Cheap Veg and Fruits?

Vixy1989
Vixy1989 Posts: 57 Member
in Recipes
I live off of $60 a month for groceries. Is there a way to get some fruit and veggies in my diet without breaking the bank?
Also, affordable rice and pasta recipes are welcome since I can't think beyond soy sauce and pasta sauce anymore!

Replies

  • losingforgood120
    losingforgood120 Posts: 94
    Bananas
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    There's a new cookbook that was written specifically for people on food stamps, but of course anyone with a small food budget will benefit. It's also free. Here's an NPR story about it,

    http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/08/01/337141837/cheap-eats-cookbook-shows-how-to-eat-well-on-a-food-stamp-budget

    and here's a link to the PDF of the actual book. You can save it or print or just bookmark it.

    http://static.squarespace.com/static/52f120cfe4b0bf8fcb650b3e/t/538f9236e4b08b5c80ab24ed/1401918006810/good-and-cheap.pdf


    Also, if you have a farmer's market in your area, that's one of the best places to buy produce. You can often find stuff like sweet potatoes and blueberries really, really cheap.
  • Vixy1989
    Vixy1989 Posts: 57 Member
    While a great suggestion, hubby has an allergy and I don't bring them in anymore :(
    He also has allergy to carrots, no idea where it comes from and didn't think anyone could be allergic to carrots or banana's before I met him :P
  • Vixy1989
    Vixy1989 Posts: 57 Member
    Thanks snuggle! That's awesome!
  • MonicaJumper
    MonicaJumper Posts: 43
    Some great advice here. Also be sure to keep track of sales and coupons :)
  • 2BeHappy2
    2BeHappy2 Posts: 811 Member
    I live off of $60 a month for groceries. Is there a way to get some fruit and veggies in my diet without breaking the bank?
    Also, affordable rice and pasta recipes are welcome since I can't think beyond soy sauce and pasta sauce anymore!

    Am I reading correctly...$60 a month as in $15 grocery budget per week??
    This is for 2 people?
    How is it that 2 people cant bring in more than that for groceries?
    Do you have a food bank or something that supplements this amount because it would hardly seem sufficient enough.
    Is your budget from food stamps and could you add to it from your own income or vice versa.
    Get food stamps to supplement your budget?
    Sure you could eat ramen on this but surely you need the basic staples to sustain your health.
    W/out knowing your area...are there any places that offer free fruit/veggies if you picked them yourself?
    I know this doesn't help in your immediate need but what about making your own garden, that way you can grow what you want!
    You don't have to own acres of land...just a small area or Ive even seen people make planters for their windows or hanging planters...get your own strawberries to grow!
    Its fun to watch them grow and its very rewarding :smile:
    *Watch out for sales and use coupons as much as you can!
    Ooops! Someone suggested that already!
  • Vixy1989
    Vixy1989 Posts: 57 Member
    We're just barely above the poverty line with both of us working full time, but with rent going from 550 to 950 a month, we've had to cut back on quite a bit of necessities. We have a small garden that isn't technically allowed, ( 3 plant pots, one for peppers, one for tomatoes and one for onions) but this year has seen a really harsh harvest (haven't seen a blossom at all from peppers or tomatoes, but the onions are doing alright)
    Oh, and all the places that are pick-your-own around here are miles out of the city, and without transportation out there, its an impossible task. We do, thank goodness, have a church near by that gives us two bags of non-perishables every Tuesday. Mostly pasta's and sauces, white rice, crackers, cans of soup, cereals, and if we're lucky meats or someone with a garden drops off some cucumbers or tomatoes. We don't get food stamps (Canada) and we can't get help from the actual food bank (we make too much money apparently).
    I generally get a bag of celery $1.28, a bag of carrots for me $2, two heads of lettuce $2 per head, and a green pepper $.98. The rest goes to ramen, powdered milk, beans and hot dogs. And sales if we can find them.
  • jellybeansmamma
    jellybeansmamma Posts: 122 Member
    Ahh yup been there before :( Checking out the prices to see whether frozen is cheaper than fresh that week is good, also when fresh fruit or veg is heavily discounted, buy in bulk and chop and freeze to supplement what you can afford weekly.

    Also are there any community gardens near you that you can grow your own produce in, and trade with others also growing there? Is there a bartering system set up around you at all? Most places I've lived (australia) there will be an online group or run through a community center etc where you can barter with other people in the community for things you need ex: You do their ironing and they pay you in produce.

    Also we keep veg peel, ends of zuchini, onion, brussel sprouts stuff like that in a clip lock bag and use it to make vege stock to use in meals. broth with noodles or pasta with some diced vegies thrown in? vegetable fritters are pretty cheap, and blending cooked pasta or rice into a thin vegetable soup can make it more filling and satisfying.

    Good luck, and I hope things get easier for you soon!
  • Vixy1989
    Vixy1989 Posts: 57 Member
    Ty, I check frozen to fresh every time I shop :P
    It's usually almost 3 bucks a bag for two handfuls of veggies so I don't think its that great a deal.
    On really rare occasions they have the frozen go on for a buck a bag and I try to stock up on it then, but the frozen fruit never seems to go on sale
  • FitFroglet
    FitFroglet Posts: 219 Member
    Hi Vixy

    This is a blog written by a lady who was feeding herself and her son on £10 a week. All the recipes I've tried are lovely.
    Hopefully you'll find some that you enjoy.
    Also, if you put an ingredient into the recipe search it will bring back all the recipes that include it which is handy if you already have something and don't want to waste it.

    http://agirlcalledjack.com/category/recipes-food/
  • CAC10456
    CAC10456 Posts: 117 Member
    bump
  • Vixy1989
    Vixy1989 Posts: 57 Member
    Ty :) I don't like to waste food so we eat a lot of stews and fried rice...sometimes cheater rice pudding if I didn't flavour the rice to heavily :D

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