$13.30 for three days of food

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  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
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    kpeterson539 wrote: »

    OP, is there any way you can team with a classmate and pool your money, so you can buy the items and split them? A dozen eggs is probably a 6 day supply for one person at that income. A bag of beans and a bag of rice can last longer than three days for one person.

    This is actually a school assignment, not a real life scenario. Regardless I love the concept of collaboration. In fact, I used to "meal share" with a friend. I would be tired of a big vat of split pea soup so I would split with a friend. She'd do the same when making bread.

    It sounded like she needed to live on it for three days. Education and sociology majors often have to live out the scenarios.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
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    One of the difficult things about this assignment is that you only have to do it for 3 days... Some of the items that are being suggested (oatmeal, pasta, rice) are less expensive in larger quantities that you wouldn't want to consume for every meal for 3 days--they're shelf stable so they last much longer. Even a dozen eggs is overkill for 3 days for a single person... Now you didn't say that this was specifically prohibited, but could you pool your money with another classmate and split the food? More of a cooperative effort, and that way you'd have more variety with less waste. Just a thought.

    On the upside, it's really hard to do significant nutritional damage over 3 days...
  • dfwesq
    dfwesq Posts: 592 Member
    edited March 2017
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    I've lived on that kind of budget temporarily - just a few observations:
    Dried beans, peas, and lentils are very inexpensive, filling, and sustaining.
    Whole grains that you cook, like oats or barley, are usually cheaper and more filling than pasta or bread.
    Eggs are inexpensive sources of protein, and very versatile.
    Pound for pound, peanuts or sunflower seeds are likely to be cheaper than peanut butter.
    Don't waste money on beverages, unless they're also nutritious (milk, soy milk, etc.)
    If you can live without condiments, that will save you money too. If you need spices, try to find a store that sells them in bulk and only buy as much as you need.
    You'll want to eat produce. Some things that are often inexpensive are bananas, apples, onions, carrots, and potatoes. But you'll probably want to compare among several stores. Some will likely have produce on sale. Also compare the prices of frozen produce - it's just as good, and often cheaper than fresh.
    You might want to check advertising circulars for stores near you, so you can see what's on sale. Some stores send out paper versions, and some are available online.
    If you have time to look for them, you might be able to find coupons for some of your food.

    I hope that's helpful. :) Btw, those suggestions aren't specific to this assignment - they also work if you're just wanting or needing to eat cheaply.

    ETA: I agree the "don't buy in bulk" parameter makes it a bit unrealistic. In practice, someone would be able to buy staples like cooking oil and salt to last for weeks. It's hard to buy just three days' worth of salt or cooking oil though. So food may not be cooked the way you like it - or at least, you may have to be ingenious in the way you prepare it.
  • Sara1791
    Sara1791 Posts: 760 Member
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    VintageFeline wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    To figure that out yourself... that's sort of the idea of the project, isn't it?

    Yes. Isn't this an exercise in displaying how resourceful you have to be in order to manage such a small budget? I mean, sure I could point you in the direction of all sorts of resources and tell you how I have kept going on very little but I feel you need to work this out for yourself. Your fellow students and probably you will make some bad decisions and will be used in the analysis when the project ends.

    Grown up teachery speech over.
    Actually, I think the intent of the exercise is to prove that it can't be done. :/

    I've lived on a similar budget. It can be done. Rice, beans, eggs, marked down produce.
  • kikicooks
    kikicooks Posts: 1,079 Member
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    Quasita wrote: »
    Bekah7482 wrote: »
    How is this cheating? It's brainstorming. Are you guys looking through adds for her, doing her cooking and shopping, or writing her paper? No we are just giving her ideas. No different then if she were to tell her friend about the project and her friend were to make some suggestions for her.

    In fact, I would argue that the assignment is "what would you do if you had to feed yourself on $4.43 per day?" There are post on here all the time from people looking for cheap and easy food ideas. Therefore if OP were to have to feed herself on $4.43 a day, it would be reasonable to say that she would seek out guidance from sites like this one.

    OP- you would want to look for things that you can use in multiple meals. Eggs, chicken breasts, tuna, rice, pasta, veggies, a loaf of bread, etc.

    Apparently you've missed the multiple responses where people were literally picking up the circulars from chain grocery stores and/or posting links directly to recipes and other things. Also, OP has already clarified that it's not "what would you do to..." it's "how would you use this money to..." and the professor simply suggested doing research to gain information so that when they did the shopping, they'd be ready.

    The fact that OP is taking at least part of their plans from the responses completely negates the purpose of the assignment... which is ultimately to teach the students how difficult the life is, particularly if you are on assistance and that's all you can use to feed yourself    .
    Yes, but many people in need of assistance would be likely to go to the internet to search for help, quite possibly here for suggestions.

  • joseccastaneda
    joseccastaneda Posts: 267 Member
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    Even if the project was agenda driven. Doesn't successful completion of the project negate the idea of the project?
  • endlessfall16
    endlessfall16 Posts: 932 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Beans and rice, cabbage, a dozen eggs, a whole chicken.

    I second this.

    It's actually quite easy with "$13.30 for three days of food" if you are a little creative.

    Wait until after 8:30pm for rotisserie chicken to become half price. Cabbage, celery, loose carrots are like 3lbs a dollar.

    Look into the section called Manager's Deals.

  • rdevol
    rdevol Posts: 278 Member
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    My grocery store has a $1 markdown bin in the produce department where you can get some great bargains: 4 or 5 potatoes, 3 or 4 apples, etc. Try checking for that, too. Good luck!
  • JosetteGetsFit
    JosetteGetsFit Posts: 55 Member
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    Jruzer wrote: »
    JosetteGetsFit wrote: »
    Not a problem, hunt, fish and grow your own food.

    I'd be willing to bet that's not allowed by the assignment either.

    I'd be willing to bet you are right! I would do it anyway.
  • jsecret
    jsecret Posts: 606 Member
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    google live below the line - i did it for this organization and there should be lots of idea, potatoes/rice and cheap protein are helpful. i think i did oatmeal as well.
  • ksz1104
    ksz1104 Posts: 260 Member
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    definitely rice and beans. and eggs.
  • ksz1104
    ksz1104 Posts: 260 Member
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    I think this is a pretty awesome project.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    sarahaflood wrote: »
    Hi everyone!

    I'm a college student and I am currently in a class that addresses all different types of inequality. For an upcoming project, I have $13.30 (around $4.43 per day) to use to eat for three days (mirrors average assistance in my area).

    I cannot use any food I already have, I cannot eat any free food (from friends, promotions, etc.), and I cannot buy from any restaurants. Unfortunately, I am also not allowed to buy in bulk (even though it would equal out to the correct cost for day).

    For this time period, I will not be too worried about my calorie count or my particular fitness/health goals. I was just wondering if anyone has any ideas or sample meal plans for me?

    Thank you in advance!

    Does not using any food you already have include staples like salt? Eep. A 26 oz jug of store brand salt is $0.79 at a store near me and it would seem unfair to have to spend 6% of your food budget on an item that will last for months.

    Especially if so, I concur with the suggestion of pooling resources with other students.

    What exactly is meant buy not buying in bulk? A five pound bag of rice? A 25# bag of rice? Purpose of this prohibition?
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    sarahaflood wrote: »
    Hi everyone!

    I'm a college student and I am currently in a class that addresses all different types of inequality. For an upcoming project, I have $13.30 (around $4.43 per day) to use to eat for three days (mirrors average assistance in my area).

    I cannot use any food I already have, I cannot eat any free food (from friends, promotions, etc.), and I cannot buy from any restaurants. Unfortunately, I am also not allowed to buy in bulk (even though it would equal out to the correct cost for day).

    For this time period, I will not be too worried about my calorie count or my particular fitness/health goals. I was just wondering if anyone has any ideas or sample meal plans for me?

    Thank you in advance!

    Does not using any food you already have include staples like salt? Eep. A 26 oz jug of store brand salt is $0.79 at a store near me and it would seem unfair to have to spend 6% of your food budget on an item that will last for months.

    Especially if so, I concur with the suggestion of pooling resources with other students.

    What exactly is meant buy not buying in bulk? A five pound bag of rice? A 25# bag of rice? Purpose of this prohibition?

    My interpretation of not buying in bulk was not being able to go to a bulk food store and buy, say, a cup of oatmeal or a quarter pound of rice. Not being able to buy a 25# bag of rice makes no sense in the context of a 3-day experiment--who can eat that much rice in 3 days!?!?!?
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
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    In my city, there is a pretty elitist university, and every year they do a sleep on the streets thing, which is similar to this project. I have mixed feelings about it - it is unlikely that if one graduates from this school that one would really anticipate having to live on the streets, so its a pretty artificial construct. I think its kind of a shallow exercise, as one or two nights in good weather with a bunch of friends on the street with a full belly isnt going to approximate the experience of real homeless people by a long shot. So I sort of think, whats the point? To really see the disparity between the haves (the students) and the have nots (the homeless) takes a bit more than this, in my opinion. I am not saying its TOTALLY stupid, because at least students will think about what it means to sleep on pavement, but I question that it will really and genuinely impact it will them sufficiently to give them a real taste of social (in)justice.

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