Want to and know how but

How much are chicken thighs or drumsticks? As that would be cheaper protein (and I think with more flavour than expensive breast), cooked then can be eaten hot or cold, so will keep a few days in the fridge. With some stock cubes in your cupboard, good for soups & stews with whatever veg you can tolerate & afford. The soups & stews will last a couple or three days too. Quite often there are some cheaper fresh veg on offer & any sticker veg, where they're up to the sell by. Also, frozen is often cheaper, so don't discount frozen chook, if no freezer space, leave out to defrost & use. You can buy most veg now, even frozen chopped onion. All okay for a few cheap but good meals. Then, as you need legumes, buy dried, cheaper & go further.

Can you get canned/frozen veg?

cdpm said:

family made meals which could be anything but most have some sort of sugar added as well as high carb,

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what are these? Who’s adding the sugar and carbs?

what does it mean by “no good freezer”?

cdpm said:

And my family believe that healthy foods are ok even if they raise the bs because they are healthy. Foods such as pasta. All fruits all vegetables. Yogurts. Potato.
I just can't prove this wrong even showing my bs when I have to eat them of how high it goes and stays .

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Who is cooking and buying the food? Whilst it’s frustrating if family aren’t on board, you don’t have to do as they say if you know better.

yoghurt is ok if it’s plain, Greek style. Berries are ok too.

cdpm said:

Yes we can still buy canned vegetables.
The freezer thaws foods. So it wrecks the food.
When my family cooks they add brown sugar or maple syrup.

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Can you get a new freezer as that would open up so many choices to you? There are often community schemes to help people in hardship or even second hand offers around where people ditch them for cosmetic reasons rather than functional.

Why are your family trying to slowly kill you off by feeding you brown sugar and maple syrup? They have no place in savoury dishes anyway. Have you actually outright asked them not to give those to you? (Not that it’s likely to be doing them any good either). Do they not care to learn even the most basic things about your diabetes and care of it? I’m shocked when families behave like this and if you like show them this message to help convince them it’s not in your head.

cdpm said:

I really shouldn't eat family made foods. Sometimes I do because I dont cook very well and want some variety. I'm glad that I mostly make my own foods so far.
So far what we do is keep aware of when we put foods in the freezer to get it used before its ruined. Until we can get a better one.
For example I have a bag of frozen peas I have to eat as they aren't doing so well. Its just that green peas are going to wack out my bs so I'm hesitant. But I can't waste them either.

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I still think getting a working freezer would be key to allowing you to bulk buy when things are on offer and batch cook and freeze for later, soups, stews etc. Can your family help with sourcing one?

cdpm said:

I agree and wish we could. But I literally have a bit more finances than my family. We have to use food banks. As the rents here are very bad. And even sharing rent leaves very little left for food.

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Have you investigated help for people in difficulty (maybe the food bank people can help) to find a freezer? What about local selling groups. We have a number of free give away sites (eg free cycle) where people literally give things away for free?

I’m lucky enough never to have used a food bank but can you talk with them about your medical needs and ask them to help you find less carby options when they are available?

Can you grow any of your own food? It’s pretty cheap and costs more in time than cash for the basics?Is there a farm nearby you could go direct to? Or a community food garden? Any government/council/charity/church food stamps or financial help for a freezer?

Things are obviously really difficult both with your diet and financial situation and I sympathise but things will only change if you make them change.

cdpm said:

Its just that green peas are going to wack out my bs so I'm hesitant.

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They are a lot better than pasta, rice, bread, crackers etc.