this post was submitted on 24 Oct 2026
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First, if you can, try eating the potatoes with the skins. Less food waste, less time peeling, and it's where most of the nutrients and fiber are.
Next, consider something like canned beans. Not "baked beans" because those are mostly sauce and honestly kinda gross. Like a can of black beans or chickpeas or red beans or black-eyed peas. You can season them however you'd like, but they're good plain too. Versatile and can pair with almost anything. High in protein and fiber. And they're affordable.
Another option is dried beans which are the cheaper option per bean but they're more work to prepare because they need to soak. Lentils don't need to soak though, and a pound of dried lentils isn't too pricey.
If you can afford whole grain bread, it really does have much more nutrients than white bread. If you have a high metabolism, your body is just going to burn off all the empty carbs from white bread. Butter can add some easy fats too.
Oatmeal is another affordable option. Not the packets. Get the giant cylinder of instant oats. It'll last you many meals, and all it takes is some hot water. You can adjust to your preferred consistency, whether you like it thick and clumpy or a bit more soupy is up to you.
If you can eat nuts, find one you like and get a big bag of them. Larger quantities are usually cheaper by weight. Walnuts are pretty affordable. Lots of omega-6 fatty acids. You can even crush them up and put them in your oatmeal if you like that.
If you're not opposed to poultry, you can get a carton of chicken broth and drink maybe half a pint of it at a time. Heat it up first of course. It's very gentle on the stomach and can stimulate an appetite. Also provides lots of good fats which are what your body needs if you want to put on weight and keep it on.
If you don't eat meat, then vegetable or mushroom broth could do for stimulating appetite, just be aware that the fat content will be lower.
That's mostly what I can think of. If you have troubles with digestion you might want to consider live foods/probiotics like yogurt, miso, stuff like that. A little bit pricier but it can make a big difference if your GI tract just doesn't feel right. And again the larger containers are usually cheaper by volume.
Wait why are we suggesting more fiber to someone trying to gain weight? Fiber makes you feel full easier without giving you any real calories. Like... some of those are really good suggestions for losing weight for someone with a big appetite. However, OP said they have a small appetite and want to gain weight.
Because fiber is still important regardless of one's weight goals. It also aids in digestion meaning OP will absorb nutrients more efficiently, instead of pooping most of it out. They said they're on a budget, so why would they want the food they eat to go right through them without nourishing?
Besides, more full = eat less = groceries stretch further. So fiber is important for someone on a budget, even without counting the nutritional benefits.
Look, for just about every other case, I'd recommend eating a bunch of fiber, however:
I assure you, people can easily get most of the nutrients from food without fibers. In fact, overweight people don't usually eat much fiber at all.
Again, talking about a person who already has zero appetite and is at an unhealthy low weight, at least according to themselves. Eat less = die of malnutrition at this rate.
Overweight doesn't necessarily equate to over-nourished. Someone can be overweight and still have malnutrition. Fiber is important for everyone, regardless of body type.
Also, eating a fiber-rich diet isn't going to kill anyone, even if they are recovering from anorexia and need to put on weight. Feeling satisfied sooner because of the fiber content in a meal isn't the same thing as eating nothing. And it's more nourishing than low-fiber options.
Plus, in terms of gastrointestinal health, fiber can significantly improve appetite over time. So using no appetite as a reason to avoid fiber is a bit counter-intuitive.
Regardless, ideally OP will consult with their doctor and follow their advice. Lemmy isn't the place to get critical medical guidance. But when it comes to tips on simple, easy-to-digest foods to eat on a budget, which is what was asked for, I've offered my input. Beyond that, I'm not here to defend a thesis.
Beans also complete protein with potatoes. Humans should always easy beans with some carb. Rice, bread, potatoes, yams, corn.
You still need fiber though. It woud be remiss to give this person a recommendation without considering nutrients. You can't live entirely on bread and potatoes without supplementing other things.
Person said they're borderline anorexic and have no appetite. Person might literally not get enough calories if they up their fiber intake.