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

[OKWAnneMarie]

I would love to be back in Brooklyn with the asian vegetable stores on every corner. You have no idea what it is like outside of NY. The prices are astronomical for fresh fruits and veggies. Every time we go visit friends in LI, I stop off the belt parkway in Brighton Beach and load up on fresh fruits and veggies. It is less than half of what I pay for most things here in MD.

Actually, even though I frequent my local Asian produce store (I love the owner), I get alot of my produce in Costco and Fairway markets. The quality and prices are usually better.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

I would like to clarify my post a little bit, just in case it was confusing. With the produce club at Parke's, you call 1 hr before you'd like the basket and then go pick it up, they do the picking for you. You don't have much control over what you get in the basket, but you can tell them what you don't like and what you would like extra of. I have extra tomatoes noted for my baskets. I would like to know the name of the one in Tampa as well, since I work with mostly Tampa folks.

Parke's is Approx MLK (S.R. 574) and just west of Branch Forbes Rd.

That may not be as far as I thought. How far from I-4 on BFR is Parke's? Thanks again

 

[DawnS]

Ok I'll post what we ate for yesterday and today. Family of myself, DH,DD10, DS 9 months

Yesterday:


B: Egg .30 canadian bacaon .90 and cheese slices .30 on ww english muffin 1.00 OJ 1.50,coffee and cantelope chunks .75 total 4.75

S: cherries 1.50

L; chicken salad 2.99 on ww bread, .65 baked chips 1.00 carrot sticks, pepper strips, and cucumber slices 1.00 lemonade .25 total $5.89

D: ribeye steaks 12.00 on grill sweet potatoes 1.69green beans 1.49 ice tea total $15.18

Toal for the day:$27.32 Way over $10

Ok so let's see for today

B: cheerios free w/ coupon and milk.25 bananas .15 coffee, hard boiled
eggs .30 total .75
S: watermelon 1.00

L: ham $1.00 and cheese .30 on ww bread .65 yogurt .80 lemonade .25 total 3.00
s: cherries $1.50
D: shrimp fetttecene alfredo $7.00, ceaser salad 2.00 garlic bread $1.00
key lime pie for dessert $1.50 total $11.50
total for the day $16.00

I dont' see how some can feed their families for so little. At least now that its summer produce is cheaper so that helps out my budget some.

Dawn

 

[Sorsha]

I dont' see how some can feed their families for so little. At least now that its summer produce is cheaper so that helps out my budget some.

Dawn

I think what it comes down to, really, is just a matter of personal choice.
Some people choose to not buy much meat or fresh produce, because it is more important to them to stay withing their budget. Some people choose to buy all organic, because the peace of mind that they get from it is more important than keeping a strict budget. Some people choose to limit themselves to very small or strict portion sizes, because of the budget, or because they want to strictly control weight and health, or because their families just don't eat that much. This thread just shows how different our choices are!
I, personally, choose to buy meats, and lots of it, because my family likes to eat steaks, and roasts, and chicken, and fish; and they do NOT think hamburger or tuna qualifies as a "meat" more than once a week or so. I choose to buy lots of fresh and frozen veggies, because they are good for us and, truely, just cause I like them! I choose not to make my own bread or pasta - I *know* homemade is better for you, but I just don't don't have the time nor the patience - its just not my thing. Finally, I choose not to limit my families' portion sizes - if we are hungry, we eat... if we need more, we make more! I always cook more than we need and we always have leftovers!
Anyhow, those are just *my* choices - as in everything, everyone has their own preferances - YMMV!

 

[wdw_dine_junkie]

That may not be as far as I thought. How far from I-4 on BFR is Parke's? Thanks again

Actually now that I think about it, from I-75N you wouldn't have to go all the way down to the Branch Forbes exit, you can get off on McIntosh Rd, the exit before Branch Forbes, turn right and go down to Hillsborough (92) and make a left. Take that to Tanner Rd (which is before you get to Branch Forbes), make a right and the farm is on the left, but closer to where Tanner Rd. meets MLK. About a mile from 92 i'd say, but that's a guess. not too far.

 

[punkin]

punkin,
I know this is a really dumb question, but could you explain some of the food you list? Some things sound interesting, but I don't know what they are. For example, Farmer's cheese, edamame, etc... Sorry, for being so dense. I'd love to add some new things to our menu though.

Farmer cheese is a very dry cottage-type cheese. Friendship is the brand I use. I use it as cream cheese on bread but it has much fewer calories. "lifetime" is another good brand and they have non fat versions. My grandmother used to make her own and if I could get my hands on some raw milk, I would too.

Edamame is soybeans in pods. They come frozen. You boil them in the pod for about 5 minutes, sprinkle a little salt on top and serve hot. The kids love to get them out of the pods with their teeth to eat.

Just ask if you need to know anything else.

 

[dawn1967]

Farmer cheese is a very dry cottage-type cheese. Friendship is the brand I use. I use it as cream cheese on bread but it has much fewer calories. "lifetime" is another good brand and they have non fat versions. My grandmother used to make her own and if I could get my hands on some raw milk, I would too.

I can not find farmers cheese here unless i go to the specialty stores. I remember eatting that on pumpenickle bread in the am or on a nice salt bagel. How i miss the east coast at times.

 

[punkin]

I can not find farmers cheese here unless i go to the specialty stores. I remember eatting that on pumpenickle bread in the am or on a nice salt bagel. How i miss the east coast at times.

where are you? I think "lifetime" is out of Chicago, not east coast (I could be wrong) As far as bagels. Ha, I live in MD. They eat "cranberry bagels" around here. There is one halfway decent bagel place here which opened recently. It is passable.

 

[disneymom3]

How do you use a quarter of the bag for 6 people??? We use a whole bag for my family of 5 each time we sit down to dinner. I really am amazed with how little some people seem to eat.

Really? I would love it if my family ate that much salad at one meal, but sadly they don't. We are thrilled that we actually have the youngest eating salad at all! We use about a third of the bag each time I would say. Sometimes up to half the bag but we have never used it all in one meal.

Not doing good on my budget today. Having an MS flare up so I am doing what I can just to get by.

 

[punkin]

Well, it's 5 pm. DH is coming home in an hour. I have no dinner and nothing planned. Children are not hungry cause they just had some chicken soup to "tide them over."

What should I make? I have a full pantry and fridge, but no meat currently defrosted.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Farmer cheese is a very dry cottage-type cheese. Friendship is the brand I use. I use it as cream cheese on bread but it has much fewer calories. "lifetime" is another good brand and they have non fat versions. My grandmother used to make her own and if I could get my hands on some raw milk, I would too.

Edamame is soybeans in pods. They come frozen. You boil them in the pod for about 5 minutes, sprinkle a little salt on top and serve hot. The kids love to get them out of the pods with their teeth to eat.

Just ask if you need to know anything else.

Thanks for the explanations. I don't think I've ever seen Farmer Cheese, but I'll look for it specifically next time. I like "Light 'N' Lively" fat free cottage cheese. I eat it with fruit. I use fat free cream cheese on bagels. No creativity there. We do love trying new things though. I think you listed a couple other things earlier that I didn't know what they were, but was too embarrassed to ask. If I happen upon it again, I'll ask this time.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Farmer cheese is a very dry cottage-type cheese. Friendship is the brand I use. I use it as cream cheese on bread but it has much fewer calories.

Where I live farmers cheese is a lower calorie cheese but nothing like a dry cottage-type cheese. It is the softness and consistency of American cheese but far tastier.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Really? I would love it if my family ate that much salad at one meal, but sadly they don't. We are thrilled that we actually have the youngest eating salad at all! We use about a third of the bag each time I would say. Sometimes up to half the bag but we have never used it all in one meal.

Not doing good on my budget today. Having an MS flare up so I am doing what I can just to get by.

Salad seems to be something people love or they don't really care for. My family of 3 (DH, DS(15), & myself) eats a bag of salad, when I use it as a side dish. That's several times a week. Sometimes, I add baked chicken & we eat 2 bags as a meal. I add garlic bread or some other type of bread. My DS will eat an entire bag alone twice a day, if we have it. He prefers salad over anything I can feed him. My DH, on the other hand, is more of a meat & potatoes guy. I have to attempt to reach a happy medium.

 

[punkin]

Where I live farmers cheese is a lower calorie cheese but nothing like a dry cottage-type cheese. It is the softness and consistency of American cheese but far tastier.

really? i can't imagine what that is.

 

[punkin]

This is a cut and paste from the Friendship website. http://www.friendshipdairies.com/products/summary_farmer_cheese.php


Farmer Cheese (Dry Curd Cottage Cheese)

Available in 7.5oz. and
1lb. packages
The Story of Friendship Farmer Cheese

Farmer Cheese was the first product Friendship Dairies, Inc. manufactured more than 90 years ago. Farmer cheese is an Old World style, fresh, pressed curd cheese made from Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Skim Milk, Cream and Salt. Farmer Cheese is relatively low in fat, containing approximately 2.5 grams of fat per one ounce of cheese.

 

[mickeyfan2]

really? i can't imagine what that is.

I kept thinking it was odd to eat it with jelly.

BTW my favorite is veggie farmers cheese.

 

[punkin]

I kept thinking it was odd to eat it with jelly.

BTW my favorite is veggie farmers cheese.

If it's like American Cheese, I'm sure you thought we were nuts.
Can you post a link to a picture or something? It must be reagional that you call something different "farmer cheese." Where are you?

 

[mickeyfan2]

If it's like American Cheese, I'm sure you thought we were nuts.
Can you post a link to a picture or something? It must be reagional that you call something different "farmer cheese." Where are you?

Lancaster Country

I can't find a photo. I am not sure what the brand of the cheese is.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

Here's a recipe (I vary it by ising V-8 sometimes, sauce sometimes)

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 sm. onion, sliced
oil for sauteeing onion
2 1/2 c. tomato juice

Combine ground beef, rice, salt and pepper. Form into small balls about 1 1/2" in diameter. Place in baking dish. In a skillet, brown onions in oil. Add tomato juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour over meat balls. Cover baking dish. Bake in moderate oven at 350 degrees about 1 hour or until visible rice is very tender.

One pound of beef is plenty for a family of 4. I do not like these as leftovers because the rice soaks up all the sauce and you get tomato beef and rice mush.

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I want to try these...do you use white or brown rice? And is it instant (like minute rice) or regular? Thanks!

Edit: Okay, I ROFL right now. I'm making my grocery list and I asked DS 8 and DS9 for dinner suggestions and they asked what I already had so just to tease them I said "Porcupines" and they both thought I was seriously going to feed them porcupines. DS9 asked me how I would cook it and said "I didn't know they sold that at the commissary."

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Actually now that I think about it, from I-75N you wouldn't have to go all the way down to the Branch Forbes exit, you can get off on McIntosh Rd, the exit before Branch Forbes, turn right and go down to Hillsborough (92) and make a left. Take that to Tanner Rd (which is before you get to Branch Forbes), make a right and the farm is on the left, but closer to where Tanner Rd. meets MLK. About a mile from 92 i'd say, but that's a guess. not too far.

Thanks for the directions. I'm not familiar with all the roads around here, but my DH is. I'll ask him how far it is. Hopefully, it won't too far. We only live about a mile from I-75.