HOW TO EAT FOR $1.50 A DAY | Emergency Extreme Budget Grocery Haul 2020 with Frugal Fit Mom
Вставка
- Опубліковано 1 жов 2020
- My name is Christine, and welcome to Frugal Fit Mom! In this version of my Extreme Grocery Budget Challenge series, I am doing a single person meal plan for $1.50 a day! This should be easy, fast, and taste good at a store that isn't that cheap to shop at - Albertson's!
Full Extreme Challenge Playlist - • 126 MEALS FOR $30! | E...
Start a Pantry on a Budget - • Video
Frugal Fit Dad Channel - / @frugalfitdad
Andrew's Rubik's Cube Channel- / @candycuber1
Want to work with me? Contact me at: contact@tablerockmanagement.com
Get a free gift set with Grove - grove.pxf.io/frugalfitmom
Get $25 off Daily Harvest - bit.ly/31619Ma
Get 2 free stocks with Webull - act.webull.com/k/7SpUOUoVYtQ4...
Need CBD Oil? 15% off at helloned.com/FFM
Get 2000 Bonus points with FETCH rewards: FP9XH
Join Ibotta - ibotta.risj.net/E65yD
TopCashback - www.topcashback.com/ref/fruga...
Want a send a letter the old fashioned way?
P.O. Box 50472
Idaho Falls, ID 83405
Shop my Favorites on Amazon: www.amazon.com/shop/frugalfitmom
Disclaimer
All links are affiliate links and may give me a small percentage by clicking through them. You are not required to click through any of my links.
I cried the first time I watched one of her budget videos.... It was such a relief to know I could do it and wasnt alone.. Shes a gem.
You can do it, don’t be afraid to reach out for help either (as she mentions in the video)
Isnt it so hard tho.... it feels shameful somehow..
Last week for the very first time I went to a little purple box outside the justice center. I had seen it when I went to get a vin inspection.
I got one bag of brown rice, a box of baby cereal, a can of yams, and a can of tomato soup.
I used the cereal and yams along with some pantry staples to make muffins
Used the soup to make a lentil curry (obvi adjusted flavor with lots of spices) and served it over the brown rice
So It basically fed us for 4 days which got us to our first check
I wish there were more of those little purple pantries. No paperwork, no crowds, no timing, so less embarrassment
@@kathleenbolanos, Please don't feel ashamed to use those services they are there for people who need them.
Kathleen B , I was just watching this and thinking how I better donate more to the food pantry this year as it’s going to be such a rough year. I want people in my community to have enough to eat and feed their kids. You know what I don’t want ? For anyone to feel judged or embarrassed that they need help. I’m embarrassed that there’s people going hungry while my cupboards are full. Hold your head high, you are worthy.
Right! Saving money and enjoying food!
Amazing. I can actually live on less than $15 bucks a week; my only sacrifice is to eat the same meals day after day. I think I am going to try it. You've inspired me; as a senior on a limited pension, every buck counts. BIG THANKS!
If you can, build up a decent pantry or non perishable so you have more options of mixing and matching with fresh ingredients. The up front cost can get tricky but once it's done you are gold
If you would like a tip try legumes & Lentils. Cheap, nutritious & delicious. Check out Greek & Indian recipes that will show you another option. I personally cook a lot of Greek lentils one serves that with Feta. Indian lentils have with a hard boiled egg & toast. Those keep me full for hours.
@@roxannedunstanharvey4898 Indeed. Cans of butter, garbanzo & Kidney beans is a good idea.
If making your own bread is an option, I cannot recommend it enough. I received a 2nd hand bread machine (probably at least 10 years old) from a family member who no longer used it, and have been making so much! Buns, bagels, pretzels, pizza dough, bread, naan, there's so much you can do with just a few ingredients (flour, yeast, sugar, salt, water) and the ingredients are so cheap. If you don't have a bread machine then you can just knead by hand and then bake in the oven, but a bread machine reduces the work so much, all you have to do for a loaf of bread is measure out a few ingredients into the pan and press start. It's especially good if you're home all day because you can watch it, but I'm a college student studying from home so it works for me most days. I just started and I love it so much!
@@Lucy31315
When my sister was in college, she and her roommate used to eat a lot of beans and rice. One thing in particular she made a lot was was a refried bean quesadilla. She would buy a can of black beans, rinse and drain them, then mash them in a pan with some type of oil, lots of minced garlic, and possibly some cheese. Then grill it in a tortilla with a little oil, and maybe a piece of fruit on the side. I know it's basic, but a good, easy protein filled meal.
Does anybody else find it counterproductive that people have to eat like this while studying? A balanced diet is vital to a functioning brain, people who move from eating junk food to a balanced diet with greens and limited fats and carbs often describe a 'lifting of brain fog' they didn't even realize the had
Who can study like that?
@@rainjaydd8213 Especially when when you are not allowed means of cooking. What are you supposed to do?
@@rainjaydd8213 I would have sympathy except in the UK students waste their money on alcohol and cigarettes/drugs and going out.
@@rainjaydd8213 college students often have enough money, but they have different priorities. The food that she made was probably far more healthy than what most college students actually eat.
@@sexysilversurfer it’s their money, they can spend as they please. It’s not up to you to approve.
My boyfriend and I are a young couple just finishing off college. He works out of town Monday- Thursday so I made him the pasta in this video and I added some ground beef to get some protein in with it. He brought it with him and ate it all week. It was an awesome, cheap and yummy option. We will be making it again!
Growing up we didn’t have much, but my dad would make huge pans of eggs with potatoes (two of the cheapest thins), and we would eat it on corn tortillas which are super cheap. I never got tired of it.
That sounds so good 😍
That sounds really good, actually. lol
Stop looking at these videos. Most of these people has someone to help them BUT WHEN YOU HAVE ONLY GOD ,HE DIRECTS YOIU YOU WANT HUNGER NOR THIRSTY. They hit them high numbers they get paid for video. Until Yesterday i was broke and didnt have food But GOD Sent Peopke from the Church knocking at the door and an box of Food I was Blessed with. And Money came by babysitting Sed GOD DID IT. And STILL FLYING From HOLY GHOST.
@Hamptonian Painting i learn to take about 1 to 2 potatoes cut into quarters let them spout first and replant in the dirt or potter and in it season new potatoes and enough to share. Do sweet potatoes & zuchhni, also painters fries & dipping sauce. And i know most of these commenter are in denial I went or was a student at these colleges so I know and saw PRAISE GOD Most if them had jobs before graduation and as having college graduate kids of my own I pray that parents would STOP this mess of what your call tough love when your deny your responsiblility as a parent unless the child has better opportunies before leaving high school like scholarships or rich grandparents or parents or grant money either I still got to pay an student loan off from the ninteen hundreds and the school refused to take the payments so I couldn't graduate. So keep comments to yourselves. This 2021 and people in America still struggling NO WAY YOUR ARE LYING ! HOW MANY PRESIDENTS DOES IT TAKE TO GET AND KEEP US DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN? OUT OF PROVERTY AND LACK ? Answer for yourself.? PRAY LORD SAVES US
sounds yummy, but I would add refried beans and some spicey chilies
I get choked up every time she encourages people to take advantage of food pantries and similar services. I wish someone had told me that when I was in college. Keep up the amazing work!
@Bonnie Holman I agree 100% but unfortunately a lot do. What breaks my heart are the children.
I agree. And of course there are many more challenges. I think people forget a lot of people don’t have access to standard cooking appliances and safe housing. Or even housing at all. It’s pretty tough to do this simple cooking without those basics.
I too struggled in College.
My family grew up GIVING to Food Banks and such...
Then one day I needed help...
I forget ALL About them.
That would have been great when I went!!
If you’re still in school, check with your state and see if they offer food stamps for students. Most do.
I remember the best advice my grandma gave me when I was in my early 20’s. And that was to go to the butcher and buy the scraps no one wants b/c you’ll eat like a queen if you know how to cook it. Haha that has never let me down. Do you know how much flavor chicken soup has when you use chicken feet??!! Better than the restaurants! Or how much more filling beef & barley soup is with roasted bone morrow as a stock base??!! Roasted bone morrow can be used for gravies and sauces as well. I’d like to see you try some recipes with some cheap meats or what would be considered as uncommon foods on this channel.
Love this idea!!
Interesting! I like this
bone marrow is considered a delicacy in a lot of places and is super good for you! never understanded why people don't want it...
Not that it “counts” as an added cost, but instead of adding water to you sauce from the sink, use that starchy pasta water. You’ll keep a lot more nutrients and it will bring your sauce together to be very “creamy” without having to add cheese or cream
In the UK all our supermarkets offer 5-6 produce items each week at significantly reduced prices. It is aimed at encouraging everyone to eat more fruit and vegetables. It is great to see each week what seasonal produce is on offer.
Same here in Ireland. We have fruit and veg on 50c deals.
Hey what is the name of place that has odd fruits and vegetables that you can get. Also, almost all schools here in san antonio handing out breakfast lunch and dinner. All churches have pantry. There are soup kitchens
That’s amazing!
@@shamrockewe822You beat me to it, was going to say Lidl & Aldi often have fruit/veg for as low as 39c. I would have partially cooked the carrots in microwave before adding them to pan. Same with the beans. Take care & stay safe.
That is such a nice program
I stumbled on to you end of august. You inspired me to cut my $750/mo grocery Bill in half for September and I’m watching these videos forever 🙏
Go back and binge some older ones too, she's been awesome for years
Whoa! That’s amazing!!
Very inspiring! Thank you for sharing this 🥰
Try Shelftember: For one month (I do September), you HAVE to use all the ingredients in your house and you can only buy fresh fruit & veg, milk, and items needed to complement what you already have at home. I set a weekly limit of $30 for those items and I feed a family of 4.
Couple of cooking tips. 1. When you sauté your vegetables add your herbs before your liquid, the flavor will bloom and add more depth. 2. When soaking beans, do so in salt water: it breaks down the toughness. You really don’t have to soak them at all, if you don’t want to; they will just take longer to cook. Great video, I enjoyed it.
I used to spend $5 a week on groceries when I got my first apartment. I usually got oatmeal canister $1.00, two bags of fries $1.00, 18 eggs for $1.00, bunch of banannas for .50, hot dogs for $1.00 and 3 packages of ramen for .50. I ate good but got tired of same thing so came up with so many menus to rotate for same price.
The Good witch
Hot dogs have too many preservatives..b3ans..cashews better choices.
@@KC-dr3cg mmmhh that is so true but when you have 5kids to feed they are a gift from heaven above. Atm I didn't but I'm a meat eater.
@@KC-dr3cg beans sure. those can be cheap. but the dried ones take time and effort that not all can afford. Cashews? delicious but crazy expensive. lets not shame people for making choices that fit their budget and lifestyle.
That is really cheap. What year were you in College? That sounds like the early 2000s prices.
I'm not a college student but as a single person trying to save money, I loved this video and would love to see more like it!
I think cooking for one would be a good video challenge.
I’d also like to see more videos for single people!
@@marissagaugler4610 this one was for single people.
We called one of my roommates in college "beans and rice boy" because he chose to eat super frugally. When he went grocery shopping all he would buy was canned beans, instant rice, frozen chicken breasts, and a sauce of some kind (usually teriyaki sauce but it differed "to keep it interesting"). He would only eat one meal a day usually and he would season a chicken breast with salt and pepper and put it in the oven to bake. Then he would cook about 2 servings of rice, and once it was finished put about half a can of beans in and stir it together. Then plop his chicken breast on top, pour on sauce and that was that. He usually ate it straight out of the pot too so he could minimize the amount of dishes he had to wash.
My husband perfected a pasta dish is college he still makes it today! Our 9 month old loves it!
Some people eat to live! And some live to eat. Haha
@Haley Barton yes ..if he used frozen vegetables with the rice while the rice was about 10 mins to finish it would be better than the beans
Many years ago I had a friend that aspired to buy a condo. He figured the cheapest he could eat healthfully was chicken leg quarters, potatoes or steamed rice and frozen mixed vegetables. He ate that every night for dinner to save money. Eventually he got his condo.
@Winter Sun Couldn't tell ya how long. It was a long time ago and I didn't keep track! LOL
Wow $10 for a week that’s a stretch! I feel bad spent $8.99 for a sandwich for lunch.
Hope it was yummy!
@@MichaelTheophilus906 lol, good one 😆
My son worked for a high end chef for a few years. Something I learned from him was to never throw your leavings away, like garlic and onion skins, hard ends of broccoli or asparagus, mushroom stems, potato and carrot peals. Place in a ziplock bag in the freezer until ready to use.
Place leavings in sauce pan, and fill water to cover. Boil and then let simmer for 20 minutes on low heat covered. This makes a perfect vegetable stock, after you take out the leavings. 😊
Maybe roast the veggie scraps for extra flavor first before making the stock?
My exact suggestion
A lot of colleges have food pantries on campus these days too! I oversee the food pantry on my campus :)
❤️❤️❤️
In the words of Zachary Michael: "love to see it!"
❤❤🎯
Your channel looks so interesting, subscribed 😊
We stan a compassionate queen. keep it up!
I've been living on my own for over 2 years without anyone teaching me how to shop for myself & have been getting by pretty well, but these videos alone are helping me to understand how calories, money, & time are linked and to me that's valuable information!
A cool thing Australian supermarkets do nowadays is sell the “unattractive” fruit and veg cheaper. Sometimes called things like “the odd bunch”. It’s great because I don’t care how my sweet potato or carrots look! I’m gonna cook ‘em! They often do fruit very cheap this way also, and again, if I’m gonna slice up my apple, I don’t care how it looks. It’s a great way for farmers not to have to trash perfectly good food and a good option for those of us looking for as much fresh fruit and veg we can on a budget.
I love that! A lot of places will donate their excess or unsellable produce but if theres not enough volunteers to bag and distribute it at the food pantries it can still go to waste
Great idea! Let's copy that here..
That's awesome! In the US we have an online service for ugly produce, and it's more expensive than going to the supermarket and buying regular "pretty" produce...
Mmm I don’t think it’s just looks, it’s dealing with all the bruises and wilted ends. You would have to cut a lot off
They do that at one of the supermarkets here at the US too. They sell a mix of too-small produce in one bag (a few apples, an orange, maybe a lemon thrown in) and just mark the whole thing as 99 cents.
When I was in college, my friends and I shopped at a place called The Bent Can Store...yeah. Those were the days.
and the day old bakery... 😉
One of my favorite cheap meals is fried rice. Eggs, rice, choppped onion&a can of peas. Add some soy sauce and it is a frugal meal.
Substitute edamame for peas and it's a complete protein! I buy frozen edamame on sale (it's often on sale, slow turn over, but grocer has to rotate stock) and use it to bump up veg & protein in rice or stew or potpies.
Yum. I did the same, and with some cheap chicken too!
No such thing as 18 eggs for 99 cents or flour for 99 cents anywhere. Sorry
@@pennyfry8291 in my town there is. Eggs and milk are rarely ever more than $1. Usually only $0.75
In college currently and had this twice last week.
i am so grateful my parents taught me how to cook at home before i left for college. scholarships and financial aid didn’t cover much so i worked full-time while going to school. every week for nearly a year and a half i would buy an onion, a head of garlic, a loaf of bread, a pack of sliced sandwich meat, a bag of frozen broccoli, a six pack of beef flavored ramen or bag of rice, a box of oatmeal, and a bunch of bananas. sandwiches were easy to take on my way from here to there, i would also make stir fry or a soup, and typically oatmeal with a banana for breakfast. i enjoyed the free coffee at work and never refused a free meal from student organizations or community groups. in my junior year i learned that college students could use the food bank in my town and that greatly increased the variety and nutrition in my diet. i remember as a student leader on campus i did a food box challenge to raise awareness about food insecurity among college students and wrote about my experience in a college newsletter. i remember thinking what a relief it was to have veggies and milk and pasta during the challenge and that’s when i realized that i was who the challenge was about. hit me like a ton of bricks but i am so thankful for the generosity of the community and their support of the college students in the town! thanks for doing these videos, christine!
Well done, friend! Hats off to those who helped establish student food pantries - not available in 80s, and free food wasn't common anywhere - not meetings/gatherings like it is now. My roommates used to save & pitch in $ to go get a pitcher of beer at a local restaurant that had a free appetizer happy hour 2x a week. That was pretty much all the protein they got, other than peanut butter!
BTW: powdered and evaporated milk are great shelf stable alternatives for cooking if you can't afford dairy or don't have a fridge.
Thanks for your help in getting to good food banks 👍😊
I really appreciate you as a person. The amount of time you spend to not only create something from basic ingredients but also to live it by eating it for a week is absolutely amazing. It's informative, it's practical, and it really shows that you have heart. Thank you so much for your time effort and experiences
Egg salad on a toast roll would’ve been a good option.
Agree
This girl is really handy.
... Knows a lot about cheap, decent foods.
Imagine the difference she makes to so many people....
I live in Scotland, yet these videos are handy..... I'm no student.... I'm also a lot older than her!!.... But such great videos on meals. Well done
7777777iy
@@sheilachambers8347????
My kids are all grown. 56 yo.I just adjust the size portions. I really liked these recipes today. Can’t wait to try the pasta and the soup!
@@laurieboone1239 Tastes like pasta and soup!
I know being a party of one it is not a challenge for me. Since my husband died recently I am not in the mood to cook!
Sweet potato cakes. 1 cup oats, 1 small cooked sweet potato, 1/2 medium banana, and cinnamon. Mix to combine. Use an ice cream scoop to scoop the mixture on a baking sheet and flatten into a cookie shape/size. Bake at 350 for 20 min. Eat 2 at a time with peanut butter. Filling and yummy!!!
Thank you! Im trying it today.
And vegan!
@@shaelstrata517 I made these a few days ago... I am on my third batch. Total hit with the kids and my adult kid now wants me to make some for her home. Love em!
That sounds delicious!
Christine, I came across one of your videos around the beginning of quarantine in March, and I have to tell you, you have single handedly changed how I cook. I'm not someone on a major budget, but your approach to food has changed the way I look at ingredients I have on hand (which was super helpful when supplies were very limited back in March/April) and realize I can cook simply and not have to always use a recipe with lots of ingredients. So I just wanted to thank you for making such a difference for me personally, and I can't imagine how many others!
My husband and I married while I was in college, he started his career instead of college. I was able to do really good, cheap, meals to help save a lot of money. When it was just two of us we could save $800 a month. Now as a young family of four I use the same meals to help make our money stretch and help us still eat well.
It's amazing what 2 or 3 more dollars add to a meal. Having a pantry with oil, beans and Bullion helps so much. I also like how you often say " if you don't have this you can use this." If you like this you can do this" ect flexible recipes are my life
Christine you should do this again pointing out the discount stores "Shopping for College students". A lot of them don't realize the discount food stores in their areas.
That would be a lot of work for her to list all discount stores for states she does not live in....... . If anybody is unsure of discount stores in your area, google it. I’m assuming they have access to google if they have access to UA-cam. 🙃
& MA, your hair does NOT look stupid. You’re beautiful!
@@lovelybones1990 Just the ones in her state. Once college kids get the idea, they will find them. The comparison would be really good for them.
@@lovelybones1990 I googled it gave list of grocery stores in my area... so which do you consider discounted?
Grocery Outlet, Winco, Fred meyers are the cheapest in the Seattle area.
@@janeulness93 I liked Fred Meyers when I was in Detroit visiting my cousins but I don't live there full time. We don't have any of those stores that you've named and even Albertsons closed within the state about 10 years ago.
What I wanted to ask was if Albertsons is partnered with Randall's Safeway stores? Because I have seen signature brand of merchandise there. Although even that's not in Central Texas. I had to move north about an hour to go get medical treatments. There's HEB Target and Walmart here. That's about it.
I lived on pancakes from scratch and popcorn for my main foods at one time, and milk. Milk was cheaper back then. I absolutely agree that 100% from scratch saves a ton of money.
Christine you should do a book on how to eat fugual for empty nesters singles college students and do a cookbook.
I always enjoy your content. I learn things about keeping things simple, curbing my impulse grocery shopping and like you've been doing in the last few videos-thinking of others with less. My first neighbor here in NC basically fed me dinner for almost a year while I worked 3 or 4 jobs. Her or a grandchild would knock on my door and just say "Here you go, fixed you a plate." Even on holidays. I try to pass it forward when I can because it meant a lot to me when I was working towards a better situation.
You're sorta awesome!
NC Neighbors FTW! ❤️
💙 Got to love good people. NC native myself
I wonder if I took my new NC neighbor a plate....?
I eat simply. In my opinion I think we eat too much and spend too much time cooking. Fruits and veggies do not have to be cooked; they are good to go! Nothing like a banana for breakfast, and an apple a day keeps the Dr. away; old, but true saying, and a mixed green salad with a carrot, green pepper, and some grated, real cheese, makes a great dinner; throw in some grapes, walnuts, or strawberries if you desire. However, this makes more than one serving, so you have dinner for two days, at least depending on all the additions! Making a crock pot of beans, with carrots, etc. makes several meals!
Oh we live in FL now but you made me so homesick for my NC neighbors!!
a tip for any college kids cooking for themselves: buy groceries with friends. It will mean everyone wastes a lot less food, you can buy the large quantities of items that are cheaper per unit, and you have more resources to bulk buy when things are on sale. Set boundaries such as anything bought with 'group money' is fair game for anyone to eat etc. I did this with my friends and roommates in college. We could usually feed all 3 of us for about $1,200-$1,300 a semester (15-16 weeks).
These videos are so empowering, showing how to eat for less, including nutrition ( with great fruits & veggies!) and enough calories to have good energy. I think many have gone through times when budgeting for groceries helps so much. And when we are doing well, it is so wonderful to then be able to give back. I encourage everyone to reach out and get food because those of us who are in a situation where we can donate want you to feel loved. There is no shame reaching out to help yourself and/or your family. Maybe you will be in a position to give also - that is what makes the world go around - everyone giving what they can. If you can not give food or money, you can give by cherishing and loving yourself, which is so important. Thanks for the videos!
Trying to help my nephew with food challenges at college and never thought about the food pantry! And I've even volunteered at one! Thanks! As for ideas for food, my Mom used to make, and I still do, food "packets"....Take sheets of aluminum foil to size, put on baking sheet (usually 4) and split a lb of hamburger and make a patty, season with salt and pepper, slice of onion on top, green pepper on top and slices of potato, wrap up packets and bake on 350 until done and serve with A1, got meat and veggies and some juice. Add a little bread or salad and NO clean up! :) She/I also take left over grilled or pan fried hot dogs, split them down the middle but not all the way thru and take left over mashed potatoes and stuff and top with cheese and broil in oven, wonderful! lol Sounds odd but good! And.....best baked chicken ever......4 items....chicken strips, mayo and salt and pepper or other spices, coat chicken in salt/pepper and may and bake on 350, excellent! Easy peanut butter cookies, 1 cup peanut butter, 1 large egg, 1 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla, let set up and spoon out, shape into ball, place on baking sheet, mark with a fork, bake on 350 until done (how you like-crispy or soft) and done! Enjoy! Cheap and easy! :)
I’m a current college student and my favorite cheap “recipe” is to take ground turkey, black beans, 60 second rice (Spanish if I can find it), and a ton of Lawrey’s seasoning salt. You put it all into the same pan to warm up/cook and then stuff it in tortillas. If there’s enough room in the budget I’d get salsa too! It usually fed me for a few days and was pretty cheap :)
YUM!!
Wow such a good idea! I'm making that this week. So easy! I've never thought to throw all that together in the same pan. Thanks for the great idea!! 😁
Add a bit of variety to that with some eggs for some breakfast meals, too.
To make this even more economical, use regular raw rice (much cheaper than minute/instant rice). Also, dried beans are way cheaper than canned beans.
Ground turkey and vegetable soup with garlic..it's the bomb..lots of garlic powder..easy peasy
I’m excited to watch this as the ad is playing- my husband just lost his job and we have about $100-150/wk to feed 8 people 😭😭😭
Oh my! Hang in there. I hope your husband is able to find a job soon.
madiantin aww ty ❤️ God has been providing. We haven’t gone hungry and have a roof over our heads. I can’t complain!
I'm so sorry. I hope you find your way around this.
I'm so sorry.... hang in there and please reach out to the resources out there if needed..
I am sorry about the job loss. Thank the Lord He is providing! I make a really good layered dish with corn tortillas, black beans, corn and whatever salsa is cheapest at the store. (Can add chicken or cheese if in the budget). Stretch those bone in chicken legs or thighs by roasting them, and make sure you save that delicious fat and broth. Use the fat to saute veggies. Save the bones for broth to make soup or season rice or beans. I mash up beans or lentils to help stretch meatloaf/sloppy joes and meatballs. I make all sorts of different egg dishes. Fried rice is an easy, cheap.meal and can make use of less protein, but you don't miss tons of meat. At one point, we had a budget of 25 bucks per week for 3 people. I made so much pasta, ate so many bean dishes, and grew to hate oatmeal. 😆. I am sure.others have some great ideas for more recipes. I will say a prayer for your family.
Thank you so much for doing these videos. My husband and I, 20 and 18, are trying to save up to buy another car and a house so I’ve been scrimping on groceries. These videos help so so much. It gives me lots of ideas and reminds me of meals my mom made growing up when we were at our poorest that I absolutely loved. She had stopped using those cheaper recipes as often when I got older and I forgot some of the amazing meals you can make for not very much money
A grocery shop for one person who has cooking facilities could be: eggs, oatmeal, small milk, bread, Peanutbutter, whole chicken,
10 lb bag of potatoes, box of macaroni/or/spaghetti noodles, plain tomato sauce, some kind of fruit or veggie.
You described everything I have in my kitchen
That's a pretty good list. You could make some nice meals with that one. I would only add (as my veggie) onions, a cabbage, also some bread, butter and jam and a box of tea. Can't live without that tea! Guess we're getting over $10 at that rate, but more healthy.
agree, this makes more sense than the stuff she got lol
Chicken thighs tend to be a lot cheaper in my area than whole chickens and you get a better meat to bone ratio.
I don't have all that: I have white, brown and wild rice, yams, kale, and a chicken thighs or wing drumettes I purchase in a family pack, wrap in ones or twos and freeze, red and yellow peppers, bok choy for chicken soup, soba noodles, chicken broth carton, chicken Better Than Bouillon, blackeye peas, white beans, marked-down beef, brocolli, chickpeas for hummus, home-made flaxmeal crackers.
It isn't $10 at the checkout, but it is less than that all week.
If I see Butter Lettuce in a bag, I have a 'big salad' with artichoke quarters, chickpeas, brocolli sprouts or chickpeas, julienne beets.
I regard a 'big salad' as a special meal, using a serving bowl.
I use that serving bowl for my chicken soup. I failed to mention I have buckwheat soba noodles or yam noodles to help fortify the nutrition in that chicken soup.
My only other food expense is coffee, I make in an K-Cup adapter because I like that single cup method.
I have adopted green tea, and find quality oolong tea is the most satisfying.
I alternate weeks at a time, coffee or maybe the tea.
I am gradually getting away from coffee, and it really is more expensive when you are a coffee snob like me.
If I spend more, I get osco bucco or lamb shanks.
I purchase these direct, locally.
I almost never purchase fruit, unless marked 3 for $6 blackberries, blueberries, raspberries.
I do purchase sour cherry juice, pomegranate juice, or make cranberry juice from fresh cranberries.
This is because very little has high nutrition value.
Struggle meals is a great channel for college students and anyone else who is broke.
Also just very entertaining to watch lol
I think the struggle meals channel is a budget bump up from frugal fit mom. For me it is a basic cook at home while saving money show.
@@vickigrice4663 I like struggle meals too, but bear in mind that that is a well-designed and highly produced show, whereas Christine is a housewife doing it all on her own. The host of struggle meals is actually worth (according to Google) between $1 and $ 5million, which is hardly a fair comparison.
Loved this video. Also appreciate how you are encouraging people who need help to reach out without shame/embarrassment. I couldn't agree with you more.
Hey Christine! You're amazing. There are so many people struggling right now and you're teaching them how to eat healthy without having to spend much $$ at all. The tip about food pantries was great! Thanks for sharing!
my college years were easy to get thru.all us roomates worked at donut or burger joints.we always had fridge of day olds. 40 oz beer and chips worked well too!
the good ole days
One random meal I made a lot in college was pancakes with oats in them with cooked apple slices on top. It was super filling!
My college staples were coffee, oatmeal, eggs, tuna, turkey sausage, cereals, protein bars, onion, green peppers, potatoes, bananas, canned fruit/veg, applesauce, and lots of powdered spices. My food, grooming, and house good budget was $35 per week. I lived in an apartment, worked part time, paid all of my bills, and for my college. Still don’t know how I did it 🤣
Wow, you did awesomely and very healthy by the sounds of it.
I've never thought of oats in pancakes, the flat whole kind? Or instant?
I use old fashioned oats in my pancakes.A cup and a half of oats, 2 bananas, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 tsp baking powder and some cinnamon,(optional 1 tbsp flaxseed meal). Blend it all up in the blender until smooth. Can add blueberries to the batter after blended. So good and filling!
@@angelika_munkastrap4634 my sister does this all the time. Funny enough I just asked her for her recipe just this week on her Buckwheat/Oatmeal version, telling her I was having trouble finding Buckwheat locally (I knew she actually used a Buckwheat pancake mix)... next day, she had some shipped to me from Amazon. She's so sweet.
Sounds like you went to school when the economy was significantly different, I envy you
@Bonnie Holman indeed. I am blessed.
An idea: steam or boil the carrots then blend them in with the tomato paste. It thickens the sauce and will spread it out a lot farther
Pinto Beans awesome add sauce, refried beans or whole. Very nutritious add garlic onion walaa!
@@deniseheafey3014 just an fyi for future Denise - walaa = voila! lol (only constructive criticism :-) )
I would have added a handful of the sliced green beans to the pasta too.
plus, the carrots make the sauce richer and sweeter
And adds some vegetables! I love your idea!
One of my favorite healthy budget meals is chili. I often make two huge pots of it shopping at H‑E‑B and I spend about $25 and it makes ~15 servings. It’ll feed and and my husband for a week, or I’ll put it in the freezer, or we’ll have our college students over (we work in campus ministry), which is what we did this week! So fun!
Very very easy recipe
2 lbs ground turkey
1 onion
Half pound of carrots
4 cans of beans (I just buy whatever is cheapest, but cooking from dried beans would be even better!)
2 cans corn
2 cans diced tomatoes
Chili seasoning (I usually make my own, but the little packets are cheap so for recipe purposes I include it in the list)
Some kind of carb. My personal favorite is baked potatoes, but rice or cornbread are other very budget friendly ways to add complex carbs to this meal.
SO easy, healthy, and delicious.
If you have a few extra dollars, I like to top mine with cheese or avocado, but it’s totally optional
One of my favorites was always a stir-fry: veggies, chicken, and some form of teriyaki sauce over rice. Cheap and can get all the food groups in at once. Either that or chicken Caesar salads. Pretty quick and pretty cheap.
Yes, race is very high in protein and carbs. You could have little or more no meat.
Yummmm I love both of those meals!
You talk about the college students... meanwhile me, a college student, watching one of your videos while my homemade dough (your recipe!) rests for half an hour before going in the oven :)
Fff bfggbn
Es-tu canadienne? :)
My favorite cheap meal while going to college was refried bean and cheese burritos. Cheap, easy, filling, and freeze able.
When I was in grad school, I usually ate hot dogs and Mac and cheese. Sometimes I would have canned soup, ring bologna and cheese, or something else super easy. Every time I went home I "shopped" in my parent's pantry. They usually sent some meat, condiments, or spices back with me as well. When I first started and was living in the dorms, my dad was so concerned about me getting enough to eat, he told me about ketchup soup. Basically, I needed to take free ketchup and coffee creamer from McDonald's to make soup for myself. Thankfully I never had to do that!
Your sautéed carrots inspired me. When the carrots were mostly soft, I added fresh spinach and cooked until it wilted. Next I added eggs and scrambled. A little Montreal Chicken Seasoning and I had a phenomenal no cheese omelette. So good. Thank you!!
Could also add some zucchini to the pasta.
I love how you emphasize on the food pantry programs! Yes, nobody should go hungry
As hard as times are for people, anyone should be able to go to the food banks anywhere in the world and automatically get a bag of food without question.
i volunteered at a church run food pantry and no food was just given to anyone. First timers had to answer a bunch of questions,give address,social security number etc. Before covid you could only go 1x a month but the amount of food given would maybe last 2-3 weeks at most. So several clients told me they would go to several food banks in order to get enough food for the month. Some food banks also give away pet food-so keep that in mind if u donate to them.
I fully agree! I managed to find a food pantry where I'm at, that DOES give out rescued grocery food, WITHOUT AN INTEROGATION, at all.
It's more valuable than diamonds to me because it does that.
I refuse to go to any food pantries, that require a barrage of personal info, ["Salvation" Army & St. Vincent's] to hand out DONATED food. There's no reason to do that.
I value my privacy, and security. Therefore, I do NOT freely give out my name, address, ID, phone #, or soc sec. #. Who knows where that info is put, & who sees it.
Would you want complete strangers knowing where you live? That's scary in today's times.
I read a story, how a girl was stalked by someone who'd seen her name & address on her luggage tag.
Food is a basic human right, & there should be no barriers to a person to receive rescued, or donated food.
People GIVE it freely to pantries, so it should be freely given to people that need it.
They don't give it to pantries for them to say. "no, you can't have anything, until we have all your personal info.
I'll never support any food pantry of food bank, that does that.
Did you know, that government food banks, make food pantries BUY pallets of DONATED food? They do!
I asked a pantry once why they do the interrogations. They said that if they got any government food, that the government entity giving the food required it.
NO ONE, needs to know that I go to a food bank. Period, especially the government.
The food bank I go to, is simply 1st come. 1st served. They said we could come EVERY WEEK, but I went every 2 weeks, & then just once a month.
I LOVE, that they allow people to go "as needed", no questions asked.
They give out 1 Banana box of food, to each family.
Within that Banana box, is:
1 plastic grocery bag of fruit [apples, oranges, lemons, limes, mango, grapes, avocados, etc.]
1 plastic grocery bag of vegetables [carrots, greens, potatoes, tomatoes, etc.]
1 plastic grocery bag of bread, rolls, buns, biscuits, etc.
1plastic grocery bag of bakery goods a pie, cookies, cupcakes, pastries, donuts, etc.
1 plastic grocery bag of frozen meat [which I decline because I'm vegan]
&
in the bottom of the box, is random dry goods, such as peanut butter, pasta, canned vegetables, canned diced tomatoes or tomato/pasta sauce, canned fruit, dry fruit mix, raisins, PLAIN, generic cereal, dry beans, sometimes a bottle of 100% OJ, and cans of animal based stuff, tuna, chicken, [which I give away] etc.
There's NO junk food, like chips, Spaghetti O's, sugary cereals, pop tarts, etc., except the baked goods.
Also, the contents vary each time, so one gets an amazing array of HEALTHY food.
At a different time & place, I went to a Salvation Army to get food. I had to sit in a room full of other people, & wait for HOURS, while they took 15 minutes to interrogate the 20 people before me. Then, when I was finally given a SINGLE brown paper bag of food, it was mostly sugary junk food, so I quit going there. One I got a loaf of bread, that was green with mold, from them.
The "no questions asked", pantry gives a Cornucopia of very healthy, real foods, that are in decent shape. Much of the food, is rescued food from local grocery stores. I FULLY support those stores, for making their unsalable food FREELY available to those who need it.
I save a lot of money by not buying food, that I can save up enough money to buy a basic flip phone [I had no phone for years, & an eye exam [I have no insurance, & it takes me 3 months to save the cash up for an eye exam, even with saving money not buying food].
I also freeze much of what I get, which is what helps me be able to only go once a month.
I turn some apples into applesauce, & freeze it. I freeze: tomatoes, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, avocados [to use as a Chocolate pudding base], and roast onions, celery, carrots, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, eggplant, zucchini, pumpkin, peppers, , etc., & dice & freeze them.
I puree oranges, lemons, grapefruit, mango, papaya, etc., & freeze those.
I even cook dry beans, & freeze those too.
I freeze bread, pies, pastries, biscuits, bagels, etc. as well.
This pantry, helps expand our diet, into a more healthy one, as I wouldn't buy much of what they give us, like mangos, avocados, oranges, pastries, fruit mix, etc. as it's just too expensive.
I use a strict meal plan, & buy or incorporate what the pantry gives me into it.
I make a lot of muffins because I can take a half a cup of fruit, or vegetables [pumpkin or sweet potatoes], & make 6 muffins out of it.
I make tropical muffins, [if I get papaya, pineapple, coconut, oranges, etc.], & pumpkin, sweet potato, blackberry, banana, chocolate nut muffins, etc.
I make all kinds of healthy dishes, with whatever other food I get, like Ratatouille, Tuscan bean soup, split pea soup, lentil stew, etc.
@@shaelstrata517 I 100% agree with you food is a basic human right and people should be able to easily get it. What’s unfortunate is like you said, to get funding or aid from the government a lot of the time those “interrogations” and barriers are required, and many of these places wouldn’t be able to function without that aid because they aren’t run by rich people.
Unfortunately there are people who take advantage though... I have an aunt with PLENTY of money to spend (trust me, PLENTY) and a few months ago she started going to food banks to “save money.” Save money... that she genuinely does not need to save. All these limitations in place and people like her still are able to take from people in need. It’s terrible.
@@shaelstrata517 I agree it shouldn't be that way, but with limited resources I think it can sometimes be a necessary evil. There are a significant number of people that are happy to abuse the system. If it was first come first serve the impoverished family that works a ton of hours and can't get there right away would miss out. I think it's a nice balance to have both types of services for those that don't wish to disclose their info
@@somethinginthenothing there really are NOT many people who abuse the system, that's a myth
When I was young and single I would eat rice and mixed vegetables with butter every night. Breakfast was toast and coffee and lunch was a cheese quesadilla and some kind of fruit.
One Dish Meal
1 lb ground meat browned
1 can mixed vegetables + can of water
1 can whole kernel corn + can of water
1 can tomatoes (any kind) + can of water
1 box elbow macaroni
Salt & pepper to taste
Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan and mix well. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer stirring occasionally until pasta is well done and water is cooked down ensuring it doesn’t stick to bottom of pan. Eat and enjoy then store in airtight container in refrigerator after it cools and reheat in microwave and enjoy more as flavors meld together in the coming days.
If you could look into what someone gets with WIC, that would be a cool challenge. Like feeding your kids with WIC and add as little as possible extra. I would love to see how you would pull it together. We get WIC for me and my almost 3 year old. I should work harder to stretch it. :)
I would love this !
@@lindseyvaiciulis1660 I have a feeling she could come up with way more interesting things than I can.
I have lived off wic only when we were broke. Rice pudding with the milk, quesadillas with the corn, tortillas & cheese. Also chicken soup with all the veggies. Bean soup with the beans or add chorizo to the beans. I know you can also buy potatoes & make hash browns, potatoes with cheese with and tomatoes. Cereal lol girl there is a lot you can make with just wic and extra couple dollars out of pocket for the chorizo, chicken, evaporated milk and you can get most of this at dollar tree.
I hope you use it wisely for healthy food. Most times I see people abuse these programs. I see people buy monster drinks with them, people buying a 4 bottles of 20 oz coke for $8 when you can buy a 2 liter coke for $2. I see many that sells their wic money for cash. I support these programs but I am disgusted when I see all the misused. I myself don't by the overpriced monster drinks and I always look for the cheaper generic brands and I work 60-80 hour week to be able to pay for the things I need.
@@temujinkhan6326 you do know WIC only gives you cheese, milk, fruit & vegetables right? Your talking about Snap
A cheap, mostly pantry-stable, quick and easy dinner I go to when feeling lazy: boxed macaroni and cheese of choice (prepare as directed), add one drained can of peas, one drained can of tuna, and if you have it, shredded mozzarella. I call it stovetop tuna casserole. My 3 year old calls it fishy macaroni.
Your fishy macaroni made me remember my mom used to make tuna patties from tuna, breadcrumbs, egg, and relish. I called them catfood patties 🤣
My great grandmother made something similar, was macaroni noodles, peas, meat or potato(whichever she had), and either canned or fresh tomatoes, with salt to taste. Was a meal she made from the Great Depression
Thanks..that's an easy affordable meal. Mozzarella would add a nice texture and added flavor and more protein.
@@annalisahamlett1334 This is similar to a British staple--fish cakes! I love them.
My favorite cheap meal as a single person is mac & cheese with tuna (or packet salmon if it's on sale) on the top! From time to time, our grocery will do the Michelina's frozen mac & cheese for 4/$1.00 and I'll do those instead of blue box. If your veggie intake is low, you can also get something cheap per volume like fresh or frozen spinach (thaw in the fridge and drain) and mix it in!
Pasta water, carrot skins, and garlic peels make a nice broth to add to sauces or soups. Keeps in freezer well, or just have it in a crockpot to add to bouillon for a healthy warm savory beverage on cold nights.
Dont add salt to any dry beans until they are mostly cooked. It prevents them from softening properly.
Oh Christine, you took me back 30 years to my college days when my husband and I spent $25 a week on groceries. We ate a lot of egg drop soup, pasta, and cheap beef! We used to get those huge tubs of cheap ice cream and made milkshakes for extra calories as both of us required a lot of calories and yet we were still quite thin.
You uploading puts me in my happy place.
Ditto ☺
Agreed
Same!
Me too. I look forward to new videos.
The bulk dry goods aisle is a great place to do the “grind your own peanut butter” for the cheap and is much healthier than the jarred stuff. You can also find good deals there for rice and beans.
Where do you shop?
@@Kiki-D-Kimono HEB
I'm so glad I found your channel. Today I made a half cup of pinto beans in the pressure cooker and 1 cup of enriched rice. About 7 cents per meal ... 3 meals today, so good. Oh yeah, I did add 1/2 yellow onion and chicken seasoning.
Thank you for your tips. My family isn't struggling, but I want budget better with groceries so we can put more money in savings for the just in case hard times.
Also I found out if you're donating to a local food bank, donate in funds instead of food. Food banks can purchase food at a discounted rate. More bang for a buck.
This was more true before pandemic. Currently, the donation supply chain to food banks is broken (like so many other supply chains during covid-19) due to many factors: donations from food service suppliers down; harvests in USA affected by wildfires, hurricanes, derecho, flooding; demand for food bank support up 700% in some places, etc. Our food bank is buying from retail grocery at no discount currently.
But good to remember for post-covid days!
I love all of your videos! One of my favorite things about you is your heart for people. You clearly care about helping people, and making sure they know how to prepare nutritious food, on a budget, and always making sure to point them towards help, if they're hungry. You are a breath of fresh air in this crazy world we live in. Your family is very blessed 💖 That soup looks delicious and I plan to add it to next week's menu!! Have a lovely weekend!!
I’m an a recent divorcee and empty nester, it happened at the same time. I am so used to cooking for a family of 5, so I usually just eat top ramen or microwave meals. These videos are so helpful, so many great ideas. Thank you.
Her: trying to plan in enough calories
Me: the opposite
ok. but in the end, about 1550 cal a day. that is not much. there even would have been space for a snack. I think these meals are even ok for somebody who tries to loose weight slowely. only natural fibers are a little low. some more fuit now and then or more salad or other vegetables. it is not easy with a low budget. therefore that goal to put in as much calories as possible for the price. sure, it sounds weired, when one is used to do it the otherway around. :-) but I was surprised at the number in the end. I bet, I would have got myself seconds on the pasta dish. so for sure more 1900-2000 kcal. which would mean for my weight, height and lifestyle. that the balance for a day would be +/- 0.
What we ate in college:
Ramen with scrambled eggs cracked in
Boxed Mac and cheese with hot dogs
Those boxes of pasta roni
Hamburger helper
Buddig lunch meat sandwiches
Yeah basically junk😂
Mac and cheese with hot dogs are life!!!
Pasta Roni was a must eat in college. I had a microwave, electric griddle and toaster oven so it was normally things that cooked in those things. I did even make muffins in the toaster oven in a little 6 muffin container. Lots of creativity back then!!
You can eat a vegetable when you go on a date or visit your parents. 😂
I don't know how it is now, but when I was in college; most students didn't have access to their own transportation and had to shop as close to home as possible.
A half a can of instant rice cooked in a can of veggie soup with a dollop of ketchup- at the beginning of the month, maybe even a piece of American cheese
My brother ate cheap pot pies over rice all during law school.
I cannot express how much your videos have meant to me lately and how helpful they have been. You just have a way about you that is so calming and makes me feel like no matter what kind of times we may fall on with income, everything will be okay. I also tried your bread recipe and let me just say it was the very first time I was successful with bread! It definitely made me want to keep making bread. Keep being amazing!!💕
I always opt for a stirfry veg blend because it usually has every basic veg in it like peppers, carrots, onions, mushroom, broccoli, beans, etc. Then one can of chickpeas can make hummus for a week for one person. So add oil, lemon pepper and peppers from the stir fry.
Try stirring the tomato paste in the frying pan with carrots shortly before the fluid needs to be added. Heating the tomato paste brings out the sweetness and intensifies the flavour.
A trick I learned from a chef at an aged care facility - bring your salted water to the boil, add your pasta and stir, return to the boil, put on the lid and turn off the heat. The pasta will "cook" in the boiled water just as well as if it was boiling, and it takes roughly the same amount of time. Save on energy.
Same with boiling eggs. Bring to a boil, cut off the heat, put a lid on it, 15 min and done.
Great tip, thanks!
I was a poor college student for years. Once I moved out of the dorms and into an apartment, I could cook for myself at less cost than buying the cafeteria meal plan.
Cheap protein: raw eggs, bacon end pieces, house brand large bags of shredded cheese, canned tuna (oil pack has more calories/food value than water pack for the same cost), hot dog wieners, cheapest brand of skim milk
Refrigerated or frozen meat and poultry: Bought only when deeply discounted. I used to look for the manager's specials early in the morning on work days. All meat/poultry was cut into individual serving portions, individually bagged in Zip Lock bags and put into the freezer. A little bit of raw meat or poultry went a long way to add flavor and protein to homemade soups, pasta toppings and flavored rice dishes.
Cheap veggies: whole carrots (you peel, slice or shred), whole heads of cabbage (you wash and chop or shred), whole onions (peel and slice or chop only when needed; refrigerate leftover raw onion in a Zip Lock bag). The carrots and cabbage, once prepped can be put into Zip Lock bags and stored in the refrigerator for about a week or in the freezer for a few months. I would also buy the occasional small bag of frozen peas and carrots because this was a good addition to homemade soups, stews and pasta sauce.
Canned veggies: tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, canned beans. I waited for manager's specials and other sales and then bought 4 to 6 cans at a time. I rarely paid full price for these canned goods.
Cheap carbohydrates: 5 lb. bags of smaller size Russet potatoes (scrub, leave on the peels, chop and simmer until tender), raw white rice, plain dry spaghetti or macaroni pasta, loaf of cheapest brand of whole wheat sliced bread.
Instant meals: canned chunky soups, canned corned beef hash, multi-packs of dried Ramen noodles. Only bought when on sale or in the dented can aisle.
Salad greens: usually too expensive and left too much waste. I made my salads from shredded cabbage and shredded carrots with a dressing made of mayonnaise and mustard thinned with the juice from a jar of sweet pickles.
Fruit: in-season apples or pears when cheap. Otherwise I bought bananas or oranges when cheap. And I was careful to only buy a small amount that I could use before the fruit went bad.
Premade desserts: Never bought this stuff because it was too expensive. Never made cakes or cookies or muffins or brownies at home because of the costly ingredients (butter, flavoring extracts, boxed mixes). Would buy deeply discounted large bags of "fun size" candy bars after Halloween, Christmas or Easter so I could have one mini candy bar each day for cheap.
Alternative to an expensive restaurant meal: I used to buy a medium size frozen pizza (whichever brand was cheapest), add some Italian herbs, some frozen pepper and onions strips and maybe some shredded cheese and then bake it in my oven. I would have only one serving and then put the remaining slices into Zip Lock bags and refrigerate for later meals.
Cooking oils: I always looked for small bottles so the oil would not go rancid before I could use it all and only bought when on sale or I had a good coupon. Always had at least one unopened bottle in my pantry as well as an opened bottle. I was also a big fan of saving bacon drippings from cooking the bacon end pieces. The bacon drippings were a free alternative to cooking oil and added a lot of flavor to pan-fried leftover cooked potatoes, fried eggs or pan-fried meat or poultry.
Cheap breakfast: one serving home-cooked oatmeal topped with sugar and milk (when I had time on the weekend) or two toasted slices of whole wheat bread (cheapest brand) spread with peanut butter and drizzled with honey (when I had a morning class and little time to make breakfast).
Beverages: tap water with ice, home-brewed tea (Lipton tea bags), Tang orange-flavored drink mix (for the Vitamin C) or skim milk (for the calcium and Vitamin D). I never bought coffee, fruit juice, wine, liquor, beer or mixers because that stuff was very expensive and most of those beverages did not provide useful nutrition.
Wow!! Thank you so much for sharing! Such great ideas 😁
Ah, Linda, I can tell we were in college at same time! Tang was the giveaway 😜 Tho I was too poor for ziplocs, which were just invented! Waxed freezer paper FTW!
Ditto what you said. And, once monthly shopping when paid, it allowed some stuff to be bought in bulk because more $ on hand. Would buy a big bag of apples on sale and discount peanut butter alternating months, then eat peanut butter apple for lunch every other day. And egg sandwiches with bakery thrift store bread (thank God for Arnold's bakery thrift! 3 loaves whole wheat for $1 back then. Still pretty good at 3 loaves for $3.50 now). Family pkg of bone-in chicken thighs with skin are cheapest and you get bones for bone broth and skin to render fat from for other uses. (Crunchy fat so good crumbled into egg fried rice!) Always frozen veg except carrots, celery, onion. One big batch of soup or stew or beans each week to stretch across evening meal. Much cheaper than my college's meal plan in mid 80s ... Would get 3 full-to-top bags of groceries for $19 a month.
My mom had to feed 4 kids with little money. One of my favorites that she made and is so cheap is bread with pepper gravy. 🤤 Still my favorite comfort food!
I appreciate your dedication to sticking to one store. My college was in Boston so we didn't have on campus parking, and the only grocery store within reasonable walking distance was a wildly overpriced Star Market. Sometimes I would make the 30+ minute walk to the Stop and Shop down the way to save a few bucks during more desperate months, but doing that in the middle of a Boston winter was NOT something I looked forward to. Plus we didn't have a kitchen on campus! My roommates and I ate a lot of crockpot lentil stew and chicken soup.
Me over here a college student still using your no knead bread recipe.
If you like bread..I have a great beer bread recipe...3 cups of self rising flour and a 12 oz can of beer (yourchoice). Blend together and pop in preheated oven 350 degrees for about 50 min. Tastes great. I recently looked at that recipe. It tastes odd because I forgot the 1/3 cup of regular sugar. So sorry.
I'm intrigued by both breads. I thank Fab Fit Mom and all the commenters who are helping me to learn more good frugal recipes.
@@patriciaburr4826 Do not use the lite beers for bread will taste odd.
@@patriciaburr4826 I have made this many time's. It's really good.
Love your Chanel, it’s like being with a very good friend, honest , freaking funny and tells you if you have something in your teeth . Your down to earth and a regular joe just like us. My fav part I think is the little chats at the end . So very happy for you with your always increasing subscribers.
Thank you for making this! I’ve tried to do the 10.00 challenge and I fail every time. I appreciate your recipes.
A suggestion for your beans, soak them in warm water with a tablespoon of either lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to break them down a bit more and make them easier to digest. Rinse well before cooking.
We enjoy Egg Pasta. Can be made for one or more just adjust the ingredients.
1 cup rotini pasta - cook according to package
1 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 to 2 eggs beaten
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan cheese
In a hot frying pan heat oil and garlic and sauté
Add cooked rotini
Pour eggs over top and toss until cooked
Season with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese.
Note: 1 put about 2 tsp Parmesan my husband will put in 1/4 cup when we cook this.
This is nice with a side of salad, green beans, or broccoli
Takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.
Love this and is a pretty frugal meal.
I loved egg macaroni when I was little! You can do the same with boiled potatoes.
Grilled cheese was a staple for me. A lot of potatoes made in the microwave. Popcorn. I'm pretty sure I was nutrient deprived for four years 😂😂
you could simplify things a lot by making a lot of multigrain bread flat or loaves and vegetable stir fry very effortless very dense very nutritious
Almost forgot about the popcorn! Yes! I probably ate a potato a day for one meal or another. lol
Potatoes are so healthy and versatile! Thank you for the idea!
Frozen veggies are always economical.
You kill it with these vids! It's not your typical pb&j and makes living on a tight budget much easier. I think people freak out because they expect it to be bland and boring, but you show that it can be done!
My first ever attempt at cooking a college meal way from home was stir fried green peppers with onion and oyster sauce; I ate it with rice. I remember feeling proud of saving money. My most common meals was Japanese style curry with rice, Napolitan spaghetti, toast with honey, and stir fried veggies. I actually cooked a lot more than my roommates; they mainly ate ramen or things that their parents packed for them.
I love your shopping strategy! yes, yes, yes. What about... canned fruit? Also when you bought the beans I totally thought you were going to make the Nothing Soup, nice twist with that hearty chicken soup!
Also, The USDA has extended the free meal program to ALL KIDS ages 1-18 through December 31 (because participation was down like 80%) your kid does not need to be enrolled in school to get a free school lunch! Go on the website for your local school district for more information.
Canned fruit can be pretty expensive. Even store-brand, you're still paying at least a dollar a can for most things. A half size can of fruit cocktail might be $0.85. I would have added a box of Jell-O for this challenge, it doesn't add much vitamin-wise, but it's a cheap way to have a little dessert at night, and that can really raise spirits.
I use to make these two recipes when I was at collage living off campus. I didn't have a lot of money. This was 20 years ago and I still make this sometimes. I would by the chicken leg and thigh connected piece. I would take a bread pan put 2 tsp of oil in the bottom, cut up a med potato and carrots (2med sized pealed) put them in the bread pan, sprinkle with garlic powder, onion powder. Take Italian Seasoning and rub it between my palms over the veggies. Put the chicken pieces over the top and add the same seasoning and bake at 350 for about an hour and half until the carrots could be pierced by a fork. 2nd recipe, I would take an apple, peel it slice into thin slices add a tbsp of water, 2 tsp sugar, sprinkle cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice over the apple. Take 2 tbsp of butter, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/4 cup quick oats and blend these together crumble this on top of the apple and bake at 350 for 30 to 40 minutes for an individual apple. crisp
"My hair looks stupid" so funny! That's what I say to myself all the time! Good video, thank you.
I would love to see you do one of these for dorm room cooking! I know when I was in college I had a microwave, fridge and crockpot so I would love to see something like that.
Ohhhh that would be interesting!! I bet the crockpot was nice, you can do just about everything in one of those bad boys 🤣
My husband and I got married the spring semester of our Senior year in college. We learned that we could buy a case of Ramen, fresh tomatoes, and pepperoni along with some dried seasonings we had in our pantry and make a pretty decent "pizza spaghetti." We also used Ramen + freezer burned chicken + frozen veggies. YUM! We never tossed the seasoning packets, but we used them in other meals where we had large cuts of meat, or if I was cooking an entire croc pot of chicken.
We also found a lot of creative ways to bulk buy ingredients and use them across several meals throughout the week. For example, I would cook 3 pounds of chicken thighs in the pressure cooker + a large bag of spinach + a 4 cup bag of mozzarella cheese and use those throughout the week to make quesadillas, pizza, and stuffed shells. OR we'd make a big batch of homemade spagetti sauce and have spagetti, then french bread pizza, then stuffed shells, and then throw whatever was left into the croc pot and add in the stuff to make chili.
We are actually making chili this week: Chili dogs (to use up some hot dogs my kiddo requested), Chili in a bowl with sour cream, black olives, and cilantro (YUM!!!), Frito chili pie, and then we'll throw the rest on top of some corn bread for chili con carne.
We use these recipes even now, as we are making our last big push to get out of debt!!
Very good! Add those cleaned carrot peels to a freezer container, adding other cleaned veggies and eventually make a vegetable stock!
9:12 "Oh yeah. They're cheering for us." Haha, I liked that. The cheering carrots. 😁👍🏼
A few of my apartments when I was in college were near grocery stores. I found that walking to the store helped me to save money since I didn't buy as much stuff.
“They gotta go to parties at night” LOLLLL!
I really enjoyed the fact that your kids are such great eaters. I sat here day in and day out trying to think of what I would eat if times gets really hard.
Thanks so much for your ideas.
All in all very good tutorial.
I liked it very much. And being a disabled Vet on a limited Medical Pension I found it to be enlightening.
I can rotate the ingredients and staying on budget... on a weekly basis to include variety. Or, I could marry a woman like you.
Your choice of ingredients is brilliant. Obviously because you're brilliant. Fantastic job in your narration and instruction , and being an attractive woman is always a plus! Thoroughly informative which in my mind is always entertaining.
Thank You.
I love your videos so much, I'm a university student from Finland and we eat quite differently here than in America, yet I can pick up great tips from your videos and get inspired to try stuff out of my comfort zone. I also LOVE your big family food prepping and budgeting videos, even though I only feed myself :D Thank you for these great tips again. Mine and my friends uni staples are oatmeal, potatoes, tofu and different root vegetables which are a basic food item here in Finland.
Not a college student anymore but I only have one kid and oddly making meals for just two can be difficult so I appreciate this.
Thank you so much for the work that you do. You’re such a blessing to have on this platform
I made the carrot/tomato paste pasta dish today. I stick-blended the sauce. A whole can of tomato paste made it very thick. It was more tomatoey than what yours looked like. We ate it with 1 lb of spaghetti. It was super delicious.