Super budget meal?

[marmalade]

Being frugal and feeding your family for a week on what she has left is another.
Oh and usually people who do have a back a plan do not come on a public message board looking for advice situations like this. I know I would be pulling out some cash from the emergency fund if I was concerned about feeding my family and unable to run out and buy bread and milk. Plus she is not wanting to pull out a pack of chicken because she wants to save it for company so yeah pretty much sounds to me like there really is no back up plan in a finical emergency.

I guess we just have a different idea of what an emergency fund is used for. If I have food in my fridge to feed my family, the last thing I would do would be to take money out of my emergency fund to buy additional food when I already had food to eat.

Just because it's not necessarily the food I may want to eat doesn't make it an emergency.

 

[disykat]

Really no money for food but you are coming off a vacation from Disney. Man the things some people do for Disney on here is amazing. I can't imagine how you can enjoy yourself when you know that you are in such dire need financialy yet you still go and plan again on going.
Here is my recipe for you build up an emergency fund so you are not worried how you are going to feed you family and worry about vacations after that. I seriously can’t imagine living like this especially when I didn’t have to.

Some people actually enjoy pinching pennies and challenging themselves to sticking to a meal budget. I don't think it neccesarily means they're so poor they can't feed their family. I see nothing wrong with wanting to stick to your monthly budget if possible despite challenges like hurricanes, etc.

This comment reminds me of the thread on the Community Board where someone said people who just order water to drink at restaurants should just stay home. While I agree that some people on the DIS surprise me by willing to be in all sorts of debt, steal food from condiment bars, etc. to fund staying at deluxe hotels at WDW, the OP didn't indicate that in the least. She simply is choosing to live frugally so she can afford things for her family. I find that admirable.

If you don't enjoy "live from your pantry" threads, I'm curious why you're on the budget boards. These threads are common here.

 

[Mrs.Malone]

My refrigerator looked awfully bare for a while after Irene, too, OP.
You don't realize how nice it is to have a selection of sauces, cheeses, and so on to use to mix up quick pantry meals until they are all gone because they spoiled in an extended power outage!

I get the feeling OP could go out and buy more groceries if she really had to but is just trying to be frugal with what she has, not that the family is on the verge of starvation. Kind of like the "no buy" thread we always have here on the budget board.

 

[kimberlym322]

To OP: No ideas for the limited supplys you have for food. But I can say been there done that. I would say also not to worry about company that is coming after payday...eat the chicken. I would also say check sales and coupons so that you can get more bang for your buck. The only things I really pay full price for anymore is bread, milk and eggs. Because you had power outage because of the hurricane I would say check with your local department of social services to see if they an emergancy fund set up to give you a few dollars for food because of the power outage. I know in MD that is what they have done...you just have to fill out a few papers, they will check to see if the power did go out in your home and then they will issue the money. I know here they are not broadcasting it but it may be something worth checking into.

I will keep my mouth shut on what i really want to say about the comment with paying all the money for Disney but can't pay for basic food.

 

[NotUrsula]

There is always rice and gravy. Not a whole lot of nutritive value at all, but it's filling. Essentially, it's a $.35 packet of powdered beef gravy or buillion gravy, plus some sauteed onions/garlic, served over rice. If you bought your rice in bulk, then it might cost you as little as $1 to fill four stomachs. (This one is a starving college student classic.)

There is also the good old Cajun staple of red beans and rice if you have dried or canned beans, onion, garlic and some oil, plus a bit of sausage (or even the hot dogs.) The beans need to cook for quite a while to generate their gravy; then you serve that OVER the rice. A pot of it made with a lb. of beans goes a LONG way.

PS: For those of us who grew up in the hurricane zone, one of the time-honored ways to guard against pantry spoilage is to keep canned &/or dried pantry staples wherever possible. I always have garlic, onion, green onion, bell pepper, tomatoes and mushrooms available dried, plus canned tomato sauce and canned veggies. These are very handy to have around and keep dang near forever if stored properly.

 

[disneyofcourse]

Eat the chicken or sell something to buy some new food.

 

[MissyDVC]

:-(



So you would be OK feeding your family what she has left instead of pulling out a hundred bucks from your savings in order to replenish and give your family some fresh fruits and veggies. I guess I see it differently because food is the one thing I am not frugal with because we eat very healthy and it is hard to do that on a small budget. If I tried to serve my family frozen taquitas for dinner they would flip. I also would not be having company over if one pack of chicken was going to make or break my budget.

Maybe you could just have said that instead of judging her choices? Maybe YOUR family would "flip" and maybe, just maybe, HER family wouldn't. I think it is great that she is using what she has on hand to make a few meals until payday. And MY thought on her WDW trip is that it sounds like Irene spoiled some of their food and that would be unforeseen and therefore the trip had nothing to do with her low food supply. Enjoy all of those great food ideas OP. I am sure they are helpful

 

[mdsoccermom]

Maybe you could just have said that instead of judging her choices? Maybe YOUR family would "flip" and maybe, just maybe, HER family wouldn't. I think it is great that she is using what she has on hand to make a few meals until payday. And MY thought on her WDW trip is that it sounds like Irene spoiled some of their food and that would be unforeseen and therefore the trip had nothing to do with her low food supply. Enjoy all of those great food ideas OP. I am sure they are helpful

She said straight out that she's low on funds and that there were some things that she couldn't make because they were low on bread and eggs. Someone not in dire straits would go out and buy bread and eggs and some staples. I get things being tight, and I get wanting to go on vacation. But if going on vacation means you have little money to buy basic staples when you return, then there is a a problem that needs to be addressed.

She should just make the stupid pack of chicken (which apparently was not destroyed by the hurricane).

 

[MissyDVC]

Well, I wouldn't call her situation "dire straits" and also I wouldn't judge someone's financial choices until they directly said they chose a WDW vacation over food for their family. And maybe the chicken was frozen in a freezer and didn't spoil but other things were in a refrigerator and did spoil. Maybe...

 

[MissyDVC]

And OP, sorry this has moved away from meal ideas for you Hopefully you can get some more yummy ideas

 

[GatorMama]

Really no money for food but you are coming off a vacation from Disney. Man the things some people do for Disney on here is amazing. I can't imagine how you can enjoy yourself when you know that you are in such dire need financialy yet you still go and plan again on going.
Here is my recipe for you build up an emergency fund so you are not worried how you are going to feed you family and worry about vacations after that. I seriously can’t imagine living like this especially when I didn’t have to.

1) We were thrifty on our vacation (as you can be on a Disney vacation) and we wouldn't have taken it had we foreseen the budget-buster that was waiting in our mailbox LITERALLY the day we got home. Thanks for jumping to incorrect conclusions though!
2) We also have an emergency fund, but knowing I HAVE perfectly good food (maybe not much and maybe not what we would normally choose to eat, but still food), I don't think it's time to deplete it. Especially knowing it's just a few days. We won't starve. We just might only have boring, cheap, not-so-well-rounded meals for a few nights. Not even a week. It's not a lifestyle. It's a few days.

Quick report on the dinner from tonight. The sausage stuff was very good but the potatoes definately needed to cook longer than the 8-10 mins in the recipe. I cooked them at least 20 mins and they were just barely done.

The green beans? Oh my gosh, don't bother. They were awful in my opinion. DH & DD#1 thought they were okay but not as yummy as the recipe sounded.

I hadn't looked at the time for the potatoes, but it makes sense that they'd need longer unless they'd already been boiled. I wasn't actually going to try the green bean recipe... I was just going to be boring at eat them plain. Thanks for the reviews! I think DH will really like the sausage meal. He used to request Lil' smokies and potatoes as a meal.

:-(


So you would be OK feeding your family what she has left instead of pulling out a hundred bucks from your savings in order to replenish and give your family some fresh fruits and veggies. I guess I see it differently because food is the one thing I am not frugal with because we eat very healthy and it is hard to do that on a small budget. If I tried to serve my family frozen taquitas for dinner they would flip. I also would not be having company over if one pack of chicken was going to make or break my budget.

People eat and live off of FAR WORSE than what we'll be eating the last few days before we start over with a new budget. NEVER did I say that I wasn't going shopping for anything fresh for my family. NEVER did I say that we'd be skipping fruit or vegetables or milk and certainly not for an extended time period. Some studies have shown that frozen vegetables actually have more more nutritional value than fresh... and lucky for me, I have half a freezer full of frozen green beans, broccoli, peas, carrots, corn, peaches, cherries. Neither did I say that the pack of chicken would be breaking my budget, but if I can eat something else instead in those three days... yeah... I'm going to. I probably won't even miss the big pack of chicken. Maybe taquitos and rice isn't the best meal, but it'll do. Might even make a smoothie with my frozen fruit for dessert. And my family will be coming to visit me with or without the chicken and with or without money.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

1) We were thrifty on our vacation (as you can be on a Disney vacation) and we wouldn't have taken it had we foreseen the budget-buster that was waiting in our mailbox LITERALLY the day we got home. Thanks for jumping to incorrect conclusions though!
2) We also have an emergency fund, but knowing I HAVE perfectly good food (maybe not much and maybe not what we would normally choose to eat, but still food), I don't think it's time to deplete it. Especially knowing it's just a few days. We won't starve. We just might only have boring, cheap, not-so-well-rounded meals for a few nights. Not even a week. It's not a lifestyle. It's a few days.



I hadn't looked at the time for the potatoes, but it makes sense that they'd need longer unless they'd already been boiled. I wasn't actually going to try the green bean recipe... I was just going to be boring at eat them plain. Thanks for the reviews! I think DH will really like the sausage meal. He used to request Lil' smokies and potatoes as a meal.



People eat and live off of FAR WORSE than what we'll be eating the last few days before we start over with a new budget. NEVER did I say that I wasn't going shopping for anything fresh for my family. NEVER did I say that we'd be skipping fruit or vegetables or milk and certainly not for an extended time period. Some studies have shown that frozen vegetables actually have more more nutritional value than fresh... and lucky for me, I have half a freezer full of frozen green beans, broccoli, peas, carrots, corn, peaches, cherries. Neither did I say that the pack of chicken would be breaking my budget, but if I can eat something else instead in those three days... yeah... I'm going to. I probably won't even miss the big pack of chicken. Maybe taquitos and rice isn't the best meal, but it'll do. Might even make a smoothie with my frozen fruit for dessert. And my family will be coming to visit me with or without the chicken and with or without money.

I am all in favor of budgeting and while you may not remember this, YOUR KIDS WILL. I lived through a situation like yours compounded with a strike, and you know what the world will not end if you take out $100.00 and have some food for the kids. Then you can go back to being frugal.

I understand the budget boards, I understand food challenges, but your kids just went through something horrible, go get the money, buy them at "least" your normal diet with some of the funds, but hey why not some "extra's" to help soften the blow of the tragedy or bad storm they just went through. That IS 100% what your emergency fund is for.

 

[GoofyIsMyHomeboy]

What better use for an emergency fund than to replenish food spoiled during a disaster (Irene)? If you have an emergency fund then absolutely use it. Just a little would really round out your options.

I know that sometimes you have to be creative and willing to deny yourself things to stick to a budget but sacrificing nutrition when you don't have to really doesn't benefit you in the long run.

I agree with an earlier poster who said kids don't always look back on this stuff fondly. It's one thing if you truly have no other options and I respect people that find a way and do the very best they can with what they have. However, being cheap for cheap's sake and feeding your kids substandard meals just to add another dollar to the Disney fund is appallling. Sorry, OP, I'm not accusing you of this. It's just an approach I've seen far too many times on this board.

and for goodness sakes eat the darned chicken

 

[SaraJayne]

1) We were thrifty on our vacation (as you can be on a Disney vacation) and we wouldn't have taken it had we foreseen the budget-buster that was waiting in our mailbox LITERALLY the day we got home. Thanks for jumping to incorrect conclusions though!
2) We also have an emergency fund, but knowing I HAVE perfectly good food (maybe not much and maybe not what we would normally choose to eat, but still food), I don't think it's time to deplete it. Especially knowing it's just a few days. We won't starve. We just might only have boring, cheap, not-so-well-rounded meals for a few nights. Not even a week. It's not a lifestyle. It's a few days.

I hope you don't mean using $50 or $100 would "deplete" your emergency fund.

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

Just wanted to add, if you have a friend who is growing veggies, this is a great time for tomatoes! Maybe ask for 1 or 2, and maybe some other veggies as well.



Oh, a cheap box of Jiffy corn bread is great too! Cut the hotdogs up and mix in the cornbread...top with chili... Yum yum!!! (I buy the Kroger brand and it is roughly .39)

If you need pasta, you can always get some ramen... goes pretty far and you will also have some bullion to flavor things!

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

Also, I would like to reply to all the negative people on here...

GO GET A LIFE!!!!

Budget meal threads are always fun and we really don't need someone judging someone else. Lets just have fun and get along.

 

[disykat]

I now feel very fortunate that my kids aren't spoiled brats who look at meals I make, judge whether they are sub-standard, and feel traumatized. Good grief!

 

[hambirg]

What better use for an emergency fund than to replenish food spoiled during a disaster (Irene)? If you have an emergency fund then absolutely use it. Just a little would really round out your options.

I know that sometimes you have to be creative and willing to deny yourself things to stick to a budget but sacrificing nutrition when you don't have to really doesn't benefit you in the long run.

I agree with an earlier poster who said kids don't always look back on this stuff fondly. It's one thing if you truly have no other options and I respect people that find a way and do the very best they can with what they have. However, being cheap for cheap's sake and feeding your kids substandard meals just to add another dollar to the Disney fund is appallling. Sorry, OP, I'm not accusing you of this. It's just an approach I've seen far too many times on this board.

and for goodness sakes eat the darned chicken

I have to agree with the above. I don't even think you have to take $100 out. . .just about $30. With that I could get bread, milk, eggs, a chub of hamburger, some frozen chicken breasts, a big package of drumsticks and probably a few more things. If you really don't have $30 to spend on a few basics that could last you through several meals, then for the love of your children, eat the chicken you do have and go to a food bank.

ETA- I don't mean that in a snarky way at all. I'm as frugal as the next person. But I just can't imagine feeding my kids a box of taquitos and calling it dinner. There are things that you can buy that make a wonderful cheap dinner, and you can stretch what you have. Make bean soup. . .buy some turkey drumsticks. Scour the coupon sites and find out what is free or near free this week.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Just cook the darn chicken.

My son isn't a brat, but he wouldn't eat most of the meals I've seen posted on the Budget meal threads over the years.

 

[auntmeme7577]

I don't see myself as wise enough to dictate how anyone else should run their life...earning ears or not...
But I do remember one of my favorite meals as a kid and it couldn't have cost 50 cents to make
My Mom would open a jar of homecanned tomatoes and make dumplings in them. Sprinkle on a bit of cheese and it was filling and yummy
You could add onions as well to the tomatoes
I didn't know it was cheap, i just thought it was good!