With the economy at it’s current state, bulking can be a big problem financially.  Its hard to make cheap dishes each day, but you have to eat big to get the muscle you’re looking for.  Since I’m in the same boat as most of you guys out there, I’ve learned to eat big without breaking the bank. 

One problem with eating on a budget is you won’t get much variety.  There aren’t that many products out there to save money while bulking.  That’s ok though, you can use many different cheap dishes to accomplish our goal.  As long as you get the right amount of nutrients, you should be fine.  Try these foods out to save a couple bucks.   

Brown Rice

You’re going to need your major fuel source of carbs.  Brown rice is perfect for getting this source.  There are lots of cheap dishes for brown rice and a bag will last quite a while.  You can usually find a bag for $1.50 and it will last about 2-3 weeks.

Whole Wheat Pasta 

Here is another great source of carbohydrates.  They make many great dishes for lunch and dinner.  The cheapest I found in the grocery store was $1.32 a box.  This box lasts me 1 week.

Canned Tuna

 Tuna is one of the best protein sources you can find for a bulk diet.  It’s quick, easy, and very cheap.  Canned tuna is pretty dry so some people like to add ingredients to better the taste.  If you’re eating clean, no mayonnaise.  1 can will usually cost $0.60.

Spinach 

Vegetables are very important for a quality bulk diet.  You need all the right vitamins and minerals to decrease the chance of injury, increase muscle recovery time, and be at optimal fitness level.  A bag of spinach will last 1 week and cost about $2.00.

Cottage Cheese 

Cottage cheese is loaded with protein and not just the any protein.  Cottage cheese has casein protein.  This has a much slower absorption than whey or soy protein.  This is a great snack to have later at night before bed so that you have a continually intake of protein while you sleep.  Your typical container will cost $2.50  and last about 1 week.

Eggs 

Eggs are just another great cheap source of protein.  They contain lots of nutrients to enhance the bulking process.  A $2.00 carton of eggs will usually last 1 week.

Oatmeal 

This is a great food for bulking.  Its quick to make and provides the body with fuel for the entire day.  It’s very tasty especially at breakfast.  You can easily add flavor to oatmeal without adding to many calories.  Adding fruit is always a good way to flavor it as well.  A box of oatmeal will cost about $2.50 and will last 1-2 weeks.

Peanut Butter 

This one is my favorite.  When you are used to eating a very clean diet you enjoy your snacks the best.  Peanut butter is my bulk snack of choice.  You can use this with so many things.  I add it to fruit, crackers, bread, and even brocolli.  Its a great source of protein and monounsaturated fats.  Try not to over do it so you don’t pack on too much fat.  A large container of peanut butter costs around $7.00 and will last 3-4 weeks.

Milk 

And finally, I get to a bulking beverage.  Milk is king of protein drinks.  When bulking, stick to whole milk.  You want to get all the minerals and fats you can.  Milk also has casein protein like the cottage cheese. So milk is great for periods you need continued relesae of protein.  Add a little whey protein powder and you have yourself a bulking masterpeice, the protein shake.  Milk costs about $2.50 a gallon and that usually lasts me 3 or 4 days.

So there are a few products you can use when your doing a bulking diet.  Each item can be made into many different cheap dishes. Stick to these things and you can save some money while still gaining the muscle you’re looking for.

Learn more about proper nutrition with Tom Venuto’s Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle.

Travis

I haven’t done an article on nutrition in a while.  So, I thought I would write this piece to enlighten everyone on a delicious health food with some strawberry recipes. 

It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t enjoy good strawberry recipes.  Making them taste so good must be mother nature’s way of letting us know we should be eating them.  If you’ve ever tried a strict and clean diet, you know any leeway you can get on eating a tasty snack, you will take.  Strawberries are just the choice  for that. 

Packed with phenols and phytonutrients, these little guys bring many health benefits along with their great taste.  They are also high in vitamin C, maganese, and fiber.  Strawberries have been found to protect the heart,  fight cancer, and help with inflammation.  The anti-inflammatory properties of strawberry lessen the activity of an enzyme whose overactivty has been shown to contribute to unwanted inflammation.  Strawberries also contain antioxidants which has shown to protect cell structure and prevent oxygen damage to the body’s organs.

As a child, I know my parent’s told me to eat my carrots to keep my eyes strong bright.  Research published in the Archives of Ophthalmology showed eating 3 or more servings of fruit per day may lower your risk of age-related macular degeneration, the primary cause of vision loss in old adults.  This was compared to persons who consume less than 1.5 servings of fruit daily.

If you’re going to be eating strawberries, they should only be purchased a few days prior to use. Choose berries that are firm, plump, free of mold, and which have a shiny, deep red color and attached green caps. When you pick strawberries, they do not ripen further.  Avoid those that are dull in color or have green or yellow patches since they are likely to be sour and poor quality. Medium-sized strawberries are more flavorful than those that are larger. When finding strawberry recipes look at what is added to the fruit. You don’t want to ruin the healthy part of the dish.

Here is a tasty dish from EatingWell.com you can try next time you’re feeling like using some strawberries:

Green Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 3 cups watercress, tough stems removed
• 2 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries 1/3 cup fresh chives, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup toasted chopped pecan
• 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese

First, whisk maple syrup (or brown sugar), vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add spinach, watercress, strawberries and chives; toss to coat. Divide the salad among 4 plates and top with pecans and goat cheese.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving: 215 calories; 17 g fat (3 g sat, 9 g mono); 4 mg cholesterol; 15 g carbohydrate; 5 g protein; 4 g fiber; 209 mg sodium; 454 mg potassium.

This is only one of many strawberry recipes out there. Enjoy this dish which as you can see will be great to help get in those healthy monosaturated fats. You can find many more tasty snacks to enjoy in Tom Venuto’s ebook, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle.

Travis