Cheap way to bulk

[ImAWizard]

I am in college and have been making my own meals this semester. Ever since I started making my own meals I dont feel like I have been getting enough calories. What are some cheap meals and other foods that I can buy to ensure that I get enough calories? Also, how much do you guys usually spend per week on groceries? Thanks for the help.

[lsiberian]

I am in college and have been making my own meals this semester. Ever since I started making my own meals I dont feel like I have been getting enough calories. What are some cheap meals and other foods that I can buy to ensure that I get enough calories? Also, how much do you guys usually spend per week on groceries? Thanks for the help.

My college diet consisted of rice, pasta, and tortilla for grains(bread goes bad too fast)

Lean beef, chicken, shrimp, scallops, and lean jimmy dean sausage for meats.

I also had eggs and used frozen fruit and veggies for the side stuff.

Hope that gives you some ideas.

[SolidSteel86]

Wrap meat in bacon, stuff it with cheese or sausage.

[Technic]

Lots of bags of beans and rice and chicken breasts when they're on sale.

[Rencity01]

Tuna is your best friend.

[iPhoneSRQ]

milk

[franko man]

easy to increase calories by adding fat in your diet, cook meat in oil or add peanut butter to your oats/shake.. etc.
I actually find it easier to get enough calories when i DO cook for myself, because I enjoy what I eat

[Rodzilla]

Do you pay attention to overall macronutrients at all? I feel that sometimes guys over-emphasize the protein, which is generally the most expensive macrnoutrient.

easy dishes are usually various oatmeal mixes, pasta and meat/veggies, sandwiches.

Wait for sales, use coupons - it's silly not to.

Carbohydrates and fats are protein sparing, and usually the easiest to add calories.

Classic recommendations:
oatmeal
peanut butter
eggs
pasta
chicken thighs

what are you doing currently?

[ImAWizard]

Do you pay attention to overall macronutrients at all? I feel that sometimes guys over-emphasize the protein, which is generally the most expensive macrnoutrient.

easy dishes are usually various oatmeal mixes, pasta and meat/veggies, sandwiches.

Wait for sales, use coupons - it's silly not to.

Carbohydrates and fats are protein sparing, and usually the easiest to add calories.

Classic recommendations:
oatmeal
peanut butter
eggs
pasta
chicken thighs

what are you doing currently?

Thanks for all of the responses.

Here is what I currently eat:
Breakfast: Oatmeal with fruit and 1 scoop whey with milk
Lift: take whey with milk pwo
Lunch: Peanutbutter sandwich and milk
Snack: almonds and grapes
Dinner: chicken breast, ground beef, or pasta with vegtables and milk
Then i will usually snack on more almonds or make a sandwich.

Should I be keeping track of my overall macronutrients? Before this I have pretty much just dirty bulked since the dining hall didnt really have a lot of choices.

[Rodzilla]

Thanks for all of the responses.

Here is what I currently eat:
Breakfast: Oatmeal with fruit and 1 scoop whey with milk add PB, maybe some more fruit or cereal
Lift: take whey with milk pwoadd carbs here, cereal/granola/candy bar
Lunch: Peanutbutter sandwich and milk add a second sandwich, or make it bigger
Snack: almonds and grapes
Dinner: chicken breast, ground beef, or and pasta with vegtables and milk
Then i will usually snack on more almonds or make a sandwich.

Should I be keeping track of my overall macronutrients? Before this I have pretty much just dirty bulked since the dining hall didnt really have a lot of choices.

no need, it can be nice to have a rough idea of calories - but fumbling with numbers too much is tedious and unnecessary.

If you aren't gaining weight with what you're currently eating, you simply need to eat more.

I added a few recs in bold, it really doesn't look like you're eating much at all.

[timhet]

When it comes to calories, you can't go past oats and rice. They are cheap and nutritious.

The most expensive part is getting high quality protein. Theres no way really around that.

[ImAWizard]

no need, it can be nice to have a rough idea of calories - but fumbling with numbers too much is tedious and unnecessary.

If you aren't gaining weight with what you're currently eating, you simply need to eat more.

I added a few recs in bold, it really doesn't look like you're eating much at all.

Thanks for all of the help I will make sure to add in your recommendations.

[alex2363]

walmart has 2 pound of 'body fortess' protien mix..52 grms per serving, 14.99$

[NattyMeso]

Hamburger helper. around $3-5 for a box plus meat. easily covers 2-3 meals a day and had awesome macros.

Otherwise walmart supercenters have chicken breast always at 1.78/lb and 5 dozen eggs for 7-8 bucks. Their tuna is also super cheap.

[determined4000]

Rodzilla has the right idea
Here are some other cheap ideas for variety

Breakfasts: eggs with LF cheese/cottage cheese
make french toast/pancakes (eggs and flour are dirtcheap)

Lunch: Peanutbutter sludge and banana sandwich
Snack: make your own trailmix with dry fruit nuts, granola/favorite dry cereal
Dinner: ground beef,rice and beans with canned tomaotes
chili/stews (meat,potato,veg)
chicken breast,sweet potato w/PB, salad w/ oil

IMO dry beansis one of the best things you can buy because they are as cheap as most carb sources but have the added protein (which ismore $)

[determined4000]

Hamburger helper. around $3-5 for a box plus meat. easily covers 2-3 meals a day and had awesome macros.

Or you could make your own for 1/2 the price

[NattyMeso]

Or you could make your own for 1/2 the price

$3-5 including beef. Hard to find 90/10 ground beef cheaper and $4/lb I can get 80/20 all day for around 2-3.50/lb

[mileseperez]

go to sams club or bj's whole sale whatever you have around you when i go i spend maybe 80-90 bucks last me little over 2 weeks

2 10lb bags chicken breast - 40bucks
2 5lb bags frozen broccoli - 10 bucks
2 5lb bags oats - 10 buck
2 5 dozen eggs 12 bucks
2 3 lb frozen talipa - 18 bucks
10 lb bag potato 6 bucks

i get everything in bulk but i buy my steak and pasta at whole foods only bc i can get the people to cut me 6 7oz pieces so i dont have to cut it and mess it all up all i do come home and scale to make sure and the pasta at sams and stuff they dont sell whole wheat only regular so ya hope that helps man