Comments on: Eating well on $50 a week

By: Sandy R

Sandy R — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:59:28 +0000

Right Melisa. Do agree that you have to eat, eating home cooked meals is a great savings and healthier than take-out, fast food, or restaurants. Plus, you will enjoy eating out to celebrate a special occasion more. Organic and soy are expensive, but healthy. The most money saving thing you can do is cut the junk food, but you seem not to be eating that. I love soft serve frozen yogurt, but one trip there costs the same as a half gallon of frozen yogurt from the grocery store. I have learned to let it soften up, stir it, and slice a banana or strawberries over the top. Yum

By: Sandy R

Sandy R — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:48:47 +0000

That was priceless, Liz. "dinner crepes, how the west was won, makes a pucker but darn good tucker, ever so gauche", I am rolling on the floor in stitches. Maybe I will relocate to Canada for relief of my depression.
I serve Borscht made with 1 can sliced beets, the liquid, and can of water. Nuke it, but don't boil. If I'm feeling fancy, use water that I have saved from boiling ribs. Next time I will include the vegs in your recipe if feeling ambitious. Opening the can sometimes wears me out.
Please pass on your recipe for flatbread using whole wheat flour and water. So no- fat and doesn't need slicing. Could be bagged to preserve freshness.
And I have mollasses. Will have to look up pemmican. Hope it is not a bone marrow product.
One thing about the sardine diet, will cure your hairballs.

I do believe that portion size is key.

Oh, neighbors, I have had such a delightful time on this forum. Thank you !

By: Sandy R

Sandy R — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:31:10 +0000

Right you are. Really smart shopping. Would include day old bread if you can find something whole grain. Toast is toast.
And the veggies, when cooked, you'll never know it was a little wilted or rubbery.

By: Sandy R

Sandy R — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:19:57 +0000

That was so funny. Love your comment " a double kapow of savings". Canadians and Aussies, just so funny without even trying.
May try the celery approach next time I am depressed and have no ambition to cook. Didn't know it had protein, are you sure? Will check it out. Will take time counting out 160 stalks of celery at the market.
Actually, I have just recently quit smoking, $50/wk. No soft drinks. Stocked the fridge up with fresh veg, ready to eat. Simply slicing a cucumber, fills a bowl and is easier than salad. Whack the ends off carrots and munch unpeeled. Take the root end off of a bunch of celery, cut whole thing in thirds, and stick it in a water filled plastic container. Get my protein eating french toast, made with 2 eggs, 2 slices whole wheat bread, the high fiber kind, and sugar free Mrs. Butterworth syrup. Soon to be replacing the syrup for maple extract flavoring mixed into the egg. Prepare 5 oz meat, 7% ground beef, or boneless skinless chicken breasts and freeze individually. Thaws easily, cooks fast in a small pan, I don't overeat, and pair it up with a generous portion of frozen broc, carrot, asparagus frozen mix, nuked. Done cooking in 10 min.

By: Sandy R

Sandy R — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 21:04:50 +0000

Concerning McDonalds. I spoke to a homeless lady who was licensed to collect donations for her self in front of Walmart, and said why do homeless people approach me and want to sell their food stamps? Because, they have no refrigertor, stove, dishes or cooking utensils- no kitchen. Dah.
So they eat fast food, lots of calories and they are more than welcome there. Also, very interesting, said that she needs some cash once ihn a while so she can get a room in some dive, to take a shower, shampoo, and sleep in a real bed for a change.
Explains alot. Still, wouldn't want to be caught using some one else's food stamps. A dillemna for them for sure.

An interesting thing I first saw on TV, You tube, then googled Amazon about, is the Economide Family. Put us all to shame, feeding a family of 7 on a shoestring. Check it out.

By: SandyR

SandyR — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 20:52:55 +0000

I agree. Quickly scrolled down the first recipes and knew this was not for me. Bone marrow?
We don't have Costco but shop at Walmart foods, and another supermarket, both in the 10 min. or less driving range. Have pared down the bill by avoiding processed, box foods, deli prepared foods, etc.
Rotisserie chicken from the store, anywhere from $5 to $8 each. Whole chicken, roasted, $.99/lb, gives you chicken legs, chicken broth-soup just add carrots and celery, chill overnight and skim the fat before adding veg, and beautiful breast meat for sandwiches. Not hard to do. Rotisserie chickens are "skinny".. KFC "healthy" also not very meaty. Fish, even Salmon, seems expensive, but get a large piece, weigh into 5 oz portions, freeze in ziplocs in individual portions, and thaw with ease for a fast dinner and healthy Omega 3s. Broil or icook n the pan with a dash of olive oil and plenty of garlic etc.
Think these folks were gourmet diners if they spent $300 at the grocery store for 2 every wk. Don't think they will enjoy bone marrow for long.

By: lethbridge realtor

lethbridge realtor — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 16:53:23 +0000

I don't think that anyone argues whether you can survive on 50 bucks a week, the question is would you want to? I have friends who eat out twice daily, it is a lifestyle choice for them and not a budgetary one.

By: susan

susan — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 19:11:51 +0000

Go vegetarian – meat is expensive, especially compared to legumes.

By: katlr

katlr — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 01:49:35 +0000

Healthy food overpriced?????? Leave the city and ask some farmer working 16 hour days if you're paying enough for your food. In general, we pay too little for good food, and don't appreciate it.

By: Guest

Guest — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:35:18 +0000

I think this is crazy, I feed a family of 5 on about $160 – $180 every two weeks. We have a monthly budget of $500 for food but If I watch for sales I can usally save $100. We eat good healthy food with a few treats for the kids. I buy in bulk & when canned stuff is on sale I buy three or four so we have it when its not on sale. The biggest thing is stay out of the store only shop every 2 weeks if you can,

By: Wil

Wil — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 09:56:59 +0000

WOW, I can make enough macoroni and cheese to feed my whole family plus my daughters boy freind and still have left overs for just under 20 dollars. Our grocery bill runs us 100 to 120 dollars a week for a family of three. These people need to learn to budget their food bill by taking advantage of the weekly flyers for the stores they shop at and should look for food coupons, and shop for whats on sale, her everything helps.

By: Jan Vandebong

Jan Vandebong — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 05:41:14 +0000

Chow Mein! They sell it @ food basics for $1.39 per package of noodles, regular price – on sale for 99 cents from time to time. One package makes noodles for at least half a dozen man-sized meals. Add a head or two of broccoli, some reduced or frozen meat (frozen salmon fillets are fun for that), some store-brand soya sauce, Y&Y brand sweet chili sauce & some store-brand honey garlic sauce & you're eating well for less than a dollar a meal, if you calculate fractions of sauces.

Couscous is also fun, but not a favourite of my wife's. Dirt cheap if you go store brand, though.

Also, rice! I bought an 8kg bag of Dainty white rice for 6 bucks last month. Rice cooker was good Xmas present.

By: Airbourne

Airbourne — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:13:31 +0000

I think the writers of the original article were counting meals out, and perhaps alcoholic drinks also.

By: Anne

Anne — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:02:57 +0000

We spend about $400 a month for a family of four and enjoy homemadeThai, Mexican, Greek, and Italian foods, to name a few. While some of your frugal meals sound tasty, they didn't seem to offer a well-balanced diet. Shopping the sale flyers makes a huge difference, buying lots of what is on sale and freezing it. The internet offers more recipes than you can ever try in a lifetime, and with a little ingenuity you can substitute what you have on hand for some of the more expensive ingredients. Personally I'd go crazy eating oatmeal or toast every day… Try looking for past-best-before date raising bread–great toasted with peanut butter. We also make lots of multigrain muffins with fresh or dried fruit, and scones with fruit and cheese in them. Past-best-before-date bread is ideal for french toast, and homemade wholegrain pancakes with bits of reduced-price fruit mixed into them are delicious! The world is your oyster if you keep an eye out and get a little creative.

By: Debbie Gaulin

Debbie Gaulin — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 02:01:37 +0000

Buy the good stuff -all whole wheat etc- junk food like KD, cookies and chips are for a once a week treat, not an every day. That stiff is crap and we need to eat less but enjoy the good stuff like tomatoes,corn on the cob, beans from the garden or the local farmers market etc. 2 in our family and we eat really well-steak etc but small portions. I do agree that junk food is so cheap. It is so much easier to be eating garbage and be fat, than to eat healthy and eat for cheap $. It sounds like you are doing well however we buy milk and bread at our local corner store.very cheap….this helps out a lot. Don't give up and it sounds like you are on the right track.

By: pat

pat — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:38:26 +0000

The world is rife with critics; focus on the value not typos foolish one..

By: wendy

wendy — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 02:10:38 +0000

marrow bones are good, usually have it in soup though. Other cheap meats include tongue, kidney, liver, stomach, tripe if you[re game, there also intestines and lungs. Grew up with the stuff my family's asian, my parents had it as children so they just fed us with the stuff too.
The funny thing is, this type of meat (including marrow), in western societies, was once considered food of the wealthy. Look up French panfried kidneys, English blood pudding, sweetbread (pancreas). And is so rich and high in cholesterol, it caused a number of ailments such as gout.

By: Em.

Em. — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:20:42 +0000

It's always fun to try to be cheaper. But I have a hard time believing that these are the costs of the meals. What about the food you pulled from the pantry? And the herbs, etc. If someone was starting from scratch, these meals would have coast more than 50$. Plus, where's the fruit? And tea/coffee? Desert? Snacks? And it would be interesting to see someone with dietary restrictions attempt to do this. People seem to think 2.50 for a loaf of bread is a bit much. Try 6.95 for a frozen loaf of wheat/dairy/gluten free bread.

Nevertheless, it's important to try and be healthy and cheap since cheapness is what oftentimes makes unhealthy food so popular.

By: John

John — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 03:55:31 +0000

What absolute clueless nonsense. Obviously written by somebody who does not live in the real world and that have more money than brains. If you know how to budget you can live on less than fifty dollars a week without even trying and that includes fresh veggies, meat dishes and cheese on occassion.

By: Aylsa

Aylsa — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 22:35:56 +0000

Seriously? What were these people eating before hand? $300 a week is our take home pay. My fiance and I can get along on $40 per week for fast and easy food, and that includes the occasional take out! (we just eat it for breakfast because it's cheaper). For instance, I got 2 whole boneless haddock filets for $4. You only really need half of one filet for a nice meal for yourself. I steamed them along with some veggies and served it over rice. less then $5 total, we didn't feel the need to eat again for at least 8 hours, and it only took maybe 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
One important thing… organic is not worth the price!

By: JoeC

JoeC — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 22:26:17 +0000

For god's sake people: never have a meal without protein in it! The evidence for this small diet change is overwhelming! If you have a pure-carb breakfast, you'll be hungry for the rest of the day. You'll also likely be tired. It's not that hard to do, and it will make a huge difference – try it for a few weeks.

By: Streaker

Streaker — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 18:39:54 +0000

Junk food is subsidized by the government which is why they can afford to sell them at really cheap prices while veg and dairy farmers aren't subsidized as well.

By: Kit

Kit — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:30:08 +0000

My husband and I make a shopping list from the weekly sales flyers for the stores in our area and I plan out our meals over the next couple of weeks. We buy alot in bulk and freeze our meats, chickens, and some veggies. A few cookbooks and spending time preparing your meals from scratch goes a long way, something alot of people have gotten away from. They buy frozen meals or meals already prepared why?? Your paying double what it would cost you to do it at home. We eat very well on $100 a week in groceries, sometimes its less. We spend time in the kitchen together talking about our day while helping each other prepare meals. I make our breads, rolls, buns here at home, a three pack of yeast here is $1 we make our own pizza dough and we grow our own vegetables here in the summer. iWe can make very delicious meals in less than 30 mins, It's called take the time to shop around and you can safe alot of money I would starve to death on the meals they are preparing!

By: jeantoronto

jeantoronto — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:11:17 +0000

WHY do they keep reprinting this apalling article? Yes, the subject matter is important, but a chimpanzee could perform a more successful experiment and report on the results. Where do you find these people?

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:59:32 +0000

I live by Toronto, and I spend $60/week for a family of 3 (2 adults, 1 child). I allow up to $100 per month on stock up for fresh/frozen meats. If you really want some treats, bake your own – you know what's in it and it goes a lot further. Same goes for snacks for school and work….bake 'em and stock up on fruits and veggies. Fruits and veggies are actually very cheap compared to everything else. You can get 5/6 bananas and a bag of carrots for the price of one box of crappy snacks. Pay attention to specials and meal plan. If you did the math, we spend $340 per month tops.

By: Claudia Lemire

Claudia Lemire — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 01:00:59 +0000

Hahaha, you guys are funny!!!

By: molly

molly — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 23:16:03 +0000

lol, true enuff, not to mention kraft dinner.

By: bztang

bztang — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 21:18:59 +0000

ROFL that was hilarious

By: heather

heather — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 21:11:22 +0000

TOTALLY AGREE!!

By: mika

mika — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:12:58 +0000

hey there's a brit who eat pop (not his own of course as this would be too gross!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i5AHGlKeoM&fe... check it out...now that's economical

By: Irene

Irene — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:54:06 +0000

i was a full time student and worked part time. Here's a tip, rice, dried beans, and lentils cost next to nothing when you figure out the cost per meal. Add fresh fruits, veges, eggs, and the occasional fresh meat and $50 a week can be done. Oatmeal is cheap and easy, but like someone else commented there is nothing difficult about making crepes, biscuits, or pancakes from scratch. Stick to the basics and learn to cook, its amazing how much you save when you buy nothing that comes in a box or can, is processed, or junk. You'll be much healthier for it also.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 04:29:08 +0000

How do we get the recipes?

By: Lilian P

Lilian P — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 14:46:45 +0000

How did that go? Did you manage to stay within your budget?

By: Lana

Lana — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:58:52 +0000

Personally I think that most of the recipes sound good (except maybe the marrow!), and the reason they sound so strange is that they are coming from professional chefs. If you’ve ever watched any Food Network shows you’ll notice that they can be pretty creative a lot of the time (for example Iron Chef), and I think this couple probably ate unique things on a regular basis. I would be willing to make a few of these things, though granted my kids would not eat them!! We found the best way to save money on groceries was to go semi-vegetarian, basically no beef or pork, just chicken twice a week and the occasional seafood. A box of frozen chicken breasts is about $30 and that will last the whole month for the 5 of us. $10 worth of fish will last 2 months. Our favourite cheap meal is black beans and rice, and it’s super easy to make too. This couple was just trying to show you that you can be creative and thrifty, there’s no need to jump down their throats like so many of you have.

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:24:54 +0000

Good one!

By: Rob

Rob — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 04:37:29 +0000

It’s very inspiring. For myself, I always grocery shop when I’m hungry, and wind up with stuff I just don’t need. I’d love to save on food.

Fasting is always an option too… :)

By: Tracy Hyatt

Tracy Hyatt — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:47:25 +0000

Yes I agree with you J. However as I discovered on the Working Poor Diet that were are doing in Edmonton (Google it), I often felt that the cheaper cuts of meat were a waste of money. Too fatty and not satisfying. Superstore in Alberta, I think its called Loblaws in Ontario, often has meat at 50% off if you go first think in the morning. I bought ground beef and a utility chicken and managed to get by very well for the entire month. 24 hours to go until we are finished.

By: J

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:41:50 +0000

I think it comes down to buying food as close to it’s natural state as possible, and learning to enjoy cheaper cuts of meat/veg (you can get a pack of chicken drumsticks for less than $2.50 – just use some shake and bake, roast nice and hot, and it tastes great!) – or roast a whole chicken, throw in some carrots and sweet potatoes…and I have to believe that whole food is better for you than anything processed.

By: Jay

Jay — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:27:54 +0000

I can definately relate to some of the comments here…..but dont knock some of the other ideas because they are not what you expect. It really does pay to be creative and try new things, including seal meat from a friend if you can get it! As for the comment made by c vail….you can bet your last buck that if he/she had the choice between freshly cooked veggies and marrow bones as opposed to surfing a dumpster they would be happy enough to have a suck on that bone! 300 bucks a week shows no regard for your money, I suspect this must include eating out or order in. Lots of extras here that can be shaved off the budget, obviously not concerned with economical meals.

By: Don

Don — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:12:39 +0000

He did not specifically say $300 a week on groceries. Could be going out to eat a lot.

By: Laura

Laura — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:00:52 +0000

wow 300 per week! I spend 80 for 3 of us and I still think we can cut corners

By: Jackie S. Quire

Jackie S. Quire — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:28:24 +0000

Frankly, it’s not easy.

There is a foodmail program available… where you order groceries from a select store in Winnipeg who will ship them up once a week … and the shipping is subsidized (though still pricey at times… last time I bought 300 dollars worth of groceries and the shipping was 80 of that). Though planes have been canceled (mechanical) already twice this week, which means the order I made last Friday is already 2 days late. Mmmm… rotten veggies.

But not all food is covered… only nutritional food (which seems subjective. You can order frozen pizza but not cranberry juice). And buying a week’s worth of groceries for one person one week at a time is tricky.

Often you just end up at the Northern buying 10 lbs of potatoes for 20 bucks because you forgot. And that adds up too.

By: Oemissions

Oemissions — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:26:38 +0000

If you cook up a big pot of oatmeal you can dine on it for days. Just refridgerate it.
$300 a week.? I feed 4 people for a month on that.And… much of it is certified organic.

By: Mat

Mat — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:07:34 +0000

Miranda…they spent $300 A WEEK, not a month!

Even more preposterous…

By: Shawn

Shawn — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:00:16 +0000

Getting my 4 year old to eat sardines is rediculous! I agree with brew 333, give us some recipes that normal people with children can use!!
Tomatoe fondue, give me a break!!