Budget of $100 a month on FOOD- HELP!

- find creative places for meals - espcially at school - food was usually served at events and meetings to get the students there. in grad school, we were always having a cocktail party / reception for somethng in the lobby - yay free drinks!

- learn to cook
- be creative.
- the seconds / "manager specials" espcially of fruits and veggies are great - homemade applesauce, tomatoes for sauce, peppers & onions for mexican like dishes. and usually much cheaper than the "fresher" stuff.
- check out ethnic markets - they tend to be cheaper than the big grocery stores
- buy in bulk when you seen a good price for things - buy a whole chicken, roast it, use chciken for sandwiches for lunch & left over bones for soup.
- don't waste food - if you aren't going ot eat it all, freeze some for another day, learn to enjoy leftovers - dishes often taste better the next day.
- frozen berries are much cheaper than fresh. (i.e. trader joes $1.79 for a lb of frozen strawberries v. 2.99 at the grocery store for fresh)
- if you could maybe start a garden int he spring

Sounds like you really need help w/ your budget --- I would sell my car if i didn't have food to eat. Seriously.

Some people don't understand what it takes to be a graduate student. It looks like you already did your leg work with a budget knowing you only have $100 to work with. Congratulations to you in making it this far in your education
Regarding food stamps: You can receive food stamps if you work at least twenty hours per week at a paying job (internships are not included), and/or if you receive financial aid for school, you will qualify or food stamps if you also qualify for a work study program. You have the option when filling out your FAFSA to make yourself available for work study. The work study option is awesome because you may only have to work ONE HOUR per term to qualify for food stamps.
What I do to save on food: buy meat in bulk, Costco or Sam's, farmer's markets (and another note on food stamps: in the city where I live some farmer's markets will give you double the merchandise if you use your food stamps), pasta, beans, rice, tortillas.
Good luck to you!

I have a similar budget, paid biweekly, so I split it into $50 every two weeks. I've lost 40lbs and eat healthfully (everything as non-processed/macro nutrient requirement complicit as I can reasonably expect.)

Basically, you've got to plan a menu for those two weeks, make a strict grocery list based on it, and stick to it. I do a "big" grocery shop when I get paid, and keep 10,15 aside for the next week to pick up more produce/incidentals as needed for the second half of the menu. If there's anything left over, I'll save it to invest it in meat I can freeze or olive oil or anything that is a bigger chunk of money than I'd usually shell out, but good to have around.

I cook a LOT, obviously, though I try to get most of it done on Sundays. Cruise around family blogs, because they have lots of healthy recipes that yield 4-8 servings (or more) that you can make and then eat on all week. I have rec's if you want to message me.

Actual food-wise, my menus end up with lots of eggs, pork (I'm from the Midwest, so in the summer its cheaper than water), chicken, beans, rice, veggies (frozen sometimes, though always check out the ads for whats on special fresh). I make a lot of soup with leftover... well anything. Cheap cuts of meat can be great if you treat them right (like with slow cooking) and sustainable-type canned fish goes on special every now and then- super cheap protein source. Learn to store your perishable food properly- its always a painful thing to have to toss produce that's gone bad. (Quick tip- do not store apples anywhere near your other produce. They give off ethylene which will ripen other fruit faster.)

Summer is more fun to budget shop b/c you can go to the farmers market, etc for inspiration and to see what's cheap, but winter is less miserable to make soup/bake/roast... so it balances out. I know living on $25.00 a week for food seems daunting (nigh-on anxiety attacky at first,) and some days the monotony or work involved makes you crazy, but with enough planning and creativity it's doable.

Lots of good ideas here. I'd add these:

Many churches have food pantries and qualifying is easier than food stamps and you don't have to be a member. Also...many churches have potluck dinners on Wednesday night and they accept all comers, even those who don't bring food. Even if you're not a believer, you can go and they will feed you, and there are always some healthy choices at those things.

I went through a period of time when money was extremely tight (I even went dumpster diving a few times -- when you have kids, you do what you have to do).

When you're at the store, look at the expiration dates on milk, dairy, and cuts of meat you like. Then make sure you go back to the store the day before those things are due to expire (Walmart tends to do their markup fairly late in the evening; other stores vary). If you're not going to use them right away, bag and freeze (yes, you can freeze milk and cheese, too). Same goes for bakery bread; always check the day-old section first. .

Apples and oranges are usually fairly cheap if you buy the big bags.

Pinto beans are great made in your crockpot; if you like some ham flavor with it, you can usually get a shank end hambone for around $2 which is enough to flavor an entire pot of beans. Put an onion in it and it's about as yummy a meal as you can make.

Which -- onions are cheap. So are potatoes. Cooked together they are a wonderufl meal; just don't load them up with butter and cheese.

Oh, and if you buy a whole chicken, you can bake it, strip off the meat (and have 4 or 5 meals that way) then boil the bones for a great chicken stock...after straining out the bones, just put in some packs of mixed frozen vegetables and you have a great soup.

Compare the prices at stores first and then buy cheaper store brand. Look for sales where you can get 4 meat items for $20(I have found these sales and was able to get 2 whole chickens, a whole pork loin and ground turkey which would normally have been more than double that price). You can use those meats for MANY different meals.

I would also buy any deals on frozen veggies(peas, corn, spinach and carrots especially) because you can use them in many meals/soups/stews.

Buy romain hearts when they are cheap instead of bagged salad mix.

Get a good portion of rice and beans to have on hand. Maybe pasta too and plain sauce too.

Right now my store is having a promotion if you buy a whole chicken you get a 5lb bag of carrots and a 5lb bag of potatoes for free. You can freeze all three of those things for future use.

Also, look in the international section. Depending on the demographics in your area you can find great deals there. Where I live is mostly latino so the hispanic/mexican area has cheaaaappp canned goods.

Ex) Sunday: Roast chicken with rice and carrots
Monday: Roast chicken with peas and potatoes
Tuesday: Chicken stew with peas, carrots and potatoes(freeze any left over)
Wednesday: Turkey chili with beans and canned tomatoes
Thursday: Tortillas with lettuce and leftover chili(freeze any extra)
Friday: Pasta with peas and sauce
Saturday: Pork Loin with with potatoes and whatever veggie
Sunday: Pork Carnitas with beans/rice
Monday: Pork "fried" rice with carrots and peas
So on and so forth...

Anyway this worked for me, just try to reuse everythingggg you buy

First check prices online or in a sales ad, so you dont burn gas and end up not saving any money. Clip coupons! If there is a Salvation Army in your neighborhood go there and visit their food pantry if necessary. FYI, I bought 8 boneless skinless chicken breast at Wal Mart for $8.54. I split them up into single servings, put them into zip lock bags and froze them. 1 breast with a salad or another green vegi and you have made 8 meals for around $10. the point is look for sales ad buy the "family" packs.

The fruit in the produce store is great for making your own fruit flavored yogurt. blend the fruit with plain low fat yogurt which is cheaper in the quart size than the 6oz size. It is delicious and much better for you.

Buy cereals in Walmart, everyone has a Walmart. I find them to be about 1.00 to 1.50 less than in the grocery store.

Use banans, of all the fruit bananas seem to always be the cheapest out there. Plus you can get older damaged ones in the produce store even cheaper and use them in your yogurt.

If you use them, stop using paper plates or plastic ware, use regular, more cleaning but cheaper and better for the enviroment.

Use store brand everything. Store brands are cheaper and they are just as good as the name brands. I always find the Great Value brand in Walmart to be just as good.

Make your own tomato sauce using 1 can of can of Italian flavored stewed tomatos and 1 can of tomato paste. You can find the store brand in both of these. Much cheaper and taste is just as good or better. You will also be making less than a jar of sauce which will make much less waste. If you are having company for dinner use two cans of each. You can also use diced tomatos which come flavored with peppers and onion, garlic and more.

Just a few ideas to help. I can think of more but you got the general idea.

brown rice, barley, potatoes, whatever meats are on clearance and yes they are still fine for consumption- if you feel weird about it -just cook it longer- most grocery stores put out clearance meats between 8-930 am......beef or chicken boullion - flavor for your grains....frozen veggies or canned if on sale or clearance.....eggs are a cheap protien as well....

spanish rice recipe

brown hamburger or meat of any type....well no seafood....lol.... til carmelized- gives you flavor
add some onion and green pepper if you have it .....cook longer til tender
add tomato diced and tomato juice....paste will work just add water to blend it out
add tender pre-boiled rice
salt and pepper...some hot sauce if you want

you can make as much or as little as you want....this freezes well too



chicken soup either noodle or rice

boil chicken pieces - whatever you got with onion salt and pepper til tender- pull from the bone and put the meat back in the stock....add one can or boullion cubes to water......add whatever veggies you have plus whatever noodles you have on hand.....rice should be precooked unless you have the time to slow cook it all together- this works well in a slow cooker too.....just add the things that need to cook longer in first then add the noodles and soft veggies last....this will also freeze well.....you can also substitute a beef meat add tomato chunks and let slow cook...


both of these are pennies on the dollar meals - just shop smart and dont be afraid of the mark down foods

I feel your pain! My grocery budget is $100-$115 a month. It takes a lot planning! I make a "menu" for the month, but I shop twice a month with $50. I use coupons and look at the add papers. If meat (chicken or ground turkey) is on sale, I will buy extra to freeze. I buy a lot of veggies and fruit (broccoli and apples). I've been known to eat PBJ for breakfast, lunch, and maybe dinner. ;-) Sandwiches and soup are a staple in my budget/diet.

I commend your will against eating/going out!!!!!!!

Keep your head up!!!! It's tough. Do I get tired of eating the same thing over and over again? I DO! But I remind myself it's not going to be forever. Good luck to you!!!!

On a 30-day month that is $3.33 a day... it's do-able if your grocery store prices are similar to mine at least. Do you have a fridge and decent sized freezer? Stuff to cook with?

These are things I would have on hand: electric skilled (just bought one for $20-25 at Walmart, high sides and a lid.. just plugs in. It heats up fast and is really easy to clean), plastic spatula, can opener, wood cutting board, a few different knives (serraded good for tomatoes, a flat blade for lettuce, hard veggies, and meat), box of sandwich sized ziplock bags.

If you don't have spices, these are the ones I would get first: salt ($0.50), pepper ($2), cayenne pepper ($2), Old Bay low sodium($3), garlic powder ($0.75), garlic salt ($0.50), itallian seasoning ($0.50). Those are all pretty cheap and will give the most back. If you're getting the Teflon pan, I'd get the butter 0 calorie cooking spray ($2).

My breakfast is about 90 cents. I buy the Thomas 100 calorie English muffins in a 6-pack, Borden Fat Free pre-sliced cheese about 18 slices a pack, low-sodium bacon about 18 slices a pound, and a carton of egg whites. I worked it out the other day, they are about 90 cents each.

Philly Cheese Steak - about $1
Shop the discount bakery rack, find appropriate bread buns. The ones we found at Walmart were about 170 calories each bun. Three ounces of steak, half a bell pepper, and the presliced low calorie Borden pepperjack cheese. You can make this on a Teflon pan pretty easy.

Cereal and milk makes a cheap meal. Special K is amazing cereal, my favorite by far. Oatmeal is cheap.. my brother used to use yogurt instead of sugar and milk.. easy and had the extra health benefits of the good bacterias they use to make them. Instant rice is cheap and hard to mess up. There is a brand of instant potatoes, Idahoan, they make a pack for $1 that would last me 3-4 meals. 100 calories on average for 1/2 cup.. so I stick with 1/2 cup for a meal and the packages make 4 servings. Cabbage is a cheap veggie and can taste great with just garlic powder and salt. Meat isn't that bad for price especially when you're on a diet and only eating 2-4 ounces a meal. Buy the 'family pack' and separate into small bags and get in the freezer right away so they don't spoil. Sprout broccoli or alfalfa seeds for salad! That ends up being really cheap if you tend to them everyday (gotta rinse with water every day or they rot).. takes a week to have a batch ready to eat. They taste awesome. Make your own fresh salsa.. it'll last in the fridge a month and it's super cheap to make and adds tons of flavor to food with low calories.

Do you have a Farmers Market? The one by my parents in Florida is year round and the best prices on produce you'll find anywhere. Get just what you'll eat until the next market so stuff doesn't go bad. Always plan ahead so you're not running out of money for food. Watch sales.