Potatoes, carrots, onions, they’re all plentiful, and there’s always some cut of meat available.
Stew is simple, incredibly nutritious, and inexpensive.
In many cases a large crockpot can be your best friend.
Food preparation becomes as little as putting it all in the pot, and while useful cutting the vegetables and browning the meat isn’t necessary.
As far as bulking or cutting I don’t think this is a stew’s forte.
Stew is rather filling, and a lot of nutrition per bite.
You’ll be a healthy bodyweight living on stew. This may mean a more athletic size than huge.
At 20/21 I lived mostly on chicken stew. Over a period of six months I lost weight from about 240 down to around 210. I didn’t lose any strength, in fact gaining some, didn’t see more than the outline of the top two abs for a brief period, but my fitness went through the roof. I was a high rep and cardio machine. My groceries cost $35 weekly.
Simple fare is what lends itself best to physically sound individuals.
Internet fitness leads one down a path often unhealthy whether man or woman.
I can only speak from a man’s point of view, the ideal image for me as toted by the internet involves excessive preaning, and some amount of drugs.
As a guy ; keep your body hair, if/when you can grow your beard, don’t obsess over image, obsess over abilities, performance. Girls care about their scale weight (and would be better off not), men don’t.
Eat well.
Train hard.
Don’t be stupid, nor a pansy.
The rest works itself out naturally.
That’s healthy.
Persistence & Tenacity