The classic problem is that the very poor cannot do the outlay at once to save the money. I'm very fortunate that my parents were lower income but could do the outlay of huge bags of potatoes, huge bags of rice, etc. Now I am a very good cook. I also eat everything-- I'm not afraid of rice or corn and fruit is a good thing. We ate a lot of apples and bananas growing up.

Anonymous wrote:I grew up somewhere else and I simply don't eat what she eats. This white flour and any white bread in plastic would rip my insides apart. Same with anything corn, pasta, and too much rice.
I can easily do all root vegetables, any dairy product, meat, fish, fruits and anything pickled.
Better for me to up the daily budget to $5 than to eat what she eats.

What are your favorite root vegetables and how do you cook them? I'm trying to eliminate bread/rice/pasta from my diet and would like a healthy substitute.

When I was deeply broke in grad school about 25 years ago, my weekly food budget was $30 per week and that was TIGHT.

A dollar a day is brutal and inhumane.

I follow one - Dollar Tree Dinners

Even though I don’t need to shop there, it’s such a helpful channel. One extra reason I don’t need to shop there is we are a family of 5. We need bigger meals than what she usually does. (She usually preps for 2, or sometimes up to 9-12 lunches or dinners).

I figure I can get the same things for my bigger family at a good price at the grocery store. But it gives me ideas of things that do extend better on price. Buying bigger packages like I do helps with price.

Lots of un-fresh stuff. (Which is fine). I can top off the meal with a couple of produce items.

Anonymous wrote:I make a lentil dish with spinach. I add rice or potatoes. That probably hits $1 a day. I’d probably add in eggs, sausage and yogurt if I had to do this long term.

To add: When I was on a serious grad school budget, breakfast / supper was oatmeal with raisins and lunch/dinner was a two egg omelette with frozen veggies and bits of seasoned pork. One day a week I splurged on a slice of pizza. That was about $20 a week, with a bit left over to add fruit or peanut butter, or other things for seasoning and variety. So for $3 a day, that was a menu that I could sustain for a while.

I make a lentil dish with spinach. I add rice or potatoes. That probably hits $1 a day. I’d probably add in eggs, sausage and yogurt if I had to do this long term.

You can definitely make potato soup for a dollar.

Onion, AP Flour, Chicken Stock/Better Than Buillon, Rosemary, Garlic, Pepper, Salt, Cheese

I grew up somewhere else and I simply don't eat what she eats. This white flour and any white bread in plastic would rip my insides apart. Same with anything corn, pasta, and too much rice.
I can easily do all root vegetables, any dairy product, meat, fish, fruits and anything pickled.
Better for me to up the daily budget to $5 than to eat what she eats.

I had a cookbook developed by a grad student at NYU or Columbia that was developed to create meals on food stamps. I had it when I was on food stamps! Lots of shelf stable things and not a lot of meat. Helpful resource.

Now I’m very well-off and my family of five probably doesn’t eat for less than $50 a day.

Anonymous wrote:Not really breaking news. Of course you can eat the bare minimum and for cheap and be just fine.

Is it sustainable though? Is it healthy long term? Are there other (smarter) ways to save money w/o resorting to eating 2 pieces of bread and water every day?

Maybe. Lot of people packing freezer meals.

Not really breaking news. Of course you can eat the bare minimum and for cheap and be just fine.

Is it sustainable though? Is it healthy long term? Are there other (smarter) ways to save money w/o resorting to eating 2 pieces of bread and water every day?

This is a pretty interesting series. You can eat two slices of toasted bread and eggs for a dollar a day.

I would have chosen ramen and sliced chicken but she also has a really good chicken tortilla soup!