$30, 9 days, empty fridge

I also make " Oatmeal Upma " ( there are 100s of recipes when googling the internet ).

It's a savory/spicy oatmeal dish originally from India.
It's the only way I eat oatmeal, because I don't like sweet things.

Cook oatmeal with salt ( or some broth or vegetable granules) until " al dente " ( or mushy if youprefer.
During the cooking process add chopped vegetables and maybe a chopped potato.
After that some people add black, or white pepper. I add curry powder and some extra cumin. I have also added a spoon of thai curry mix, because that's what I had in the fridge.
When serving I add lime juice and cilantro or parsley, or sometimes a spoon or two of home made plain yogurt.
The oatmeal is also fine with just the broth and the vegetables.
Again, a very nutritional dish that is easy and fast to make and cheap.

I like what is listed, but I'd add a bag of baby carrots ( or regular if it's cheaper where you live) and a bag of some sort of frozen veggies.

Black eyed peas and Lima beans are both easy to make. And potatoes are inexpensive as well. Big 8-10 lb bag will only set you back a $2-3 and you can do a lot with them (baked, boiled, soup, oven fries, etc).

I've got a recipe for sausage veggie soup that runs me about $10 for everything, but it makes this gigantic stock pot of soup if you're interested.

Beans/legumes and rice offer the cheapest base on which to make up some meals. If you have or can score a pressure cooker you can buy dried beans for much less than canned and reconstitute them yourself in quick order; otherwise, do the soak and cook method.

We have bean and rice dishes frequently, with and without meat.

Ham and pea soup; the ham can be pricey though but the rest of the ingredients are cheap.

I make beef stews and soups often in the fall and winter and will add lentils to stretch the soup further and add more nutrition to every bowl (plus I like the taste).

Saute some onion, garlic, add a couple large cans of diced tomatoes and a cup and a half of dried lentils; spice it up any way you like. Serve over rice. Makes enough for several meals. inexpensive.

Don't fear baking bread. It really isn't that hard and the smells... yum. Good workout kneading the dough too.

Finally, do not hesitate to visit your local food bank. They are there to help and you could use a hand right now. They won't be turning someone away because you took their help. My wife volunteers at one and is always surprised when someone expresses a need but doesn't accept their help.

callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »

lauries8888 wrote: »

"TeaBea wrote: »

Yeast packets (baking aisle....probably top shelf) aren't cheap when sold individually. You have to buy a jar ($5+) to get a good price.

Not in PA. The yeast (packets and jars) are in the refrigerator section.

i wonder why? Here in NC its on the baking aisle.

Also in PA and yep...it's with the refrigerated stuff and is really cheap per packet. My husband makes his own soft pretzels so we frequently buy the individual packets.

Look around your house. If there is something you have not used in a year, sell it. If you live in a residential area, look for any houses with leaves over-flowing the gutters. Knock on the door, introduce yourself as a neighbor and ask them if they would like to save $1000 dollars, because that is what it will cost to replace the gutters. The weekend is coming, make flyers, put it on 50 doors - saying some things you are willing to do.

Chances are you will be eating steak on Monday eve - she says with a smile.

Check out your food bank goodies before you go shopping. No matter the expense, please keep eggs on your list. Flour too if you can swing it. With a little salt, margarine or butter and baking soda you can with these ingredients make scrambled eggs, pancakes, biscuits, dumplings, pie crust, or noodles (in order of difficulty).

I find chick peas/garbanzos to be the least gassy. Rinse their soaking water and cook in fresh to reduce the gassiness.

The empty fridge is short of vegetables and fruit and that will be your biggest expense. Cabbage is very sturdy and inexpensive. An onion too can be used in dozens of ways.

I don't know whether you have an equivalent, but here in the UK, the supermarkets have 'yellow stickers' on produce that is end-dated, usually in the early evening, a few hours before closing. I've picked up bread and veg for 10p, sliced meats for 20p, and large pots of natural yogurt for a similar amount. It's luck of the draw, of course, but when I was on Job Seekers Allowance (£75 per week), I had so little money left to buy food after I'd paid my bills. I went several times a week, and nearly always got something that was useful. Don't get hung up on expiry dates - if it's meat or fish, and you don't plan to use that day or the next, freeze it. Veg, bread goods and dairy can be safely used beyond sell-by and even use-by dates - use your eyes and nose, not blindly following manufacturer-logged dates. But my advice is to find the discount stores - we have 'pound shops' and similar discount 'warehouse' style shops, where tinned and packaged goods are at least half the price of a normal supermarket. They were a life saver for me!

My shopping basket, in your circumstances, would have oatmeal, milk, eggs, flour, pasta, potatoes, carrots, cabbage (cheap veg), tins of tuna and beans (dried and tinned). Perhaps a cheap, strong flavoured cheese (strong cheddar), which can zip up all kinds of veggie or pasta dishes. If you have stale bread, wizz it in the processor and make breadcrumbs, or use some for baked croutons - again freezable. Finally, make sure you know what's lurking right at the back of your store cupboards - it's amazing what you find! Don't throw any food away until you know for sure it's completely unusable for anything!