$25 weekly food budget

If you have a weekly budget of $25 dollars or less. What healthy foods could you get that feed you the whole week.
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Replies

  • gesundundmunter
    gesundundmunter Posts: 210 Member
    I get my basic healthy food from a 99ct store. I hope you have one in your area.
  • Kiki_StartingOver
    Kiki_StartingOver Posts: 43 Member
    I haven't really scored how much my groceries are (buying for soon to be husband is expensive!) but for myself, I go to Aldi's and Kroger for my fruit, veggies, and meat. I buy whatever fruit/veggies are on sale at which ever place and center my meals around that!
  • sdolan91
    sdolan91 Posts: 250 Member
    i spend around 30-40 every week on my food. i skip breakfasts usually, salad stuff for lunches with some type of protein for my snacks during the day, and my dinners are usually some type of chicken/turkey/ground beef and veggies. i eat chicken fajitas a loooot lol
  • davepollack
    davepollack Posts: 19 Member
    I spend about 90-100 for my family a week. 2 adults and 2 childern. And that includes the snacks for kids so $25 a week could be done for an individal.

    Fruits and veggies along with your lentils can be bought at that budget. The more meat protein the higher your costs will be.
  • BootyEvolve
    BootyEvolve Posts: 45 Member
    I get my basic healthy food from a 99ct store. I hope you have one in your area.

    I have a dollar store and I shop at Wal-Mart add grocery outlet a lot.
    That isn't enough money to feed an adult. Do you have a food stash, do you get free meals outside your home, or can you get help from a food bank?

    Probably none of the above. My work cut my hours and I go to school to 25 dollars is all I get
  • JMcGee2018
    JMcGee2018 Posts: 275 Member
    Ditto everyone who brought up dried beans and lentils. Canned or frozen veggies over fresh, bulk rice, always shop the sales section and look for coupons. Chicken thighs are cheaper than breasts, and although they may be considered less healthy by some, they fit my budget better. Lots of eggs. Go to several different stores to find the best prices. I shop Aldis, Cub, and Wal-Mart for groceries to get by on a tight budget.
  • MrsPinterest34
    MrsPinterest34 Posts: 342 Member
    It will depend if you prefer to cook your own meals and how affordable groceries stores are in your area. Also what you enjoy eating and what you have available at home.
    I enjoy cooking, i'm easily bored, so i'll buy the basic things i need to cook for whatever i'm craving for the week. Since I like variety I enjoy cooking meals from different countries. I usually buy at my local international grocery store, some times i pick something from Target, Fresh Market or at Wholesale stores like BJ's or Costco which can last for a while.

    Where I am for $25 I can buy chicken $5 or fresh beef $5, bread$2, small bag of Idaho potatoes $4, onions $2, tomatoes$3, eggs$3, a bag of fruit$4 and 2% Milk for $2. All approximate prices. Sometimes lower with sales. I cook with Olive oil only which I buy in a large amount that lasts for a while. I'm a spice junkie. I have so many spices from around the world. I already have so many condiments.
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,647 Member
    Aldi.
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    edited January 2018
    aeloine wrote: »

    ETA2: to make bread, you need flour, salt, water, and yeast. Yeast is VERY cheap, so is flour. Home made bread and some cheap butter/margarine can REALLY hit the spot.

    https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018203-simple-crusty-bread
    https://bakerbettie.com/four-ingredient-no-kneadbread/
    https://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/homemade-artisan-bread-easiest-bread-recipe-ever.html* recommend this one for sure!

    You can also mix in some of the herbs/spices I mentioned above (like rosemary or Italian seasoning or garlic powder) to give it a different flavor.

    Walmart has 5 lb bags of potatoes for $5, if you want something different. You can mix them into soups, bake them with eggs, microwave them on the go, make potato bread, latkes, hash browns, mashed potatoes (I don't even add milk to my mashed potatoes, just some potato water, an egg or two, and a bunch of seasonings).
  • crysgabriela
    crysgabriela Posts: 34 Member
    Walmart. Eggs, Milk, Sliced Bread, Ground Beef, Tuna, Potatoes, Chicken, Rice, Beans.
  • BootyEvolve
    BootyEvolve Posts: 45 Member
    Thanks guys! I'll definitely check out everything you guys suggested! Right now I do have potatoes and rice stocked up from when I was able to do 50 dollars a week. Eggs, oatmeal, pb&j, and frozen veggies are my life right now. But I love them all!

    I really appreciate you guys taking the time to post!
  • xmarye
    xmarye Posts: 385 Member
    edited January 2018
    It can be enough money to feed an adult, depending on where you live. In Canada, the average is $200 per person per month. In the US, it seems to be $100 per month. Check out Freedom in a Budget. She posts budgeting videos and financial tips, but is also sharing her weight loss on a budget. She spends $25 per week (she lives in Florida, US) and does the weight watchers points too (you will notice that in her latest videos she spends closer to $50 per week, but that's because she just moved in with her husband and now shops for two). She shares delicious recipes too! I don't do the WW points, but I enjoy watching her videos still.

    Here's a link to her weight loss playlist:

    How to spend $100 a month on groceries videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEXqDrCw23Q and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMe5XShpWYk&t=907s

    Good luck! ox
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    Thanks guys! I'll definitely check out everything you guys suggested! Right now I do have potatoes and rice stocked up from when I was able to do 50 dollars a week. Eggs, oatmeal, pb&j, and frozen veggies are my life right now. But I love them all!

    I really appreciate you guys taking the time to post!

    @PB&J, consider making your own bread! I know I've harped on it more than once, but it's the cheapest thing to make IMO.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,122 Member
    That isn't enough money to feed an adult. Do you have a food stash, do you get free meals outside your home, or can you get help from a food bank?

    To be fair I think this response might be more to do with the cost of living where you are (Norway isn't it?) I could get by on 25 euros per week relatively easy (realise dollars are less than euros but cost of foods here in Ireland is a little higher).

    I have supermarket brand weetabix with fruit for breakfast - a 36 pack is around 2-3 euros and will do my breakfasts for 7 weeks. A couple of bananas a week @ say 2 euros (around 2.60 per week total)

    I make homemade soup which costs me a couple of euros for 4-6 portions and does me 2 weeks of workday lunches along with a pack of mini naan breads (around 3.00 per week total)

    I have pasta on the other days, a large bag of pasta will last me a month to 6 weeks @ a couple of euros. (around 0.50 per week)

    Pack of 10 large Chicken Breasts from the butchers is around 10 euros. I pick up other meats in the clearance section and freeze them. (around 7 euro per week)

    I keep a couple of bags of various frozen veg at 1-2 euro each in the freezer to go with chicken or whatever alternative meal prep I have going on. (around 1.50 per week total)

    Also tend to buy a 20 pack of eggs from Aldi which will last me up to 2 weeks (around 1.75 per week). Usually have omelette/poached eggs for brunch on a weekend and boil a couple as snacks or to add to my pasta.

    There are other cheap things that you can bulk out meals with, some already mentioned above.

    Planning ahead is a good way to help with budgeting, if your local supermarkets send out flyers or have a leaflet in store pick one up, see what's on offer and plan your food ahead a week, buying only what you need.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    If you have a weekly budget of $25 dollars or less. What healthy foods could you get that feed you the whole week.

    Meal planning is a good idea if you have a tight budget
    Low budget friendly foods where I live are things like oatmeal, tuna, whole chicken or chicken thighs, dry beans, lentils, rice, pasta, bread, peanut butter, eggs, potatoes, carrots, apples, ground turkey, cabbage, onions, canned vegetables, frozen vegetables, flour.
    Buy store brands or generic. Buy whole things and cut, skin, bone, shred it yourself.
    A big pot of soup is a good dollar stretcher.
    https://www.thespruce.com/fassolatha-white-bean-soup-fassolada-1705785
    http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/copycat-olive-garden-minestrone-soup-by-todd-wilbur-77585

    Low budget menu planning and recipes:
    http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/40dollarmenu.htm
    http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/70dollarmenu.htm
    http://www.budgetbytes.com
    http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2013/03/35-meatless-meals.html
    http://www.meatlessmonday.com/favorite-recipes/
    http://www.lentils.org/recipes-cooking/recipes/

    Some MFP threads you may find useful:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10518784/healthy-food-choice-on-a-budget/p1
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10500423/costing-a-lot-more-money-to-eat-healthier/p1
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10490067/most-healthy-food-options-are-very-expensive-and-im-on-a-very-poor-budget-what-to-do/p1
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10020804/looking-for-vegetarian-recipes#latest
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10142490/a-list-of-calorie-dense-foods/p1
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10614805/need-quick-cheap-nutritious-food#latest