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!!!!!!
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.
you sound like your in the same boat that I am in.
I have been getting a lot of pasta and makeing soup that lasts a few days.
beans, lentils, split peas, rice, pasta. Bananas are usually cheaper than other fruits. For salads, you can stick to simple/cheap (green/red leaf lettuce + carrots + homemade dressing or cheap store-bought vinaigrette. i guess ice berg lettuce is even cheaper, but i'm not a fan).
ramen is cheap-- just don't use the seasoning packets -- too much msg and sodium (although the 'oriental' ramen packet is vegan)
ramen is cheap - but even without those packets it's still super unhealthy. those noodles are deep fried and i think theres about 40 grams of fat per packet.. they claim theres 2 servings in each one.
bean salad!
I vote pastas. Look around at sale things, i usually find a store that has them buy one get one free. If sauces are too much, buy tomato paste in cans and throw in frozen veggies and spices.
You can make simple pasta sauce with oil and garlic (look around on the site, theres one)
I know everyones said it but beans. Try to change it up some. Make bean burgers, salads, cook them, fry them, bake them, it might make it not so boring for you (i get tired of food fast too and half my diet seems like its beans)
Other than that i'm drawing a blank at the moment.
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!
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.
I'm a big pasta fan because there's so much to do with it and it's fairly cheap
Also, a baked sweet potato loaded with whatever is VERY inexpensive and nutritious.
Tortillas are inexpensive and can be used with beans and other things for burritos, tacos, wraps, etc.
Be inventive and brave and think positive.
do you have much growing around you? try to get in some fresh stuff by foraging. you can often find fruit trees and such in people's yards.
99 cent stores for cheap cans of beans, bagels, pastas, bread, vegetables, sauces and other pantry staples.... not my preferred place to shop, but you can't beat a huge 29oz (1lb 13oz!) can of garbanzos or black beans for 99 cents...that will last you a few meals at least being a singleton.... ;)b
ramen is cheap - but even without those packets it's still super unhealthy. those noodles are deep fried and i think theres about 40 grams of fat per packet.. they claim theres 2 servings in each one.
bean salad!
noodles are noodles....it's just a variation of a pasta, although not 'durum wheat semolina'..... when you're eating on the super cheap, you can't always eat super-healthy, organic or a lot of variety......or be all too picky in general until that next paycheck comes in to save the day.....and in 'survival mode' it's best not to pass up 10cent-a-piece ramens.... also, i'd just like to add that the genius Asian students at my university who are not struggling financially or academically eat ramen noodles everyday.....and they are neither fat nor stupid ;)
actually, i really wish i had their brains :P
tbe packets are death tho.... i always toss them & just spray a little bragg's or garlic powder and red pepper flakes on instead... so many possibilities.... can do even crushed peanuts, cilantro, peanut sauce (thai), etc....
oh also, you can try posting some stuff that you don't want/need/have room for on craigslist if you're really strapped for some cash and have more $$$ for gas, food, etc until you have more income coming in.... good luck :)
Okay, first, this is TOTALLY doable.... (back in 05, I was feeding 2 adults on $10/week...)
My base for many meals:
A combo of rice (preferably brown), green lentils, and (the basic) frozen veggies cooked in veggie stock/broth
Variations using the above base:
fried rice: throw the base and other veggies (I'd keep the 'cut off' ends of things like asparagus and steam them in the rice cooker while the rice was cooking, and then add them into this dish) in the wok/frying pan w/ some oil and soy sauce.
spanish/mexican rice: base, salsa, black beans
the spanish combo can be used for burritos, 'enchiladas' (when combined with other veggies maybe?), or even an 'enchilada bake" aka mexican lasagne: use the mexican rice as 'cheese' and tortillas as 'noodles', and go from there!
to make your own 'enchilada sauce': tomato paste/basic tomato sauce + chili sauce/powder + garlic + onion
My staples:
Brown rice
Lentils
Frozen veggies
Boiler onions (3 or 5lb bags for around $3...usually lasts me 3 weeks to a month)
Salsa
Pasta
Vinegar
Olive oil
Beans
peanut butter
for pasta, I'd go for pasta salad: 1lb frozen veggies (I'd say the 'normandy'/'california' blends would be best here!), tossed with 1lb (when dried) cold pasta, maybe some beans (kidney or garbanzos are my faves for this!) tossed w/ a basic vinaigrette (vinegar + oil + garlic powder + onion powder + some mustard + other spices + water). Best the day after being made, when all the flavors have time to marinate This will normally last both G and myself (between the two of us we can eat enough for 3 or 4 people instead of just 2..) for 4 days to a week. Not bad for $3-4 investment!!
From personal experience, I've found places like $0.99/Dollar stores to be kinda deceptive when it comes to canned goods (though I do like it when they have jars of marinated veggies and roasted red peppers!!)....Most grocery stores will have their basic, 'generic', brands of canned beans and veggies for anywhere between $0.59 to $0.89/ 16oz cans of things, sometimes even cheaper when on sale....
There's also the good ol' standby of peanut butter sandwiches!! you could also do peanut butter noodles w/ frozen broccoli and soy sauce.....
dumpster diving (free! )
also, if you buy a few packages of angel hair (capellini) pasta, some tomato paste and some bulk tvp granules and a bit of oil, you can throw together a pretty tasty meal that will last you throughout the week. it only takes literally 2 minutes to cook the angel hair. add the tomato paste and tvp after draining it and the tvp will soften up. you can add a tablespoon of olive oil, some garlic powder or fresh garlic, salt and pepper...or whatever you have on hand, and this is a really simple pantry meal that can fill your belly on a tight budget! :) i am partial to capellini in general, so i happen to love it. my other favorite capellini recipes are with pearl tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and fresh basil or with tofurky sausage, and lightly sauteed veggies on top (broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, etc...)
You should also check out this great blog! It's about living on $3.33 a day (vegan) or $100 a month:
http://melomeals.blogspot.com/
dumpster diving (free! )
also, if you buy a few packages of angel hair (capellini) pasta, some tomato paste and some bulk tvp granules and a bit of oil, you can throw together a pretty tasty meal that will last you throughout the week. it only takes literally 2 minutes to cook the angel hair. add the tomato paste and tvp after draining it and the tvp will soften up. you can add a tablespoon of olive oil, some garlic powder or fresh garlic, salt and pepper...or whatever you have on hand, and this is a really simple pantry meal that can fill your belly on a tight budget! :) i am partial to capellini in general, so i happen to love it. my other favorite capellini recipes are with pearl tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and fresh basil or with tofurky sausage, and lightly sauteed veggies on top (broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, etc...)
You should also check out this great blog! It's about living on $3.33 a day (vegan) or $100 a month:
http://melomeals.blogspot.com/
100 x 12 = 1200
1200 / 52 = 23.08
3.33 x 7 = 23.31 per week.....she's looking for ideas that'll be less than half that amount for a week....
good ideas though, but still a little pricey when you're living off $10/wk.
dumpster diving (free! )
also, if you buy a few packages of angel hair (capellini) pasta, some tomato paste and some bulk tvp granules and a bit of oil, you can throw together a pretty tasty meal that will last you throughout the week. it only takes literally 2 minutes to cook the angel hair. add the tomato paste and tvp after draining it and the tvp will soften up. you can add a tablespoon of olive oil, some garlic powder or fresh garlic, salt and pepper...or whatever you have on hand, and this is a really simple pantry meal that can fill your belly on a tight budget! :) i am partial to capellini in general, so i happen to love it. my other favorite capellini recipes are with pearl tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and fresh basil or with tofurky sausage, and lightly sauteed veggies on top (broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, etc...)
You should also check out this great blog! It's about living on $3.33 a day (vegan) or $100 a month:
http://melomeals.blogspot.com/
100 x 12 = 1200
1200 / 52 = 23.08
3.33 x 7 = 23.31 per week.....she's looking for ideas that'll be less than half that amount for a week....
good ideas though, but still a little pricey when you're living off $10/wk.
yeah i know she's aiming for $10 a week and melomeals is approx $25-- melomeals is a great blog for budgeted recipes and beautiful vegan food. the author really goes into specific details about how she budgets and prepares meals, for example 1 pound of legumes will yield a burger recipe, a soup, a few portions in the freezer, some portions at the ready in the fridge, and also a portion atop a salad..... great resource :)
i'm personally not on that tight of a budget, but i know i've benefited and learned a lot from melody :-*
When I was in college I had 10 bucks a week for food for the entire semester. I ate a lot of beans and rice. I know the goal is to not eat monotonous food, but I think that's a sacrifice you're facing if you're going to meet your budget because it's less expensive to buy larger cans of things.
If you aren't looking for organic, shop at someplace like Smart 'N Final or a place that sell the dented cans or the dollar stores.
$3 Breakfast: plain oatmeal
$4 Lunch: canned beans & rice
---> You already have the rice. Buy one of those huge restaurant-sized cans of beans.
$3 Dinner: pasta
---> You can pan fry this with a little olive oil if you already have it and use whatever's in your cupboard for the topping.
Another option is to each brunch and lunner. That way you only have to pay for two meals and they can be a little nicer. Like:
Brunch: beans, rice & salsa
Lunner: pasta with salad
When I was in college I had 10 bucks a week for food for the entire semester. I ate a lot of beans and rice. I know the goal is to not eat monotonous food, but I think that's a sacrifice you're facing if you're going to meet your budget because it's less expensive to buy larger cans of things.
If you aren't looking for organic, shop at someplace like Smart 'N Final or a place that sell the dented cans or the dollar stores.
$3 Breakfast: plain oatmeal
$4 Lunch: canned beans & rice
---> You already have the rice. Buy one of those huge restaurant-sized cans of beans.
$3 Dinner: pasta
---> You can pan fry this with a little olive oil if you already have it and use whatever's in your cupboard for the topping.
Another option is to each brunch and lunner. That way you only have to pay for two meals and they can be a little nicer. Like:
Brunch: beans, rice & salsa
Lunner: pasta with salad
love the brunch and lunner idea-- you're so smart ;)b
Thank you so, so much for asking this question! And thanks for all of the answers!
I am also in the same situation. I haven't been able to purchase groceries for three weeks and I was looking at a minimum two more weeks after that until I found a gift card that I forgot about in my purse! Woo Hoo! (damn car insurance and registration due at the same darn time!!)
I don't have too many staples yet, nor do I have much experience in using them, it is really going to suck to make something from the precious few things that I have been able to purchase and have it not turn out so great, but I'm going to have to take the chance!
I am also concerned about not getting proper nutrition, I did purchase a multivitamin with my gift card (as well as groceries) so that if I am not getting everything I need at least I am getting some!
I hope that the suggestions work for you, and good luck!! :)
Sorry if these suggestions have already been given--I didn't look through all of the answers. I actually did a class recently for eating well on a budget. Here are a few of the hi-lites:
*Sprouts! Buy some very cheap alfalfa, clover, or similar seeds and sprout them. You will have a continuous supply of ultra-healthy vegetables that way!
*Dried beans! Superb nourishment, very cheap. If you have a pressure cooker, this will help.
*If you have a way to buy some lettuce seeds, dirt, and a makeshift box, you can have lots of good salad greens for quite a while.
*Make as much as you can from scratch--breads, etc.
Good luck!! :)
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