Lately the “What I Ate Today” posts have been about people who mostly eat well and just need a few minor changes to make their diets great. Time to hear from the other 99%.
I'm sure you know plenty of folks who aren't willing to eat a perfect diet but are interested in eating “better”. Go ahead, raise your hand. No one's looking. (And if you're the 1% of perfect eaters, please forward this to a family member or friend.)
Everyone has their own comfort zone, and if you push someone too far out with dietary suggestions or anything else, for that matter, they are likely to rebel or give up. So this week, I am featuring a couple of young artists living in San Francisco who have a moderate interest in eating healthy, a few dietary restrictions, and a major focus on budget and enjoying their lifestyle.
Meet my brother, Paul, 26, and his girlfriend Jessaymn, 28. Here's what they ate today:
Breakfast: We split our meals to save money and because restaurant portions are usually double (especially at the places we like to go). We love to start the day at our favorite cheap place, Valencia Pizza & Pasta. Contrary to the name, they have great breakfasts. We split a Denver omelet, each had a slice of Rye toast, and hash browns. Paul hogged the orange all to himself. Two cups of coffee each.
Lunch: We don't eat lunch because we wake up so late that breakfast is our lunch. (We're artists. Lay off).
Dinner: This usually is a rotation of different types of food, but today we split a carne asada tostada salad, with a small bag of corn chips. We each had a Diet Coke.
Snacks: Not really big snackers, but usually full-fat yogurt is our snack of choice. Spoonfuls of peanut butter with chocolate chips.
Supplements: Probiotics, Emergen-C, Fish oil
Dietary Goals: We're trying to keep healthy on a budget. Neither of us should eat dairy, and I'm supposed to take it easy on the wheat, so those are some other challenges. We'd love to know some of the best cheaper snacks and meals that are satisfying and will keep us healthy and, perhaps even more importantly, give us tons of energy to play!
Challenges: Unfortunately groceries are usually more expensive than splitting a meal at a restaurant. “Plus, they don't cook your meals for you at the grocery store,” says Paul.
Holistic Squid's two cents:
Hi guys! So what I'm getting here is that you are willing to eat well if it doesn't interfere with your budget and lifestyle. I do love a challenge! Here are some ideas:
- Lotsa eggs – Rich in nutrients and essential fat and cholesterol, eggs are your number one superfood on a budget. Have them for breakfast/lunch (ask the restaurant to cook them in butter not margarine), and boil up a couple dozen for snacks throughout the week at home. All you need to clean up are the shells. Read about buying eggs here.
- Pick your poison – Ideally, you'd stick to 0-1 cups of caffeine per day and definitely skip diet sodas (and sugary ones too). It is super important that you cut out artificial sweeteners which are undeniably linked to various diseases ranging to the fatal. Have your cup of coffee if you must, but then switch to decaf if you're having seconds. If you want a pick-me-up with dinner, opt for freshly brewed iced tea available at most eateries. Or better yet, stick with water and lemon – which is free.
- Get Souped – San Francisco has a plentitude of wonderful, affordable restaurants. One of my favorite types – Vietnamese Pho restaurants that serve steaming hot broth with a pile of rice noodles, slices of meat, and brightly steamed veggies with an assortment of condiments. Choose a spot that makes their own beef or chicken broth from scratch and doesn't add MSG. For more tips on eating Real Food in the real world read this.
- Snack and save – Eating nutrient-dense snacks throughout the day will ensure that you are not famished when you sit down to a meal. This will help you to make better decisions at meal time and savor your food rather than just wolf it down. Full-fat yogurt is nutrient-dense and light on your pocket book, though if you are truly sensitive to dairy, yogurt will typically create upset despite it's probiotic components. Peanut butter is a fairly decent snack (of course it would be better if it was homemade from soaked or sprouted nuts) – look for organic peanut butter that is mixed with palm oil for some extra saturated fat. Other good options that won't break the bank are hard-boiled eggs and avocados.
- Maximize your supplements – The next time you run out of fish oil, switch to fermented cod liver oil instead. In addition to the healthy omega 3 fatty acids found in fish oil, fermented cod liver oil also contains an ample dose of vitamins A and D in the proper proportions (and not available in plant sources or conventionally raised meat, dairy, or eggs). Because your budget limits your ability to buy nutrient-dense foods, I strongly urge you to go out of your way for this supplement. Also, make sure to choose a high-quality probiotic – when it comes to beneficial bacteria, you get what you pay for.
- Look forward to healing – While it may not be in your financial or mental budget at this moment, consider planning for the GAPS diet which can heal digestive allergies and address numerous associated health issues. Though more of a challenge, GAPS can be done on a budget, and healing your food allergies will open you up to a whole new world of nutrient-dense, affordable meals. In the meantime, avoid potentially allergens (like cheese on that Denver omlet, rye toast, and yogurt).
- And finally, when you're ready to be rock stars in the kitchen, read this.
Thanks, Jessaymn and Paul!
Would YOU like to have a Holistic Squid, nutrient-dense spin on what YOU ate today? Send me your name, age, home town, and occupation plus your list of breakfast, lunch, snacks, supplements, dietary goals, and challenges to info at holisticsquid dot com. Please include a fun picture too.
I just love this so much. I bet if you asked, Valencia Pizza and Pasta would open up a bunch of those little pads of butter and cook their yummy eggs in it.