Aardvark
Posts: 639
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2004 1:44 am
Location: Boulder, CO

by Racing Aardvark

I'm with Skyleth. when I was a poor starving college student (I actually missed collegiate races due to having no money for gas to drive there), I lived on rice and beans. When I did have pasta, I'd throw olive oil on it and a bit of cheese. I hardly ate any meat, only on the rare occasions I'd go out for food.

Don't neglect the veggies though, you really do need them.

John979
Posts: 1046
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2005 11:29 pm

by John979

Instead of slumming it try one of the following:

1) Find a high-end supermarket. They often have free samples throughout the store. In the veggie section get your veggies; in the fruit section get your fruit; in the deli section cheese and meats. Be shameless and you will walk out full.
2) Go to a bar with a happy hour and free food. Skip the drink and eat the free food. Tell you plight to some babe and you are guaranteed to get drink – maybe more…
3) Its holiday time. This means there are many, many office parties. Put on a suit and crash them -- others call this networking.
John979

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