sample college / budget bulking diet

[BradScott]

Dirt cheap foods

Protein
canned mackerel
canned tuna
canned chicken
canned sardines
liver (2 to 3 bucks a pound)
baby octopus (4 bucks a pound)

potatoes
rice
pasta
many dry cereals
grits
oatmeal
bread

peanut butter

I don't consider oils expensive because most aren't used with so much abundance that you have to go through a container every week.

 

[totalrecomp]

What are you guys paying for beef? By me I can get 85/15 for 2.29-1.99lb.

 

[swim15]

I've been working on a budget in college too. Probably spend just as much on gear as I do on food haha.

Mine varies but if I split it by macros for the day it is something like...

Meals 1-4
50-60g protein
125g carbs
minimal fats 5-8g

Meal 5 (post workout)
shake or equivalent with 30-40g protein

Meals are not in that order and macros are about 500-600c/40f/275-300p depending on the day.

I do mostly all chicken for the protein as it is the cheapest besides tuna which I use as well. Egg whites only for breakfast.

Carbs are lots of cereal and lots of options. Mostly complex carbs like rasin bran, shredded wheat, grape nuts, some nuts/oat mixes but then cookie crisp, cinnamon toast crunch, etc for some simple sugars or to satisfy cravings. Use sweet potatoes, white potatoes, white/brown rice, whole grain bread, etc for carbs as well.

Fats come from 8-10g fish oil ed, and what is naturally in 3500-4000 cals of food. Whole eggs or a tbs pb sometimes.

Been eating on about $80/wk and keeping it fairly clean/complex and low fat which has been keeping me lean without a lot of bloat.

edit: using 650-750 test, 1200 EQ, and 600 deca per week if it matters with orals, TNE, NPP, etc thrown in now and then

 

[bieberhole69]

What are you guys paying for beef? By me I can get 85/15 for 2.29-1.99lb.

I think 93/7 is $3.58-$3.99/lb. Haven't ventured into the 85/15 (i might on a lower carb / higher fat day, or once the calories get high enough) realm. Hell the chicken breast with 1% solution (instead of 15% solution) is $2.29/lb (v.s. $2.00/lb), so I usually get that as it tastes a lot better and retains more weight when cooked.

Lowest priced alternative meat I've found that is "lean" is pork sirloin chops (4g fat per 4oz serving), sold everyday at $3.18/lb. On sale drives it down to about $2.18/lb, but I rarely see that happen.

 

[sbc5966]

Costco has chicken at $2 lbs where I am.
WinCo has peanuts at $1.30 lbs
Carrots and cabbage at 0.50 cents per pound
Oats are like 60-70 cents per pound.
Kruzteaz pancake mix 60-70 cents per pound (make a cake in the microwave, it's awesome)
Flax Seed = $2-3 per lbs at costco

poor college kid, this is how I function. I eat for less than 100 per month.

By switching to a simple diet with simpler foods my body has responded tremendously. No question. Not to mention I can be almost certain of everything that enters my mouth. I feel so much better.

I keep my fats extremely high, and carbs only around workouts.

 

[sbc5966]

I think 93/7 is $3.58-$3.99/lb. Haven't ventured into the 85/15 (i might on a lower carb / higher fat day, or once the calories get high enough) realm. Hell the chicken breast with 1% solution (instead of 15% solution) is $2.29/lb (v.s. $2.00/lb), so I usually get that as it tastes a lot better and retains more weight when cooked.

Lowest priced alternative meat I've found that is "lean" is pork sirloin chops (4g fat per 4oz serving), sold everyday at $3.18/lb. On sale drives it down to about $2.18/lb, but I rarely see that happen.

WHole pork loins are an awesome choice when they go on sale. As most all the fat is a skin on the top, you can partially freeze the loin and take a sharp knife to cut all the fat off at once. It should have little to no marbling in it.

 

[DoWork]

The best advice

Learn how to steal from the campus cafeteria.

 

[sinister94]

I've always had a tough time getting enough protein, some good ideas in here I think I'll try.

 

[sma]

If you want cheap this is cheapest

Rice biggest bag
Isolate protein
Blend protein
Cereals
Bread
Honey

Rice, protein get bought bulk

25bucks a week if that

 

[Dcv2]

In my college years and 20's it was :

Ground Beef
Peanut Butter
Oats
Sweet Potatoes and Yams
Chicken when it was cheap (usually dark meat)
Rice
Cheap veggies like Cabbage, Carrots, Onions to make some type of soup.
PB&J sandwiches
Whole Milk

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk 2

 

[tr]

I am on cruise and I have founf I save a lot of money now (I am from EU) because of not eating so much food lol
I do not have diet which I follow to dot every day but it looks something like I had yeasterday:
breakfast: 7-8AM
4 whole eggs
1 cup oatmeal

arround 12-1 I ate my lunch
6oz cooked chicken breast
3 slices bread with 1 slice cheese

prew had some low fat ice cream, banana coffee and 1 scoop craze

trained chest/shoulder/triceps (very high volume over 30 sets total)

postworkout was my dinner:
10oz cooked chicken breast, lotsa vegetables
3 bagels
1 tube low fat cottage cheese with greek yogurt
1 banana

before bad
1 chicken leg
3 chicken wings
vegetables

very simple, look like not enough food I have shrinked a little bit since my blast but hold way less water and even look leaner. I like this diet and it saves money