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Trust me, if Mooseketeer doesn't know quality food, seriously, no one does... stretching a pound or not, the lady can shop for the good stuff!
Mooseketeer, I am not sure whether I can afford a place in England or not, but if I can't, would you bring me some groceries when you cross the pond, pretty please?!
oh I am sure she does; you have missed my point altogether: there is no way you can take her list and buy more than 1/2 of it for $30 in America, I don't care how well you shop..Have you priced free range chickens or eggs for starters and good cheese. How about shallots? I still think the OP was asking about here in America. Beleive it or not many of us do know how to shop frugally and still eat healthy. It isn't easy but it can be done.
oh I am sure she does; you have missed my point altogether: there is no way you can take her list and buy more than 1/2 of it for $30 in America, I don't care how well you shop..Have you priced free range chickens or eggs for starters and good cheese. How about shallots? I still think the OP was asking about here in America. Beleive it or not many of us do know how to shop frugally and still eat healthy. It isn't easy but it can be done.
Nita
Oh, I agree, it is not easy shopping for quality products and keeping a budget. I try my best, though!
I believe there are posters here from different countries and it is quite nice to hear how far 30 dollars - or the equivalent in other currency - goes at grocery stores in other places too.
I often check weekly specials in other countries and it is fun to see what products are available and how much they cost elsewhere. Heck, when I travel overseas I love to peek at grocery stores items and prices!
Oh, I agree, it is not easy shopping for quality products and keeping a budget. I try my best, though!
I believe there are posters here from different countries and it is quite nice to hear how far 30 dollars - or the equivalent in other currency - goes at grocery stores in other places too.
I often check weekly specials in other countries and it is fun to see what products are available and how much they cost elsewhere. Heck, when I travel overseas I love to peek at grocery stores items and prices!
you are right it is fun. Our daughter lived in Poland for 2 years. I loved to hear her talk about prices, especially at their Farmers Markets. Here ours are great but very expenisve, their's were very inexpensive. They would get raspberries for less than $1 a lb. Do you have any idea how many raspberries are in a lb. When we visited we would go to the market which was only a block or so from where they lived. Of course, they lived in the city, overlooking a park. The biggest problem: most of the apartment buildings had no elevators (what a way to keep in shape)
These are our everyday low at several different stores- a dollar store, a box store, 2 regular grocery stores & an off price store. I realize not everyone can get these prices, I've lived in many places over the years and here in south central AR I think this would be the best use of our $.
It is not the healthiest menu, but has some variety and is not living on just ramen and mac&cheese either.
I would bake snacks, breads, biscuits and muffins with the supplies to supplement meals and fill hungry tummies. If I had a few more dollars I would buy fruit & veggies, whatever was in season.
I am also assuming I have the condiments and spices I need, only buying the specific ones needed for recipes (salsa and Italian dressing).
Without more info, I based this on serving 4 people 3 meals a day
$1 rice This gets us 3 12 serving bags
$2 1 bag ea black beans, pinto beans, split peas (65c each)
$3 pre-cooked rotissarie chicken (Kroger has the cold ones in the deli section knocked down to $3, if you buy it hot it is $6.99)
$1 corn or flour tortillas
$2 2 dozen eggs
$3 4 bags frozen veggies (68c each) 1 chopped onion, 1 mire poix mix, 1 cali blend, 1 tri pepper & onion blend
$1 2 cans veg- green beans & corn (50c each)
$2.50 12 oz bacon
$2 chunk cheddar cheese
75c hot dogs (68c Bar S brand)
75c 1 can evaporated milk
$1 1 lb ground turkey
$1 3 pks corn muffin mix
$1 salsa
$1 2 cans pork & beans
$1 pasta
$1 Italian dressing
$1 oatmeal
$1 applesauce
50c 1 can mandarin oranges
50c 1 can tomato sauce
$1 margarine
$1 popcorn
Breakfasts:
(3 meals) Oatmeal made with evaporated milk & applesauce
(1 meal) Poached eggs and toast, mandarin oranges
(3 meals) Pancakes or waffles
Lunches & dinners:
(1 meal) Beanie weenies- 1/2 pk hot dogs, 2 cans pork & beans, 1/3 bag frozen onions
(1 meal) Rice & pinto beans- cook all beans- seasoned with 4 slices bacon, 1/3 bag frozen onions- save 1/2 for refried beans
(1 meal) Refried beans served with 1/2 pk tortillas, salsa, cheese & rice mixed with salsa
(1 meal) Chicken fajitas made with chicken breast, pepper & onion blend, 1/2 tortillas
These are our everyday low at several different stores- a dollar store, a box store, 2 regular grocery stores & an off price store. I realize not everyone can get these prices, I've lived in many places over the years and here in south central AR I think this would be the best use of our $.
It is not the healthiest menu, but has some variety and is not living on just ramen and mac&cheese either.
I would bake snacks, breads, biscuits and muffins with the supplies to supplement meals and fill hungry tummies. If I had a few more dollars I would buy fruit & veggies, whatever was in season.
I am also assuming I have the condiments and spices I need, only buying the specific ones needed for recipes (salsa and Italian dressing).
Without more info, I based this on serving 4 people 3 meals a day
$1 rice This gets us 3 12 serving bags
$2 1 bag ea black beans, pinto beans, split peas (65c each)
$3 pre-cooked rotissarie chicken (Kroger has the cold ones in the deli section knocked down to $3, if you buy it hot it is $6.99)
$1 corn or flour tortillas
$2 2 dozen eggs
$3 4 bags frozen veggies (68c each) 1 chopped onion, 1 mire poix mix, 1 cali blend, 1 tri pepper & onion blend
$1 2 cans veg- green beans & corn (50c each)
$2.50 12 oz bacon
$2 chunk cheddar cheese
75c hot dogs (68c Bar S brand)
75c 1 can evaporated milk
$1 1 lb ground turkey
$1 3 pks corn muffin mix
$1 salsa
$1 2 cans pork & beans
$1 pasta
$1 Italian dressing
$1 oatmeal
$1 applesauce
50c 1 can mandarin oranges
50c 1 can tomato sauce
$1 margarine
$1 popcorn
Breakfasts:
(3 meals) Oatmeal made with evaporated milk & applesauce
(1 meal) Poached eggs and toast, mandarin oranges
(3 meals) Pancakes or waffles
Lunches & dinners:
(1 meal) Beanie weenies- 1/2 pk hot dogs, 2 cans pork & beans, 1/3 bag frozen onions
(1 meal) Rice & pinto beans- cook all beans- seasoned with 4 slices bacon, 1/3 bag frozen onions- save 1/2 for refried beans
(1 meal) Refried beans served with 1/2 pk tortillas, salsa, cheese & rice mixed with salsa
(1 meal) Chicken fajitas made with chicken breast, pepper & onion blend, 1/2 tortillas
(2 meals) Split pea soup- split peas, 1/2 bag mire poix mix, 4 slices bacon
(1 meal) Mini corn dog muffins- 1 box corn muffin mix, 1/2 pk hot dogs, cheese, little honey if you have it
(1 meal) Pasta salad- pasta, cali blend veggies, Italian dressing- serve with corn muffins
(2 meals) Chicken & rice, make broth with bones & dark meat and 1/2 bag mire poix mix, cook rice in it.
(1 meal) Omelet with cheese & salsa
(2 meals) Black beans & rice, salsa
Snacks:
Baked goods & popcorn
sounds workable but like you said, not very healthy and there is no milk (except for a can of evaporated) and no produce...I think it would be nearly impossible to consistantly feed a family of 4 on $30.00 a week. What about butter on the waffles or pancakes and how about milk for the oatmeal or are you using the evaporated milk for that?
I agree that fruit and vegetables are important and necessary but I don't think dairy is all that essential. You can get your nutrition from other things if you don't use much dairy.
I agree that fruit and vegetables are important and necessary but I don't think dairy is all that essential. You can get your nutrition from other things if you don't use much dairy.
I always think of getting our calcium from daily products and veggies like broccoli. Maybe there are cheaper ways that I don't know about.
Here's a link to an article called Top 10 Foods Highest in Calcium. It has a one minute video, too, that's really interesting.
Yep, that is about what I thought; 3 of the 10 were dairy or daily type foods, (well tofu not really I guess) the rest were nuts and leafy greens. I did say broccoli, but I see leafy greens are listed as well. What is sad, all these things are very expensive. I am not a milk drinker (we do eat a lot of chesse though and lots of veggies)
Here is a list of what I would buy: Assuming I had staples at home such as flour, butter, oil, spices, sugar, etc.
5 pound bag of Jasmine rice-$5.93
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast $6.98
10 pound bag of potatoes 2.50
Eggs (18) 1.87
Bread 1.48
Gallon of Milk 2.98
Bunch of Banana's 1.00
Large Can of Mandarin Oranges .68
Large Can of Pineapple .82
Bag of Carrots 1.00
6 bunches of broccoli 3.26
1 block of cheese 1.50
This is actually not too far off what I normally buy, all though my weekly budget is usually a little higher at around $50.
I am a huge fan of following the meal plans on hillbillyhousewife.com
Last edited by sherrenee; 08-07-2011 at 03:11 PM..
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