$13.30 for three days of food
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You're talking about people who are actually on assistance, not the OP - correct?
If you have the time and access to those ads. When I was making the least money I was working full time as a temp, part time in retail, and going to grad school two nights a week.
Some low income people are working multiple part time jobs and using their spare time to take care of family and/or look for a full time job.
Shopping sales is something we say, but not always possible. Science is also finding that the way some people's brains process things can change when there is scarcity, such as poverty.
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Two websites I really like for budgeting groceries are Poor Girl Eats Well and Budget Bytes
It's about double what you need, but PGEW has multiple $25 Shopping Cart posts that could be useful.1 -
I was at the grocery store earlier and I thought of this thread when I found a lost EBT card in the parking lot. It sparked an educational conversation with my child.2
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I have no clue. My lunch has been costing me 15 bucks.0
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I teach at a community college. I do not consider this cheating.3
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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.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.
Exactly. There have been many posts of people on budgets needing ideas.3 -
Shop at aldi or similar
I would buy prices are estimate
1 dozen eggs $1
1 thing of tortillas$ 1.5
1 thing onions $1.5
2 cans black beans $1.5
1 bag shreeded cheddar$ 2.5
1 lb chicken thigh $2
1 jar hot sauce $1
1 lb carrots or other cheap veggie $2
Breakfast burritos, lunch bean quesadilla ,dinner chicken thigh roasted with veggie3 -
I've seen taxes mentioned twice on the thread - where are you that you are charged taxes on food? Where I live, we're not taxed on food.
Tennessee has a base state tax on food of 5.5%. Individual city/county taxes can increase that. Where I used to live in Tennessee there was an additional 2.25% in county taxes. So I paid a total of 7.75% in sales tax on food. The state I currently live in doesn't tax food.0 -
Well, at least at my local Aldi last week I bought organic blueberries for $1.29, pack of butter for $2.29, dozen eggs for $0.89, organic mac n cheese for the kids $0.89/box, and canned green beans for $0.44/can. CHEAP
I buy the rest of my groceries at Publix, but I refuse to pay $4.79 for the butter and $4.99 for the same blueberries that Aldi has at more than half the price.1 -
Don't forget spices, you are going to want salt and pepper if nothing else. Also oil, margarine or butter to fry your eggs, salad dressing or vinegar for dressing. Ketchup? Mustard? Mayo? All those little "extras" add bucks to a grocery trip0
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Do you mean for the OP, or for people on assistance? The OP, if that's who you meant, probably can't afford those, given the restriction on "bulk" purchases.Don't forget spices, you are going to want salt and pepper if nothing else. Also oil, margarine or butter to fry your eggs, salad dressing or vinegar for dressing. Ketchup? Mustard? Mayo? All those little "extras" add bucks to a grocery trip
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That's. . . you did read the thread, right? Or are you trolling? One take away anyone could get from this assignment (such as it is) is understand why certain purchasing decisions are a "problem."
Yeah, you have to know which ones are cost effective and which ones aren't.mburgess458 wrote: »Rotisserie chicken for sure, you can stretch that to feed you for 4+ meals! Shred all of the meat from the bird and then boil down that bones/carcass and make a soup base for another meal. Get a small bag of beans and rice and you can eat beans and rice w/chicken and then make a bean, rice, chicken soup for another meal.
Awful advice. You're trying to stretch your money, don't buy something someone else cooked... do you think they do that for free? It's going to be much cheaper to buy a chicken (or chicken pieces) and cook it yourself.
Precooked food is for convenience. Great if you have more money than time, not a good idea if you're super poor.
How so? I can get an entire chicken for $5 and it's already cooked (saves me $$ on my electricity bill) and seasoned. Not sure your logic is correct here.
But I don't think "hot" food can be bought with SNAP.
Correct. It used to be any prepared food, but that was relaxed some time ago. Steamed (at the seafood counter) doesn't count as "hot" either. Why yes, people on SNAP buy lobster and crab. . . I never did but I can attest to the disincentive to "shop around"
Yeah, you have to know which ones are cost effective and which ones aren't.mburgess458 wrote: »Rotisserie chicken for sure, you can stretch that to feed you for 4+ meals! Shred all of the meat from the bird and then boil down that bones/carcass and make a soup base for another meal. Get a small bag of beans and rice and you can eat beans and rice w/chicken and then make a bean, rice, chicken soup for another meal.
Awful advice. You're trying to stretch your money, don't buy something someone else cooked... do you think they do that for free? It's going to be much cheaper to buy a chicken (or chicken pieces) and cook it yourself.
Precooked food is for convenience. Great if you have more money than time, not a good idea if you're super poor.
How so? I can get an entire chicken for $5 and it's already cooked (saves me $$ on my electricity bill) and seasoned. Not sure your logic is correct here.
But I don't think "hot" food can be bought with SNAP.
Correct. It used to be any prepared food, but that was relaxed some time ago. Steamed (at the seafood counter) doesn't count as "hot" either. Why yes, people on SNAP buy lobster and crab. . . I never did but I can attest to the disincentive to "shop around"
I never understood why an occasional treat is a problem. $7-10 a lb at a store is not like the cost in a restaurant. I used to buy crab when my income was very low. It was an occasional treat, not everyday. And lobster tails occasionally go on sale for $5 each where I live.
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That's. . . you did read the thread, right? Or are you trolling? One take away anyone could get from this assignment (such as it is) is understand why certain purchasing decisions are a "problem."
Yeah, you have to know which ones are cost effective and which ones aren't.mburgess458 wrote: »Rotisserie chicken for sure, you can stretch that to feed you for 4+ meals! Shred all of the meat from the bird and then boil down that bones/carcass and make a soup base for another meal. Get a small bag of beans and rice and you can eat beans and rice w/chicken and then make a bean, rice, chicken soup for another meal.
Awful advice. You're trying to stretch your money, don't buy something someone else cooked... do you think they do that for free? It's going to be much cheaper to buy a chicken (or chicken pieces) and cook it yourself.
Precooked food is for convenience. Great if you have more money than time, not a good idea if you're super poor.
How so? I can get an entire chicken for $5 and it's already cooked (saves me $$ on my electricity bill) and seasoned. Not sure your logic is correct here.
But I don't think "hot" food can be bought with SNAP.
Correct. It used to be any prepared food, but that was relaxed some time ago. Steamed (at the seafood counter) doesn't count as "hot" either. Why yes, people on SNAP buy lobster and crab. . . I never did but I can attest to the disincentive to "shop around"
Yeah, you have to know which ones are cost effective and which ones aren't.mburgess458 wrote: »Rotisserie chicken for sure, you can stretch that to feed you for 4+ meals! Shred all of the meat from the bird and then boil down that bones/carcass and make a soup base for another meal. Get a small bag of beans and rice and you can eat beans and rice w/chicken and then make a bean, rice, chicken soup for another meal.
Awful advice. You're trying to stretch your money, don't buy something someone else cooked... do you think they do that for free? It's going to be much cheaper to buy a chicken (or chicken pieces) and cook it yourself.
Precooked food is for convenience. Great if you have more money than time, not a good idea if you're super poor.
How so? I can get an entire chicken for $5 and it's already cooked (saves me $$ on my electricity bill) and seasoned. Not sure your logic is correct here.
But I don't think "hot" food can be bought with SNAP.
Correct. It used to be any prepared food, but that was relaxed some time ago. Steamed (at the seafood counter) doesn't count as "hot" either. Why yes, people on SNAP buy lobster and crab. . . I never did but I can attest to the disincentive to "shop around"
I never understood why an occasional treat is a problem. $7-10 a lb at a store is not like the cost in a restaurant. I used to buy crab when my income was very low. It was an occasional treat, not everyday. And lobster tails occasionally go on sale for $5 each where I live.
It was a response to a sub discussion in this thread.
And nope. If a person saves up for a treat it isn't a problem to spend a little extra on one meal. It's not going to work for this person's three day project, but long term they can occasionally get something nice. They are humans, not trash.
I was working my *kitten* off about 19 years ago when I had less than $20 many weeks for food. I did not qualify for assistance because I was a non disabled adult with no children. If I managed to pinch one week for a dungeness it was just fine. (And if someone on SNAP can save for a special meal that's fine too.)
And I'm pretty sure the point of the lesson isn't to show that certain purchases are a problem, but just how difficult it is to balance that low budget.0 -
I took a trip to a major grocery chain in my mind (not Aldi) not using coupons.
1 gal of skim milk
1 20 oz box store brand raisin bran
1 24 oz loaf store brand bread (wide pan kind, 130 cals per slice)
1 18 oz jar of reduced fat peanut butter
1 dozen large eggs
2 5 oz cans mushrooms, pieces and stems
1 5 oz 'bag' real bacon bits
As of yesterday's prices I came up with $12.00 even.
~9210 calories total. Enough food for four-five days, I imagine, as long as one can 'literally' stomach peanut butter sandwiches, raisin bran, and mushroom bacon omelettes. . .4 -
I wish I could buy eggs for less than $1 per dozen! I'm in Alberta and the cheapest I've seen them locally (on sale) since I had to start worrying about costs was still over $2 (CDN).
I'm liking some of the ideas in this thread, though, so thanks everyone!
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Do you mean for the OP, or for people on assistance? The OP, if that's who you meant, probably can't afford those, given the restriction on "bulk" purchases.Don't forget spices, you are going to want salt and pepper if nothing else. Also oil, margarine or butter to fry your eggs, salad dressing or vinegar for dressing. Ketchup? Mustard? Mayo? All those little "extras" add bucks to a grocery trip
I think the original post said nothing could be used that you already had, in other words all the food and any ingredients used would have to be purchased with the $13. So cooking the eggs, unless you boil them, is going to require some sort of oil or butter. A salad would be dry unless she purchased a dressing or some oil and vinegar. Etc.0 -
You're talking about people who are actually on assistance, not the OP - correct?
If you have the time and access to those ads. When I was making the least money I was working full time as a temp, part time in retail, and going to grad school two nights a week.
Some low income people are working multiple part time jobs and using their spare time to take care of family and/or look for a full time job.
Shopping sales is something we say, but not always possible. Science is also finding that the way some people's brains process things can change when there is scarcity, such as poverty.
Yes. The OP has benefits that someone actually in that budget situation would not have.0 -
Ohio and Massachusetts don't charges sales tax on groceries either, since they are a basic necessity of life.
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Do you mean for the OP, or for people on assistance? The OP, if that's who you meant, probably can't afford those, given the restriction on "bulk" purchases.Don't forget spices, you are going to want salt and pepper if nothing else. Also oil, margarine or butter to fry your eggs, salad dressing or vinegar for dressing. Ketchup? Mustard? Mayo? All those little "extras" add bucks to a grocery trip
I think the original post said nothing could be used that you already had, in other words all the food and any ingredients used would have to be purchased with the $13. So cooking the eggs, unless you boil them, is going to require some sort of oil or butter. A salad would be dry unless she purchased a dressing or some oil and vinegar. Etc.
If they have a non-stick pan, they can do more than just boil the eggs. I know that my pan works with eggs by themselves. Granted, it is newer. An older one might not be so kind.0
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