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

[ducklite]

Thanks anyway. I may just run out and get some mushrooms, but you know I will overpay that way so I want to think of something else.

I have a few growing in the front yard that I need to go out and pull up--you're welcome to them if you want them.

Anne

 

[neatokimmo]

I started buying dried Chinese mushrooms at the "world market" type store. They are very good and you just need a couple to have the same flavor as a LOT of regular button mushrooms. Just a thought if you have one around.

I need a dinner suggestion. I was going to make tuna casserole and just noticed I have no mushrooms (I need them for my recipe). Anyone have something cheap, good-for-you, and tasty? Otherwise, we'll be having pasta with tuna and bean sauce (which I love, but DD14 can live without)

 

[punkin]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I still had 3 chicken breasts left over from yesterday so I am just warming them up with rice and edamame. I am not even going to make a salad. I am exausted.

 

[BethR]

seriously..... the whole point of this thread was to make us think

I have do not participate in this thread, nor was I a part of its inception, but I believe that you are completely correct!

So if this thread just allows people to THINK about ways of cutting their grocery spending, then it has done something positive.

Accentuate the POSITIVE!

 

[KKB]

I have seen hotdogs for on sale 4 / $5 ($1.25 / pack) and never any cheaper. That is for 8 hotdogs. So $.40 would be 2 1/2 hotdogs. My DH would eat that and the rest of the family would just watch.

Maybe she goes to a salvage store and buys them expired. I for one will never use any expired food or dented cans.

Turkey hot dogs are $1/8 dogs everyday at my local grocery store. So I could feed my 3 kids for .50, or $1 for the whole family (with one usually leftover) These are once a week for lunch only.

 

[KKB]

Dawn, I hope you stay too!!! I don't post many menus because I have very picky eaters and certainly don't live up to the "standards" in the vegetable department, I count spaghetti sauce and salsa as veggies at our house!! QUOTE]


Spaghetti sauce and salsa are DEFINITELY veggie servings! (and a couple of the healthiest choices out there!)

I noticed produce price comments...prices have been KILLING me lately! I do NOT like Walmart (I am not a fan of many of their business practices), and frankly don't care for their produce dept anyway. Hoping Super Target opening at end of month is better.

BUT wonderful local store in town is having a produce sale this week (and they are known for wonderful produce)! Kids have a class at a school by the store this week, too! (usually it is just out of the way...)
Locally grown tomatoes, peaches, plums, nectarines, apricots, strawberries, grapes ALL .99/lb.
Cherries, blueberries 1.99/lb
Cantaloupes .99 EACH
Corn 4/$1 (I have seen 6 or 8/$1)
Bananas .35/lb.
WOO HOO! Heading over there tomorrow!

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

Hi all, I've decided to jump on this thread. My goal for the rest of the month is to AVERAGE $12/day to feed my family of five----dh and I, ds14 (The Bottomless Pit), dd12 (very active ballet dancer) and dd7 (somedays eats as much as dd12, somedays eats not very much).

The wrinkle---dd12 has food allergies that have developed since Christmas She's allergic to soy, sesame, peanut, hazelnut and watermelon. We no longer can rely on quickie prepared foods (cream of whatever soup for example).

I have a garden and some fruit. We moved into this house last summer so our transplanted-from-the-other house blueberries and raspberries are in recovery mode

I will not count the cost of any leftovers in my calculations.

So today:

Breakfast:
leftover blueberry coffeecake $0
orange juice, 1/3 of carton @ 1.98 $0.66
coffee beans, half&half, sweetener $.90
(The coffee calculation made my head hurt )

Breakfast total: $1.56

Lunch:
dh packed all leftovers $0
leftover wholegrain crusty bread from last night $0
extrasharp cheddar, 4oz $0.50
(Cheese is on super-sale at Pathmark, 1.00/8oz!)
blueberries, from pick-your-own place $1.00
dd7 also packed goldfish to ballet camp (in addition to the above) $0.13
(from Pepperidge Farms outlet)

Lunch total $1.63

Snack
strawberry yogurt (marked down dairy, Dannon 32 oz for $.62--I got two ) frozen in my popsicle mold (2oz per) $0.15

Dinner:
whole wheat pasta, 13.5 oz box $1.00
2 cans of black beans $0.98
frozen organic mixed veggies from Costco, about 1lb $0.80
pepperjack cheese (Pathmark sale), 4oz $0.50
salsa/salad dressings, guessing at $0.25 based on amount of salsa used
blueberries, homegrown this time FREE
vanilla ice cream, about 1/8 carton @ 1.99 $0.25

Dinner total $3.53

We drank mostly water today (besides the orange juice and the all-important coffee) because it was so danged hot, heat index of 105 this afternoon

Total for today: $6.97

Today was unusual in that I had so many leftovers. The bread was an entire HUGE loaf of "rustic" full o' fiber bread that satisfied ds14 nicely

 

[IwasatWDWforamonth]

IwasatWDW--Really what you are saying is that eating all of that fruit etc is a choice you are making. No one HAS to have watermellon in the winter. If you want it great, but again that is the choice you are making. Yes, you want to eat healthy food but you might want to balance it a bit too. As for the evian, you could get a Britta pitcher and filter your tap water. That would save you a lot of money.

thats very true, Im just so used to eating what I eat it would be hard for me to change.

The water filter is a good idea,

 

[dawn1967]

mommie and rebecca ty both.....

 

[kmchar1]

OK, since I will be at work all day tomorrow, I've already given my DH a menu for tomorrow. He's free to change it up, but it's what I already have prepared for him (and he hates cooking! LOL). I'm sure snacks may change.

Breakfast:
DH and DS (6 years old): Leftover Mickey waffles that I had frozen (free, they will probably eat about 3 each or so), 2 bananas (on sale for .49 a pound! .15), milk for DS (.25..was on sale 2.00)
Me: granola bar (.25 on sale), yogurt smoothie (.50 on sale)
*total: 2.65

Snack:
DS: yogurt .50
*total: .50

Lunch:
DH and DS: Leftover veggie soup (free...and there was A LOT leftover..I made a ton LOL), crackers (.25, box was 1.00), peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread (1.00)
*total: 1.25

Snack:
Cheap popsicles .20
*total:.20

Dinner:
DH and DS: whole wheat pasta (1.00 for box on sale), Homemade spaghetti sauce that I canned in the spring (free..figured in the cost then), Salad (lettuce .80 on sale, tomato .25 was 4/$1.00 at farmers market, cucumber .50, croutons .25 box was 1.00 at Walgreens, fat free ranch dressing .50)
Me: I will have leftovers since I work late
*total: 3.30

Snack:
Chips and Salsa (tortilla chips were homemade using 20 corn tortillas equaling about 1.00 and salsa is made using a free sample of spices and 3 tomatoes .75 at farmers market). I'm sure DH will have a can of soda (.25). DS and I drink water.
*total: 2.00

Grand total: $9.90.

I don't know how some people can say that the above menu would not be better than prison food or would be neglecting my child. That's just silly to me. We eat well for usually less than $10 a day. I do not ration and I let my family eat as much as they want. I do not count every little bite that goes into their mouth...it's just a general amount. I count it to see about how much I am spending so I know about what to budget for groceries. Not a huge deal, people. Plus I like getting ideas from others.

 

[Green Tea]

Yesterday was the first day I thought about actually calculating the prices, and I didn't really think of that until later in the day. I passed $10 pretty quickly, I'm afraid.

Breakfast- I know I had coffee. $1.00
DH- OJ .50
kids fixed their own so I'm not sure!
(there I know there was a bag of Sweet 16 donuts I can't locate any longer) 2.00

Lunch- yogurts & fresh strawberries for me 1.00

kids- not sure! (teenagers, btw. not having my toddlers fix their own meals- before someone jumps on me about that)

snacks-one kid with me- frostee 1.35
Sonic drinks 3.87
kid at home-had a friend over so I can only imagine the carnage they did to the cupboards and fridge

dinner

rib eyes picked up just before dinner to grill 17.00
green beans w/ sundried tomatos from the prepared food deli 6.99
portabello mushroom caps 2.50
rolls 2.00
milk for kids 1.00
wine for dh & me 5.00
Ben & Jerry's 4.00



Total: OMG, I have no idea! Today I will make an effort to keep better track and better effort at price watching. I spend way more than I need too or should be.

This really does make one think about their food habits.

 

[punkin]

My meals are nutritious, filling and very tasty. I am an excellent cook and my family does not lack for anything (food-wise). I often manage to keep my budget under $20 daily. Sometimes, with leftovers, I can get it under $10. Many times, when we are splurging, it can be over $40.

Here's my plan for today. It is a little tentative since I have not done a serious shopping since we got home from Disney (there's that abject poverty again) so a lot depends on what I can get on sale. All this may change by mid-afternoon. There is also a good chance that we will go out to dinner with DH's Grandma and she always pays.

Breakfast: peaches w/ cottage cheese, cereal w/ milk $3 (really expensive farm stand peaches-but delicious)
Lunch: PB&J, milk, blueberries and cherries $3.50
Dinner: Lamb and rice soup $12 (but we should have enough leftovers for several days), bread, salad $2.50
Snack: Oatmeal cookies, milk: $1.50
TOTAL: $22.50

 

[dawn1967]

I don't know how some people can say that the above menu would not be better than prison food or would be neglecting my child. That's just silly to me. We eat well for usually less than $10 a day. I do not ration and I let my family eat as much as they want. I do not count every little bite that goes into their mouth...it's just a general amount. I count it to see about how much I am spending so I know about what to budget for groceries. Not a huge deal, people. Plus I like getting ideas from others.

People are getting confused they think it's calorie intake not 10 dollars a day. I have a friend who is a vegan and spends 4.00 a day usually for her family of 6. And the amount of food she has on her table at dinner wow always left overs. People are afraid of what they don't know. So they lash out in hateful ways as Happyface did all we can do is pray the hate doesn't hurt her anymore then it has.

 

[dawn1967]

Breakfast:

Cereal and fruit not sure what kind they have a choice. I found last night Hormone free milk i was so excited. 2@.25 bowl

Me just coffee

Lunch

Tuna and fruit and veggies 1.35 for 4

Dinner
chicken cannolloni
bread
salad

Total 4.35

The pasta cost the most everything for the sauce is out to the garden and the chicken is left over chicken breast i had in the freezer. Bread is homemade and cost me .25 a loaf to make why i'm up at 5 am to hot at 5pm to make it. IT's so hot we made the national news last night lol.

snacks
ice pops
pop corn
spinach dip and crackers (found hormone free sour cream to )
peanut butter and crackers
Total for snacks 4. That sour cream cost over 2 bucks. But there should be some tommorrow also.

Grand total 10.20

 

[vickyBaby]

Happy we pray for your soul and hope the hate you feel for us doesn't hurt you any more then it already has.

Where did she say she hates you? You are putting words in her mouth (so to speak).

I have posted on this thread -- I have not expressed hate -- I have expressed disbelief and then was given clarification. Hopefully you can pray harder and not perceive an individuals opinion as "hate."

 

[LoveDisney!!!]

While there are some people here that are eating healthy food, there are certainly others that are not (and have even admitted it).

If you and your family are happy with your food choices, by all means continue what you are doing. However, please know that others may comment on it.

It does seem strange that some people would rather eat less healthy meals and have internet/WDW/etc than to spend a bit more on food. Perhaps that is not actually what is happening, but it seems that way.

 

[mommiepoppins]

ok it is just me and the 2 l ones this week. I am on a diet. Just want to let everyone know


Breakfast


Whole wheat pita bread (119 for the bag and 8 pitas, yesterday I guessed that there was 6 however I was wrong) = 15 per serving. ==30 cents
Penutbutter= 25 cents. (I do not recall the amount. I know it was cheap it was bogo Jiff
Milk (219 a gallon) = 30
I did not eat and my youngest did not want much milk
=85

L. free at youth group for the kids
Fresh string beans 98 cents (green beans on sale for 98 a pound at Wal-Mart. I buy them put them in bags weigh them. That way I have serving sizes for the week!
Spray butter5 cents (the entire bottles was 1$ from Wal-Mart)
= 103

Snacks.
Fruit salad
Left over pineapple=0
2 apples cut up in slices (the bag was 198 and there was 10 apples) =40 cents
Banana 4= 28 cents
Cool whip (aldi brand 79 cents) = 20 cents
Frozen O. J pops. 1$
The only snack I will have is some fruit salad
=188

Dinner kids eat free at Ponderosa= 11 for me
14 76 for the day

 

[punkin]

It does seem strange that some people would rather eat less healthy meals and have internet/WDW/etc than to spend a bit more on food. Perhaps that is not actually what is happening, but it seems that way.

I do not think people eat less healthy meals because they have no money (at least not on this thread, where everyone has house/job/internet service/Disney vacations).

They eat less healthy because that is what they choose to do. I can only speak for myself when I say that keeping track of what we eat (including portions) helps me trim my budget and DH's waistline. Is this a bad thing?

 

[BethR]

Again this morning, I will request that if you are NOT interested in participating in this challenge and only want to post to this thread to demean those who do participate, please take your "concerns" elsewhere.

The focus of this thread is on saving money and making one aware of what is spent each day on meals. Rightly, wrongly, or otherwise, nutrition is not always the main attraction. That is the focus for another board.

If you want to discuss and comment on Nutrition, please do so on boards where that is the focus.

Again, we will not tolerate people posting disrespectfully towards others. This is against the DIS Guidelines for Posting and infractions will be handed down if you choose to ignore this.

Thank you.

 

[dawn1967]

If you and your family are happy with your food choices, by all means continue what you are doing. However, please know that others may comment on it.

However we will also comment if we feel the comments are rude and uncalled for. Goes both ways. People should understand that if i feel your comment (not yours personally just in general) is rude I will call you on it now on, in a none threating way. If you feel me (not you in general) Praying for the hate you expressed in my computer then that's something you must deal with i'm not.