I have to feed a family of 3 for 10 days on $65- what would you buy?

[Meliscious]

you can mash the beans and mix them with crushed up cereal or breadcrumbs and an egg or two to make the mixture stick together and fry them like burgers.

i make croquets with egg and cereal or breadcrumbs from tuna or salmon also.

you can change up ramen noodles or any kind of pasta with different types of recipes. my daughter loves ramen with a little peanut butter, a dash of oil, some hot pepper sauce, and chopped onion, grated carrot and cabbage. you can dice up just a small amount of cooked chicken or beef and add it if available.

i go to the grocery store to shop early in the day after they have marked down all the meat and fish and buy up whatever i can thats still fresh and on sale for up to 50% sometimes. i divide everything up into meal sized portions and freeze them.

 

[4meandthem]

Eggs
Dry Beans
Tortillas
Frozen vegetables
Canned tuna

Look for sale proteins. Large packs of chicken thighs are usually very cheap in my store and are very versatile. Sometimes ground turkey is BOGO -- also a versatile protein.

Obviously look for sales on other items

Ramen noodles fortified with frozen veggies isnt the worst thing to eat for lunch.

It's doable!!

Awesome!
You can also eat alot of pasta for cheap. A little butter and garlic or some parm with milk and a few egg yolks. Potatoes are cheap too. Home fries with alittle onion anyone? Your hubby could also volunteer at the food bank for a day or two in trade for some groceries. at least i heard they do that here.

 

[4meandthem]

Almost forgot dandelions from your lawn if you dont have pets and don't poison them. There are alot things that can be had for free with a hike or walk in the park.
We grew up eating lambsquarters which was weed in the empty lot behind my Grandmothers house. I wish I could find them in the grocery now that G-ma is gone.

 

[Constance]

The turkey is a great idea...check the ads or call around for the best price. Besides all the dishes you can make with the meat, you can boil the carcass for soup.
Also look for a 5 lb. box of scrap bacon...a box store will probably have this. Some will be nice enough to fry, while some can be cooked with dried beans or cheap canned green beans, and with corn bread, will make a tasty and filling meal.
Be sure to save the bacon grease for gravy. Homemade biscuits and gravy have kept a lot of people from going to bed hungry. Same with red beans and rice.

I suggest you inventory your cupboards, plan your menus, and make a comprehensive list of everything you'll need. For instance, if you don't already have salt, baking soda, baking powder, flour and shortening, it might be more economical to buy a box of generic biscuit mix. Same with the cornbread. You can buy a cornbread mix for 50 cents.

I remember one time when my kids were little, my ex and I had gone through an extra lean spell, and when he finally got a little overtime, he said it sure was nice to have a piece of meat big enough so that he needed a toothpick after he ate.

As my Granny-Great used to say, "You may as well laugh as cry!"

 

[CWS4322]

FWIW, the wheat harvest this year was down. I suspect we will see flour prices rising again.

 

[bakechef]

Some of my favorite money savers.

Check the price per pound of cheese in blocks, when on sale they can be pretty darned cheap, shred it yourself an sometimes pay half as much.

Quiche, made with your own crust is quite cheap and a good place to use up small amounts of meats and veg from another meal, or you can skip the crust and make fritatta. Eggs can be a really cheap protein source.

fried rice is also a good place to use up small bits of meat and veg from another meal.

Look for sales on frozen veg, they can often be found for around $1 per pound here when on sale. (not the steamfresh or sauced, just plain) This is often much cheaper than fresh produce and just as nutritious.

Stir fry is a great way to get by with much less meat per person. The meat that 2 people would eat as an entree, can serve at least 4 with a stir fry.

 

[Dawgluver]

I didn't see anyone mention it, but apply for food stamps, your hubby can do this. It's usually easy to do, and in some places, even on-line. They treat you with dignity and are there for just such cases as this.

Food stamps use a card now, much like a credit or debit card, unlike the food stamps/coupons of old. School breakfasts and lunches can also feed adults on your child's free or reduced lunch account, as well as younger sibs. Salvation Army, Red Cross, church food banks.

Peanut butter prices are supposed to go way up, get it soon.

Chili, stretched with rice, beans, corn or corn meal. Save any grease from bacon or sausage in a jar in the fridge for cooking/frying anything.

Sign your kids up for the Angel Tree at local stores, schools, and education agencies for Christmas gifts.

Prayers for you and your family.

 

[Addie]

Food stamps use a card now, much like a credit or debit card, unlike the food stamps/coupons of old.

It is called an EBT card. Electronic somethingorother Transaction. But everyone still calls them food stamps. And the new official name is SNAP. Supplemental Nutritional Assistant Program. But the public still calls them Food Stamps. The name will stick for ever.

 

[CWS4322]

There are also a number of things you might do to cut your monthly expenses (if you have not already done so).
1. Call your credit card companies (if you have credit cards and unpaid balances) and see if you can negotiate a lower interest rate.
2. Wash your laundry in cold water to reduce your utility bill.
3. Turn off your hot water tank during hours when power is more expensive or people are not home/using hot water (if it is electric). Wrap the hot water tank in a heat blanket (these are about $35 at most home hardware stores).
4. Cancel your cable / satellite TV or reduce the number of channels you receive.
5. If you have more than one cell phone, restrict cell phones to emergency calls only. Switch to a pay-as-you-go plan so the time on your phone is prepaid.
6. Do not renew magazine subscriptions when they come due.
7. Buy gas on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Find the gas station closest that typically has the lower price or get loyalty points when buying groceries (Price Chopper in NY does this) to get a discount on gas.
8. Plan your trips so that you aren't running one errand. Do as many errands as you can on one trip.
9. Use public transportation if possible.
10. Clip coupons.

 

[DebLynn]

Thank you for all the suggestions! We will certainly use them. Im looking forward to trying some of these recipes. DH has an appointment at the food bank tomorrow morning. He feels awkward and embarrassed going, but he has a list so he's not overwhelmed and the nice volunteers there will be waiting for him. They have told us that they are getting more and more families who have never been there before. Then we can supplement the milk and eggs and such at the grocery store this weekend. In all I am thankful this is hopefully a temporary situation for us. As soon as we can afford to do it, we'll be making a trip to the grocery store to fill up some bags to donate back to the pantry.

 

[CWS4322]

When DH and I were separated, I didn't qualify for food bank assistance. Dear friends brought me boxes of food. and homecooked meals. I really appreciated that and have done that when I've known friends are strapped (self-employed, don't qualify for assistance, vehicle repairs and heating fuel took all the money in the chequing account, etc.) For those who have friends going through a hard time, make extra and bring a picnic supper to a friend in need. Toss in a bottle of wine or a split of wine if you can. It makes all the difference in the world. DebLynn, if you lived in my neighbourhood, I'd drop off FRESH eggs and a big pot of homemade soup. Another thing, if you know if your hubby's ex-coworkers are in the same boat, you could pool cooking and eating together. Friends of mine have done that.

Your husband should not be ashamed. Times are really hard. Prayers with you and thoughts as well.

And, there are a lot of folks on DC who have been there (or are there) and can suggest ways to stretch that food dollar or cut expenses.

It does get better, but not immediately....hang in there.

 

[Sprout]

Have you thought about super couponing? It definitely takes a chunk of time, but your husband may be able to do it. I did it for a while before I just didn't have time. There weren't any good blogs for my area so I had to clip and organize the coupons, compare them all to the flyers, and then do the shopping. It was amazing, though. I did it for about 6 months. During that time I spent 125-150 a month for 2 adults and a toddler for food, cleaning supplies, makeup, toiletries, tp, general household items, etc. I stalked up on things cleaning supplies, makeup, and toiletries during that time. I stopped doing it a year and a half ago and have only gone through about 1/2 of my stockpile. If you're not looking to stock up, you could easily cut that monthly budget down. You may be able to find great blogs in your area, too. The woman who introduced me to it had local blogs in her area that told her all of the deals. All she had to do was clip and shop. She and her husband had 1 daughter and 5 sons and their monthly budget for everything I mentioned above was $300. Do a google search for super couponing blog + your area, coupon blog + your area, or frugal blog + your area. You have to be careful because a lot of the coupons are for processed junk food, but even if you don't use it for food, you can save a ton on non-food items. I got my Pantene hair products for cheaper than store brand or Suave.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Thank you for all the suggestions! We will certainly use them. Im looking forward to trying some of these recipes. DH has an appointment at the food bank tomorrow morning. He feels awkward and embarrassed going, but he has a list so he's not overwhelmed and the nice volunteers there will be waiting for him. They have told us that they are getting more and more families who have never been there before. Then we can supplement the milk and eggs and such at the grocery store this weekend. In all I am thankful this is hopefully a temporary situation for us. As soon as we can afford to do it, we'll be making a trip to the grocery store to fill up some bags to donate back to the pantry.

I'm glad you are moving forward with this!

When you do your shopping resist the urge to try too many new things just because they seem cheap. When times are tough I think it is important to stick with things that are familiar and come under the heading of comfort food. Nothing is a bargain if it creates additional stress trying to convince your family to eat it. Also try to hold back a couple of bucks for a small treat or two. The junior member of your family will need a couple of bright spots.

Please keep us posted on your progress! Good luck!

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Thank you for all the suggestions! We will certainly use them. Im looking forward to trying some of these recipes. DH has an appointment at the food bank tomorrow morning. He feels awkward and embarrassed going,.

Darling just tell him that it would be an honor for me to walk with him. I would also point out that I am proud to be amongst such caring people.This very cold wind is blowing across Europe as well. I could say more but ........

 

[Love2cook11]

I just wanted to echo potatoes! Even making a baked potato with broccoli (frozen) and a small cup of sour cream can be inexpensive. Best wishes, I have been there!

 

[DebLynn]

Thanks to everyone for the good wishes!! DH did go to the food bank. Thankfully they stocked meats and dairy as well as dry goods. We were able to get chicken, ground beef, bread, soups, etc. and we supplemented with what we could get at the grocery store. I've practiced stretching the recipes and I've done a good job. Ive made fried chicken, minestrone soup, spaghetti, red beans and rice as some meals. We've watched our portion sizes and had leftovers for lunches. I have enough left for 4 more dinners and the its payday! We were given another appointment next week, but most likely we will give our spot away. We hope this is a one-time situation, but if not, I know the kind folks at the food bank will be there. We would not have gotten through this otherwise.

The other day my 7 year old asked me, "how do people get rich so they can afford groceries?" I explained that everyone goes through a tough time sometimes. Thankfully we're a lot more fortunate than many.

 

[Dawgluver]

DebLynn, am so glad to hear things are working out for you! Stay strong!

 

[CWS4322]

Glad things worked out--with the holidays coming, I personally would still keep that option open. If I recall, your husband has been out of work for 6 months. The employment options in the States (and elsewhere) aren't great--not to be pessimistic, but keep that option open, IMO.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I am happy that things are working out for you!

IMHO I think you should keep your spot for a couple of weeks until you are on solid ground.

I wish all the best for you and your family during the holidays and in 2012!

 

[Claire]

You make me so glad that I channel my friends to certain local good works. It burns me when people are trying to get those with big bucks to send money to Africa or other countries, when it is so needed in our own communities. Do NOT feel embarassed about using your food bank. Yes, it can be hard. My husband and I are only retired, middle class people, but every Christmas season we throw a party, and the price of admission is something for our local food bank. We get more and more donations every year, and most people aren't exactly having a good time of it in this economy. So, please, please, use all the available sources out there for you in your time of need, then, remember, when you are back on the top, and you WILL be, turn around and toss a couple of cans or bags of food to your food bank.