Low-income help
Replies
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Sounds like college and the period after my divorce. Except I also ate cheese and bologna sandwiches and ramen... I'm not trying to diminish the OP's specific situation, I guess I just have a natural "planning" tendency I forget others don't. When I was feeding two people on $30-35/week a few years ago, I couldn't even DREAM of buying a frozen microwave meal at $1 for 350 calories or less. For just one person that would be at least $40/week. Of course, we did eat a lot of beans. I had to make that $30 add up to 31,500 calories somehow. A dollar HAD to buy at least 1000 calories on average, or we'd be out of food. I didn't mean to vilify frozen meals.dizzieblondeuk wrote: »Unless you want plain rice and plain ground turkey, with a PB sandwich for 5 days,0 -
I know this sounds weird, but based on my experience, owning a car is very expensive. Do you have the option to sell it and bus instead? I find a full price monthly bus pass is at least half the cost of gas in a month (if not less than half). Plus then you don't pay insurance or maintenance on the car. But I know that might not be an option depending where you live.
I agree with food banks.. couponing... watching for sales, and buying in bulk and only buying what you need and what lasts! I prefer frozen veggies over fresh simply because they don't rot in the freezer. Plus since they're pre-cut, you're not spending money on parts of the produce you're just going to throw out. I also buy the store brand or No Name and price compare between those. I also agree with others that freezer meals won't really be the cheapest things you can buy... maybe if they're on sale, but not at regular price.
I know there are cookbooks/internet sites that show you how to cook for $1 a day (but I also know that that price is an average price and you have to stock your panty with bulk items to start so it's also a bit of an up front cost). But they might be worth looking at.0 -
Eat what you always do, only in moderation, to equal a deficit.0
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Allot of different notions going on here.. why not find a job that can fit into your Disability. Better Job, More money.
idea #1 Get rid of cell phone, At least for 1 month. So the next month you have an extra $100.00 in your pocket.
Idea #2 Buy Frozen Veggies. maybe for $1.00 a bag.
#3 Pasta. -- on sale for $1.000 -
Potatoes make very satisfying meals. You can bake, microwave, fry or boil them. Great with just butter, salt and pepper or topped with everything from broccoli, ham and cheese to leftover chili. One meal I like for dinner is to chop up a potato and throw it in a skillet with some diced onion, garlic powder, salt, pepper and a little water. Cover the skillet so the potatoes steam while they cook. Turn a few times until they start to crisp, then crack in a couple of eggs. It's great as is or you can top with cheese and sour cream if you have them.
I know you said you hate legumes, but have you ever tried making dip with them? You can cook your own lentils, black beans, white beans, or chickpeas then add whatever spices you want, some peppers, oil, onion, etc and puree in a blender or food processor. If you don't have either of those, mash them manually. Then scoop up with celery, cucumber, carrot sticks, crackers, etc. or wrap in tortillas with some leftover rice. I make my own tortillas - they are very very easy to make, whether you prefer white flour or corn and the cost is pennies.
Biscuits made from scratch are pretty cheap, you can use water if you don't have milk, and leftovers reheat super easy. You can eat them plain, with butter, make sandwiches, or the gravy mixes you just add water to are usually under a dollar and for just one person you could probably eat that meal at least three times. It isn't the most calorie conscious, but is quick and filling.
I also agree about batch cooking and freezing. One other thing you might try is buying a whole chicken. Roast it, eat your portion for that meal, then divide the rest out. I will pull the meat off the bone and then use it in stir fry (you should be able to get frozen bagged stir fry mix for around $1.00) or I sautee a whole sliced onion with a bell pepper in butter then add a portion of chicken to it. Sometimes I top it with parmesan. There's a lot of flavor but not much meat and it still satisfies.
You can add balsamic vinegar and basil to tuna instead of mayo, toss in a green onion if you like, and wrap in lettuce instead of bread. You can add anything you have on hand and it's usually great (if you like tuna).
Chia seeds can be a little pricey up front, but a serving is only a TBSP, so the bag lasts forever. You can make pudding out of them. I do that for make ahead breakfasts. 1 TBSP chia seeds, 1/2 c. coconut milk (a can should run under a dollar and there are multiple servings in 1 can), 1 tsp vanilla. Stir it up, let it sit for 5 minutes then stir again, cover and refrigerate over night. Eat as is or top with fruit. If the consistency weirds you out, blend it for a couple seconds. You can make it chocolate by adding 1 TBSP cocoa powder, 1 TBSP sugar or stevia in the prep phase. Sometimes I do this and decrease my coconut milk but add coffee. It's mocha magic!
Oatmeal, the plain stuff in a big round container, is super cheap and quick and you can add whatever you want for flavor.
If there are multiple stores in your area, keep track of the sale circulars and plan your meal list from the sale items. Don't be brand loyal, go with least cost store brands. Buy in bulk where you can. You said you buy rice. I will cook a big batch to reheat as necessary and eat it in a bowl with coconut milk and fruit with a little cinnamon on top, but regular milk is good, too.
Good luck to you.
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OP, I think you asked for recipe sites recommendations like Budget Bytes?
https://41aac1a9acbe9b97bcebc10e0dd7cb61ef11502c.googledrive.com/host/0B9c5aT4eSlRfMzVpbC0xemtkSlE/good-and-cheap.pdf
(Free cookbook download for people with income similar to US SNAP participants)
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/budget/downloads/2WeekMenuCookbook.pdf
(US Gov cookbook for low-income families)
http://brokeassgourmet.com/
http://goodcheapeats.com/
http://the99centchef.blogspot.com/
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Liftng4Lis wrote: »Eat what you always do, only in moderation, to equal a deficit.
yup. Track what you are eating, stay within the calories allotted, and the weight will come off. cheap non bean protiens- TVP (bobs red mill tvp is 4.00 a pound here) canned tuna, eggs, milk, and peanuts.0 -
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Sorry, to the people recommending buying frozen bag veggies for a buck, rice for 1.50 etc. Those are not canadian prices. Rice, small bag $5 ish, frozen veggies sometimes on sale for small bag of corn or peas for $2.50 but 3-5$. The prices here are way more than the US.
Also, if you try to find a job while on provincial govt disability I believe they do claw back (take it away) or cancel it. BC keeps you in poverty if you are on assistance.
OP-do you have a bulk barn near you?0 -
Sorry, to the people recommending buying frozen bag veggies for a buck, rice for 1.50 etc. Those are not canadian prices. Rice, small bag $5 ish, frozen veggies sometimes on sale for small bag of corn or peas for $2.50 but 3-5$. The prices here are way more than the US.
Also, if you try to find a job while on provincial govt disability I believe they do claw back (take it away) or cancel it. BC keeps you in poverty if you are on assistance.
OP-do you have a bulk barn near you?
Yes, prices are higher here. And she's in BC. Might be even higher there since the standard of living is higher.0 -
But wouldn't the prices of the frozen meals be higher, too? We're just suggesting that via planning and knowing how to find what the real "bang-for-your-buck" foods are, that her food dollars could go further.Sorry, to the people recommending buying frozen bag veggies for a buck, rice for 1.50 etc. Those are not canadian prices. Rice, small bag $5 ish, frozen veggies sometimes on sale for small bag of corn or peas for $2.50 but 3-5$. The prices here are way more than the US.
Also, if you try to find a job while on provincial govt disability I believe they do claw back (take it away) or cancel it. BC keeps you in poverty if you are on assistance.
OP-do you have a bulk barn near you?
Yes, prices are higher here. And she's in BC. Might be even higher there since the standard of living is higher.
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Someone mentioned pricematching-yes this! This works best at Walmart. Also, you can get Checkout 51, Snap (formerly snapsave) for $ back on items too. Flyerify on the phone and you can see all the flyers (for pricematching) in your area .0
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Hi OP. I'm sorry you are going through this. I also live in BC but we are a family of 6 on one income and I have a disability but do not qualify for any govt help due to my husband's income (working poor). Feel free to PM me or friend add me to talk more. We have struggled a lot with food and have had some great tips given to me from others (couponing, mark downs at certain stores at certain times, reselling items, etc).
For others advice concerning food banks: there are food banks in our province but they are not govt funded. They only rely on donations. Items are random, and often are damaged/expired, etc. For example one would get a bunch of expired bread items, a few canned items, sometimes eggs, sometimes a few snacks or fruit. You absolutely can't rely on them but it is a supplement. Unfortunately, there is also huge stigma here to use them and have to pick it up (hamper) personally so if transportation is an issue-it can be a problem. Also, sometimes Sally Ann etc offer emergency hampers but not all, and not many churches have them offered to the public.
To the bolded: this is completely untrue. I'm in Canada as well and have volunteered at my local food bank sorting donations, and I can tell you that they are absolutely rigid on food safety. Expired anything is thrown out, dented cans too, anything that isn't sealed, etc etc. Tons of donations are rendered unusable because of this, in fact...it often felt like only half what was donated was even usable, honestly. If the date on the bread looks expired, that would only be because it was frozen BEFORE that date and thawed safely to be given out. My local food bank also uses donated egg cartons to repackage flats of donated eggs, so the date on the carton doesn't reflect the items inside.
Please don't be afraid to use the food bank if you need it. I promise that the food there is safe. They would not be permitted to continue operating if their food safety procedures were not up to scratch and they are carefully regulated.0 -
Packerjohn wrote: »Childfree1991 wrote: »Two words Food Banks. I'm in a financial situation as well (in college, working, managing a 2 bedroom apartment on my own, no car yet, no food stamps etc.) but the local food banks have helped greatly. Quite a few carry healthy/fresh foods along with the non perishables. I suggest you go to any local food banks. They're usually operated at churches.
Unless some odd circumstances if I was running the food bank I would ask someone living alone in a 2 bedroom apartment to get a roommate to share expenses before providing any food bank aid.
I live alone in a 2 bedroom apartment. Churches are there to help. They help me all the time. I rarely grocery shop. I can't afford it at the moment (I refuse to go on food stamps though because it's too much of a hassle) and they understand. I go to 10 different food banks in my area. They're all supportive (and aware that I go to multiple banks). OP is eligible for help as well. There aren't many strict rules. Three main rules are have low-income (or income not high enough for current expenses), be a local resident, and visit the food bank usually only once or twice per month.
If you were running the food bank, you would need to be highly trained in advanced lol.
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Childfree1991 wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »Childfree1991 wrote: »Two words Food Banks. I'm in a financial situation as well (in college, working, managing a 2 bedroom apartment on my own, no car yet, no food stamps etc.) but the local food banks have helped greatly. Quite a few carry healthy/fresh foods along with the non perishables. I suggest you go to any local food banks. They're usually operated at churches.
Unless some odd circumstances if I was running the food bank I would ask someone living alone in a 2 bedroom apartment to get a roommate to share expenses before providing any food bank aid.
I live alone in a 2 bedroom apartment. Churches are there to help. They help me all the time. I rarely grocery shop. I can't afford it at the moment (I refuse to go on food stamps though because it's too much of a hassle) and they understand. I go to 10 different food banks in my area. They're all supportive (and aware that I go to multiple banks). OP is eligible for help as well. There aren't many strict rules. Three main rules are have low-income (or income not high enough for current expenses), be a local resident, and visit the food bank usually only once or twice per month.
If you were running the food bank, you would need to be highly trained in advanced lol.
I'm really not trying to be rude or derail this thread too much, but is it okay to ask why you are living alone in a two-bedroom apartment if your finances are so stretched? I'm just trying to wrap my head around that.0 -
melissajayne1980 wrote: »I don't particularly carefor legumes, as I end up leaving most of them on my plate or in my bowl and avoid soups
I know you mentioned no legumes but I thought I would suggest Food Not Bombs, if there is a chapter by you. We give tons of fruits, vegetables, potatoes etc out for free to bring awareness to food waste. All the items are donated items that are blemished or not stock worthy... But most of the time there is nothing wrong with them. Also we serve soups at our servings with tons of left overs for people to take home. Just my two cents. I save a ton on my grocery bill by getting my fruit and veg there for a week.0 -
Hi OP. I'm sorry you are going through this. I also live in BC but we are a family of 6 on one income and I have a disability but do not qualify for any govt help due to my husband's income (working poor). Feel free to PM me or friend add me to talk more. We have struggled a lot with food and have had some great tips given to me from others (couponing, mark downs at certain stores at certain times, reselling items, etc).
For others advice concerning food banks: there are food banks in our province but they are not govt funded. They only rely on donations. Items are random, and often are damaged/expired, etc. For example one would get a bunch of expired bread items, a few canned items, sometimes eggs, sometimes a few snacks or fruit. You absolutely can't rely on them but it is a supplement. Unfortunately, there is also huge stigma here to use them and have to pick it up (hamper) personally so if transportation is an issue-it can be a problem. Also, sometimes Sally Ann etc offer emergency hampers but not all, and not many churches have them offered to the public.
To the bolded: this is completely untrue. I'm in Canada as well and have volunteered at my local food bank sorting donations, and I can tell you that they are absolutely rigid on food safety. Expired anything is thrown out, dented cans too, anything that isn't sealed, etc etc. Tons of donations are rendered unusable because of this, in fact...it often felt like only half what was donated was even usable, honestly. If the date on the bread looks expired, that would only be because it was frozen BEFORE that date and thawed safely to be given out. My local food bank also uses donated egg cartons to repackage flats of donated eggs, so the date on the carton doesn't reflect the items inside.
Please don't be afraid to use the food bank if you need it. I promise that the food there is safe. They would not be permitted to continue operating if their food safety procedures were not up to scratch and they are carefully regulated.
Man, that's not cool. If people are going to donate, they should do better than just getting rid of what nobody can eat.0 -
Childfree1991 wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »Childfree1991 wrote: »Two words Food Banks. I'm in a financial situation as well (in college, working, managing a 2 bedroom apartment on my own, no car yet, no food stamps etc.) but the local food banks have helped greatly. Quite a few carry healthy/fresh foods along with the non perishables. I suggest you go to any local food banks. They're usually operated at churches.
Unless some odd circumstances if I was running the food bank I would ask someone living alone in a 2 bedroom apartment to get a roommate to share expenses before providing any food bank aid.
I live alone in a 2 bedroom apartment. Churches are there to help. They help me all the time. I rarely grocery shop. I can't afford it at the moment (I refuse to go on food stamps though because it's too much of a hassle) and they understand. I go to 10 different food banks in my area. They're all supportive (and aware that I go to multiple banks). OP is eligible for help as well. There aren't many strict rules. Three main rules are have low-income (or income not high enough for current expenses), be a local resident, and visit the food bank usually only once or twice per month.
If you were running the food bank, you would need to be highly trained in advanced lol.
I'm not sure what highly trained in advanced means. If you are living in a 2 bedroom apartment with no roommate and no good reason not to have someone sharing expenses, you are taking food needlessly from those who really need the assistance IMO.
The savings from sharing rent and utilities would most likely provide more than enough $ for food for one person.0 -
Childfree1991 wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »Childfree1991 wrote: »Two words Food Banks. I'm in a financial situation as well (in college, working, managing a 2 bedroom apartment on my own, no car yet, no food stamps etc.) but the local food banks have helped greatly. Quite a few carry healthy/fresh foods along with the non perishables. I suggest you go to any local food banks. They're usually operated at churches.
Unless some odd circumstances if I was running the food bank I would ask someone living alone in a 2 bedroom apartment to get a roommate to share expenses before providing any food bank aid.
I live alone in a 2 bedroom apartment. Churches are there to help. They help me all the time. I rarely grocery shop. I can't afford it at the moment (I refuse to go on food stamps though because it's too much of a hassle) and they understand. I go to 10 different food banks in my area. They're all supportive (and aware that I go to multiple banks). OP is eligible for help as well. There aren't many strict rules. Three main rules are have low-income (or income not high enough for current expenses), be a local resident, and visit the food bank usually only once or twice per month.
If you were running the food bank, you would need to be highly trained in advanced lol.
I'm really not trying to be rude or derail this thread too much, but is it okay to ask why you are living alone in a two-bedroom apartment if your finances are so stretched? I'm just trying to wrap my head around that.
I cannot answer for that poster, but it costs a lot of cash to get money for upfront rent, often a credit or a background check, . . more cash or help to move one's stuff, . . . effort to clean out the old apt.
Also, depending on the disability, a move might be close to impossible.
People who can count on financial, physical, emotional, and social/family resources have difficulty understanding.0 -
To the bolded: this is completely untrue. I'm in Canada as well and have volunteered at my local food bank sorting donations, and I can tell you that they are absolutely rigid on food safety. Expired anything is thrown out, dented cans too, anything that isn't sealed, etc etc. Tons of donations are rendered unusable because of this, in fact...it often felt like only half what was donated was even usable, honestly. If the date on the bread looks expired, that would only be because it was frozen BEFORE that date and thawed safely to be given out. My local food bank also uses donated egg cartons to repackage flats of donated eggs, so the date on the carton doesn't reflect the items inside.
Please don't be afraid to use the food bank if you need it. I promise that the food there is safe. They would not be permitted to continue operating if their food safety procedures were not up to scratch and they are carefully regulated.
I second this comment. Volunteering at both the community and university run food banks, and a recipient in the past (Ontario, Canada); much of the donated items are taken away from possible circulation because of both safety procedures and the fact that they won't be taken. Yes, sometimes the items are random, but it is all donated and depending on the season there isn't much variety... While other times like Christmas and Thanksgiving we are brusting at the seams. Food banks are a great resource and are full of volunteers working hard to have a continuous flow of food. It shouldn't be discredited because many members of the community need it to supplement their living.
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Canadas food costs is a lot more than the US, 5 dollars here would get you bread and jam IF the jam was on sale. 5 dollars IS the cost of a pound of ground turkey.
Soups and Chillis will be your friend. I buy bulk dry beans at places like The Bulk Barn for next to nothing, even Walmart has a bag of black beans for 2.47 which amounts to over 9 cups cooked. You need to think about building a pantry of some staples and also making your more costly ingredients stretch.
I have gotten our food costs down to 300 a month for two adults and one toddler. I go shopping every week and meal plan around whats on sale that week. I eat mostly vegetarian (ex veg head, chicken or turkey only for me.) and SO eats a meatless meal once a week, and most of his lunches are as well. I put aside X amount of cash to stock up on things that go on sale that we eat OFTEN. I dont buy things on sale if we don't use them often. This trip I spent 20 dollars on various bags of dried beans.
If you buy a whole chicken (8 bucks) you can eat the breasts for two meals, plus boil the rest and make stock and soup which will do you another few meals. Brown rice is not normally more than white (at least not by more than a few cents) and microwave meals tend to actually cost more per meal than making your own food. Beans and a whole grain are a meatless complex carb and both are very cheap.
I'd start with getting some staples like rice, oatmeal, black beans, kidney beans and frozen green beans + canned tomatoes. With that right there all you need is to pick up things to add along with it, IE get a chicken and make stock, use the stock and rice and tomatoes and beans to make soup. Eggs are also fairly cheap and you can do so much with them.
Also price matching helps. The only reason I shop at walmart is because I can get the deals from three stores at one place.
I understand being on a budget and what not, but sometimes you need to cut costs where you can. Do you NEED a cell phone and if so, can you do a pre paid plan (if you already dont) VS a contract. Do you NEED to drive if you can walk, ect.
When I was single, my food bill was 87-133 dollars a month, I worked full time but all my money went to bills. There is always a way
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She refuses to eat beans.ashypashy7 wrote: »I'd start with getting some staples like rice, oatmeal, black beans, kidney beans and frozen green beans + canned tomatoes. With that right there all you need is to pick up things to add along with it, IE get a chicken and make stock, use the stock and rice and tomatoes and beans to make soup.
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Hi OP. I'm sorry you are going through this. I also live in BC but we are a family of 6 on one income and I have a disability but do not qualify for any govt help due to my husband's income (working poor). Feel free to PM me or friend add me to talk more. We have struggled a lot with food and have had some great tips given to me from others (couponing, mark downs at certain stores at certain times, reselling items, etc).
For others advice concerning food banks: there are food banks in our province but they are not govt funded. They only rely on donations. Items are random, and often are damaged/expired, etc. For example one would get a bunch of expired bread items, a few canned items, sometimes eggs, sometimes a few snacks or fruit. You absolutely can't rely on them but it is a supplement. Unfortunately, there is also huge stigma here to use them and have to pick it up (hamper) personally so if transportation is an issue-it can be a problem. Also, sometimes Sally Ann etc offer emergency hampers but not all, and not many churches have them offered to the public.
To the bolded: this is completely untrue. I'm in Canada as well and have volunteered at my local food bank sorting donations, and I can tell you that they are absolutely rigid on food safety. Expired anything is thrown out, dented cans too, anything that isn't sealed, etc etc. Tons of donations are rendered unusable because of this, in fact...it often felt like only half what was donated was even usable, honestly. If the date on the bread looks expired, that would only be because it was frozen BEFORE that date and thawed safely to be given out. My local food bank also uses donated egg cartons to repackage flats of donated eggs, so the date on the carton doesn't reflect the items inside.
Please don't be afraid to use the food bank if you need it. I promise that the food there is safe. They would not be permitted to continue operating if their food safety procedures were not up to scratch and they are carefully regulated.
No, not is the case. Each food bank is individual and not all are the same. The one in our town absolutely gives items up to 2-3 years expired, dented and damaged items. Of course PB and a few other items are not but they give what the stores donate what they can't sell. I'm not saying the food that is expired is unsafe-ours has a list of what the companies have said it's good for past expiry date.
No, they are not carefully regulated. At least not here. We have had to use it since November so I'm speaking from experience.0 -
She refuses to eat beans.ashypashy7 wrote: »I'd start with getting some staples like rice, oatmeal, black beans, kidney beans and frozen green beans + canned tomatoes. With that right there all you need is to pick up things to add along with it, IE get a chicken and make stock, use the stock and rice and tomatoes and beans to make soup.
ALL beans? I see.
Try them a few different ways, if you need cheap protein you cant really be that picky.0 -
Also, the point of saying tht is that it isn't reliable for what items you can get, or would want to eat. When people say just go to the foodbank-it's not that simple.0
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scanned the thread and saw some good ideas. Didn't read completely so sorry if I didn't see this already mentioned - any chance you can grow a couple things? You don't need a huge garden, but could you get a tomato plant in a pot on a porch for example? Are there any community gardens you could use? I do understand you have a disability and I don't now if that impacts your ability to tend to some plants or not. If so, perhaps you can get some help from others. I saw churches mentioned above; perhaps folks there could help with a community garden.0
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ashypashy7 wrote: »
If you buy a whole chicken (8 bucks) you can eat the breasts for two meals, plus boil the rest and make stock and soup which will do you another few meals.
I haven't seen a whole chicken for 8 bucks in a few years
but maybe I'm not looking in the right places. 0 -
Childfree1991 wrote: »Packerjohn wrote: »Childfree1991 wrote: »Two words Food Banks. I'm in a financial situation as well (in college, working, managing a 2 bedroom apartment on my own, no car yet, no food stamps etc.) but the local food banks have helped greatly. Quite a few carry healthy/fresh foods along with the non perishables. I suggest you go to any local food banks. They're usually operated at churches.
Unless some odd circumstances if I was running the food bank I would ask someone living alone in a 2 bedroom apartment to get a roommate to share expenses before providing any food bank aid.
I live alone in a 2 bedroom apartment. Churches are there to help. They help me all the time. I rarely grocery shop. I can't afford it at the moment (I refuse to go on food stamps though because it's too much of a hassle) and they understand. I go to 10 different food banks in my area. They're all supportive (and aware that I go to multiple banks). OP is eligible for help as well. There aren't many strict rules. Three main rules are have low-income (or income not high enough for current expenses), be a local resident, and visit the food bank usually only once or twice per month.
If you were running the food bank, you would need to be highly trained in advanced lol.
I'm really not trying to be rude or derail this thread too much, but is it okay to ask why you are living alone in a two-bedroom apartment if your finances are so stretched? I'm just trying to wrap my head around that.
Was sharing an apartment with my now ex. He got abusive and kicked me out (my fault for dating and moving in with him). I stayed in a hotel for a while but it was too pricey and far from college (I had to take 4 buses to reach campus) so I looked around for more apartments and they all had rent rules (you have to make 2-3x the rent) which my income isn't THAT high. But eventually I found an apartment kinda hidden but directly across from campus. They don't have that rent rule (as long as the rent can be paid). They only have 2 and 3 bedroom apartments available but I took it. It's convenient anyways. School is right there lol.
Friends/family are suggesting me to get a roommate but after what happened with me and my ex, I may have to wait. I currently have major trust issues ever since it happened.
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grow when you can
look up square foot gardens
food banks are great. find good ones. some are better than others
shop on sale
shop with coupons
look up recipes0 -
Hi OP. I'm sorry you are going through this. I also live in BC but we are a family of 6 on one income and I have a disability but do not qualify for any govt help due to my husband's income (working poor). Feel free to PM me or friend add me to talk more. We have struggled a lot with food and have had some great tips given to me from others (couponing, mark downs at certain stores at certain times, reselling items, etc).
For others advice concerning food banks: there are food banks in our province but they are not govt funded. They only rely on donations. Items are random, and often are damaged/expired, etc. For example one would get a bunch of expired bread items, a few canned items, sometimes eggs, sometimes a few snacks or fruit. You absolutely can't rely on them but it is a supplement. Unfortunately, there is also huge stigma here to use them and have to pick it up (hamper) personally so if transportation is an issue-it can be a problem. Also, sometimes Sally Ann etc offer emergency hampers but not all, and not many churches have them offered to the public.
To the bolded: this is completely untrue. I'm in Canada as well and have volunteered at my local food bank sorting donations, and I can tell you that they are absolutely rigid on food safety. Expired anything is thrown out, dented cans too, anything that isn't sealed, etc etc. Tons of donations are rendered unusable because of this, in fact...it often felt like only half what was donated was even usable, honestly. If the date on the bread looks expired, that would only be because it was frozen BEFORE that date and thawed safely to be given out. My local food bank also uses donated egg cartons to repackage flats of donated eggs, so the date on the carton doesn't reflect the items inside.
Please don't be afraid to use the food bank if you need it. I promise that the food there is safe. They would not be permitted to continue operating if their food safety procedures were not up to scratch and they are carefully regulated.
No, not is the case. Each food bank is individual and not all are the same. The one in our town absolutely gives items up to 2-3 years expired, dented and damaged items. Of course PB and a few other items are not but they give what the stores donate what they can't sell. I'm not saying the food that is expired is unsafe-ours has a list of what the companies have said it's good for past expiry date.
No, they are not carefully regulated. At least not here. We have had to use it since November so I'm speaking from experience.
Then you should be reporting them to the provincial government, because it's neither allowable, acceptable, or usual to be providing that kind of food. That is NOT how food banks should be run and there are lots of regulations prohibiting it, I guarantee you.0
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