So, as part of an awareness campaign to educate people on the plight of those reliant on 'food stamps' (now called by some acronym), some local media (Vermont/upstate NY) has asked people to live on the amount given by the program: $36 for a single person, $53 for 2, $78 for 3 per week.
Can you do it?
I not only do it, but I do it easily. my weekly food bill for 2 full time people, and one person part time (plus my cat), averages 30 - 40 bucks a week. I'm the sole shopper in my family. That includes plenty of dairy, meat, vegetables, fruit. Very limited pre processed/packaged food.
Now, I admit, I've got it a bit better than some, because there's a major food market within a mile of my work, but virtually everyone in the capitol district (Albany) has access to a major food market. This may not hold true for more rural environs.
So can you do it?
trust me, I love and know all about fine living and cooking...this is mostly from necessity....
and buford,
totally agreed on the animal fats. and agreed, I dont buy soda anymore, ever, with the exception of as an occasional stomach settler, then a cola.
A couple of my friends had a similar challenge 2-3 year back, where they bet each other they couldn't live on $5/day for food. First one to give up was the loser, they went three weeks on a lot of eggs, rice, beans and ground beef.
milk is 2.29 a half gallon.
chicken (boneless breast) easily found in the 2-3 buck a pound range.
cheap steak 4 bucks a pound
burger is 4 bucks a pound
pork easily found for 2 -3 bucks
I can get cheese for 2-3 bucks a pound.
carrots a buck a pound.
peppers 1 buck and a half a pound.
broccoli a buck to a buck and a half a pound
These are reasonable sale prices available a decent amount of the time, or regular prices. It's easy to double/triple all that if you don't pay attention.
Dunno how that compares to shopping at a decent downstate market (not a mom and pop corner store).
I travel a fair amount, and don't think this area is a particular mecca for good prices, but I also allow that there are areas that are likely worse.
LOL!
milk is 2.29 a half gallon.
chicken (boneless breast) easily found in the 2-3 buck a pound range.
cheap steak 4 bucks a pound
burger is 4 bucks a pound
pork easily found for 2 -3 bucks
I can get cheese for 2-3 bucks a pound.
carrots a buck a pound.
peppers 1 buck and a half a pound.
broccoli a buck to a buck and a half a pound
These are reasonable sale prices available a decent amount of the time, or regular prices. It's easy to double/triple all that if you don't pay attention.
Dunno how that compares to shopping at a decent downstate market (not a mom and pop corner store).
I travel a fair amount, and don't think this area is a particular mecca for good prices, but I also allow that there are areas that are likely worse.
Do the three people drink shot glasses of milk all week?
any other questions?
There is no food desert in either of those towns and prices are cheap and produce and fish and meat are high quality - better than Whole Foods IMO. You have to be willing to walk a few blocks and change your diet though. Many do and to be sure many use stamps and come from the dicey neighborhoods.
trust me, I love and know all about fine living and cooking...this is mostly from necessity....
and buford,
totally agreed on the animal fats. and agreed, I dont buy soda anymore, ever, with the exception of as an occasional stomach settler, then a cola.
I highly recommend investigating green coffee beans. There's no way that any pre-ground coffee (unless it's made from acorns or burnt bread crumbs :o) is less expensive. Considering that one cup of roasted/ground green beans will give you around 48 cups of high-quality coffee, you really can't go wrong.
Best of all, you really don't need highly-sophisticated equipment. You can roast with a hot air popcorn popper, and a decent burr grinder can be had for as little as $60. Once the tools are in place, your costs drop like a paralyzed falcon.
I've graduated to an inexpensive (relatively) hot air roaster simply because I don't get any burning at all and can see/hear the roast in progress. I base it on a visual inspection. I typically like any where from an American roast to a Full City roast, depending on the beans/blend I'm doing.
My favorite is Mocha Yemen and Java Estate (Mocha Java) with one part Mocha Yemen to three-to-four-parts Java in a Full City roast. Lovely everyday coffee.
1 person for 3 days = 3
total = 17
17 times 2 meals per day = 34
40 dollars divided by 34 = $1.18 per meal per person.
never mind the cat,but there is no way you are getting proper nutrition,please explain what you eat every day and expect everyone to believe this is how you live on a regular basis.