Going for the $1.50 a day food challenge

[Zoebird]

I think that if my food budget were $10.50 per week, I would probably do a pantry building process. Week one would be oil, vinegar, beans and rice; week two might include miso paste, mustard seeds (you can make your own mustard and the seeds are cheaper), beans, rice; week three might be beans, rice, root veggies. week four would probably be a repeat of week three, and then week five would be looking to replenish any 'pantry items.'

Foraging is really great for herbs. Here in NZ, we have several native herbs that are good to use, as well as now-wild european herbs. Parsley and fennel grow like weeds here -- very easy to get (and you can pretty much eat the whole fennel plant). Other things are more seasonal, but can be found throughout most of the year.

Also, since the beignning, NZ towns have planted edibles in common areas. Persimmon, quince, and lemon trees are most common. Rosemary, lavender (which you can cook with), and sage are also common our green spaces. Many of our parks are fenced with berries (blue berry hedges or raspberry canes) -- and all of this is free for the taking in our community.

Community gardens are also an option for gettign "free" produce. It's easy enough to get on a working bee, and in several months (or days in our case), you'll get an email about what needs to be harvested and "take what you want." It's a great way to get simple, seasonal produce. Asparagus is on the rise here (it's spring). It's 3.25 a bunch (1/3 kilo), but it's free for us.

I wouldn't necessarily go to a mission to get food -- as I believe that is for the actual poor, not the exercising poor, but I feel it is ok to contact them and ask if there is any produce on it's last legs that they are looking to give away before it goes to waste. Waste not, want not as the say.

Finally, dumpster diving. Always sounds terrible, but you can ask your local grocer if you can have their stock that they are removing for compost. our community garden does this, and most of us simply take the best produce home, leaving only the stuff that is truly inedible for the compost bin. It's a nice way to get fruit, honestly.

[cx3]

I know the original challenge had something to do with "human rights and development".I don't know anything about the struggles facing third world peoples because I've never seen it firsthand. I just accepted this challenge for the sake of being challenged.That being said,I do see the economic hardships people face here in the US daily.I'm a sales rep for a company that offers Medicare Advantage plans as well as Medicare Sup. plans.Most,but certainly not all, of these hardships resulting from bad choices made during their lifetime.
I need to do another calculation but I think I still have around $13 left in this months budget.I have come down with a mild cold.Nasal congestion and raw scratchy throat.This has allowed me to break through that brick wall I mentioned previously,because I have lost my appetite for now.

[try2bfrugal]

One way to eat reasonably well on $1.50 a day is to figure out what foods cost per calorie and multiply that times how many calories you need in a day. I have a chart like that and there is really quite an assortment of food to be had in the $1.50 and under chart, especially if you combine some of the under 50 cents a day type foods like rice and beans with higher cost ones. It gets tricky getting 100% of the DVs of everything, but based on prices in my area one could still have an interesting and varied diet with meat, fruits and veggies.

[Tiam]

I think the pantry building is the only other reasonable addition aside from finding freebie food and be able to stay on the challenge. I commend you.

[cx3]

I had a really inexpensive eating day yesterday.My usual oatmeal for breakfast.Stewed fall squash and blackened fish(free from someones garden and local pond) for lunch.Two eggs, a slice of sausage and self grated potato hashbrowns for dinner.Most expensive of these items being the slice of sausage.My wife made the dinner.I had to figure up the cost of my meal and deduct it.I didn't buy a bag of potatoes or a carton of eggs originally.I was concerned my wife or kids would eat these things and throw my challenge into chaos.I haven't worried about them dipping into my bags of uncooked rice and beans.We have two containers of oatmeal in the cabinet. One marked Dad on the lid.One of my clients offered me a package of left over Halloween candy.He was diabetic and didn't want it in his house.I jumped on his offer," like a hobo on a ham sandwich",as my grandmother use to say.
I have been watching postings at the Post Office looking for local churches offering free meals.All I found yesterday was a fundraiser chilli supper for $3.
I did another calculation.I'm doing better than I thought.I have $18.33 left for the month.I added a stick of butter and a frozen bag of peas and carrots to my pantry.The rest of the deductions have been pay per meal calculations.It's a real pain to do per meal calculations.For example the hashbrowns I had last night. I figured I used 2 potatoes.The whole bag of potatoes cost $1.49.I guessed $.25 for the hashbrowns.I'm doing the best I can with the calculations.

[Tiam]

My other thought for a frugal addition to having a bag of flour and some kind of fat, would be to buy a head of cabbage. A head of cabbage can go very far. Sauteed in oil and added to beans or potatoes it is very tasty and a good source of vitamin c, B vitamins and folic acid and some minerals.

[SteveinMN]

Another suggestion is to "eat off the mainstream". At the local farmer's market, the familiar vegetables like spinach go for a couple-three bucks a bunch. But a bigger head of something most people have never heard of, like amaranth leaves or sweet-potato leaves, goes for just a dollar and is fully as nutritious. Similarly, if one eats meat, eating "variety meats' like tongue and organ meats typically is cheaper than eating steak cuts or even manually-processed items like chicken wing drummies. It adds some variety to the diet, too.

[razz]

I admire your initiative.

What about a break with a can of sardines for some new flavour and good source of protein as is or added to tomato sauce etc?

There was a link posted here about a family in NY city who found a way to live on a very low food budget but I cannot find it.

[Gregg]

Just stopped by the store for a few things. I always walk by the rack in back where they put clearance items just to see what's there. A stocker was putting out 1# bags of dried elbow macaroni (imported from Italy no less!). They were $.50 each. I asked him what they would do if I took all of them and he said $.25/ea. Sold! Now I don't need 35 pounds of pasta, but plan to keep 10 or so and drop the rest off at the food bank. Still I thought 35 pounds for $8.75 was a pretty good deal!

[SteveinMN]

Nice score, Gregg! And good show for sharing your good fortune!