$1.75 a day poverty diet challenge

[razz]

I had been doing this over the summer... trying to get through stuff in the pantry. I used to stock up really well and then hardly use what I had. I think I need to reorganize the pantry again, use what I find and actually make a list of what we use and how much I want to keep on hand. Thanks for the reminder.

Happystuff, some time ago a thread woke me up to the necessity of using up what I had on hand which I have been doing.

I started to make a list and then found the perfect PDF list http://www.grocerylists.org/ultimatest/ that I could easily modify and print out. I didn't make a separate print for each shopping trip but placed my copy in a plastic sleeve to review. I have really made a difference in my shopping with the new 'revised for my needs' list.

I quickly check what my supply on hand is at present and have found forgotten purchases. I try to replace only as I run out these days as the Best Before dates seem shorter to me.
It sounds as though your grocery bill is well managed but I have gained some savings doing this plus need less storage space.

[bae]

The “no foraging” rule is problematic for me, as I live in an area where you can feed yourself from wandering through the woods and along the shoreline.

[happystuff]

Happystuff, some time ago a thread woke me up to the necessity of using up what I had on hand which I have been doing.

I started to make a list and then found the perfect PDF list http://www.grocerylists.org/ultimatest/ that I could easily modify and print out. I didn't make a separate print for each shopping trip but placed my copy in a plastic sleeve to review. I have really made a difference in my shopping with the new 'revised for my needs' list.

I quickly check what my supply on hand is at present and have found forgotten purchases. I try to replace only as I run out these days as the Best Before dates seem shorter to me.
It sounds as though your grocery bill is well managed but I have gained some savings doing this plus need less storage space.

Thanks, razz! I'll check this out.

[Tiam]

The “no foraging” rule is problematic for me, as I live in an area where you can feed yourself from wandering through the woods and along the shoreline.

Well, I think foraging is interesting in itself. If one is in a position of such restriction and few resources, it's natural to outside the box to gain more food. I don't think it's realistic. There are ways to forage in an urban setting that wouldn't be full scale foraging. And someone in this position would also try and utilize other resources like food banks and so on.

[shadowmoss]

Mostly due to reading this thread I am getting more serious about clearing out my pantry and keeping less on hand but more what I'll actually cook. The video of the $3/day guy is encouraging, although he personally comes across as a bit annoying. I just bought some frozen chicken tenders at the Evil Empire (Walmart...) for under $7 and it is enough for many meals for me. I have an onion and a yam that I need to use up, and some Indian cooking sauces in pouches that I bought way too long ago. I'm going to work on buying just enough to make it through a week at a time with specific focus on using up what I have (staring at you 7 cans of coconut milk and 10 cans of tuna... Costco...)

[Gardnr]

The “no foraging” rule is problematic for me, as I live in an area where you can feed yourself from wandering through the woods and along the shoreline.

It is so cool that you have this opportunity in your community! Organic and wild!

[happystuff]

And while I say I want to cut back and use up what we have and not keep so much on hand.... I then run into a sale that is too good to pass up!! Whole chickens are on sale this week at my grocery store for .79/lbs. I bought, cooked, and picked one last night. I should be able to get 2-3 meals out of it (depending on the meals). I planned to go get at least one more and stock the freezer, so technically I'm not adding to the pantry - right???

[SteveinMN]

And while I say I want to cut back and use up what we have and not keep so much on hand.... I then run into a sale that is too good to pass up!!

I have no problem laying in large-ish quantities of stuff I know we will use. I just bought 8 12-roll packages of toilet paper because they were on sale for the first time in a long time and it's the brand we like I like and DW will tolerate; we won't stop using TP anytime soon. Whole chickens would be little different: we like chicken and whole chicken offers a lot of versatility in meals.

Where I often get into trouble is buying a whole lot of something when I don't have a firm idea of how -- or how quickly -- I will use it. 28-ounce cans of tomatoes come to mind; most of what I cook does not call for 28 ounces of tomatoes, which leaves me with maybe half a can to use up. While I know how to use them up, I often just want to. So I'll tend to buy a 14-15 ounce can even if I have a 28-ounce can sitting in the pantry. Not frugal.

[Miss Cellaneous]

I have a good friend that grew up poor and by 8 was trying to cook and help her mom stretch the food. As a result she has enough food in her house to feed a army and lives alone. My mom said they had very little during the depression but they had food by growing it, etc. She only owned 2 dresses and pjs but wasn’t hungry. She hand washed her clothes daily.

'

During the Depression, my father's parents raised chickens in their urban backyard--enough to provide eggs for their family of 8, and some extra eggs and chickens to sell at Grandpa's brother's butcher shop. They also had most of the back yard planted with vegetables. Dad says he was never hungry, but there wasn't a lot of extra food, not with six kids, some of whom were teenagers.And they ate a lot of eggs. And there was no "fun" food, no cookies or snacks. While I was growing up, he always insisted on a proper dinner every night, didn't like casseroles, had to be meat, potatoes and vegetables, and there had to be dessert. And he liked having lots of food in the house--buying sides of beef for the freezer, buying groceries two or three weeks worth at a time. I think some of this stemmed from wanting to reassure himself that there was enough food in the house.

[Teacher Terry]

MC, yes your dad sounds like my friend. It has a life long effect.