Here's a link to someone who spends $200 a month on food (for young kids though I think) and how he manages it.

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/have-a-sub-$200month-grocery-budget/

I do think it can be done. But, it is pretty hard!

Sounds like some cult family where kids are starving for food, and attention and are neglected. No way those kids are not hungry. Probably should notify Jeff and he can notify authorities of the IP address.

The $200/average per month poster, feeding 4 people all meals at home, is nutty. It *is* doable, but to feed people on that tight a budget I'd expect to hear that they:

1) buy whole wheat, dried black beans etc in 25 lb + bags
2) raise their own chickens for eggs
3) have at least a kitchen garden, growing their own herbs, greens and root vegetables, at a minimum
4) buy a lot of produce on sale and can or freeze it
5) have a basement freezer for the half a cow they bought
6) buy 25 pounds of sharp cheddar and grate it all, freeze it in 5 pound bags for the year.
7) handroll their own tortillas

etc.


canned beans? Those are for Spendthrifts!

Yes, it *IS* possible to spend that little, but you do have to work at it a LOT.

I said $200 a month, so some weeks $60, and others $40, but total monthly $200. Example: When I buy flour, I buy two 5 lbs bags. One white flour, and the other whole wheat. I use 3 cups of white, and 2 cups of wheat to make 2 large sheet pan pizzas. If I only use my flour for pizza it will last me about 6 weeks if I make pizza once a week.

The sauce and cheese are from Aldi. I may add jalapeños and tuna.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All you posters who don't believe $50 a week is possible. Do you shop at Aldi at all?

Yes, I shop at Aldi and don't believe you. You are most likely not counting ton of fast food and money spent on it. If you are doing this, it borders on child abuse.

We don't buy fast food. All meals are home cooked. My kids are not starving.

Then why don't you give us your grocery list to feed your family 21 meals for $50? Can't you see that we are all really curious how you do it? And disbelieving? So prove us wrong. We are eagerly awaiting the details on how you do it.

So far, it seems that you've got two gallons of almond milk ($4), a box of cereal ($3), and some steel cut oats ($3) that will feed you guys all of your breakfasts at about 250 calories per breakfast if you eat the serving size on the box. I assume you guys eat more calories for lunch and dinner? So what else for the remaining 14 meals for $40?

Anonymous wrote:Ok - i’ll Bite. I have a family of 4. This week we are eating:

Grilled cheese and soup

Veggie burgers and rice

Pasta primavera

Vegetable soup and bread

Leftovers


Please give the $50 grocery list for the week.

I'd make my own soups depending on deals I find. Could be chicken noodle, potatoes and broccoli, or lentil soup just to name a few. I'd get the bread from your sandwiches at Walmart. They have some with garlic and herb which we love for paninis. Cheese would be from either Aldi or Walmart. Pasta and sauces are super cheap at Aldi and so is rice. I'd probably through in some chicken or ground turkey, you do want protein right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All you posters who don't believe $50 a week is possible. Do you shop at Aldi at all?

I shop almost exclusively at Aldo’s myself, for a family of 4, for about 21 meals a week (kids take lunch to school), cook from scratch, and we eat leftovers. No way do I believe the $50 a week for 4 people. I believe that is less than snap. For every meal, for a week? For 4 people? No.

The maximum amount from snap for a family of 4 is 649 per month . That was in 2015 it may have changed a little since then .

I know. The poster being referred to claims he/she spends $50 a week for a monthly amount of $200 for a family of 4, less than 1/3 of snap. No way is that poster being truthful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All you posters who don't believe $50 a week is possible. Do you shop at Aldi at all?

Yes, I shop at Aldi and don't believe you. You are most likely not counting ton of fast food and money spent on it. If you are doing this, it borders on child abuse.

We don't buy fast food. All meals are home cooked. My kids are not starving.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All you posters who don't believe $50 a week is possible. Do you shop at Aldi at all?

I shop almost exclusively at Aldo’s myself, for a family of 4, for about 21 meals a week (kids take lunch to school), cook from scratch, and we eat leftovers. No way do I believe the $50 a week for 4 people. I believe that is less than snap. For every meal, for a week? For 4 people? No.

The maximum amount from snap for a family of 4 is 649 per month . That was in 2015 it may have changed a little since then .

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is dinner - breakfast is usually cereal and sandwiches for lunch.

Are you saying your costs are $50 a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner w/ shopping at Aldi in the DC area? for four? I thought you were asking someone else to give a menu that feeds 4 for a week for $50?

I am not the OP - I am curious to see the OP make a $50 grocery list off of my menu.

I average $200 a week for groceries.

I purchase more than I listed - I am just trying to see how this would actually work.

Anonymous wrote:That is dinner - breakfast is usually cereal and sandwiches for lunch.

The. It needs to be disclosed. The assumption is that the bill is for all meals, 21 meals a week. If the kids get lunch at school or daycare or parents at the office, whatever, then people need to be really clear. Offering 4 options as all you eat all week is extremely
misleading.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That is dinner - breakfast is usually cereal and sandwiches for lunch.

Are you saying your costs are $50 a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner w/ shopping at Aldi in the DC area? for four? I thought you were asking someone else to give a menu that feeds 4 for a week for $50?

I am not the OP - I am curious to see the OP make a $50 grocery list off of my menu.

I average $200 a week for groceries.

Anonymous wrote:That is dinner - breakfast is usually cereal and sandwiches for lunch.

Are you saying your costs are $50 a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner w/ shopping at Aldi in the DC area? for four? I thought you were asking someone else to give a menu that feeds 4 for a week for $50?

That is dinner - breakfast is usually cereal and sandwiches for lunch.

Anonymous wrote:Ok - i’ll Bite. I have a family of 4. This week we are eating:

Grilled cheese and soup

Veggie burgers and rice

Pasta primavera

Vegetable soup and bread

Leftovers


Please give the $50 grocery list for the week.

That’s all you’re eating, for breakfast, lunch and dinner????