Quick, low calorie, low price meal plans...... HELP!!!!!

Does anyone have any quick, easy to make, low calorie, low budget meals or meal plans?? I really need help!  I work late..... go to school early..... and sleep never!!  I guess that is why I'm "Severly Overweight"!!!!!!!!!

Help if you can please!! :)

I don't know about a meal plan, but I am also very busy working and going to school and I find Lean Pockets to be quick and filling. Most are about 270 calories, take 2 minutes in the microwave, and have an on-the-go pouch. Before leaving this morning I took one and stuck it in my book bag to eat for lunch before going to school/work. My favorite are meatballs and mozzarella. Not the most nutritious thing ever but more filling and less calories than most fast food. And they usually run about $2 for two at Super Walmart and Super Target. 

    I'll try :) Do you have a crockpot? I use mine often. You can assemble meals in it before bed and stick the whole pot on the bottom shelf of your fridge, then take it out and plug it in before you leave in the morning. Things I make in it: chili, veggie chili, soups and stews, roasts (chicken, beef and turkey) Example: today, I roasted 1/2 a turkey breast in it with about 1 cup of vegatable broth (don't forget to add your favorite spices and herbs!). At dinnertime I microwaved baked potatoes and steamed asparagus in one of those new steamer microwave bags. (They rock!) The veggie broth with the juices from the turkey made awesome gravy, and because veggie broth only has about 20 cals per cup, its not real fattening. Altogether took mabout 10 mins. to put dinner on the table. Chili, soup and stew is even faster and easier. Skin on poultry doesn't brown much, but you don't eat the skin anyways, right? Hope this helped.

Have you ever cooked ahead and frozen portions?  I find this a great way to put a meal together quickly.  I always have a few portions of broiled chicken breast or salmon in the freezer.  I also freeze portions of brown rice, and I keep bags of frozen vegetables on hand.  All I have to do is select a portion of each and microwave.

I even freeze sauces in an old ice cube tray.  When it's frozen solid, I put the cubes into a labeled freezer bag. 

Another way to cook fast with no clean up is to put your portion of protein on a piece of aluminum foil and season it.  Fold up into a packet and bake at 350 f, for about 20 minutes, depending on how thick the meat or fish is.  Add a salad and you're there.

I love "Spicy Chicken Chili"

Put a whole chicken in the crockpot and cover w/water.

When I get home from work it is falling off the bone. Pick the chicken/shred.

Put it in a pot with a little bit of broth and add 2 cans of black beans, 1 can

Rotel tomatoes, some cumin to taste and WA-LA!

It is YUMMY on a cold day! 

Smart Ones are pretty cheap, i get those over the Lean cuisine ones any day.

I think sandwiches are seriously underappreciated as healthy and budget-friendly meals! I avoided peanut butter for a long time until I realized that it's really not that bad for you--in moderation--and is pretty filling. A good old PB&J (or honey instead of jelly) with 1 tablespoon of PB and 1 of honey/jam on 2 slices of whole wheat bread or a simple grilled cheese is lunch for me on most days. If you keep a couple different packages of lunch meats (or fake meats if you're a vegetarian like I am), lettuce/tomatoes, and cheese handy it's easy to throw together a healthy and yummy sandwich for lunch or dinner, too. Mix and match with soup for a little more hearty of a meal (half a sandwich and some soup--cheap to buy, fast to heat up; or make it yourself to save more money but take a little more time--for a light meal, or a full sandwich for something more substantial), still at a bargain price :-)

Cheap - Fast - Easy - Low Cal... TACO SOUP

Brown 1lb extra lean meat or lean turkey - set aside

In a big sauce pan add the following:

2 Cans Corn - Do NOT drain

2 Cans Rotel - Do NOT drain

2 Cans Pinto Beans - Do NOT drain

1pkg Taco Seasoning

1pkg Ranch Dry Dressing Mix

Add the cooked meat, heat and serve!!!  2 +Cups is only 333 calories...

For extra cals you can added grated cheese, tortilla chips, sour cream, etc..

Also... On your day off try to cook ahead... for instance, you can cook up a bunch of turkey burgers and then when you get home.. eat a turkey burger on a wheat bun w/cheese and all the fixin's.. and have a salad with it. 

Or, cook a pkg of chicken breast so when you get home that will be cooked and all you have to do is steam some broccolli and make a little rice?

Or,  pop a large potato in the microwave and have a baked potato and a salad.

 

Hope that helps?  I find cooking ahead a big help to me

 

Original Post by amayou82:

Smart Ones are pretty cheap, i get those over the Lean cuisine ones any day.

i think those are rip offs

Fast Chili (very inexpensive)

1 can beans, rinsed (black, pinto, kidney - any kind you like)
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup salsa
1 or 2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 TBS chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder

Put everything in a pot and cook over low heat, covered, until the onions & peppers are soft.  Serve with corn tortillas that have been steamed to soften, and a salad.

Ditto on the crockpot suggestion.  You can do a pot roast, turkey, chicken, etc in there really easily.  Chop up a potato or 2 (or even better, sweet potatos) and a couple of carrots, throw in a can of the healthiest tomato soup you can find plus any herbs/seasonings you like, and you're good to go.  When it's done, you not only have dinner, but leftovers for future dinners and/or meat that is WAY healthier than processed lunch meats for your sandwiches.  That's good value for your money, I'd say!  :)

Good luck!

I came up with my little pizza concoctions they are sooooo good!

I get the sara lee hamburger or deli buns (Whole wheat of course)

Pizza Quick pizza sauce

low fat cheese 

and all the pizza toppings

Put the buns on a baking sheet and layer on the goodies

Bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and enjoy! 

We usually have a salad to go with it and voila dinner is done!

We figured it up one night and ours only had 177 calories for 2 pizza's (topped with Pepperoni bell pepper and low fat cheese) and a huge salad (wishbone salad spritzers and the best for lo-cal)

Hope this helps!