Ultimate $30 Grocery Haul Challenge | Surviving on $30 SNAP Benefits
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 15 ก.ย. 2024
- Watch as I take on the Ultimate $30 Grocery Haul Challenge, surviving on a budget with SNAP benefits. Follow along as I show you how to make the most of your $30 food stamp budget with this budget grocery haul!
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I spent almost $30 at Walmart yesterday just on incidentals. We really need to count our blessings because some are trying to feed entire families on a super low budget.
Amen I am very thankful for all our blessings. My husband likes to complain sometimes and he really doesn't have a clue how well we have it compared to some. I told him stop complaining, because God will humble you real quick like.
Thanks for sharing this with us all!
@@missreynolds3637 Yes, I know Jesus's anger kindles against grumblers and complainers. I try not to complain, but I surely fail.
Numbers 11:1 "Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused.
So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp."
@@vf3289 I have been guilty too with the ever rising prices. I try real hard not to complain though and to be very thankful.
I was on my own right out of high school. I remember struggling to get by MANY times and with many tears. I remember going without electrify and washing my hair and clothes (by hand) in cold water a few times. At times my grocery list was things like bread, eggs, margarine, and bologna (probably a cheap bag of meow mix for my cat 😆). I remember taking a roll of TP from work and replacing it after I got paid. Just little memories. At the time it was hard but now that I’m 50 I’m thankful for the experiences that made me more compassionate and definitely more thrifty. 😁
Honey this sure speaks to me. Trying to scrape together gas money. I had Kraft Mac and Cheese almost every day, I usually didn’t have milk and had to use water and powdered coffee mate. Your last sentence was beautiful.❤
Funny how a lot of us can do that...the "look back on" and realize it indeed made us more resourceful and determined, but we made do....
God is great. I absolutely remember humbling times. Now that I’m able I must make a point to give back in meaningful ways. ❤
I’m 78 and my mom ate the chicken back. I too, thought she ate it because it was her favorite. As an adult I realized she had 5 kids and a husband so she let us have the best.
@@lyndabrown3402 my mom did to, I love bones to this day, grandkids laugh at me, they just don't know how the struggle was.
I went to the grocery for my grandma when I was a kid. There was a real butcher store inside, nothing was prepackaged. From her list I ordered 5lbs of “backs and necks” . Grandma made us Chicken and Noodles. Eggs noodles with rich broth and what we all thought was plenty of chicken. It took me quite a few years before I realized how much work that was to widdle all that meat off of the bones for us. She did this every week.
My mother did the same thing.
@@slendagullyandfriends4530 I boil it, and it falls off fairly easy.
My parents ate the best and their fill before any of us could fill up. I remember giving my school lunch to my older brother because he was still hungry. Then because i had to cook dinner i would go without so my brothers could eat their fill. Doctors were so concern with my weight because for my height and bone structure i should have weighed 125. Going without food for days so my brothers could have it had me at 85 pounds. Now looking back i realize yes i am thrifty and always have been but i shouldn't have been put in that position because i had greedy parents.
People like your mom are Heroes in my book....
I've been stocking up on food for years. I got laid off from my permanent job back in March and I've been working a contract job that ends this month. I'm so grateful I have my food storage to feed my family from.
I am doing the same!! 💯❤
@@ad6417 I need to learn how to do this. I have tried to get extra things to have on hand but am not organized and wind up finding expired things in my pantry. It sounds like you have a budget, a method, a system. Maybe you could teach me the basics on how to get started? Thanks.
@@LauraB0421 I don't know if you are aware but just because most canned food is expired does not mean it has to be thrown out!!! many things will last a few years past date! and boxed items in good condition no holes or tears last longer too. there are many sites that have a list of things and how long you can keep them and most is up to 5yrs after expiration, check it out! Also the usual when you buy a can of something, buy two and store the other...and if you are able to go to a food pantry, try not to get all fresh things, stock up on the canned if possible to build up your storage!...
Having grown up dirt poor, I'd have chosen a 10lb bag of chicken leg quarters ($5.95) over the rotisserie chicken, grits, oatmeal, elbow macaroni, Ramen soup, a box of instant potatoes, margarine, a 2 lb. bag of sugar, a 2 lb. bag of flour, a pkg of split peas, a 1 lb. pkg of pinto beans, 1 loaf of sliced bread, a lb. of rice, 2 cans tomato paste, and 18 eggs. Based on the current prices at my local HEB grocery store, that's right at $30. Could be cheaper if I hit the sales right. I'd also grow tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and whatever else I had room for on my patio or balcony.
I found myself getting emotional as you were pouring the corn muffin batter into the muffin tin as the background music played. I was just thinking of how difficult it must be to try to live on a 30.00 a month food budget. For the majority of us, living on a 30.00 a WEEK food budget would be challenging, especially with having to include work lunches if the person is working age.
Yet another reason to stop and count our blessings. I frequently tell my daughter that I'm going to do a small grocery delivery order and it will end up being almost 100.00 sometimes.
So, this video really struck me on several levels. Great food choices and recipe ideas, Denise!
God bless! ❤
@@loveblue2 you must remember snap benefits are based on income to debt ratio. The more deductions you have the higher the snap benefits a person gets. If a person does not have a lot of debt they have more income left to use for food. Snap is a supplement to your own remaining income you have left after bills.
@loveblue2 I was thinking the same thing. Count your blessings, name them one by one.
I myself got a little teary eyed too! Been there and know how it feels shopping in the store and seeing all that food that you can't buy! 🙏
@lovelife7343 only certain expenses are deductible, eg a % of housing & utilities, childcare or grandparent care allowance if needed for work, & both prescription & non prescription medical expenses. If you are buying a burial plan on the payment plan, that might qualify in some states as an allowable deduction. Save your receipts to bring to the caseworker every 6 or 12 months renewal. They already know the yearly Social Security COLA allowance & can factor that in.
All this in regards to SNAP benefits and debt to income ratio? I'm not really sure since it's not something I've lived but for the person struggling to meet that food need...it's hard. I'm just glad I had different items to pull from my pantry.
I do this too. I shop a walmart some times and the have a 5lb bag of chicken legs for $5 -$7 this month they was $4.94 and got me 15 legs. bagged them in 4 to a bag [x3] and one bag for soup with 3 legs in it. some time you can get a bag of green pepper and onion mix diced for $1 -$ 1.30.
@jonncatron7381 I was wondering why get a rotisserie chicken. It's much more economical buying chicken legs.
I do the same, splitting a few of the chicken legs down one side to remove the bone and make "cutlets". Then I use the left over skin and bones with vegetable peelings and ends, chicken seasoning, salt, pepper and 1 bay leaf to make broth. It gets stored in the fridge to use to make sauce and soups as need.
@@simonerene If you can brown the skin and bones it gives a bit move flavor to the broth.
@@jonncatron7381 thank you!
@@user-sm5nu5fb1i A family pack of chicken legs at our grocery is anywhere from $7-$9 if on sale! we only have the one grocery store, a Safeways, no costco/aldi/etc etc and no grocery delivery, a rotisserie chicken is $10...Hamburger is $8.99lb, apples are $2.49lb...sack of potatoes almost $7 eggs are $3.99dz,
I have $64 in EBT for the month. I don't drive so have to order home delivery from Walmart. My list includes dried pinto beans, $4, 10 lbs. chicken leg quarters, 6.72, 1 can tomatoes 1.48, 2 boxes corn muffin mix, 1.24, one block of cheese 1.97, 1 dozen eggs, 3.77, 3 bananas 50c, 1 bag brown rice 88c, 2 onions 70c, 1 can salsa 1.18, pack tortillas 1.98, 1 bag frozen broccoli 94c, , 2 bags frozen mixed vegetables 1.98, 1 bag cole slaw mix 1.97, 2 packs ramen noodles 60c I would have 9c left over with $30.
I divide the leg quarters in half, freeze part and simmer about 3 whole legs with vegetable trimmings for stock. Meat is removed, bagged. I will use in chili. refried beans. tortillas, fried rice, with ramen and mixed vegs (only use part of the seasoning packet). I use the cole slaw mix in tacos and tostadas, egg rolls in a bowl, and a little cole slaw to go with an air fried chicken leg. I will air fry some tortillas to make migas (scrambled eggs with the tortilla chips and salsa) and as a base for a taco bowl with a scoop of the chili and salsa to top and a little grated cheese. I believe I could eat for a month on this, but I only eat one meal a day. I did think my own EBT was not quite enough to last for a month. but now I think it's quite generous!!!
The extra $34 I get in EBT I save $10 in season for two trips to the local farmers' market which has an eat healthy program where $5 in EBT gives you $15 to spend. I use that for fruits and vegs. The rest can go for peanut butter. coffee, another block of cheese, sour cream, a couple of potatoes. Since I am old. I will register for once a month USDA senior boxes which vary in contents but usually seem to include some the staples I buy anyway, freeing up some EBT.
en n
@@djursholmsflicka excellent job
Wow! It seems you have really figured out how to do it and are maximizing what you are able to do. Good for you!
I really enjoyed reading your post of how your stretch your EBT budget to get the most out of what you get. I hope many people are inspired by it (and this video) to see what is possible. I don't eat meat or dairy anymore for health reasons, which makes it easier to stretch my tight budget farther with filling nutritious veggies, fruits, beans/legumes, and whole grains. Here in our state we get the farmer's market EBT match up to $10 (so $10 gives me $20 in fresh produce). What a blessing that in your area you get triple the benefit. Does your state also provide the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, where you receive vouchers during the summer months for fresh produce from the farmers' market? Those benefits are available to people 60 and over who are at or below their states income limits at or below 130 percent of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. The guidelines with exact figures can be found online. The USDA senior boxes are a wonderful benefit as well that so many depend on each month. Many blessings to you!
@@yoltwysse Thanks for your comment! Yes, SC did issue the Senior Farmer's Market nutrition program vouchers as well. Just wonderful! I am diabetic, so no bread, pasta potatoes etc. I can add lentils and pintos in moderation watching what else I eat without spiking my sugar.
You should call your nearest Food Bank. There are churches and other business, they give food to for the seniors and needy. It can help you stretch that EBT even farther. I have gotten Starbucks coffee from local food bank. Me personally would never buy Starbucks ground coffee. I see it as a blessing to get some nice coffee for free. You can find cereal, pancake mix, and oatmeal at most of these pantries. They also have a nice variety of can goods for your pantry.
Some of these pantries will have a volunteer bring you a box of food.
I stocked up on dried beans, instant potatoes, and can goods for winter, when i can not get out of house. We actually tend to find a pantry partner to go with. This works out great for those who do NOT drive. Also when you actually go and talk to others you can find out other places that give out during the month. There are things that our pantries do not have so you still need to buy from stores. I have to get eggs, milk, flour, sugar, corn meal and oil from stores. I have switched to using real butter in things because our pantries give you those items.
Growing up poor. One of the things my Mom and Dad taught us was, How to make food stretch 🙏🏼. Nothing goes to waste.
Yup and that's when we had real food...
I remember our grade school back in the sixties had the lunch ladies posting a menu in the hallway and every friday was vegetable soup (or some type soup) as they saved any leftover veggies or meat and on the last day of the week used it all up in a soup or stew! I think that is where they got the name "cooks choice"! lol.
I worked for a company for 30 years, the day after they congratulated me on my 30 years they fired me saying my production had slowed down. I had just turned 71 and over the years I have developed osteoarthritis in my hands so my fingers would cramp up on occasion. I had started to get my SS a few years ago and along with working full time I was able to make ends meet with a little left over, but with the loss of my job my income was cut in half. I can pay rent, electric, car payment and insurance. I need to take 2 different BP pills plus some other medical bills and a few other small things but there isn't much left for food. I got SNAP too, but I only get $23. I have to dip into my money to shop so I hit the YT videos to learn how to cook within my 'budget'. Thanks for the new ideas 💖
Glory to God for everything and especially Thanking God for the Homemaking with Denise TH-cam channel! Hallelujah that the Holy Spirit leading folks here! You have taught us all so much and I love them all and appreciate you all!
@@brattycin I am sorry these horrible things have happened to you. Tell Jesus all about it, give Him all your troubles, then forgive those who hurt you, pray for them. Remenber, Vengence is Mine, saith The Lord. He will never desert you.
@@susandavey3312 I have a little plaque in my bedroom on my headboard that a nice lady at a flea market gave me, it says "Give your troubles to God....he will be up all night anyway"! I loved it the minute I saw it, I tried to give her the 25cents for it but she refused.
fIRST OF ALL AS A SENIOR YOU MAY QUALIFY FOR PROGRAMS IN YOUR AREA..fOOD BANKS ASSOCIATED W LOCAL CHURCHES..cATHOLIC cHARITES, mEALS ON wHEELS..aPPLY FOR mEDICAID AS WELL..gIVES RIDES...
I’m so sorry that happened to you. This country needs to relearn respect for one another.
Such a good “real” video! I was a single momma for 10 years and remember having zero money for groceries. I would go to family members and they would lovingly let me shop from their kitchen. Thank you for sharing. This puts things in perspective for a lot of us.
@@sueannchism1128 You are lucky to have a good family.
@@victoriao1828 yes very blessed!
I’ve had a few hard times. I found that I could have a mug of tomato soup by adding free ketchup packets to the hottest water I could get from the tap. That with a cheap loaf of bread for under a dollar got me by more than once. I am so very grateful not to be in that situation anymore and try to help others where I can.
@leeperkins963 I learned a spoonful of jelly to very hot water makes a tasty drink.
@@leeperkins963 I am going to try the jelly trick to sweeten tea.
@@dixiebell7011 I buy a lot of mixed fruit in can and save the juice and add it to tea or coffee because sugar cost to much for me a lot of times.
Thanks for the advice being on tight budget my self this helps.blessings to you.😇
I love these videos cause I've had small budgets in the past.
Step one: food pantries, sikh temples, restaurant jobs that give you a free meal each shift and social media can help a lot if you have access.
Step 2: look for bang for the buck foods. You can use tomato paste for a lot of things including pasta sauce, frozen vegetables can stretch farther than canned sometimes, you can sub turkey, potatoes or mushrooms for beef in some situations. Nutrient dense foods like liver, anchovies, sardines, lentils (can make sprouts too), canned salmon or tuna, sweet potato, cabbage etc help a lot. Sometimes you can use your assistance on seeds
Step 3: Affordable treats like off brand jello/pudding, sugar toast, rice pudding etc will help the mood
Just a starting point for anyone who needs it
You're exactly right that jello would be a great choice for a cheap dessert to have just a little something sweet. Diane
These are great ideas. I didn't think of Jello but when we were kids, we had Jello every week. Such a nice treat and inexpensive. and yes...food pantries are a huge resource. They have local ones in many communities and then churches and temples will often have food pantries to help the community in which they serve. One just has to know about them.
@amberreed6289 Great tips! Somethings I used to do. Free is for me. I would take extra packets of condiments, napkins, TP, get food from college/school, soup kitchens, buying anything that had a money back garentee and sending that in. I would also forage in the parks for apples, berries, garlic scapes ect.
Lentils and water and you have a tortilla like flat bread!
I don't use snap and I'm stocked up for a year, but I've been homeless and hungry to the point of now being severely anemic, and I just wanted to comment that this video and what you've done here is just beautiful!
Nothing wrong with freezing the peelings and stuff and using them later. Actually very smart.
i cut the peelings off of potatoes and put them up along with carrot peeling and other edible vegetable peeling and fry them for a meal, save that pasta water and use in soups or gravy and meat drippings then when i cook meat i will put water in the pan and heat it and pour that off to make gravy with later when i do not have hardly anything to eat left, rice and gravy, biscuits and gravy......
I save vegetable peels and cut-off parts and put them in a plastic bag and freeze them. When I have enough I simmer it all down and make vegetable broth.
Hi, I am a new subscriber. I could not stop watching you because your beautiful spirit grabbed my attention. I love the way you shared and created the meals on a $30 budget. We were taught the importance of having those staple items in our pantry (flour, sugar, meal, rice etc ). Thank you so much for sharing.❤
It was wonderful to see you teaching folks how to use those scraps to make a flavorful broth for the soup. With the leftover broth, a person could use it to make some delicious rice. I'm blessed to have had a Mother that grew up in the Great Depression and taught me to keep a well stocked pantry, as you never know what life would bring to you. Glad you are teaching people how to be a frugal cook!
@@voodookitchenmama my mom always kept a well stocked pantry for one she was a single mom, two her mother lived in the great depression casseroles were a staple growing up because you can stretch them usually. She could always stretch food. I remember half the time she was feeding our friends whom had two parents in the house. My mom was very frugal and a smart shopper. I never understood until much later in life, when we were caught without, I learned real quick, that needs are more important than wants, and to have a well stocked pantry of basics, and extras of other things to make meals out of. Earlier I had Mac n cz we got on sale, I had made some homemade ranch style beans threw some of those in there, with a few crunched up tortilla chips, some sour cream, and a couple chopped tomatoes made a nice easy cheap tasty meal. With left overs. I also home can large pots of soup, chili I made, as well as meats and potatoes I get on sale. I'll take the ten pound bags of chicken leg qrtrs pressure cook in my pressure cooker-canner and make chicken and broth to can together. Comes in handy for soups, dumplings, or other meals. I always shop around sales with canning, stretching, and preserving in mind. It makes a difference.
My mom too, funny I always thought everyone kept a stocked pantry…found out later that many people don’t. I was the exception at work. Thank you mom!
I was one of six growing up and we did not have much money. My mom could stretch food like no other. Potatoes, pasta, eggs, bouillon cubes, grits, white bread, beans, rice and bologna.
We often had breakfast for dinner that I still love to this day. Bologna sandwiches for school lunches every day. It was the only meat we had when growing up until things got better for my parents. She made potato and pasta or beans in the chicken broth for many dinners. I love this video because now that I am 60 and want to retire in 5 years, I have to start living on a serious budget. It brought back many memories!!!❤
its a good plan for heathy person. just not diabetic friendly. i do my best to stay low carb to keep my A1c down. so for me i try to stick to green beans, spinach, broccoli, eggs, ground beef, can tuna, broth cubes. and body doesnt handle acidic foods. tomatoes, onions, peppers, citrus, yes, im a hot mess, but i have lost 50lbs. have 100 to go.
@@lisaann6267 congrats on the weight loss and for sticking to what is healthy for you. Can you grow any of the greens or beans in pots? Just to help out?
@@covingtoncreekathome green beans & spinach. carrots. i eat carrots raw, they turn to starch when cooked.
You can work around your menu too. I am also a diabetic with blood clotting problems and the foods I should have for my diabetes= greens works against my blood thinning meds, some fruits I have to avoid as well as those can mess with my blood as well. The greens can make it too thick, and the fruits certain ones like cranberries and pineapple can cause it to thin too much. I do fast sometimes and only eat one meal a day sometimes, as with anything moderation is key.
Ms. Denise, this is beneficial for all of us on S.S., fixed income, as well! Thank you so much!
The struggle is real!! Go to food pantries, if your a senior sometimes you can get a commodity food box. Every little bit helps!
This was very interesting. I priced the same items at my Walmart just to see if I could stay under $30. My total went over, so I replaced the frozen potatoes ($3.42 here) with a 10 lb bag of russets for $2.98. My subtotal was then at $29.74. It was close BUT the potatoes would be a blessing for that quantity. 🙂
Also, I got the rotisserie chicken for a dollar less if I bought it cold instead of hot. 😁
Kroger was 29.15 and I had to replace the rotisserie chicken with a 6 pack of bone-in chicken thighs. The rotisserie there was nearly $8.
@@heathersmeather FYI: Hot foods/meals CANNOT be purchased on SNAP, but foods made to REHEAT at home are acceptable on SNAP.
This is so helpful during these times. It’s so difficult to shop for a family nowadays. I always make sure I have powdered broth and cans of broth. Canned vegetables to make soup and dried onions and spices. We all have to shop wisely. We only have a Publix , Aldi and Walmart, Winn Dixie. Watching your meal planning does help. Being raised in an Italian family Mom always sho us to stretch the meals for leftovers and make lentil soups or a white bean soup with spinach and a link of sausage chopped up. Learn to freeze leftovers. No wasting food.
Andrea, I like how your mom thinks. You've got to be as frugal as possible. Use everything. That's why I make my own broth now. Thank you for jumping in on this subject. You shared some valuable advice.
As a child we got surplus food, not food stamps. Things like beans powdered milk, powdered eggs. Canned meat. It wasn’t pretty but my dad would bake bread and we had a lot of soup. People need to learn to cook from scratch. Things aren’t getting better. God bless you for this video.
We got government food too. In the sixties. It was called commoditys
@@slendagullyandfriends4530 that’s it. I think it was a better system because we couldn’t use it for junk food. It was just the staples. Actually healthier.
I get food stamps too. They expect you to add some of your own money to your food budget as well. Plus there are food pantry and food banks and churches out there also.
If you are lucky, our tiny town has one foodbank and it is only open twice a week for two hours....I am not sure but I think you are limited to a couple visits a month??
I deal with a tight budget as well as lupus. This means there are days I can't actually cook. For years now I've put meals in the freezer on my good days, bought in bulk when possible, keep herbs growing year round in the window, kept both a vegetable scrap bag, bone bag, and a bread scrap bag in the freezer, etc. I almost always have the makings for broth/stock to start soups, bread crumbs, bread pudding, and stir fries on hand. I freeze soup in quart containers. When I make casseroles they get portioned out and frozen for meals, and I also bake my own bread ~ and keep either refrigerator dough or frozen loaves on hand. I was fortunate to grow up in a PA Dutch family and was taught to cook, can, and dehydrate foods from a very young age.
Oh my, Lierin. You are so blessed to have learned how to stretch your resources, bake bread, and just be an all-around badass when it comes to making, saving, and preserving food. I like the idea of having the frozen bread loaves on hand. That’s something that I need to do…the bread. The other things I do.
I get $23.00 in Snap Benefits here in the state of Georgia, i also have access to a church food pantry once per month! Very tough
Is there any other pantries you can go to in addition to the one?
@covingtoncreekathome not really you must register and I don't want to be blamed for double dipping!
@@savingmoneyunapologetically I hear of people being signed up for more than one
@@savingmoneyunapologetically are some more generous than the one you go to? Someone I follow on TH-cam goes to one that gives so much food esp fresh produce she gives some of it to friends. My thought was that she should have told the site not to give her so much and give extra to people with bigger families.
You can go to 3 places a month if you need to. I used to work in my church food bank. They checked on you now through the social security number.
My mom told us that she fed us canned milk (diluted) in our bottles. So even now at 71, I use canned milk for many things. Biscuits, milk on cereal, basicly anything that calls for milk. Always take the things you can get from the food banks. You'd be surprised what you can do with them.
Frugal Fit Mom on youtube has a lot of similar videos if anyone needs more resources. I would definitely get oats and dried beans over canned. Potatoes go pretty far too. I make lentil soup and freeze portions, same with chili.
I'm a fan of Frugal Fit Mom myself and have spent hours binge watching her videos for ideas, especially after my spouse suffered a massive stroke (before he was 60) and we were suddenly minus one income and mine was only a part time job at the time. Thankfully things are better now finacially and I don't have to scrimp quite so hard but went a year there relying heavily on food banks to keep us fed.
FFM, definitely has a lot of great ideas!
This was a great idea for a video! Everyone is trying to stretch the budget. Thank you. As I watched, I remembered our particularly lean years. A bag of popcorn to pop on the stove was our one treat, and lasted a long time. Yes, over time things would hold over to the next week, or even more. A bag of potatoes lasted, as well as rice. I made gravy with bouillon cubes, making a slurry, beef or chicken. Pancakes came in handy, breakfast for dinner, and occasionally adding kernel corn to the batter. Kids loved it! From scratch Mac and cheese, sliced hotdogs added. Baking from scratch, a lifesaver. Only meat purchased, generally on sale. Sales planned my meals. I still shop quite similarly...frugality so important. Chicken, always on the menu. It was the least expensive meat, and I could stretch that hen into 3 meals!
I'm always surprised more people don't use popcorn for a snack. I get the bag at the Dollar Tree for $1.25 and a container of coconut oil to pop it in - leaves a buttery taste, even without butter. The key for shopping is WATCH THE SALES and cook based on what is on sale, not what you decide in advance you want to eat.
It may seem tediuos, but when buying a bag of frozen mixed vegs, sort the vegetables into piles. All the carrots, all the peas, all the corn, the green beans. You'll feel like you're not eating the same veg each night. If you buy frozen veg blends of cauliflower and broccoli, do the same. Now you can make a broccoli soup.
Wow Denise! I loved this video so much. You did a fantastic job with your choices for some great meals. I was very impressed, but also sadly reminded of the challenges of people surviving on such small budgets - especially with the costs higher than ever at my local grocery stores.
Thanks also for the reminder to hold our judgement.
I hope you will do more videos on this topic. I think so many could benefit and it is always a pleasure to be a guest in your kitchen! Much love to you my sweet friend!
🩵Robin
Excellent video. I'm so thankful my mother and grandmothers taught me to be frugal and keep pantry basics on hand.
I buy things on sale to stretch our budget. Meals are based on what i have. My goal is to save at least 30% every time I shop.
You did a great job at stretching those dollars! But I began to wonder what that someone would eat for breakfast... and wouldnt i want to go back for another bowl of soup... this makes me more grateful for what i have...thanks!!
That spare $1.50+ would buy another half-dozen eggs, which could be enjoyed w/ the cornbread for at least one week of breakfast. 💚
Edit: Food pantries oft provide bread, eggs, cereal, a milk, and some produce. Some have many other things, as well, including menstrual & baby products.
Even herbs, plants, and holiday wares.
Anyone who menstruates _(especially heavily),_ or who suffers incontinence should see if there is a local thrift shop. Many times they carry those items, too, for a buck or 2; sometimes shampoos and other hygiene products. If you are able to go to a grocer with a rewards program, you can earn free items quite frequently. Shop in discount sections for lightly dented cans (search online to learn which dents are safe), day-old breads make great stuffings and French toast, bruised fruit can be baked or sauteed for desserts or sides, or cut around to consume fresh/raw.
UTILIZE COUPONS & rebates AMAP. Share those you don't need or want. They needn't even be people you know personally; most times I peek at registers and hand over to those w/ a qualifying purchase. When I can't, I leave them at the docks (especially at self-checkout), or in their respective sections, easily able to be seen.
PLEASE, people, let's look out for each other if we can. Check on your neighbors, or just knock and gift/share. Especially those with elders and children. Donate to churches, food/product banks, and thrift stores if you have surplus.
Heads up, backs straight, hearts strong. We got this. 💗
I see a lot of folks on here complaining about the extras you had on hand already to use which I thought you explained well at the first of the video. You said, shop your pantry first to see what you already have on hand, and work around that. I don't know why that was so hard for some to understand? Anyways this video definitely showed the importance of having pantry basics like flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, corn meal, oats, a fat and or oil, salt pepper, and some basic seasonings.
I agree with you. I watch some of these from time to time, and it always happens---somebody has to gripe about the creator using black pepper or a few pickles they already had on hand. It's unrealistic to do a video where every single atom of food was fresh-bought at the store for the video because "it has to be ONLY "$xx.00" amount of money. 95% of us have some staples and some seasonings on hand.
Why can't people just appreciate the time, thought, and effort that go into these videos? This one was exxceptionally well done in my opinion.
@@kedeglow2743 yes it absolutely was. If they don't have pepper, salt, and some basic seasonings on hand at home already, then they're doing something wrong. Even when I was broker than broke, I had those things. Needs are way more important than wants. People need to learn to give up some of their wants, for some of their needs. Preferably before they have to learn the hard way like I had to. Some are stubborn though . I was.
With the price of groceries, many people are struggling. Videos like this will help many stretch their budgets. Freezing left overs for future meals may come in handy when funds are low.
It was comforting watching you prepare the soup and especially the muffins because it was all done from scratch. This was soothing and a healing for me because my mom would cook in this fashion and this month is the anniversary of her passing last September... Watching you made me wish I had really paid attention when she was trying to show me her way when I was younger. At 64 I cook but nothing like the way you two...you stretched that bird and even turned the bones into a healthy meal... thank you and God bless 🙏🏾
I love your ideas! Brilliant! Streeeeeetch! If you use lentils ($1.25 a pound,) you can make vegan patties (18 of them), black beans (about 1.25/pound) make a nice dish (black beans and rice). You can make a very nice chili with kidney beans (you can flavor everything with salt and pepper, cumin, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes). Pinto beans make really nice refried beans (1.00/pound at Walmart yesterday on a price drop...bought 2). Buy meats on discount, on last day sales, freeze right away to use later). I've been shocked at the increasing costs and have been using up my freezer meat. You can saute ground meat and divide up for different recipes or, separate before you freeze it into portions to add flavor to rice, pasta or potato based meals. Add a side of veggies. Vegetables and fruits are very important. You will get your vitamin C, etc from oranges. You can buy a lemon or two, cut it into wedges and freeze it (same with limes). Pull one out of the freezer, squeeze into your water and drop in the wedge...yummy and keeps you from getting scurvy. Buy frozen veggies and you can use just a portion at a time with no wasted veggies going bad in the refrigerator...
If you are having problems with bugs in your white rice, freeze it upon bringing it into your home for 48 hours. Take it out and you won't have bugs. I know. Gross.
Good luck everyone with your budgets...
-a fellow EBT recipient.
Thanks I am having problems with bugs in my rice and grits..anything in my pantry so what can I do about it l throw more food away because of bugs..
I remember when I worked in the supermarket people would come in with brand name products but couldn't afford everything, so I used to ask them would they mind if I changed some of the brands, then they could have everything just not big branded names. I'm so grateful I don't have to think like that yet. But I just loved your video. Makes me feel stupid how I waste so much. Xx
Brilliant! You can save and refrigerate the fat off the chicken broth and cooked ground beef to cook with. By having things in the pantry and a small garden, you can always have your hand on the next meal.
I love this series! I hope you do more 😊 i watch dollar tree dinners channel and she has some great ideas too . I get reduced rotisserie chickens from walmart as well. And for me i get 5 different dishes out of it. With the broth makings i do the same with my veg scraps when making it . With the broth and scraps of meat i make chicken veg soup . Then i turn it into a gravy over rice. Then i take the last if it add chicken bullion potatoes and any leftover veg i may have and make mini ot pies. I usually get 4 to 5 pies . Stretching that chicken for sure 😊
When I can get chicken legs or quarters at a good price I like to get a pack of corn tortillas and make some fried chicken tacos ..I boil the chicken like I'm going to make chicken and save the veggies and broth for a veggie soup another day and buy a small pack of corn tortillas (maybe if you have a dollar tree close that would be cheapest ) and take some chicken and put inside the tortilla and fold in half and fry in some veg oil if I have it I had sour cream lettuce chopped tomatoes or salsa
Have you watched Ardent Michelle? That lady pinches pennies so hard they cry. Seriously, though, she is amazing!
I look at the marked down produce section. Also use my local food banks to help with my canned pantry. That frees up some of the food stamp allotment for perishables. Definitely check farmers markets as most honor food stamps now. Get my eggs from local farmer for $2 dozen. Thank you for your loving labors as helps knowing others of like mindedness.
I appreciate your compassion. Your video was so valuable. There are a lot of individuals living on limited funds that did not have parents or grandparents to teach them how to prepare meals or stretch a budget. We need more lessons being taught to our young people.
Fortunately, I do have a good store of basic pantry items, that I try to keep replenished. Particularly because the winter is on the horizon, every rime I go shopping, I'm mindful of what I need to replace. That $30 would most likely be used to purchase meats and vegetables. Carrots, squash, onions, potatoes and other root vegetables are in season and have a good shelf life if stored correctly. Farmers markets are less expensive than supermarkets.
In our area PNW the farmers markets are so much more than the supermarket.
Seed swaps are a great way to get some. Some local libraries have seed banks. Save seeds and root ends of carrots, onions, celery..... to plant in a pot. Some people will send seeds by mailing them a self addressed envelope. Plants will also go to seed and can be saved and used to plant or share. Thank you for your inspiration.
That's our monthly budget per person. $30 a month, each. I could spend more but we believe this is the best way to demonstrate that careful budgeting is still possible today. We cook from scratch and waste nothing.
Great tips and great reminder to me of how blessed I am in my life. So many people are having to make these hard decisions. Too many.
You are a massive inspiration to us smaller cooking creators 👍👍👍
Wow, thank you so much. I appreciate your kindness. Tell me, what inspired you most about this piece?
Not cheating just using what you were smart enough to save. Always adds flavor with the leftovers and scraps.
Love this video. Thank you for making it.
❤ truly impressed by the time you're taking to teach people how to cook, God Bless You.
Love this content! Bread is so expensive, I hate to buy it. I love the big bags of chicken quarters my Walmart has for less than $8. I can boil it with veggie ends to make stock, just like you do, then make pot pies, or chicken noodles, and have a baked chicken meal, too. Great find with the rotisserie whole chicken! You’re a joy to watch!
Bread is easy to make, even on the stovetop if you don't have an oven, and is way cheaper than buying it premade.
This was a humbling video and comment section. I live in Sweden, so a bit different from US. I think you did an excellent job on getting most out of that 30 dollars. But that is just too little. I hope anyone trying to survive on that utilizes food pantries, little free pantries and blessing boxes. There is no shame in that. Everyone deserve to go to bed without being hungry. The soup looked amazing, the best part of fall is that its soup season❤.
Emma…exactly. I learned so much about Snap benefits from the comments. Unless you try to walk in another person’s shoes, you don’t get it. This was just a challenge but trust me…I now know so much more. Yes…free food pantries are so needed. They help the person ease things out…make ends meet…put food on the table. I like your term “blessing box”. It’s the perfect name for them. They can bless someone in need. And yes…fall is the perfect season for soups and stews.
Rough estimate I have 10 pounds of dried pinto beans, and 15 pounds of rice, (Mexican-German-Native American) 8 pounds of flour, 6 pounds of sugar, lots of Chile powder, and chili sauce, dried milk, spices, but I have No meat and fresh veggies at all. My mom always has two empty bottles of milk, at the store she would buy 1 gallon of milk, then mix up one gallon of dried milk, then she would mixed both up then bottle.
I hope you know what a blessing you are to your friend. Blessing to you and yours
That is a great trick about the milk that I've used in past years, too.
That's a great idea! I wouldn't have ever thought of doing that, so thanks for sharing!🐄🥛✨
@@NellBelle I have lived off dried beans and rice. It’s pretty healthy too, carbs, protein, and fiber.
Back in the day powdered milk cost less but now it cost more
My first time seeing your video and I’m so glad. You’re providing excellent ideas. Another staple in my pantry is powdered milk. I use it to make for cream soup’s, gravy’s or to make budget stretching casseroles. Always look for pantry items on sale whether it’s the grocery stores, dollar stores or drugstore’s. I just subscribed to your channel 😊
Crushed tomatoes work for many menu items like spaghetti sauce, and any leftovers of it can store in the freezer.
We prefer making it from that
Crushed tomatoes are a great option and yes, you can store the leftovers in the freezer.
Your are a very wise women. God bless you for sharing❤❤❤😊😊😊
I mostly buy the 1 pound frozen roll of ground turkey from walmart, They are less than 2 dollars
Once in a while I get that but it's way too wet
I supported my family of five and I shopped at the "cheap store." A market where they sold fresh vegetables and fruit that were "seconds" often organic, for 1/4 the price of the regular supermarket. They also had greatly discounted shelf stable foods that were close to outdates. There was a lot of great food there for a small budget. I would be shopping there today if we had a discount market in the area.
What was the name of this store, and where was it located? I've never heard of a place like that, but I wish more of them existed!
I'm 65 and also thought my Mother liked the chicken back, sad she was gone when I realized it. Great to hear this and see others below who had the same experience!
We don’t eat meat which is an inexpensive way to go although that isn’t why we eat that way. But I wanna say, if I had everything to make a little batch of cookies except the chocolate chips, I might buy a single pack of M&M’s to use instead and be hoping they were on sale.
Typically you would not be able to purchase the rotisserie chicken as the purchase of HOT prepped food is not allowed with food stamps. Occasionally the store will “recode” the item at the end of the day to make it available for food stamp purchase but unfortunately you would not be able to buy it in most cases.
If the chicken is cold, it's food-stamp eligible.
I enjoyed listening to your ideas! You have a very calming effect and that is so needed in a world filled with noise and chaos! I’m a first time listener but will definitely tune in again. Keep up the good work!
Same here!
I love your videos. Always looking to help others.
If there is someone that is having a hard time. Maybe make a friendship basket with basics in. If there is someone in your life that has a garden maybe try bartering for produce - help out with the gardening, cut their grass (ask to use their mower) maybe help them with their house cleaning, watch their kids so they can have a night to do what they want. Try to think out of the box.
Kroger has a markdown section for fresh fruit and veggies. Usually 3 items to a red net bag. They are 99 cents. I have gotten some beautiful fresh fruit and veggies. The other day I got 3 bell peppers - 1 each orange, red and yellow in the bag. If the peppers are a tad on the wilting side they are still great to cook with. If they are soaked in water after slicing they usually plump back up. I leave them in water in the fridge over night. Meijers use to have the markdown section but I’m not sure if they still do. My rule of thumb is the fresh has to be on sale for me to get it.
I do this for lemons. Buy as many bags as they have. I freeze the juice in mason jars and small ice cube tray and the zest. They also have reduced meat, bakery and bread sections.
I’ve been in that situation before it’s not a pleasant situation 😞. And sometimes people don’t even have the basics to make it from scratch or they might have half the items but can’t get the rest. And right now food pantries in my area they don’t give out flour or sugar or some of the other necessities, but in some places they might. Each area is different and it’s a real problem in America right now, and my heart goes out to each one that has to make those choices. I’m not rich or better off than the rest but within the last few years if able I do have some things stored up
So glad you did this video it was very helpful have a blessed evening
❤ love the tip on starting a garden i recently moved so i wasnt able to start a garden this year but am for sure going to in the new year coming... i also keep a good stocked up pantry as much as possible
I always have beans rice and pasta and spaghetti sauce canned veggies and tuna and have oil sugar AP flour and yeast and shelf stable milk and powdered milk too
@ilovemusic1974 The small garden we put in this summer has been surprisingly helpful.
Planted from reduced bedding starters; yellow zucchini, tomatoes, buttercup squash and eggplants 🍆
Planted seeds for lettuce, Swiss chard, green beans & carrots 🥕
The lettuce was the opening act- lots salads
At one point I was getting $11 in food stamps. I’m disabled as well as my little girl. I just don’t understand what they thought I was going to do with $11 a month. I had family members who were getting well over $700 in food stamps and we live in the same state. I know someone who was getting over $1000.
Years ago when I was going through my divorce & barely receiving child support, they only offered me $10 for me & 2 children. What an insult to me. Thank god I had a decent job that I could afford some food but made large batches of food to stretch the food budget. Now as a senior, I will be applying for snap soon as I am on SS & was laid off & have struggled to obtain a job. Thanks for this video. I'm always looking for ways to stretch food out for the month.
So glad I found your video tonight. The way you cook is the way i was raised, and the way i still cook - nothing goes to waste. You and I know cooking like this takes a lot of time but so worth the effort. Thank you for sharing. ❤
Very glad to hear you talk about the abusive woman who needs to grab and go. Would love to explore this more and discuss with you.
Hi Denise l have health issues so l have to buy all organic it’s so expensive you did a great job spending almost $30 take care 😊
Hi Yolanda, thank you. This challenge was a real eye-opener. It's easy to eat healthy and fresh when the budget is adequate but when it's tight...well, that's a whole different story. And yes...organic is so expensive. How have you managed? What do you do to compensate?
This is a great video. It not only makes me think about challenging myself as far as the grocery budget, but you also reminded me of some meals I could make that I haven't done in a while.
I love the seasons of fall and winer, I make more soups and stews!
I get $53 a month in food stamps and without me putting in my personal money, I could never, live off $30 a month.
Your show is great! Glad i found you! I'm a new widow (alone) and the SNAP benefits I’ve been awarded is for $23.00 a month. A loaded pantry from a year ago is feeding me so the $23 is for few eggs, butter, etc.
You must cook from scratch. Bags of potatoes, cornmeal, eggs, etc. Make your own pasta sauce!!
thanks Denise for another great video, and to the people who commented with some excellent helpful hints ❤
I'm forty-five seconds into your video, watching you for the first time, and I LIKE you! There's nothing so refreshing to me as honesty and humbleness! It shows a teachable spirit.
Halfway through now, and I even like your "sponsor-blurb". It was so cute to watch you display that adorable apron!
Our family is not on SNAP, but we've had some hard times in the past during periods when my husband was laid-off, and I'm just a frugal person, so I enjoy this kind of video. I also think that right now especially, folks had better learn to live on less, because I truly believe extremely hard times are coming, and I mean SOON.
Thanks for the lovely video, and have a very Blessed day!
Me, too! I'm very worried. I am unemployed. Been unemployed so long I wonder if I'll ever work again. I've never been very good at meal planning and budgeting for groceries. I also never learned to cook very well. I need so much help learning these things. So happy to find this wonderful woman's video! I'm subscribed now!
Always have flour and sugar. Consider cutting a couple of carrot sticks and celery sticks as a fresh side item. Serve with a dressing or make a vinaigrette.
One other things to do is go to a food bank. The free groceries would definitely expand your options. Great video showing that there are many options for our food budgets!
I would buy:
Eggs
Bread
Oatmeal
Potatoes
Onions
Can diced tomatoes
Hamburger meat
Tomato sauce
Flour
Cake mix
Brownie mix
Pinto beans
Chicken
Thank you, Denise. Well done, and excellent comments. I realize more and more that my husband and I are spoiled. It's humbling.
But you do realize that though your friend is only receiving $30, that is to supplement not 100 % provide. Good job.
Chicken salad would have been nice also. You truly can get a lot of meals with $30. But it takes some planning and research. Great video.❤
I think that I'll be donating baking goods and spices so people can use their funds for the fresh items. I had never really thought about how much those basics could make the meals so much better
As someone who had to rely on food pantries/food banks for almost a year, several years ago, I can't tell you how happy I'd be whenever I saw those little extras like spices, herbs, sugar, etc. Pasta, oatmeal, beans etc. are filling, great nutritionally and cheap too but they can be so bland and adding a little chili and garlic powder to your beans or cinnamon and sugar to your oatmeal can make a world of difference, especially when you have to rely on those foods on an almost daily basis. Thanks for neing so thoughtful.
My daughter-in-law was single for a time. She had no pantry. Her benefits came up to $29 a month. That was it. She shared that food insecurity was a very real thing in her circumstances. She did have a job but with car insurance, phone, rent...Not much left to spare to go towards food.
That really resonated with me and to see you come up with this budget-minded menu I realized that $30 is enough to manage for one meal a day but it's not going to provide for breakfast or lunches. And it's going to be skimpy meals for suppers if one must stick strictly to that $30. I found myself wondering how one could go about building a pantry, even a small one, with that sort of budget. For instance, with that $1.48 you had to spare, would you have bought another bag of beans or rice to set aside for the next month? Would you have tucked it away and saved it for the next month, rebought the very same foods and added in a 5-pound bag of flour once you had $2.96?
Lots of thinking going on inside my head. For several years I did a few posts on my blog about making meals with a small budget based on a weekly amount not a monthly one of $30 and it was hard then...What on earth would I do NOW?
I love the aprons! simple ingredients and technique go a long way. 30 dollars though? that is hard if you are not growing your own veggies and herbs.
I’m a new subscriber to your channel. I love your ideas. Everything looks delicious. With food prices soaring to rocket high levels, it’s comforting to see other people using frugal techniques in order to survive. I also love the music💖 God bless u and thank u so much for all of your tips.
Wow Denise! This was very eye opening! You did a great job with the limited budget! I spend $30 on just fresh organic fruit for the family each week, much less per month! Your soup looks delish! I will give it a try! Thanks for sharing!❤
I got 5 lb onions $1.47, 5 lb potatoes $1.47, and 2 lb carrots $1.47 at Tom Thumb. If it's a good sale I buy. My budget for one is $250/month and that is a challenge. In these times I feel it a blessing to have been financially strapped growing up. I know how to manage money.
I have discovered that the dollar tree carries a frozen stir fry blend that has broccoli, carrots, snap peas, and yellow bell peppers, for only $1.25. it can be added to several meals to give you some veges.
It’s amazing how you can make so much out of so little. One thing I noticed is that there isn’t enough for breakfast or lunch. So whoever is eating on 30 dollars a month is only eating one meal a day. Also is there a food pantry she could go to to help out?
I guess if you are fortunate to have the flour, baking soda, sugar in your pantry you could make pancakes or biscuits for breakfast. If you only had the $30 and nothing else it would be very tough.
You gave me something to think about. Thank you
Thank you! It makes me realize where I was and how far I’ve come. I still cook dried beans,
& make my own spaghetti sauce from canned tomatoes.
Whenever I can, I buy a Food Bank bag at the store and drop it in the donation box.
I love your honesty about thinking, "Well I don't know what you're bellyaching about. It should be easy to eat for that amount." I think we all have done this. But you never really know unless you actually do what you have done and tried it. Good for you. I also think we forget that simple meals with basic ingredients are how most people ate not that long ago. If it was good enough for grandma, it's good enough for us!
So true! So important to make as much as possible yourself. I also always found it helped to make a meal plan after checking my pantry and store sales. Bless you for teaching the young home makers today. Don't forget to remind people to reach out for local food resources like food banks.
My husband and i have never been poor. I was fortunate that he could support us on his income. We had 4 children and none of us ever went hungry. I did put health above frugality but spent as little on food as I could.
We ate very little packaged food. Videos like this surprise me and actually embarrass me a little. I didn't realize at the time how extremely frugal i was- perhaps a but too much, even.
That grocery haul is a feast for a Queen. In other parts of the world that would be dinning out. It;s a blessing! If I had to do it I would.
I think this is one of the best and most practical videos I have ever seen on You Tube. Everyone can learn from this no matter your budget or circumstance. It should be required watching for all young people starting out. It is like good old Home Ec class! I think most people would love to eat well without spending a lot of money and be able to use that money to do something they would enjoy. Thank you so much!
I just seen those eggs at my Walmart for 2.17 😢 but I appreciate these type of videos. It’s always helpful to know how to cook on a budget
Thank you so much for sharing these ideas with us, Denise. I grew up in the household of a divorced single mother of two, who was also a child of parents who lived with the Great Depression knowledge and skills to survive on very little just like so many here in the comments. Many times we only ate what frozen and home canned goods both of our grandmothers provided us, and what my mother could grow in our small garden and freeze/home can herself to get us through the winters. Our mother often worked three jobs to make ends meet. By the time she paid the mortgage, car payment, insurance, utilities, and other expenses, there wasn't anything left for food. She told me when I was younger that although food stamps were available, she didn't qualify for them with income and as a home owner. She also said that it would be humiliating and embarrassing to be looked down upon for receiving and using food stamps. There was so much more stigma attached to them back in the mid-60's. My older sister and I are fortunate that we were taught to be frugal and never to waste anything (water, electricity, heat, food, or anything else). Many times during my life these life lessons and ingrained abilities served me and my own three children well after my own divorce. Of course, I passed along the frugality and knowledge to them by example. I have read basically every comment posted on this video and see so many others sharing even more helpful ideas and suggestions. Many blessings to you (and everyone here) for helping others see that so much is possible with so little in these growing hard times. Heading to subscribe now. 😊
Dry milk, eggs, rice, beans (all types), cornmeal (hot water cornbread), pasta, butter, olive oil, and meat bones, fish heads, from the butchers and fish markets, canned and fresh veggies only. Well, this is me. A friend used to tell me to only buy frozen juices as a fruit. I agree with taking note of what we have on hand and complementing that. Nowadays I eat canned soups on sale and supplement the soup with water, canned meat, adding rice or pasta. I love your advice, thank you.
You’re on target with all those things. There are not many butcher shops anymore. Most people get their meat at the grocery store. Fish heads…hmmm. Fish stew. Made it once. Hubby loved it. Canned soups are great meal starters. And you’ve got the meal extenders down.
@@homemakingwithdenise thank you Ms. Denise. I work hard at being frugal these days and eating less, in fact, I fast about 21hrs, eat a meal, and begin fasting another 21hrs or more - 1 meal a day, OMAD. My body has adjusted well.