Cooking and Eating Well

What it is

Planning, shopping for, and cooking simple healthy meals on a budget — plus food safety and listening to hunger.

Why it helps you

Cooking saves money and keeps you well. If food was scarce or strict before, this is also about a calmer, kinder relationship with eating.

Good to have first

Food Right Now (for this moment), Everyday Math.

This opens up

Better health and a fuller wallet.

Where to get help

If you need food today, start with Food Right Now. This page is about cooking and eating once you have some food to work with.

Cook simple meals on a small budget

Spend Smart. Eat Smart. Low-cost recipes, short how-to videos, and tools to plan meals and shop. Made by Iowa State University.

Cost: Free
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Click “Recipes” and pick something with foods you already have. Or watch the short video on “unit pricing” to learn which size is the better deal.
Good to know: You need internet. No account needed.

Good and Cheap cookbook A free cookbook of tasty, simple meals made for a very tight budget. It is in English and Spanish.

Cost: Free
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: On the page, sign up with your email to get the free PDF.
Good to know: You need an email address. You will get the author’s newsletter, and you can unsubscribe.

Find your local Cooperative Extension office Every state has a university “Extension” office. Many share free guides on cooking, budgeting, and storing food. Some offer classes.

Cost: Free. Some classes may have a small fee.
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Pick your state, then find your county office. Call and ask, “Do you have any cooking or food budget classes right now?”
Good to know: Some free classes have ended because of funding cuts. Ask what is offered now.

Keep food safe

Cold Food Storage Chart A government chart that shows how long foods stay safe in the fridge and freezer. The free FoodKeeper app lets you look up over 650 foods.

Cost: Free
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Look up a food you have. Keep your fridge at 40°F or colder.
Good to know: Food kept frozen at 0°F stays safe. It may just taste less fresh after a long time.

USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline Call with any question about cooking or storing meat, chicken, or eggs. Example: “Is this chicken still safe to eat?”

Cost: Free
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Call 1-888-674-6854.
Good to know: Open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern time, in English or Spanish. You can also email MPHotline@usda.gov.

If food feels hard in a different way

If food was scarce, controlled, or used as punishment where you came from, eating can bring up big feelings. You might hide food, forget to eat, or eat past full. This is a normal response to what you went through, not a failing. These free lines are a good place to talk it over. They don’t replace a doctor or treatment.

National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline Talk with a licensed therapist who knows about eating problems. They can help you find care that fits your money and insurance.

Cost: Free
Who can use it: Anyone worried about food, eating, or their body, and the people who love them. You don’t need a diagnosis.
How to start: Call 1-866-662-1235. You can say, “I’m not sure if this is an eating disorder, but food is hard for me.”
Good to know: Open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time. They also run free weekly support groups, many online.

ANAD Eating Disorder Helpline Trained volunteers listen, offer support, and help you find next steps.

Cost: Free
Who can use it: Anyone. You don’t need a diagnosis.
How to start: Call 1-888-375-7767.
Good to know: Open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Central time. It is not a crisis line.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline If you feel unsafe or in crisis, at any hour, you can reach a counselor here.

Cost: Free and private.
Who can use it: Anyone.
How to start: Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org.
Good to know: Open 24 hours a day, every day.

If you only do one thing first

Pick one simple meal you like and make it this week. Rice and beans, eggs and toast, or pasta with a vegetable all count. Open the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. recipes and choose one with foods you already have. Eating regular meals, even plain ones, helps your body trust that food will keep coming. You get to decide what “eating well” means for you.

Watch out for

Food rules that cause fear. Online “wellness” voices may call cheap foods like canned vegetables “toxic.” Fresh, frozen, and canned foods are all good food.
Detox teas, diet pills, and powders. They cost a lot and can be risky. Your body already cleans itself. Ask a doctor before trying any of these.
Meal kit or app “free trials.” Many turn into weekly or monthly charges that are hard to cancel. Read the terms first, or use the free tools above.
Anyone can call themselves a “nutritionist.” If you want expert food advice, look for a “Registered Dietitian” (RD or RDN). That title needs special training and a license.
Old helpline numbers. The NEDA eating disorder helpline closed in 2023. If you find its number online, use one of the lines above instead.
Leaving food out too long. Put leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours, or 1 hour on a very hot day. Most cooked leftovers are good for 3 to 4 days.