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

[mom2my3kids]

Yeah its impossible for me to feed my family of 5 under 20.00 a day. The only day I could even hit under 10.00 is when we are at work and the kids at grandparents. That way we are only making dinner and maybe snack..

 

[mommiepoppins]

B
Bagels=0 mil gave me a bag
Cream cheese =0. I counted the price in on Monday
Juice juice = 50 cents
= 50 cents for b fast



L. Pita bread1$
Jelly 30 cents
Penutbutter 30 cents
Milk =60
Apricots =1$
Apple slices = 25
=345

S. Motza crackers= 3 cents (I am running low on the crackers, to bad that was such a great deal)
Penutbutter = 25 cents
Apple slices= 25
Milk =30 cents
=83

D. Frittatas
Eggs =0 my brother has chickens
Broccoli= 50 cents (half a frozen bag)
Potatoes= 50 cents
Oil= 25 cents
Cheese 25 cents
Milk = 60 cents
Dinner rolls= 75 cents
=285

S. = 0 Free bad of popcorn (thanks for the freebees)
1 box of brownies=1
= 1

Total for the day= 863

 

[dawn1967]

Pbj on toast 1.00
Ice Water free
Orange .39
Total 1.39
Chicken noodle soup and crackers 1.59 family size can
Ice water
Carrots .30
1.89

Chicken 3.29
Potato’s .59
Peas .40
Salad .40
Garlic Bread 1.09
Total 5.77

Snack
Bannana bread .50
Chips and cookie left over from camping free didn’t come out of food budget.

Total 9.55

 

[mom2dea0813]

Hey all I have responded a few times but honestly I do not want to figure out how much each meals comes down to . We also get WIC and I seen all the Nasty comment on using Gov. programs I was kinda scared to share but here goes anyways .

B~ (I only have 2 out of 3 kids as my oldest is at a day camp with our church )
#1 child had 3 things of grits and 1 6oz cup of milk
#2 Had 2 small things of Rice krispy cereal and 1 thing of grits she then had 4 oz of milk to drink with the grits
#3 child had left over scrambled eggs from the day befor
Me 2 waffles (25 cents ) and 1 glass of tea that I make I buy them for 1.50 for 100 tea bags and I use 4 tea bags for two pitchers of tea and 2/3 cup of suger in each pitcher so I have no clue what this cost me . (maybe .10 cents a glass ?)

$0.35 everything was WIC except mine

(They are HUGE breadfest eaters )

S~ Water and Apple sauce (this is 1.50 for a huge bottle ) They maybe used .25 cents worth

L~ #1 and #2 child is wanting waffles with peanut butter on them .
(peanut butter part of WIC .50 for waffles) They will also have some Pinnapple slices (2.50 for pinnapple so they may have .75 cents worth .

Me ~ Left over lentil soup homemade (beans from wic but I added 2 cans of chicken brooth , seasonings , 1 celery stock and half of an onion (these I cut several monthes ago and frooze them from a friends garden ) and then carrotts (1.50 I used half the bag in the soup ) Whole soup 1.75 and we ate if for dinner , lunch and then I frooze 2 helpings of it and I ate one yesterday for luncha nd I am eating another for today . so maybe .25 cents?

Lunch $1.50

Dinner ~ I have work this evening (5:45) but I need to get my son picked up from Daycamp at 4:45 so we are stopping at Chick fila so Dh can come get the kids befor I head to work . All the kids have free coupons for free childs chicken nuget meal and I have a coupon for a free salad but I will buy Dh dinner witch will be about $6.00 So this is splerge for us but we have no choice unless I cooke dinner and bring it in to the car witch I could do but the girls have not been out of the house sence Sunday .

Total for the day : $8.10

Mind you my son is in day camp for snacks and lunch and Dh is eating at a company lunch and he dose not eat Breadfest . So we normal would be at about 10.00 if not a little more for our family of 5 and me pregnant .

Sarah

 

[jordansmomma]

Monday-
b- banana, water & toast .55 (me)
kids- ½ box of cocoa kripsies 1.00 ( on sale 1.99 a box)
3 cups of milk free—my friends daughter is spending the week with us and she brought over a gallon of milk
Total= 1.50
Lunch
M- steak, mashed potatoes, garlic bread, diet pepsi & salad- free ( shut down dinner at work )
Kids-
#1 cup of noodles soup- .20
#2 & 3 – easy mac - .50
Juice- .20
Watermelon- .50
Total- 1.40

Dinner
4 hamburger patties- 1.00
4 hamburger buns- .50
Chips (already had them from a picnic on Sunday) so free
4 cans of pop- .80
Watermelon- 1.00
Condiments - .50
Total= 3.80

Snacks-
3 ice cream bars from freezer—2.00 (schwanns)
Water/juice-.50
Total- 2.50

Days total- 9.20
Wow!!

 

[jordansmomma]

Wednesday-
Breakfast
me parfait & apple pie from McDonalds- free meeting @ work.
Kids- toast, eggs & juice- 2.00
Total- 2.00

Lunch-
Me- Stouffers meal – 2.00
Kids- lunch with the boys & girls club at the park so free
Total- 2.00

( I really love the free summer lunch program they have in our area, free lunch and 45 minutes of games and fun!!)

Dinner
Club Sandwich
1 loaf of bread- .49 on sale
1 pack of turkey- 3.99
1 pack of turkey bacon- 2.99
¼ of a head Lettuce, 1 tomato- 1.00
Watermelon- .75
Raspberry lemonade- .10 ( I bought a big container at Costco for 3.99)

Brownies- 2.09
Ice cream- free already had it
Total- 11.51

Snacks- they are free at my aunts house
I went a little over today but I did get a good deal on the bridge to teribithia at Safeway, 9.99 it was in the wrong section!!

 

[dawn1967]

( I really love the free summer lunch program they have in our area, free lunch and 45 minutes of games and fun!!)

Our free lunch starts next week i can't wait the kids love going to that and i love the 15 min i get of alone time outside while they are eating lunch.

 

[disneymom3]

I have been following this thread (and the other thrifty ones) and I have to say I stink at saving money. But, you all have me THINKING about it much more than usual, so thank you! I have started couponing a bit, and planning meals more, and also just thinking about how much stuff is when I am at the store. So, I appreciate that!

We spend more than $10 a day on food, but I am working on it. Little steps, right? Dh told me to put cheerios on the list yesterday when I was going to the store, but I was like, "Lucky Charms was on sale for 1/2 price last week and I bought that! The kids can eat that this week!" So, I am at least trying!

Kudos to all you making it work! You are an inspiration!

I can't do it on $10 a day either. But I agree with you, keeping this in mind and making little changes is the way to start.

 

[bookgirl]

Hey all I have responded a few times but honestly I do not want to figure out how much each meals comes down to . We also get WIC and I seen all the Nasty comment on using Gov. programs I was kinda scared to share but here goes anyways .

B~ (I only have 2 out of 3 kids as my oldest is at a day camp with our church )
#1 child had 3 things of grits and 1 6oz cup of milk
#2 Had 2 small things of Rice krispy cereal and 1 thing of grits she then had 4 oz of milk to drink with the grits
#3 child had left over scrambled eggs from the day befor
Me 2 waffles (25 cents ) and 1 glass of tea that I make I buy them for 1.50 for 100 tea bags and I use 4 tea bags for two pitchers of tea and 2/3 cup of suger in each pitcher so I have no clue what this cost me . (maybe .10 cents a glass ?)

$0.35 everything was WIC except mine

(They are HUGE breadfest eaters )

S~ Water and Apple sauce (this is 1.50 for a huge bottle ) They maybe used .25 cents worth

L~ #1 and #2 child is wanting waffles with peanut butter on them .
(peanut butter part of WIC .50 for waffles) They will also have some Pinnapple slices (2.50 for pinnapple so they may have .75 cents worth .

Me ~ Left over lentil soup homemade (beans from wic but I added 2 cans of chicken brooth , seasonings , 1 celery stock and half of an onion (these I cut several monthes ago and frooze them from a friends garden ) and then carrotts (1.50 I used half the bag in the soup ) Whole soup 1.75 and we ate if for dinner , lunch and then I frooze 2 helpings of it and I ate one yesterday for luncha nd I am eating another for today . so maybe .25 cents?

Lunch $1.50

Dinner ~ I have work this evening (5:45) but I need to get my son picked up from Daycamp at 4:45 so we are stopping at Chick fila so Dh can come get the kids befor I head to work . All the kids have free coupons for free childs chicken nuget meal and I have a coupon for a free salad but I will buy Dh dinner witch will be about $6.00 So this is splerge for us but we have no choice unless I cooke dinner and bring it in to the car witch I could do but the girls have not been out of the house sence Sunday .

Total for the day : $8.10

Mind you my son is in day camp for snacks and lunch and Dh is eating at a company lunch and he dose not eat Breadfest . So we normal would be at about 10.00 if not a little more for our family of 5 and me pregnant .

Sarah

Hey I may have a problem with welfare abuse but, I LOVE the WIC program. I would rather my tax dollars be used for feeding kids than what's it used for most of the time. Since WIC is so specific in what it buys and how long you can use the program, it is a low abuse program, and the people who are on it seem to really be using it to feed thier kids and supplement thier families diet with the basics. So don't let anyone give you grief about using WIC. A lot of my friends have used it and it really made a difference in thier budgets.

I do have one question what do you mean by three "things"? Do you mean a package or a bowl? Or is it a pronoun for something else.

 

[Davidsmommy]

Ok I'll try today:

Breakfast:

No clue what DH ate - he leaves early. Probably cereal and milk. I am not sure how to divide that up. Oh, and coffee with cream and splenda.

Kids: bowl of Lucky Charms cereal with milk. DD had a cup of milk to drink and DS had apple juice.

Me: coffee with cream and sugar - 2 cups.

Lunch: DD ate at daycare. DS had a half day. He took a pretzel sticks box to school (33 cents) for snack. He had a piece of leftover pizza for lunch (my mom bought it Monday night). I had a peanut butter sandwich.

We went to the mall to get DS's haircut, and usually would get fast food or go out to lunch - but I thought of the thread and suggested we eat before we go (little steps!). I did get him a thing of hot pretzel sticks from Auntie Annie's after ($3.95!!!!) But, I figured I saved $20 since we didn't go to Friendly's for lunch......

DH: No clue. He usually brings a sandwich or something.

Dinner: I had a mess of leftover chicken from the grill on Sunday. It wasn't cooked all the way through (my sister made it - and bought it! so that is cheap for me today). I stuck it in the crockpot to cook some more with BBQ sauce.

We will have corn on cob ($2), and leftover baked beans.

So, today was probably $15 ish....not terrible for me!

 

[punkin]

I'm ashamed to post.

breakfast: cereal, milk, waffles $2
Lunch: went out to Panera w/ the girls. $15
Dinner: Leftover Fish chowder, bread, salad $1.50
Snack: milk, chocolate $1.50

TOTAL: $20. I don't think it is that bad. If we had leftovers for lunch, I would have had to make something else for dinner, so I think we made out OK (I'm not counting the two webkins we bought today. DD14 said I'm a pushover and need to learn how to say NO!)

 

[njcarita]

Dinner: I had a mess of leftover chicken from the grill on Sunday. It wasn't cooked all the way through (my sister made it - and bought it! so that is cheap for me today). I stuck it in the crockpot to cook some more with BBQ sauce.

Just a note of caution-- Is it safe to recook meat that wasn't cooked all the way thru the first time???? I am far from being an expert-- but I remember reading , hearing that was a big NO NO-- food safety wise.

 

[dawn1967]

Just a note of caution-- Is it safe to recook meat that wasn't cooked all the way thru the first time???? I am far from being an expert-- but I remember reading , hearing that was a big NO NO-- food safety wise.

Depending how not cooked it was, what's really a nono with poultry that is thawed to cook halfway threw then refreeze that's really dangerous. But cooking most way threw then recooking with in 48 hrs is ok. Never ever eat frozen poultry thats been thawed and then refrozen before cooked all the way thru that's really dangerous.

 

[shortbun]

Everytime I look at this thread I get pangs of guilt. I'm going to see how cheaply I can feed my family of three in a very healthy way. By that I mean, no white flour, fresh veggies and fruits, lean meat, high fiber. We (my family) all need to eat this way anyway and we've slipped since the end of school. I got lazy and we think we're on permanent vacation. lol! I'll report back.

e.t.a. today we will go over $20 but that's because we're having frozen pizza that costs $15. It's Palermo thin crust and it's VERY good! Fewer carbs and more protein, white sauce instead of red, lots of veggies.

 

[Davidsmommy]

Just a note of caution-- Is it safe to recook meat that wasn't cooked all the way thru the first time???? I am far from being an expert-- but I remember reading , hearing that was a big NO NO-- food safety wise.

I hadn't even thought of that! The chicken wasn't exactly raw though - it was cooked enough that everyone ate it and no-one got sick. Just some of the legs seemed a little pink to me, so I just threw it all in the crockpot. I'll google to make sure though - thanks for bringing it up!

 

[Davidsmommy]

Depending how not cooked it was, what's really a nono with poultry that is thawed to cook halfway threw then refreeze that's really dangerous. But cooking most way threw then recooking with in 48 hrs is ok. Never ever eat frozen poultry thats been thawed and then refrozen before cooked all the way thru that's really dangerous.

It was fresh chicken (not frozen at all). And we didn't freeze it once cooked, just stored it in the fridge after it was cooled. My stepbrother ate a piece of it yesterday cold from the fridge and he was ok (I guess he was our tester )

 

[Kellyscrapbooks]

Hey I may have a problem with welfare abuse but, I LOVE the WIC program. I would rather my tax dollars be used for feeding kids than what's it used for most of the time. Since WIC is so specific in what it buys and how long you can use the program, it is a low abuse program, and the people who are on it seem to really be using it to feed thier kids and supplement thier families diet with the basics.

Would anyone else love love love to see them change the food stamp program to something similiar to the way WIC is run? I think it would be so helpful! Not that they would have to totally dictate what could be bought, but some guidelines would be wonderful! I would love to see them UP the income requirements, so that more people could get food stamps, and have them require a nutrition class as a criteria. It would be a wonderful change I think.

 

[dawn1967]

Would anyone else love love love to see them change the food stamp program to something similiar to the way WIC is run? I think it would be so helpful! Not that they would have to totally dictate what could be bought, but some guidelines would be wonderful! I would love to see them UP the income requirements, so that more people could get food stamps, and have them require a nutrition class as a criteria. It would be a wonderful change I think.

I so agree my sister was on food stamps her and her husband were barely making it he was laid off looking for better work and so she applied and she was treated so poorly they kept asking her why he was just taking unemployment wasn't he looking for work. That after the first time because you have to go down every 3 mths to reapply and talk to worker that she decided it really wasn't worth it she would just go to food banks there she was treated with respect.

 

[MaryKLady]

I don't know exactly how the supplemental programs work but from what I have heard recently the dollar amount is around $23 per week?!? I don't think that is enough. We're all trying to do $10 a day...some more sucessfully than others, I would be an "other"... I don't care how hard you try or how good of a coupon queen you are I just don't think $23 is fair. Please don't take this the wrong way...but I'm paying almost $4.50 for 1/2 gallon of milk (organic) in NJ. There has to be a better way to feed people in this country.

This is not directed to any one person, just a thought...
Do not begrudge anyone for accepting assistance, however broken the system may be. There may be a day when you need it too.

More on topic...
I love this challenge! I am learning so many tricks...thanks everyone!

 

[neatokimmo]

I've read that number too, I asked someone and they said it was $3 per person per day in most places. So if you have a family of 4, you are getting $12 a day.

That should be our next thread, can you live on a food stamp budget?