I found a site today that rattled my comfort zone. It's http://livebelowtheline.com/
It's an international challenge to spend no more than $1.50 US per day for your food for five days.
Below is a copy and paste from their 'about' page:
Live Below the Line is an incredible awareness and fundraising campaign that empowers those who want to eradicate extreme poverty within the next generation. Started in Australia in 2010, the movement quickly spread across 3 continents and is now catching on in the US.
1.4 BILLION people are forced to live every day on $1.50. Food, drink, health expenses, housing, transportation, education - all living costs must be covered by this amount. It's a feat impossible to imagine - but it's the reality for nearly one quarter of the world's population. The good news is we can effect change in this area.
May 16 – 20, 2011, is Live Below the Line Week. During those 5 days, thousands of people across the US will spend just $1.50 per day on food. In doing so, they will bring the issue of extreme poverty to the attention of their households and workplaces.
We'll all be challenged. We'll all struggle without caffeine. And we'll all have that not-quite-full feeling for 5 days. But we will do so because there are 1.4 billion people for whom doing without is not a choice, and that situation must change.
_________
Although the official challenge dates have passed, I am going to try this for a few days. I'm lucky as my freezer is almost completely full from the garden harvest and I have stocked up on flour, sugar, beans, rice...dried foods that we eat.
I'm not sure how I'm going to figure costs on some things - like the garden harvest? Spices that are in my cupboard already? Eggs from my hens? I don't even know how much a dozen eggs or an onion cost from the store now.
I'm pretty sure that I'm going to be eating some things that I don't care for that often - like lentils. But I'll sure try to figure in some coffee.
I'm going to strive for a somewhat healthy (??) diet, not just ramen noodles and oatmeal.
I'm not above grazing, but at this time of year, it's pretty sparse.
I'm not going to ask DH to join in. He's out of town for a few days so that helps.
Any suggestions are appreciated. And if you want to join me, better yet! Then we can share meal ideas! Updates to follow.
PS - I never was impressed with Rachel Ray's $40 a day show. I'd be more impressed if she'd show how to feed a family on $40 a week. This is $45 a month.