Reddit mentions: The best dried jasmine rice

My apologies in advance, this is long.

My food choices are not quite as limited as yours, but as an extremely picky eater I can say you can definitely lose weight by continuing to eat things you like. There are a number of vegetables that I cannot eat either because they make me gag, so I just plain don't eat them. The weight loss for me is not a temporary thing, it's forever. So it doesn't make sense to continue to force myself to eat foods I hate for the rest of my life. It doesn't make sense for you either as it will not be a diet that you will want to stick to. For anyone who asks, I've seen a nutritionist about this and she says my diet is fine.

So this is what I did and I've lost 45 pounds since September. I've had some stumbles, but for the most part it's working fabulously for me. It may not work for you, but it's definitely something you should consider. The key to this whole thing for me is that I've been eating foods I love the entire time, so I never feel deprived. So I very rarely get the cravings for things like pizza or ice cream because I am getting full on other foods that are delicious. BUT when I do get a massive craving, I just give into it. For the pizza you love, schedule a day every week or two when you'll have it and not feel guilty about it. Eat as healthy as possible the rest of the day and enjoy the pizza. Don't feel like it's something you're never going to eat again. Because who lives life never eating pizza? Not me!

Make a list of all of the "whole" foods you will eat that you actually enjoy. This will include meats, vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, and whole grains. Don't be discouraged if this is a small list. (I cannot reiterate this part enough!) When I started trying to watch what I ate (not exactly "dieting" but just eating better) my list included hamburger, lean beef, white meat chicken, bell peppers, lettuce (iceberg only!), apples, grapes, bananas, and rice. That's it. Now go to someplace like Cooking Light or SparkRecipes and find recipes that contain those ingredients. Rachel Ray is also pretty good for quick and easy recipes though not always healthy. Don't stress if these recipes have things you don't like, as you can easily modify most recipes to contain only things you do like. (Since I love peppers most of the recipes I found were stir frys which included onions. While onions make these recipes taste pretty good, leaving them out was no problem.) Also, I'm a master at picking out things I don't like out of food. So sometimes I just make recipes as they're written and take out what I don't like.

For the next few weeks, don't change anything but your dinner and make a few of these recipes each week. Not every night because that's a lot of change and can be super overwhelming. Keep trying recipes until you have a few that you could eat every day if necessary. If you're dedicated to your rice and pasta, continue to have them with your dinner, just in a smaller portion. Like instead of eating a plate of pasta for dinner, make a stir fry or soup and put it over top of the noodles. Don't worry about portions yet either. Just find recipes that you love. Also try out brown rice. I really hated brown rice and wouldn't eat it until I came across brown Jasmine rice. It takes a little longer to cook but it's got the fragrant Jasmine rice smell and taste, but with all the goodness of brown rice. Plus, I get fuller on less of it. BONUS!

Once you have a core list of dinners that you love that fit your food requirements, find out how many calories you need a day to maintain your weight, (this equationgets thrown around a lot around here and I've found it's pretty close to what I need) and then subtract about 500 calories from that. That'll give you a solid weight loss of 1lb per week. Next, figure out the calorie counts in your favorite meals. Put those calorie counts somewhere you can find them easily (like on the fridge) or memorize them. I tend to make the same meals over and over so while I'm not technically "counting calories" I know how much of each of my favorite meals I can eat without going over my calories for the day. Then increase or decrease the portion sizes of your meals to get within your calories for the day.

Once you have dinner figured out, you can start working on your other meals. Since you like apples for lunch (I do too!) perhaps try eating them with peanut butter (or any nut butter that strikes your fancy) for a little more protein. Maybe some cheese. Since you like carrots and green beans, bring a handful of each to eat with your apple. Since you like turkey, maybe try eating a couple slices of deli turkey in a low carb wrap. My husband is also Type 2 and he and I both love Flatout Flatbread. Those are also good to make personal pizzas. Just top with sauce and cheese and throw into the oven until the cheese is melted. Delicious. I also love bread and carbs so I eat a sandwich every day with low carb bread, usually Aunt Millies 5 Grain bread. Or if you don't like doing that, bring leftovers of those amazing dinners you've been making!

The goal here is to eat as many "whole" foods as possible, that taste delicious, and will keep you in your calories for the day. I still have snacks pretty regularly, but I've made sure that if I eat them they won't put me over my goal for the day.

I am always happy to answer more questions or help you out in any way. Losing weigh is difficult for anyone, but especially so for those of us who are limited in the things we'll eat. So any help I can give, I will.

TLDR: Eat foods you love in smaller portions, have treats occasionally, focus on whole foods.

Late to the game, but I thought I would throw my two cents in anyway.

First off, in terms of cost - it sounds like you're buying prepackaged foods almost exclusively. Don't do that. There's nothing wrong with having a box or two of rice in the pantry for a last minute dinner or a lazy day, but you guys are wasting so much money that way. Get a 5 lb bag of rice - it seems like a large coat up front but will save you so much money. For example, this bag costs $38.89 on Amazon, or 12 cents per ounce. A box of Rice A Roni has 7.2 ounces, so if you're paying $2/box, then that's 28 cents per ounce. Making your own rice from scratch will cut those costs in half.

Your girlfriend's veggie costs also baffle me. Nobody should ever be buying single serving bags of mixed veggies and eating them on a daily basis, it's absurd. Buy big bags of freezer-friendly veggies when they're on sale - spinach, peas, etc. Buy fresh carrots, onions, broccoli regularly, they're cheap, versatile and can last you the whole week. For other veggies for her, buy what's on sale that week. Look for produce on markdown because its bruised or soon to expire - if you can use them in that night's dinner, they're fine and can save you money. The same goes for meat. Look for "managers special" products - they're nearing the sell by date and have a steep discount. As long as you use them that night or freeze them, they're completely safe.

You also need to look at the stores you're shopping at. Do you have an Aldi, Save A Lot or other discount store nearby? They can offer considerably cheaper prices on the basics and are worth visiting. Just know what your staples cost at your normal store - just because the store overall is cheaper, that doesn't mean that specific item is. Keep an eye out for sales on items you use regularly and stock up when they're cheaper. It will save you money in the long run.

Of course, none of that fixes your pickiness. First things first, corn and sweet potatoes aren't vegetables. They're both starches. Sweet potatoes are super healthy, but it's not a veggie and shouldn't be treated like one. So as it stands you claim to not like a single vegetable, which I have a hard time buying. You eat like a toddler, and it's setting a terrible example for your son. Have you even tried your girlfriend's dinners? If you didn't like them, the frozen veggies are likely to blame. Common ones in stir fry blends like broccoli, carrots and peppers tend to get mushy and tasteless. Make it a goal to try one or two new foods each week, and if you don't like them, figure out why - are you reacting to an unfamiliar taste or texture? Is it prepared badly? Are you disliking the seasoning or sauce moreso than the actual veggie? If not and you just dislike it, ok. It's ok and normal to dislike some things, it's not ok to dislike *everything." If you're at a restaurant and somebody orders something you haven't tried, or your girlfriend makes a dinner you haven't tried, ask for a bite. All you're risking is one mouthful of bad food, while you could gain a new ingredient or dish to work with! It's pretty low risk. Also, try working new dishes into the foods you like. Make your own turkey burger patties and add in spinach and some caramelized onion. Add beans, cheese and salsa to a baked sweet potato. Pair new tastes with familiar things you like to ease the transition. But at the end of the day, you're making a choice to be picky and nothing's going to change until you work on it.

Meat/Protein/Milk:
[Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light Tuna in Water, 3-Ounce Easy Open Cans (Pack of 24)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0012271RA/)

[Starkist Chunk Light Tuna in Water, 5 Ounce (Pack of 10)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001IH8ERA)

[Kirkland Signature chicken breast, packed in water, premium chunk, 6 12.5-ounce cans]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YPJKBC/)

[Hormel Black Label Fully Cooked Bacon - 72 ct]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F54QG1S)

[Nestle Carnation Instant Nonfat Dry Milk, 25.6-Ounce]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004VITI0K)

Crackers/Snacks:
[Nabisco Original Premium Saltine Crackers Topped with Sea Salt, 3 Pound]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004WN7DNS/)

[Pepperidge Farm Baked Goldfish Crackers - 66oz (4.1 lbs)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CBCJGE)

[Nabisco Honey Maid Graham Crackers 4-14.4oz Boxes]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001G4LRDI/)

[Snyders Mini Pretzels Tub, 40 Ounce]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MZQM6O/)

[Stauffer's Original Animal Crackers - 4lb 14oz tub]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NC8HS6/)

Pasta/Sauce:
[Kraft Blue Box Macaroni & Cheese, 7.25-Ounce Boxes]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019RLJV2/)

[Barilla Meat Sauce Gemelli Italian Entree, 9 Ounce Microwavable Bowls (Pack of 6)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B2JRNBM)

[Campbell's SpaghettiOs plus Calcium, 15 Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GH8IJ8)

[Chef Boyardee Big Beef Ravioli, Overstuffed, 15-Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XUJ3RK/)

[Chef Boyardee Mini Ravioli, 15-Ounce Units (Pack of 24)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BCVDXO)

[Chef Boyardee Jumbo Spaghetti and Meatballs, 14.5-Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XUJ47O/)

[Campbell's Raviolios, 15 Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GH6X86/)

[Barilla Pasta Sauce Variety Pack, 24 Ounce Jars, 4 Count]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FQGP20Q/)

[Ragu America's Favorite Pasta Sauce Traditional Old World Style Sause 2 Pound 13 Ounce Value Jars (Pack of 3)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003CU5UXC)

[Barilla Spaghetti Pasta, 32 Ounce Boxes (Pack of 6)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00338DSQ4/)

Soup/Chili:
[Campbell's Chunky Classic Chicken Noodle Soup, 15.25 Ounce Microwavable Bowls (Pack of 8)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000V6L2FK/)
-This product has a drop down that has all the other campbell soups in bulk too, just make sure it still says Prime after you've selected.

[Campbell's Chunky Healthy Request Sirloin Burger with Country Vegetables Soup, 18.8 Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0029TJTQG/)

[Campbell's Chunky Creamy Chicken & Dumplings Soup, 18.8 Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014EW4L4)

[Campbell's Homestyle Healthy Request Mexican-Style Chicken Tortilla Soup, 18.6 Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014EOVI8/)

[Campbell's Chunky Roadhouse Beef & Bean Chili, 19 Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014EW4N2)

[Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup, Chicken Flavor, 3 oz, 36 Packs]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CUGD9Y)

Bread/Tortillas/Stuffing:
[Stove Top Stuffing - (6) 8 oz. pouches]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004BL6ZJ4)

[Bisquick All Purpose Mix, 80 Ounce]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0028B9ZGE)

[Mestemacher Bread Whole Rye, 17.6-Ounce (Pack of 6)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00472672C/)

[Mestemacher Bread Three Grain, 17.6-Ounce (Pack of 6)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00471YHU2/)

[Jiffy, Corn Muffin Mix, 8.5oz Box (Pack of 6)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006NN0J9A)

[Ortega Flour Tortillas, 14.3 Ounce (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009GGVQFC)

[Ortega Tortillas, Whole Wheat, 16 Ounce (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F9TDJEQ)

Fruit/Veg/Beans:
[Idahoan Mashed Potatoes, Four Cheese, 1.5 Ounce (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D3J98D0)

[Sun Maid Natural California Raisins, 32-Ounce (Pack of 4)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UKJS68)

[Libby's Organic Cut Green Beans, 14.5-Ounces Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040PUGZ0)

[Libby's Organic Sweet Peas, 15-Ounces Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040Q0TPQ)

[Libby's Organic Whole Kernel Sweet Corn, 15-Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040PWYVO/)

[Libby's Fruit Mix -chunky In Pear juices Concentrate, 15-Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040PYG9W/)

[Libby's Organic Dark Red Kidney Beans, 15-Ounce Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040Q0JWO/)

[Libby's Organic Pinto Beans, 15-Ounces Cans (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0040PYXXG/)

[Sylvia's Collard Greens, 14.5 Ounce Packages (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002TXF62S/)

[B&G Foods Ortega Black Beans, 15-Ounce (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005D6E336/)

[Old El Paso Refried Beans, Fat Free, 16-Ounce (Pack of 12)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00374W630)

Rice:
[Nishiki Premium Rice, Medium Grain, 15-Pound Bag]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004NRLAVY/)

[Botan Musenmai Calrose Rice, 5-Pound Bags (Pack of 4)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001SAQDT8/)

[Dynasty Jasmine Rice, 20-Pound]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004NRG77Q/)

Breakfast:
[Carnation Breakfast Essentials, Rich Milk Chocolate Powder, 10-Count Envelopes (Pack of 6)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0037YXQMA)

[Quaker Instant Grits Flavor Variety 50 Pack Variety Value Box]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027INRDA)

[Golden Grill Russet Hashbrown Potatoes(48 servings)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00470NIOO)

[Quaker Instant Oatmeal Packets Variety Pack, 52-Count]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O9WEY2/)

[Pop-Tarts Toaster Pastries, Frosted Strawberry, 36-Count Box]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZXCA2U/)

[Kellogg's Pop-tarts Frosted Toaster Pastries, 24-Strawberries & 24-Brown Sugar Cinnamon-, 86 Ounce]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008QP5LIC/)

[Rice Krispies Toasted Rice Cereal, 18-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 4)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001E6GL66/)

[Quaker Chewy Granola Bar, Variety Pack, 8-Count (Pack of 6)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005ER1AEE)

[Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars Oats 'N Honey, 96-Count]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LTM29M)

[Nutri-Grain-Kellogg's Cereal Bars Variety Pack, 48-Count]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LTIDR2)

PB&J:
[Peter Pan Creamy Peanut Butter, 40-Ounce Jars (Pack of 3)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00295IGHS)

[Jif Creamy Peanut Butter, 48 Ounce, 2 count]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0094IN7UE)

[Planters Peanut Butter Crunchy, 28 Ounce (Pack of 4)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004R8L712)

[Planters Natural Creamy Peanut Butter, 26.5 Ounce (Pack of 4)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005DDC3JK)

[Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Spread 35.3oz Jar]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008IGB0QQ)

[Welch's Concord Grape Jelly 2 ~ 32oz Jars]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TKZ7A0)

Other Stuff:
[Hormel Compleats Meals - VARIETY FLAVORS (6 - 10 Ounce Microwavable Bowls) - Beef Stew, Meatloaf, Roast Beef, Spaghetti, Chicken Alfredo, Turkey & Dressing]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D5WZUFA)

[Heinz Ketchup, Relish and Mustard Picnic Pack, 3 Bottles]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XLOOCS)

[Heinz Tomato Ketchup Jug, 114 Ounce]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00112AM2C)

[McCormick Taco Seasoning Mix, 24-Ounce Unit]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003OJ0MU2)

[Tone's Spices Taco Seasoning Traditional Blend for Mexican Dishes - Net Weight 23 oz]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000P00HXA)

Addon items (Free shipping with Prime for orders over $25!)
[Cheerios Cereal, 21 Ounce (Pack of 2)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L1KPV7U/)

[Honey Nut Cheerios Cereal, 21.6 Ounce (Pack of 2)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KYW1K26)

[Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal, 23.6 Ounce (Pack of 2)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KYW24WQ)

[Raisin Bran Crunch Cereal, 18.2 -Ounce Boxes (Pack of 3)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006W5WAL4)

[Planters Peanuts, Dry Roasted, Lightly Salted (Bonus Pack), 20-Ounce Packages (Pack of 2)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JD8Y2HC)

[Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise, 30oz]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LQTTVY)

[Kraft Mayonnaise, 30-Ounce Jars (Pack of 2)]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VMW0KC/)

[French's Classic Yellow Squeeze Bottle Mustard 14 oz]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00061EOP0/)

[Heinz Tomato Ketchup, 38 Ounce Bottle]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009GFW8C8)

[Planters Creamy Peanut Butter Jar, Natural, 15 Ounce]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005DDC3JK)

[Domino Premium Pure Cane Granulated Sugar 4lb Bag]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004LAZ8SO)

[Pillsbury Best All Purpose Flour, 5 Pound]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005EOTMA6)

[Morton Iodized Salt 26oz]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0019N87XE)

[Church & Dwight #01110 16oz Arm & Hammer Baking Soda]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001B2W09A)

[Morton's Salt, Mccormick Pepper Pack, 5.25-ounce Shakers]
(http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0005YMEFK)

Every night I have a base of either quinoa or rice, prepared in my rice cooker with various vegetables and spices. If rice, I'll roll it up with nori for homemade veggie rolls.

With dinner I have a 12 ounce glass of water with two tablespoons of flax and one tablespoon of chia.

I buy my pinto beans and black beans loose in bulk at the local grocery store when picking up my vegetables, usually around 5 or 6 pounds of each at a time.

Cumin, garlic powder, tahini, and dry garbanzo beans go for a good homemade hummus in a food processor. Needs a fresh lemon or two squeezed into the tahini. Original recipe had olive oil and salt, I leave out the oil entirely and either cut the salt down to a dash or none at all.

I keep oats and almond meal on hand to make pdb cookies with the same food processor, just add a banana or two, cinnamon, nutmeg, almond butter, and raisins if you like. The original recipe called for dates and I said eat me I'm doing raisins.

I got peppermint in bulk to make tea with, both by itself as well as mixing with chamomile, mugwort, etc.

I keep almost all of the above in these convenient cereal containers to both extend shelf life, shelf space, and remove any branding or advertising. Mason jars are also awesome!

Don't forget you can dehydrate your own food as well!

Edit: I don't work for Amazon, I just live no-car and order like this to survive!

Brown rice (Amazon sells 25 lb bags of Lundberg Organic for $75 - that's about 500 calories per $1!), oats, whole grain pastas, nuts, seeds, starchy root vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, beets), pulses (beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas), dried fruit are some of the foods I order in bulk and can be quite cost effective. They are all also incredibly healthy and can yield adequate nutrition, even if eaten exclusively (with the exception of Vitamins D and B-12).

Free dude: http://www.amazon.com/Roland-Premium-Jasmine-Thailand-20-Pound/dp/B000UXVIYO/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1255650910&sr=8-8

Plus they have some kind of subscription deal that saves you an additional 15%.

I ordered this one from amazon about 2 weeks ago & with free shipping it was ~$2.30/lb. The rice isn't as clean/chunky as the RiceSelect stuff, and I haven't cooked with it yet, but it's the cheapest Arborio I've found.

https://www.amazon.ca/Lundberg-Family-Farms-Nutra-Farmed-Rice-Organic/dp/B0013JS3PQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1526316390&sr=1-1&keywords=rice+bulk

Through Amazon I've found Yoga, Success, Minute, Augason Farms, Ralston Family Farms all have Certified GF labeling. There seem to be more products (pastas, flours) that are made from certified gluten-free brown rice, than the actual rice. No idea where they get their rice from, but maybe you could try those?

I just bought this rice at my grocery store for $2. It's $7.50 on amazon. I'm aware these differences exist. My point is that things are more or less expensive at lots of places. I could give you plenty of differences that are $5 or more with local stores compared to online, online stores compared to other online stores, or local stores compared to local stores. As far as I'm aware, there is no one place that has cheaper everything than everywhere else.

But in a veggie diet you get most of your calories from butter, cheese, flour, rice and sugar which I'm sure are cheaper than Oreos. Comparing the calories in Oreos with frozen veggies is disingenuous.

0.10cents/oz for rice and 349cals per 100grams (349x2.8) is about 988cals/$

On a seperate note, you can't buy bulk rice in walgreens or safeway? That's crazy! Do people not buy rice in bulk in America?

Not sure about your particular situation, but there is a type of rice called "broken rice" that is common in Vietnamese cuisine that is basically (now) the rice that is broken in harvest, transport, packaging, etc. It's possible that some of those grains that are halfway to completely broken just got in your bag.