*Feed Your Family $10 A Day Challenge*(AT HOME)

[Nanu57v]

Yup - it's crazy I know. But - if I buy all the ingredients and make my own I end up wasting food b/c I can't finish it all before it goes bad.

And crazy as it sounds, it's such a norm in NYC that there is ALWAYS a line out the door of the place to even get a salad at lunchtime. And they are only 1 of about 6 places in my work neighborhood that makes these salads!

And what's worse is you could probably get an unhealthy Whopper meal for half the price of the salad. I hate when it costs more for healthy foods.

I am amazed at how well you all can save money! I am always trying to find ways to save money on groceries since we seem to spend sooo much! I don't think I can do $10 a day but I would definitely love to get the costs down.

I am on Weight Watchers so I try to eat what I love and still stay in my points range. My DH can really get his eat on! He loves to eat and works out at the gym a lot so he gets hungry REALLY fast. DD is only 2 1/2 so she eats hardly anything. Here is what is on the menu today:

Breakfast:
DH-
Grits .25
3 eggs .40
2 slices ham .85

Me-
Nectarine .40
Low Carb bagel w/tomato slice and FF cheese .75

DD and DNeph (1 year old-I watch him during the day)-
Cereal .50
Low fat milk .25
Sliced apples .15
DD had OJ- .30
DNeph had something from home in his sippy cup

Lunch:
DH-
Large Turkey Avocado Wrap (made at home) :
Avocado .44
Turkey 1.25
Tomato .10
Sliced Pepper Jack Cheese .30
Cream cheese .15
Large tortilla .25
100 cal pack Baked Cheetos .33
2 Nectarines .80
Can of Light Lemonade .20

DD and DNeph-
Mickey Mouse Ravioli .74
Chopped tomatoes .10
Sprinkle of parmesan cheese
Sliced carrots .25
Applesauce .42
Milk .50

Me:
Lean Cuisine 1.56
Sliced carrots .25
Applesauce .21

Snack:
DH-Zone bar .76
Me-String cheese .10
DD-Celery w/peanut butter and apple juice .25
DNeph-Gerber Graduates banana cookies and apple juice from home

Dinner:
BBQ Chicken 5.54
Corn on the Cob 1.00
Green salad 1.25
Rolls .88

Total: 19.39 and that is if DH does not come home with an ice cream Snickers bar and Red Bull from the convenience store.

I don't know how you all have the patience to figure all the amounts and prices for each item and then add it all up. This has taken me all morning.

Wow! You did an amazingly detailed job!!! My parents are visiting right now, and they bring food with them, so that's why I'm not participating yet, btw.

Who oversees this?

I teach kindergarten in a daycare center. The health Department reviews all of our menus.

We are required to serve 2 fruits and/or veggies, X ounces of milk or dairy (varies by age), a starch and some type protein with each meal.

We can't serve any type of canned pasta.(not enough meat) They prefer fresh fruit over canned. We can use canned if it's sugar free. We only use it if a delivery is late.

.

I posted this link a few pages ago, but I'll post it again: its the USDA food guidelines, should be the same in any state. Actually this page is an html, the other was a pdf. http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/care/ProgramBasics/Meals/Meal_Patterns.htm

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

Actually, the sugar free fruit is packed in pear juice. I feed this to all my babies/toddlers, as the canned fruit is softer than fresh and easier for them. #4, in particular, seems to have digestive issues with fresh fruit still (he's 16mo). I don't think Aldi's sells fruit packed in pear juice--they do extra light syrup, which may have the sweeteners you're trying to avoid. I get generics at the other grocery stores (Price Chopper, Hannaford--don't know if they have them where you are). Just an FYI. They also sell the individually packaged fruit in pear juice, great for travel. I know, not super for the budget, but I live rural, we can run out of fresh fruit for lunch boxes.

 

[dawn1967]

Actually, the sugar free fruit is packed in pear juice. I feed this to all my babies/toddlers, as the canned fruit is softer than fresh and easier for them. #4, in particular, seems to have digestive issues with fresh fruit still (he's 16mo). I don't think Aldi's sells fruit packed in pear juice--they do extra light syrup, which may have the sweeteners you're trying to avoid. I get generics at the other grocery stores (Price Chopper, Hannaford--don't know if they have them where you are). Just an FYI. They also sell the individually packaged fruit in pear juice, great for travel. I know, not super for the budget, but I live rural, we can run out of fresh fruit for lunch boxes.

We will eat canned pears in there own juice and Dole pinapple in it's own juice. But it does have to say in it's own. I see those motts applesauce that say sugar free and has aspramine or sobertol in it. I won't buy that. That stuff rips my stomach apart. If i use applesauce for my applesauce cake i just use unsweetened.

 

[Blondie]

Today I went grocery shopping for our family of four (me, DH, two teen sons) and spent $144.

Just last Friday I spent $163. A week prior to that I spent $152. That adds up to $459 and we're not even half way through the month of July yet!

And every Christmas I get a card from the store saying "thanks for being one of our top 50 shoppers, here's a $20 gift card to use in our store!"

There's no way I could feed my growing teen boys for $10.00 a day, nor do I really care to. If there's one thing I refuse to skimp on, it's their dietary needs. It might put me in the poor house, but at least we're eating healthy and abundantly! (I'm not implying that anyone here isn't, I'm just sayin'. ) My 17 y.o. is into body building and he's constantly eating!

 

[punkin]

My family makes a great spaghetti with tuna that even fish haters love. Sorry I don't know the recipe off the top of my head and by the time I get it you won't have enough time to make it.

Mickeyfan2, if you get a chance can you post this recipe in this thread (or PM me). I would like to have it for later in the week.

 

[carissanboys]

Mickeyfan2, if you get a chance can you post this recipe in this thread (or PM me). I would like to have it for later in the week.

I'd like it too Spaghetti and tuna are always things I have on hand.

 

[Nanu57v]

) My 17 y.o. is into body building and he's constantly eating!

I wish he'd have talked to my brother when he was into that. All my brother ate was protein shakes and dry toast for like a year!

 

[disneymom3]

There's no way I could feed my growing teen boys for $10.00 a day, nor do I really care to. If there's one thing I refuse to skimp on, it's their dietary needs. It might put me in the poor house, but at least we're eating healthy and abundantly! (I'm not implying that anyone here isn't, I'm just sayin'. ) My 17 y.o. is into body building and he's constantly eating!

Yep, the two teenage boys I think would make this impossible for any but the budget queens who manage to get a lot of their food for free from awesome couponing and sale skills. I don't have those. In fact, I am going back to school eventually to get my masters in counseling psych so I can become a therapist. DH and I have actually talked about the timing of this so I can be working by the time our boys hit their teen years. We just don't think we will make it on the current budget.

DS is 7 these are his meals today
Breakfast
1 bowl of oatmeal with milk, cinamon sugar and raisins
2 pieces of toast with pnut butter
1 glass of milk
2 glasses of water
1 glass of jluice
1 nectarine
4 oz of yogurt

Snack
Grahams crackers and dried fruit

Lunch
1 banana
1 turkey and cheese sandwhich on whole wheat bread
I don't know how many carrots or pieces of brocolli--he started out with 4 of each and he got more
Tortilla chips
Extra turkey--I think he had four more pieces, probably about an ounce each

Snack
cereal bar
grapes
carrots

Dinner
We went to Burger king and he got a kids cheeseburger meal and ate the whole thing. Soon after he said he was hungry again. I made him a smoothie with frozen strawberries and milk. He also had a piece of bread with pnut butter.

Man, that is a lot of peanut butter in one day! The trouble is that I run out of things to offer. I also see that he had 8 servings of fruit. That is a bit excessive! Maybe I need to start a new thread to get ideas of what else to feed this kid! I did mention that he is 7 right?? And his BMI is 14.5--he does not have a tapeworm--I asked the dr!

 

[snomofinn]

Teenage boys??? Have you ever seen 13 and 14 year old GIRLS eat??? I hear you.... My 13 year old and her friends eat everything! Seriously, there like human garbage disposals! they could eat 10.00 in snacks!!! between the bottle water, gatorade, pretzels and peanut butter, fruit, veggies and dip and last but not least..frozen bananas (chocolate covered of course)!!! (you know there watching their weight) Iam way over 10.00 in snacks! that's just for 1 day of hanging out! I give credit to all those families that could do 10.00 a day, I wish I could, but not in this house..Good luck!!!

 

[Blondie]

My body builder eats for a snack what some of us eat for dinner! I swear, I don't know where he puts it all!

And I'm about to give some of you budget minded posters a stroke. Today at the grocery store I saw these cute little "donut peaches." I've never seen them before and I had to try a few....at fifty cents EACH! It was the sweetest peach I've ever tasted! I might have to buy a few more next time I'm in there, which will probably be Friday when I'll drop at least another $100!

 

[Callie]

B:
6 eggs - 30 cents
6 pieces toast - 20 cents
Hash Browns - 50 cents
Total $1.00

Lunch
BLT's
6 Pieces Turkey Bacon - 50 cents
6 pieces bread - 20 cents
Tomato - 40 cents
Lettuce - 10 cents
Peanut Butter - 10 cents

Sun Chips 50 cents
Total : $1.30

Dinner
Italian Chick $1.00
Salad 30 cents
Rolls 40 cents
Total $1.70

Total For The Day $4.00 for 3 people

 

[NHWX]

Today I went grocery shopping for our family of four (me, DH, two teen sons) and spent $144.

Just last Friday I spent $163. A week prior to that I spent $152. That adds up to $459 and we're not even half way through the month of July yet!

I hear you! I've been reading posts and getting ideas but I think I'm destined to spend more than $300/month on groceries. I just went shopping today and MILK was nearly $4/gallon. We drink a lot of milk in this house, about 6 gallons over a week. And if the kids have friends over, we go through way more than that.

NHWX

 

[ilovepcot]

Only way I think I can put our budget into the $10/day realm is to substitute the meat we're eating with out of date cat food.

 

[dawn1967]

If it hits 108 again tommorrow i might just have us eatting ice pops instead.


Breakfast 1.25 for bacon and french toast for kids
me coffee. and what bacon little one doesn't eat

Lunch

Kids ham sandwiches and veggies .5
Me Zucchinni and onion saute free garden

Dinner
Cod fillets 2.99
rice .75
beans .25
Corn .79
tomato basil salad free garden

Snacks
popcorn
pbj crackers
ice pops
Total 1.

Grand total 7.53

 

[kmchar1]

July 11 (Wednesday) Plans:

Dh: free at work
Me: cereal bar (bought on sale .25), orange (.25), tea
DS (6 years old): Bagel Sandwich (bagel .25, 1 egg .10, slice of cheese .10), orange (.25), glass of milk (.25)
*total: 1.45

Snack:
DS: yogurt .50

Lunch:
DH: free at work
Me and DS (taking a picnic lunch to Ft. Wilderness): 1/2 bag of carrots and ranch dip (.75), grapes (.75), 2 Lunchables I got on sale at Target and with coupon came to .25 each (.50), bag of Baked Lays .50 and water
*total: $2.50

Snack:
Mickey Ice Cream Bar (just for DS and I can get a good cast discount at the Meadow Trading Post): 1.50
*total: 1.50

Dinner:
We are eating at my parents' but we are bringing Hamburgers (3.00 and they were B1G1 and so we have 12), Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns (1.00 on sale for 8), Corn On The Cob (12 for $2.00 at farmer's market). Parents will provide baked beans, fruit salad,and macaroni salad.
*total: 6.00

Snack:
Strawberry Shortcake my Mom is providing after our cookout.

Grand total: 11.95

 

[Todd&Copper]

The wallmart near me does not have produce. I actually like much of the produce at Aldi's. I got some lovely pineapples, peppers, mushrooms and lemons there today. I have gotten potatoes in the past (hit or miss) and onions (uniformly good) as well as good bananas, avocados and tomatoes. I spent $25 at Aldi's today. Not bad for two huge bags of groceries. The same at my local Giant would have been at least $50.

Where is the Aldi's in Maryland? I am assuming no where near Annapolis/Bowie, right?

 

[Nanu57v]

Only way I think I can put our budget into the $10/day realm is to substitute the meat we're eating with out of date cat food.

You know I was just thinking, my parents are visiting so I can't participate yet, but we spend $300 a month on groceries, plus another $100 on restaurants and DH's lunches. That's pretty darn close to $10 a day. I can't wait to join the game once I go shopping and save my reciepts to check. (of course the free food from my parents is nice too).

 

[Nanu57v]

Where is the Aldi's in Maryland? I am assuming no where near Annapolis/Bowie, right?

I looked it up for you...there are 15 in Maryland. A bunch in Baltimore,District Heights, Dundalk, Edgewood, Essex, Glen Burnie, Hagerstown, Hyattsville, Langley Park, Oxon Hill, Randallstown, and Reisterstown.

 

[punkin]

Where is the Aldi's in Maryland? I am assuming no where near Annapolis/Bowie, right?

I looked it up for you...there are 15 in Maryland. A bunch in Baltimore,District Heights, Dundalk, Edgewood, Essex, Glen Burnie, Hagerstown, Hyattsville, Langley Park, Oxon Hill, Randallstown, and Reisterstown.

The one I go to is on New Hampshire Avenue (I guess it's technically in Langley Park). The neighborhood is, shall we say, rather iffy.

My favorite vegetarian Indian place is around the corner from there, so I can take myself to lunch with the money I save.

 

[Todd&Copper]

Is the store interior kind of sketchy, or just the area? I've only been in one Aldi's (in Brick, NJ) and the store was dark and in ill repair and mainly sold a lot of processed foods - snacks, kids cereals - and canned goods. I don't recall if they had any fresh veggies or fruit.
Maybe the next time I go to the Glen Burnie Target I'll check out the Aldi's up there, since it is only about 5 more miles away.