So this is your first kitchen.
The thing that I noticed a lot in the last few years was that when you're used to seeing what shopping for a family looks like (especially one that doesn't have to watch the bottom line very hard) it's hard to really understand what shopping for a single person should feel like. Especially if you're suddenly really concerned with the price bread, so to speak.
So let's share single tips. Most specifically, how to eat healthy without going poor.
Food
1. Start small and grow. I love fruits and vegetables. I do. I can eat 'em like candy. I can't AFFORD to eat 'em like candy much anymore, but I try! I used to over buy like mad. The problem was that I didn't always get to all of them before they went mooshy. Which is a waste of money and good food. What I DID do is cut down my buying nearly entirely. I started with what was obviously too little and slowly built up a small variety of fresh fruits and veggies that I could eat before they went south. Apples and oranges can last a long time, so they're great to buy a little extra of if it's gonna be a long week or two. Really fresh plums or nectarines can last a while too. But as a rule I buy a bout a weeks worth at a time. Also try and change up the variety every so often so you don't get bored. Yay seasonal fruits!
2. Love the frozen. I buy a lot of frozen veggies. It's a trade off because they CAN be expensive (though they can also be on sale more often than not, at least, around here). You can't roast frozen veggies, but you can do just about everything else. I often can't cut raw broccoli or cauliflower, so I don't buy that anyway. This is one time I will say that economy size isn't possibly a waste of a tight budget because they last for weeks if not months and you can still portion it out easily.
3. Eye your pasta, it eyes back. For a long time I'd just pour until I thought it was a good amount. This is how you make too much pasta. I measure it now. A cup of dry measured elbow noodles is plenty for a meal, especially when you combine it with veggies and some protein. I'm serious. First box I did this with got me like 5 - 7 meals out of it. Pasta is a great staple, but it's a complex carb and not always good for everyone, and very easy to over indulge. I'm all for making enough for leftovers, but I've got no willpower when it comes to most pasta dishes anyway. I do have exceptions though, but then I make entire pounds of things and all of it goes right in the freezer. Note: Each noodle is different, you might need more or less of each one to make a real portion.
4. Soup/broth in a box. Great for flavor. Use sparingly because the good stuff (that doesn't taste kinda meh) is vaguely expensive. I can get lots of meals out of, but I'll never use it as a majority soup base unless I wakeup sick and really need something of that nature.
5. Tomatos! They're great. If you can afford tomato sauce and you're more comfortable with that, then good, otherwise crushed tomatos and some well intentioned spices can do just about the same trick. I've got a dried tomato/olive oil/fresh basil/oregano/garlic blend. Tomato paste does wonders as well.
6. Prefab. Think about how much prefab food you really need. I use a few items here and there, some yogurt shakes, some pasta-roni (but often combined with frozen veggies to make it more filling and healthy), I keep some stuff around for when I'm really really tired or sick. It's better to get something resembling a meal in those cases rather than find the cookies. I've got granola bars and a few cookies and some cereal. But I probably use them differently than most. I also 'put away' the junkish food like that so I have to remember it's there. Helps a bit with the eating. Sometimes, if I know it's going to be really busy, I'll buy a tiny bit extra. Or I'll just buy a wider variety of sandwich foods. Sandwiches are much better than a box of mac'n'cheese.
Non food
1. Expensive items. Take stock of the expensive stuff. The cleaning products, light bulbs, toilet paper (not always expensive, but can be), shampoo, DISHWASHER DETERGENT (!!!), cat litter, etc. Take note. See if you can somehow stagger these purchases by months. It's much easier to swish away $20 per month than drop $60 when you can't. Think about what you absolutely cannot run out of. Etc.
2. Cleaning products. Personally, at this point, I do buy some of the bottled stuff, I always have a good fantastic/clorox bubbles thing laying around. And I do use swiffer because I have 2 small patches of non carpeted floors and actually using a mop and a bucket on those places would make bigger messes. However, beyond that, some good car cleaning shammies and a vinegar/water mix in a spray bottle will really really do it. I didn't believe the shammies thing myself till I got one in my hands (a bit of cold water, ring it out HARD) and scrubbed. EVERYTHING in my kitchen came out clean. Was awesome! And a real paper towel saver. Just wash with the towel load when dirty. They last a couple of days or through one hard cleaning.
So-- your ideas?
So let's share single tips. Most specifically, how to eat healthy without going poor.
Food
1. Start small and grow. I love fruits and vegetables. I do. I can eat 'em like candy. I can't AFFORD to eat 'em like candy much anymore, but I try! I used to over buy like mad. The problem was that I didn't always get to all of them before they went mooshy. Which is a waste of money and good food. What I DID do is cut down my buying nearly entirely. I started with what was obviously too little and slowly built up a small variety of fresh fruits and veggies that I could eat before they went south. Apples and oranges can last a long time, so they're great to buy a little extra of if it's gonna be a long week or two. Really fresh plums or nectarines can last a while too. But as a rule I buy a bout a weeks worth at a time. Also try and change up the variety every so often so you don't get bored. Yay seasonal fruits!
2. Love the frozen. I buy a lot of frozen veggies. It's a trade off because they CAN be expensive (though they can also be on sale more often than not, at least, around here). You can't roast frozen veggies, but you can do just about everything else. I often can't cut raw broccoli or cauliflower, so I don't buy that anyway. This is one time I will say that economy size isn't possibly a waste of a tight budget because they last for weeks if not months and you can still portion it out easily.
3. Eye your pasta, it eyes back. For a long time I'd just pour until I thought it was a good amount. This is how you make too much pasta. I measure it now. A cup of dry measured elbow noodles is plenty for a meal, especially when you combine it with veggies and some protein. I'm serious. First box I did this with got me like 5 - 7 meals out of it. Pasta is a great staple, but it's a complex carb and not always good for everyone, and very easy to over indulge. I'm all for making enough for leftovers, but I've got no willpower when it comes to most pasta dishes anyway. I do have exceptions though, but then I make entire pounds of things and all of it goes right in the freezer. Note: Each noodle is different, you might need more or less of each one to make a real portion.
4. Soup/broth in a box. Great for flavor. Use sparingly because the good stuff (that doesn't taste kinda meh) is vaguely expensive. I can get lots of meals out of, but I'll never use it as a majority soup base unless I wakeup sick and really need something of that nature.
5. Tomatos! They're great. If you can afford tomato sauce and you're more comfortable with that, then good, otherwise crushed tomatos and some well intentioned spices can do just about the same trick. I've got a dried tomato/olive oil/fresh basil/oregano/garlic blend. Tomato paste does wonders as well.
6. Prefab. Think about how much prefab food you really need. I use a few items here and there, some yogurt shakes, some pasta-roni (but often combined with frozen veggies to make it more filling and healthy), I keep some stuff around for when I'm really really tired or sick. It's better to get something resembling a meal in those cases rather than find the cookies. I've got granola bars and a few cookies and some cereal. But I probably use them differently than most. I also 'put away' the junkish food like that so I have to remember it's there. Helps a bit with the eating. Sometimes, if I know it's going to be really busy, I'll buy a tiny bit extra. Or I'll just buy a wider variety of sandwich foods. Sandwiches are much better than a box of mac'n'cheese.
Non food
1. Expensive items. Take stock of the expensive stuff. The cleaning products, light bulbs, toilet paper (not always expensive, but can be), shampoo, DISHWASHER DETERGENT (!!!), cat litter, etc. Take note. See if you can somehow stagger these purchases by months. It's much easier to swish away $20 per month than drop $60 when you can't. Think about what you absolutely cannot run out of. Etc.
2. Cleaning products. Personally, at this point, I do buy some of the bottled stuff, I always have a good fantastic/clorox bubbles thing laying around. And I do use swiffer because I have 2 small patches of non carpeted floors and actually using a mop and a bucket on those places would make bigger messes. However, beyond that, some good car cleaning shammies and a vinegar/water mix in a spray bottle will really really do it. I didn't believe the shammies thing myself till I got one in my hands (a bit of cold water, ring it out HARD) and scrubbed. EVERYTHING in my kitchen came out clean. Was awesome! And a real paper towel saver. Just wash with the towel load when dirty. They last a couple of days or through one hard cleaning.
So-- your ideas?