How to survive on 40-50 dollars per month on food.

Options
1…457910…21

Replies

  • chrystee
    chrystee Posts: 295 Member
    Options
    I'm struggling with budget too.. I wish i could figure out how to grow a garden but i live in an apartment, with no balcony or patio..

    Indoor? Put those little window planters right out your window?
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
    Options
    Fresh produce can get expensive, I find I save quite a lot by buying frozen veggies in bulk!
  • chrystee
    chrystee Posts: 295 Member
    Options
    If anyone has anymore ideas, please let me know!!!

    One thing that helps me is not wasting foods, if you have extra, use it the next day for lunch, etc. That way I don't waste food and money. I hate throwing away food that I don't use in time.

    You can also make like chicken soup and freeze it! A big pot of chicken soup might cost me 15 dollars (get the cut up whole chicken, or a small roaster or those tiny chickens, lots of veggies!) but you could also freeze it in single serve containers.
  • stardivap413
    stardivap413 Posts: 59
    Options
    plant a garden!

    actually a really good idea! fresh tomatoes, peppers, carrots, watermelon, beans, etc...

    otherwise I'd buy plenty of brown rice, black eyed peas, things that will last a while and that are only about a dollar a bag
  • shakama
    shakama Posts: 13 Member
    Options
    I hear you sister!! With our electricity prices going mad and our lovely carbon tax - I really don't know what to cut back on next!! Roll on the next election i say!!
  • weaverfit
    weaverfit Posts: 124
    Options
    greens & beans (and rice).
    Indian foods - predominantly vegetarian, can be very filling and are exceptionally flavorful. Try some new recipes.
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    Options
    Wow, I spend at least $300/month on food for me and my boyfriend - at least. Of course that includes stuff that he eats that I don't so yea.

    I eat a lot of beans though - they're cheap. I wish fresh stuff was cheaper here, It's not but I still buy it! :(
  • diddyk
    diddyk Posts: 269 Member
    Options
    i also live in Canada, and I agree, groceries are so expensive here!! I pay about 3.50 for a dozen egg! Milk is 4 bucks for a 2 liter. Isnt that ridiculous??

    I'm also Canadian, and I agree that prices here can be ridiculous. I visit Florida often and I loooooooove to eat there. I get healthy food, for cheap cheap cheap! (We don't eat out much while there, I stay in a house so have a full kitchen to use.)

    But 3.50 for eggs and $4 for 2lt of milk? Where exactly do you live? I'm in Mississauga...at No Frills (and Costco) and can get Eggs for $2.50/dozen and 4lt of milk for $4.50 or less..
  • foss44
    foss44 Posts: 119 Member
    Options
    Bump
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
    Options
    Hormel vegetarian chile.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Options
    Do you have a Dollar (Dollar Tree) store?? They have toilet paper, paper towels, kleenex, toothpaste, cleaning supplies, etc. :)
  • 967_1111
    967_1111 Posts: 221 Member
    Options
    Eat what's in season. When nothing local is in season, eat frozen veggies. Can be found for a good price, and nutritionally can rival fresh.

    I must admit there's no way I could do $50 a month. Our house of 3 (two adults, one 11 year old) probably spends $50 a month on milk alone...)
  • missroxy1985
    missroxy1985 Posts: 6 Member
    Options
    Bump for later !
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
    Options
    Eat what's in season. When nothing local is in season, eat frozen veggies. Can be found for a good price, and nutritionally can rival fresh.

    I must admit there's no way I could do $50 a month. Our house of 3 (two adults, one 11 year old) probably spends $50 a month on milk alone...)

    I'm going to be buying LOTS of frozen veggies!!! Rice, beans, eggs, milk.... Staples!!!
  • hbunting86
    hbunting86 Posts: 952 Member
    Options
    LOL great thread... I'm literally broke at the moment and having to pay for visas and immigration stuff - so I'm leaving life REAL cheap.

    Today I got:

    2 bananas, 1 mango, 3 avocados, 1kg fresh roma tomatoes, 4 medium white potatoes, and 2 huuuuge leeks for $11 NZD.

    Meat and dairy is very expensive in NZ - around $3 for 1ltr milk (I use that as my yardstick!) and cheese is around $10/kg.

    I'm eating a vegan diet so luckily I can avoid these expensive things!! Beans and pulses are fab to fill you up and you can flavour them so many ways... think if you have beans you could mix with rice and chilli etc for a Mexican style meal... or if you do pasta with beans that's a classic Italian dish called pasta fagioli (pasta and bean soup). Indian there are any number of vegetarian based lentil and vegetable dishes - think daal etc.

    If you like eggs, even if they're more expensive you can make them stretch further by scrambling them with rice and veggies to do your own home-made egg fried rice (plus it's healthier too).

    I find seasonal produce is much cheaper.. and it makes sense to eat in season and to reduce our ever growing carbon footprints. If only people bought more local and grew more of their own stuff we'd have a much more sustainable future..!

    Happy eating :)
  • sandinicole
    sandinicole Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    Not sure if anyone mentioned this but I stumbled across Dollarfriendlymeals.com on here. It gives the break down of cost and seems pretty healthy too hope it helps!
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    Options
    WTH, I spend at least 300/mo. Perhaps I need to revise my ways *LOL*
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
    Options
    In addition to ideas gathered here, I would suggest searching the forums for ideas, using the Search button above. There are a lot of great ideas out there. Here's one thread that had some great ideas: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/305918-does-anyone-else

    Some things that we do to help keep the grocery bill down...

    FROZEN VEGETABLES
    Frozen veggies are typically a great value, and very nutritious. Less sodium and more nutrients than canned. Plus, you can choose if want them crisp or soggy. Canned are always soggy. :laugh:

    BEANS
    Crock pot (slow cooker) is great way to go. Cook 'em overnight and then freeze any surplus. If you go with canned beans, I would recommend rinsing them to cut down on the sodium. Some nice folks have even added the rinsed versions of most canned beans to the food database.

    OATMEAL
    Oatmeal is another great, cheap, healthy food.

    EGGS
    A great low-calorie, protein-rich food. Don't fear eating the whole egg!

    GROCERY STORE PRICE MATCHING (WALMART) -- MY LIFESAVER!
    We have been able to buy a lot more fruit and veggies (along with meats and other items) thanks to Walmart's price-matching policy on groceries. We check all of the special that come in the junk mail for local grocery stores, jot them down and head to Walmart.

    The best fruit and veggie prices here are found in the Latin markets -- it's not uncommon for us to pick-up 6 lbs of oranges for $0.99, for example. Sometimes, though, the quality can be poor at the store offering the sale, so we just take that price to Walmart. It will also save you time and gasoline/bus fare. Walmart's price match policy is that you don't have to bring the ad -- just be able to tell them where you found the offer. They keep the local ads there, supposedly. We've never gotten any hassle though.
  • Justjoshin
    Justjoshin Posts: 999 Member
    Options
    I eat $40.00 in Chicken a month alone. I wish I could be that frugal.

    Grocery bill pushes $500 some months no doubt.
  • californiansun
    californiansun Posts: 392 Member
    Options
    In addition to ideas gathered here, I would suggest searching the forums for ideas, using the Search button above. There are a lot of great ideas out there. Here's one thread that had some great ideas: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/305918-does-anyone-else

    Some things that we do to help keep the grocery bill down...

    FROZEN VEGETABLES
    Frozen veggies are typically a great value, and very nutritious. Less sodium and more nutrients than canned. Plus, you can choose if want them crisp or soggy. Canned are always soggy. :laugh:

    BEANS
    Crock pot (slow cooker) is great way to go. Cook 'em overnight and then freeze any surplus. If you go with canned beans, I would recommend rinsing them to cut down on the sodium. Some nice folks have even added the rinsed versions of most canned beans to the food database.

    OATMEAL
    Oatmeal is another great, cheap, healthy food.

    EGGS
    A great low-calorie, protein-rich food. Don't fear eating the whole egg!

    GROCERY STORE PRICE MATCHING (WALMART) -- MY LIFESAVER!
    We have been able to buy a lot more fruit and veggies (along with meats and other items) thanks to Walmart's price-matching policy on groceries. We check all of the special that come in the junk mail for local grocery stores, jot them down and head to Walmart.

    The best fruit and veggie prices here are found in the Latin markets -- it's not uncommon for us to pick-up 6 lbs of oranges for $0.99, for example. Sometimes, though, the quality can be poor at the store offering the sale, so we just take that price to Walmart. It will also save you time and gasoline/bus fare. Walmart's price match policy is that you don't have to bring the ad -- just be able to tell them where you found the offer. They keep the local ads there, supposedly. We've never gotten any hassle though.

    THANK YOU!!!

    Keep it coming you all!

Categories