I have a silly question...did anyone save money on food after the surgery ... I'm spending sooo much money on food and snacking all day...

Yes. I eat about 1/4 of what I did before. Eating out is something we still do several times per week. I have become a pro at eating on the cheap. I can have a $3.00 side salad and eat a few bites of my kid's chicken. I can make a bag of beef Jerky last for three days. Anytime I order a sandwich it makes two seperate meals for me. I can order an appetizer as a meal, or just a cup of Soup. Many times my daighter will order one entree and I will ask for a small plate and have a sampling of her meal.

You can definelty save money.

Before surgery, I was pretty frugal about how much I spent each day on food. I estimated that I was spending about $15 a day on my meals. After surgery, my costs have gone down to around $6 a day. I figured my food bill savings would recoup my out of pocket expense for surgery sometime around year 4 post-op. :-P

I spend more because I mostly eat fresh produce now, which is much more expensive than processed, packaged foods. My main staple Protein is frozen fish and tuna. I do my best to buy large quantities of that when it is on sale. Also, my Protein powder is quite expensive. I don't buy as much of it as I use to, but it does add up, nonetheless.

Before surgery, I could buy a weeks worth of food for myself under $15, which consisted of ramen noodles, spaghetti sauce and noodles, cheap Cereal, pretzels/chips, and various snack food that you can get for $1 a box at Dollar Tree.

I spend less on me ... but my family's meals is pretty much the same. I have always packed my lunch for for work so now it lasts a bit longer. I do find that I stop at the grocery more often though because I eat fresh foods so I buy smaller portions and replenish every few days.

@@shaqkhi I'd say yes and no, yes on the amount of food I buy but I buy higher quality foods which cost more than the junk food.

Absolutely saving money -

Eating out - I usually don't order anything for myself unless my husband is ordering something I don't want. We have gotten in the habit of splitting an entree. He realizes that portion sizes are way out of control when you eat out. The appetizer menu is also my friend.

At home - even though I'm buying higher quality ingredients (I figure I'm going to eat good food if I'm eating less than a cup of food), I'm saving money. I buy good quality meats, but again, not eating much. I've trained my family in what a portion of Protein is - they might eat more than a portion size, but they are eating less than they used to.

I definitely spend less eating out - I travel a great deal for my job and when I eat out, get soup or a small sandwich, which is 2 meals for me. I also eat things that are inexpensive like a side order of pinto beans as a meal, so that has definitely gone down. I do spend on protein drinks; however I only have to buy for myself. I do not keep junk foods in my house, and do not consume anything carbonated or any item with caffeine, so that probably helps. I try for higher quality which may cost more, but it lasts lots longer since I eat far less.

I am spending the same, but I now go to Whole Foods and get a quarter pound of "grass fed, organic" meats. If you are going to be able to eat 3-4 ozs of something, I want it to taste really good. So it's all quality over quantity.

I spend less. I was already eating quality foods most of the time but the quantity was too much. Now if we go out to eat, I get 3-4 meals off an entree or I will get a side salad and have a few bites of the hubby's Protein. I only do one Protein shake a day so protein costs more but it lasts me a while. Thankfully the hubby eats the same foods as me just more so it all works out for us.

My Mediterranean chef boyfriend does the cooking here, and he shops in the European style of picking up fresh foods about every other day. We get more from Pete's Fresh instead of Aldi's, but we still get dairy, eggs, and tuna at Aldi's. So, I was eating an excellent Mediterranen diet before surgery, but my portions were horribly distorted. With that big ol' stomach and 53" belly, you would think I was a linebacker.

As much as I loved homemade pastas and raviolis, I do not eat them at all now.

Where we save big money is that I am not going through drivethroughs on the way to work and back, and nothing from snack and soda machines. Retiring helped in that respect, but when I am out and about, I am not stopping at McDonalds. No more drinking two 2-litres of Pepsi every day, either. Tap Water is a lot cheaper than soda pop.

We also have the luxury of a big back yard (rare in the Chicago area). He has a Mediterranean garden back there and grows zuchinni, tomatoes, sunchokes, basil, squash, and green Beans. That helps keep costs down during the summer.

Thanks guys that's what I thought... Right now I'm so preoccupied with food that I spend so much... I live on the Caribbean so even snack are expensive ...

A stressful day menu will be like bf 10 EC ( 4 U.S.) lunch 15-18 EC (6-7 us) and about 10 on Snacks in between and about 13 -16 EC for a kfc wing combo and that's a day...

I would always say I should eat less so I can save more ... On good days I'm pretty good but for the last 3 months ... It has been so stressful on work etc that I have been indulging and the thing that gets me is that once I open a snack/ meal I eat it all.

I have been weaning my self and practicing mindful eating... 2 days now and was using this enquiry to help support my decision to look at pros and cons of my eating... As a part of my preparation before pre op...

Eating out yes for sure!

At home not so much bc as others have said, I buy higher quality and expensive Protein powder!

I spend a lot less. I buy so little at a time. Will ask the butcher for 1 italian sausage or 2 ounces of Chorizo. Most of my money goes for greek yogurt and Protein shakes. The premium shakes being on sale at costco this month helped.

im noticing with the diet the nut put me on im buying less already and i am eating out less and i am losing weight so thats good i just cant wait until a can of tuna lasts 2 meals that will be awesome

I don't even order food when I go out anymore.. I eat off of one of my kid plate. My family's dine out bill has been reduced by $25.. because I'm no longer having 15 oz steaks and drinks. I'm loving it.