Need more calcium

Hey does anyone have some suggestions on how I can get more calcium in my diet without having to take supplements (I really can't afford them)?

I am 40 years old and pari-menapausal and yesterday was the best calcium intake I've had so far it only came to 65% of the RDA for calcium. I seem to be hitting targets for the rest of the vitamins, etc but not for calcium.

Any thoughts are welcome.

Sunni

Are you able to drink skim milk? Milk is a great source of tons of vitamins. Just 24 oz a day provides you plenty. But if you can't afford supplements, milk might be out of the question as that would be more expensive. Speaking of that, have you tried off brands? Kroger has an excellent calcium supplement. It's only $6 for a 90 day supply.

Dovie - I can afford food items because I receive food stamps, but supplements take actual cash money. I am not always sure where the rent money is coming from much less anything else.

Yes, I can drink milk - no intolerances, etc. I just don't like the flavor plain. Oh well, I may just have to suck it up - I really need the calcium! I have put my bones through enough just carring all this extra weight around for 30 years.

Sunni

You can always get chocolate syrup to go in. As long as it's sugar-free of course!

True - I might even indulge occasionally in the full sugar variety - I am having a certain amount of difficulty getting in a full 1200 calories a day as it is, much less the 1900ish I am allowed. I ate what felt like a ton of food yesterday (even my teenagers were questioning if my "diet" allowed me to eat so much) & even had a full sugar version of hot chocolate and still missed the 1200 mark by 40 calories or so. The hot chocolate was 140 of what I did get. Maybe next time, I will mix into hot milk instead of hot water.

So outside of the obvious milk, does anyone have any other suggestions?

Sunni

I have problems meeting my caloric goals, too. You just feel like you're eating all the time! haha

Here's a good list of other foods high in calcium for you!

http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/nutrition/calci um.html

nuts, oatmeal, mix that milk into some sugar free instant pudding, broccoli

Also look for calcium fortified cereals, orange juice and seems like even some of the crystal light drink mixes have added calcium.

Very helpful! Thank you.

Cabbage, dark greens.  Watch for sales on yogurt and watch for coupons, they seem to have yogurt coupons all the time (since I don't eat it).  Cheese, nuts.  Watch for macaroni and cheese to go on sale.  There isn't a lot of calcium in it, but when you add your own evaporated milk (fortified with a bit of powdered milk) then it has some.

You should be able to get dry milk and add it to things you make.  I used to make a really good peanut butter candy with dried milk....but it was very high cal.  Peanut butter, powdered sugar, powdered milk, chocolate chips.....

How about skinny smoothies?    Frozen strawberries, skim milk, splenda, ice cubes, frozen bananas. (You can use powdered recontituted milk here and save some.  Perhaps mix half and half with low fat milk that is on sale for taste).

Search the internet for ways to add dried milk to your diet, like in meatloaf or spaghetti sauce or macaroni and cheese. (I use evaporated milk.  I wait for it to go on sale and stock up)

(buy those bananas extra cheap that are a bit overripe on sale and freeze them.)

When you are making mashed potatoes, leave some of the water you cooked the potatoes in and add powdered milk.

Save money makiing your own pudding and hot chocolate mix using powdered milk.  

RE: Recipes Using Powdered Milk By (Guest Post)

Use for Jello inst. pudding.
2 cups water
2/3 cup powdered milk
1 pkg. inst. pudding mix

RE: Recipes Using Powdered Milk Profile Blog! Contact

Hot Cocoa Mix
1 (8-quart) box instant powdered milk
1 (16 ounce) jar nondairy creamer
1 (2 pound) box Nestle's Quik®
1 (1 pound) box confectioners' sugar

Sift sugar and mix together. Add 2 cups miniature marshmallows, if desired.To use, fill a mug half full of mix. Add boiling water.

Add powdered milk to scrambled eggs (or reconstitute it first).

Here is the USDA website that has a recipe book using powdered milk.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/RECIPES/hhp/NFDM- Recipes.pdf

Oooo.  Add powdered milk to soups.   Add it to your chicken and dumplings.  Mmmmm. 

Hmmmm.    I am thinking with powdered milk I might be able to have my homemade chicken and dumplings.   I'll have to work on that recipe.

Thank you texmom - I appreciate the advice and the mindfulness of a tight budget. Just in case I haven't been clear - food items are not a problem - my food stamp budget is plenty generous, it's just the things I have to pay cash for that are a problem. I do think that I might try using milk in a few more things & maybe it is time to break out a new box of Grapenuts to put milk on, etc. Like mentioned before - I will indulge in some sugar free chocolate next month and maybe some lower calorie ice cream as well.

I like skinny cow and blue bunny low cal ice cream.  Weight Watcher ice cream is really good, but not as low cal.  And it's more expensive.

I am on a tight food budget, so I am mindful of  grocery dollar.