how to survive on 20$ for food for 2 weeks?!?!? PLEASE HELP!!!
OK, so here is deal. i am strapped for cash so incredibly so i'm slightly freaking out about my diet. :-\
i have rice. i was thinking should i buy frozen veggies and live off stir-fry for 2 weeks but my problem is that i'll get bored and not want to eat that all the time. plus, i lived off nachos (MY nachos = refried beans, seasoned black beans, veg chili, salsa and sour supreme) for a week and i'm really tired of 'heavy' foods. i need something i won't allow myself to get bored with AND i miss freshness of salads and fruits. unfortunately i cannot afford fruits and veggies as i want so now i don't know what to do. i'm trying to not spend my money on things that'll last me 2 meals and be gone because then i wouldnt have any money and i'd starve living off of water and rice(i've done it to myself before and let me tell you - don't do it).
i try to have a decently balanced diet and typically do when i can afford it all.
so, if anyone has any suggestions for meals that last 2-3 days (i live by myself only need to worry about myself food-wise), i would greatly appreciate it.
thank you thank you thank you my like-minded veg friends!!!!!!
or if youre feeling adventurous you could always do what a friend of mine did. she posted a personal ad and pretty much bottom lined it as she just wanted a free meal. it was a really funny ad and was completely honest about not looking for anything really but promised to be a fun talkative date as long as they bought her dinner. she got TONS of responses! it didnt hurt that she's really cute too - but they liked her honesty and thought she'd be fun (she is). she took a few up on the free dinner. plus - you'd probably be a pretty cheap date unless theres veg places by you.. it'd be a chance for you to get some really nice veggie salads though.. i say go for it!
^^^ would be a lot of fun actually! haha
Thanks to everyone who suggested things. i ended up buying beans, pasta, tomato sauce, frozen veggies, bread, peanut butter, and jam. although i get really bored really fast and always want what i can't have, i think i'll survive.
to be honest, my friends and i actually know the hotspots around here for dumpster diving (even book stores). and i do have a garden but its still early in the season.
there is much love here. and i love it!!!!
or if youre feeling adventurous you could always do what a friend of mine did. she posted a personal ad and pretty much bottom lined it as she just wanted a free meal. it was a really funny ad and was completely honest about not looking for anything really but promised to be a fun talkative date as long as they bought her dinner. she got TONS of responses! it didnt hurt that she's really cute too - but they liked her honesty and thought she'd be fun (she is). she took a few up on the free dinner. plus - you'd probably be a pretty cheap date unless theres veg places by you.. it'd be a chance for you to get some really nice veggie salads though.. i say go for it!
^^^ would be a lot of fun actually! haha
Thanks to everyone who suggested things. i ended up buying beans, pasta, tomato sauce, frozen veggies, bread, peanut butter, and jam. although i get really bored really fast and always want what i can't have, i think i'll survive.
to be honest, my friends and i actually know the hotspots around here for dumpster diving (even book stores). and i do have a garden but its still early in the season.
there is much love here. and i love it!!!!
trader joe's is famous for good freegan dumpster diving....check out your local tj's :)
i don't know what a Trader Joe's is, although i'ver heard much talk on here of it. there aren't any around here. :[ the natural food stores are extremely expensive here too. the stuff i bought there once cost me 78$ when the same stuff (only not all of it is organic) would have cost me 15$ at Hy-vee. i was sad. i love organic but man, i have to keep the expensive food on the minimum when i'm struggling like this.
thanks for the help. i hope everyone is surviving!!!!
i don't know what a Trader Joe's is, although i'ver heard much talk on here of it. there aren't any around here.
Trader Joe's is a chain of small/mini grocery stores (larger than a convenience store). They sell a mix of organic and conventional produce that is prepackaged, so you buy units of fruit (like a four pack of pears). They also have tofu, earth balance, nuts, some personal care items, frozen food, wine, bread, etc, but they aren't really a health food store. And although they carry some vegan frozen food, they don't necessisarily cater to veg*ns. A bunch of what they sell is organic and they work to only sell what they can move a lot of to keep prices as low as possible. A can of organic beans at the TJ's closest to me is $1.09 and clif bars are $0.99. And they usually have good deals on blueberries during the summer months - like $6.99 for two pounds of blueberries.
asdkl;few.
i wish i had $20 to last two weeks, i have no cash left for food.
stupid bills. :'(
asdkl;few.
i wish i had $20 to last two weeks, i have no cash left for food.
stupid bills. :'(
i hear ya on the bills. fushiggidale.
blech, I hate being broke.
On the upside, if you're like me and constantly have things sitting in your cupboard/fridge that never get used, now's the time! Here are some of my ideas, made with things I already have kicking around...ie. no need to buy anything:
-peanut butter & jam sandwiches!
-lentil stew (good way to use up the green lentils, carrots, onions, etc that I seem to always have lying around)
-bean salad! whatever canned/dried beans you have, throw 'em together & put some dressing on (I usually just do vinegar/oil/sugar dressing, herbs are good in it too, & veggies if you have some)
-cream of wheat! or oatmeal...I always have both in the cupboard
-rice & beans, of course :) with whatever sauce you may have. peanut sauce is good. you could even make your own.
-hummus! either with chick peas, or red lentils
-if you have flour and other baking stuff, you can make bread, cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, muffins, whatever
-if you have gluten flour, make a big batch of seitan!
-pasta with tomato sauce, with tvp or crumbled tofu (also a good way to use up carrots)
-quinoa salad with beans, veggies, etc
-granola! if you have nuts, oats, seeds, and maple syrup, you can make some delicious granola pretty easily.
that said, my cupboards are quite full at the moment, but everything I put on this list is made up of ingredints that I ALWAYS have in my kitchen...so I wouldn't need to go out and buy anything to make any of this stuff. Even if your kitchen isn't that well-stocked, there are probably still quite a few things you could make...maybe not things you eat very often, but it's a good way to mix up your menu once in a while. It's kind of fun to figure out how to use up the last bit of whatever that's been in the cupboard for months, too. :) good luck!
Lentils are great idea, tb.
A bag of lentils is super cheap. Simmer them with bullion and seasoning and then freeze it in individual portions. You can mash it, add more broth and make soup, eat it straight. The possibilities are endless, filling, and totally inexpensive.
ramen is cheap-- just don't use the seasoning packets -- too much msg and sodium (although the 'oriental' ramen packet is vegan)
the soup mix for that one has beef extract and lactose in it. atleast the one i have in my hands now does. I eat them with out the soup mix sometimes when I am lazy with soy sauce and lime juice.
Nissin brand 'oriental' flavor is vegan. Marchuan brand 'oriental' flavor is not.
ramen expert in da house!!
hey hh... *coughcough*post#1*coughcough*
id get some dried beans and lentils and from there you can make simple beans & rice, bean or lentil soup with some of your frozen veggies added in, or dal, bean burgers.. i know beans are heavier than veggies but theyre really nutritious & cheap. theres always pb&j's too or oatmeal for breakfast. the big canister kind thats really cheap - not the instant packet stuff.
also- i saw that you buy sour supreme.. theres a recipe on here that i always use for sour cream - it's the 'tofu sour cream' one and it's really good when you follow the changes that reviewers suggest. plus, since i can buy tofu for about $1 at the asian market it ends up being way cheaper than a tub of sour supreme.
;D Three pages later, I'm all, "OMG!!!1! Lentils!! What a great idea!" Yeah. I'm slow sometimes.
me too, hh!
ramen is cheap-- just don't use the seasoning packets -- too much msg and sodium (although the 'oriental' ramen packet is vegan)
the soup mix for that one has beef extract and lactose in it. atleast the one i have in my hands now does. I eat them with out the soup mix sometimes when I am lazy with soy sauce and lime juice.
Nissin brand 'oriental' flavor is vegan. Marchuan brand 'oriental' flavor is not.
Tis good to know. I know that there is another brand that makes Vegan ramen flavors, but I cannot think of it of the top of my head. :-\
ramen expert in da house!!
You know it! 8-) Hmm. Maybe I finally have a subnick...
ramen expert in da house!!
You know it! 8-) Hmm. Maybe I finally have a subnick...
;)b
Pages